"Why is your notebook empty?" Legend asked her after he got comfortable in his hammock that Newt hang there. Vivienne sighed and played with the sheets inside the notebook she got from Ben; a frown incrusted her soft features, and before she knew it she was playing with her honey hair. God, she felt so dirty and heavy and Legend asking questions did not help at all.
"There's a limited quantity, and I just don't want to waste it," she confessed which wasn't a lie. She did not want to own Ben yet another favor considering she still owed him one.
"But that lullaby was beautiful. You know the Cornish one," he clarified. She held his glance for a moment before she repeated her previous action and played with the notebook. The paper was smooth under her delicate fingers.
"You're right, it was quite unique," she admitted. She wrote down the words quickly. "Do you want me to sing it again?" He nodded vigorously. "Alright, close your eyes for me," she whispered.
She caressed Legend hair after he'd fallen asleep. It never took him long, and Vivienne had to admit he always looked really cute with his lips slightly parted and the tongue's tip out. She chuckled softly and got back to her bed. She took the notebook and ripped out the pages covered in blue ink. She folded it and hid between mattress and bed frame under her pillow.
When she first asked Legend to keep the song a secret he looked at her curiously and asked a plethora of questions. She refused to answer them and eventually got the Youngling to slim it.
Next day was hectic. True, her stomachache wasn't awful and she managed to work just fine. True, she got her morning tea and had time to chat with Newt and Minho. But also true, Ben tagged along - she seriously needed to get over him - and it was scorching hot as the sunbeams reached every corner of the Glade leaving no shadow to hide at.
As she got close to the pantry, with a bright smile on her face and already sweaty forehead she could hear them chit-chat.
"How long is princess gonna boss us around, huh?"
"She's here a month and she's already our boss."
"She disappears when she wants, she does what she wants-" She knew them she was working with them every day, and they never said a single word to her besides 'hi' and 'bye' and 'okay'. Maddox, Phoenix, and Ryker were pretending to work, standing above few logs that had been left, while they were chatting not-so-silently.
"Perks of having boobs, shanks."
"And hanging out with keepers." Her vision was becoming blurry due to her watery eyes. She swallowed hard, yet soundlessly the lump in her throat which stung mercilessly. It got the tears in her eyes to fade as she took abundant breaths to calm herself down.
"She even got Gally wrapped around her slender finge-"
"Why don't you say this to my face?!" She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow trying to look bitchy and careless. "Or even better Gally?"
"I-we..." Ryker tried to speak up but words caught up in his throat.
"You can't even speak properly and you think you can handle this job, slinthead? Well, be my guest!" She tried to keep her nerves under control, but she loved how terrified and ashamed they all looked. "Unless any of you have something else to add - by the way fire away - we should get back to work. Not a word was shared among builders till lunch. The silence was broken by Peter running late, but he must have sensed something was up because despite greeting everyone not a single word followed after.
The box alarm went off before Vivienne could sit among her friends with her plate. All Gladers gathered around it and a storm of questions erupted before Alby could even free the Greenie.
"You think it's gonna be another girl?" Ryker yelled and it was followed by few remarks Vivienne refused to listen to.
"Would you man-up and talk to her?" She commented with her brows furrowed. Most guys began to roar - Minho was definitely being the loudest - but Jeff, Clint, Newt, Gally, and Alby gave her a questioning look. She decided to ignore them, brushing her hair out of her face. She was anxious about finding out who was inside and focused her whole attention on the box which had just stopped.
"Ready?" Newt whispered so silently she wasn't sure if he really spoke up. He was scratching his chin whilst studied her clearly looking for answers.
"You shouldn't be asking me," she mumbled. No matter who was in the box - a girl or a boy - their life was about to be ruined. She wanted it to be a girl but when Alby opened the box revealing a boy she couldn't say she was shocked. Disappointed? - Definitely.
Alby jumped inside scaring the poor guy to one of the corners. He had dark skin, yet he wasn't black as Alby's, no his was more of a caramel colour. He had vivid emerald green eyes – filled with hot tears - she could spot from where she stood. Greenie was shaking his head vigorously refusing to listen to Alby's rather calming words.
"Should we-"
"-go eat something? Yes, I'm starving! Let's go, babe," Minho cut her off and drugged her away from the crowd before she could protest. The only people in the diner were Fry, Legen and few other cooks.
"What's gotten into you?" Vivienne's eyes bore into him, but he didn't seem to care one bit. Shrugging he took a huge bite of steak into his mouth and chew it with parted lips. Ugh, disgusting. – Vivienne rolled her eyes.
"I don't like Greenies," he stated carelessly much to her displeasure. It would explain why he wasn't around a lot just after her arrival. "Nick used to handle them, now it's Alby's job, though Newt likes interfere."
"Of course he does," she muttered shaking her head with her eyes closed for a brief second. She glanced at her full plate and though the food looked delicious after the hard and nerve-wrecking day of work she couldn't bring herself to swallow it.
"Will you be eating that?" She pushed her dish toward Minho without a second thought. He dug his fork into it immediately. "So what's bothering my babe?" Vivienne smiled against her will.
"I'm just tired, I guess," she mimicked Minho's shrug not really in a mood to gossip. "How is my babe?" She grinned trying to look casual.
"After hearing you call out that slinthead? Perfect, babe, perfect." Vivienne's eyes lit up and her lips curled into a smile as a soft chuckle escaped her.
"Anytime," she theatrically waved her hand dismissively.
"Trouble, got a second?" She turned her head, though she already knew who it was. Gally stood there with his hands glued to his hips, brows furrowed.
"Say yes or they'll fly away," Minho mumbled and thankfully Gally didn't hear or simply ignored the snarky remark.
"Sure, I'm done here anyways." She looked back at the plate Minho almost emptied by then. When they left the canteen she studied Gally who lead her behind homestead a bit into the woods. "Where are we going, captain?" It was the first time she called him that, wondering if she didn't just push her luck.
"Check it out," he ignored the nickname to which he must have gotten used to by now considering guys called him that a lot. Vivienne looked away from him to find them standing in front of a wooden hut. He opened the door for her with a crack, which she decided to ignore too astonished to even form a coherent thought not mentioning a sentence.
Inside she was met with a short corridor with four doors two on each side. She put her palm over a doorknob to a first door on her right. Vivienne glanced at Gally asking for approval and when he nodded with a grin she entered a room. It wasn't too big or too fancy. Walls weren't painted – not that she expected them to be – there was a window – more like a window-shaped hole – a twin bed on the other side, and a wardrobe.
"Now, I know this isn't much-"
"Is it for me?" She interrupted with a hint of disorientation gracing her voice. She was slowly turning from Gally to the window then to the bed and then to Gally again.
"It's yours. If you want it," he offered with his hands in pockets of his pants. She ran up to him and put her arms around him into a tight embrace.
"I love it, Gal. It's incredible! Thank you, thank you, thank you," she squeaked in excitement, squeezing his neck.
"You're welcome, but you can repay me by not choking me, princess," he laughed with his arm looming around her.
"How long is princess gonna boss us around, huh?"
"She's here a month and she's already our boss."
"She disappears when she wants, she does what she wants-"
"Perks of having boobs, shanks."
"And hanging out with keepers."
"Why'd you say that?" She looked down at her feet, while she began playing with her finger nails, taking a step away from Gally.
"Because I didn't want to be chocked?" He guessed with a grin that quickly faded when he noticed her state. He took a step closer, but once again she stepped back.
"No, I mean why would you call me princess?" She turned away, when she saw her vision became blurry. She never stopped fidgeting and suddenly her breathing was getting out of her control.
"I've been calling you that for a while and you never complained," he tried to play it cool, with a smile. "Vivienne, what's wrong?" He put his palm on her shoulder hesitantly, and when she didn't escape his touch he started to massage it slowly. Vivienne shook her head dismissively, suppressing a sob from escaping from her larynx. A tear escaped her eye and ran down her cheek itching her skin mercilessly.
"I just… I think it gives guys the wrong idea," she confessed not quite truthfully.
"What exactly do you mean?"
"I mean, I'm the only girl here and I've been here for a month and I have my own hut and was in charge of the pantry and… I don't want them to think I got all this stuff because you treat me like a princess," she explained turning to him, but keeping her eyes on the floor, "And you calling me that just…" she trailed off.
"It's alright." He put her arms around her bringing her closer and trapping her in a hug she quickly returned. "Got you're trouble you know that?"
"I do," she snickered against his chest. "Thank you for the room, Captain Eyebrows."
"Call me that one more time and I'll kick you out." They pulled away and Gally offered Vivienne to show her three other rooms made in case other girls would show up.
"Let's go, then. We still got the Greenie to meet," she reminded getting out of her new room.
"That shucking mess of a shank you mean?"
"Don't be a slinthead, Gal."