"Shuck sakes, I really am a Glade mother" Newt muttered to himself as he knocked on the doors down the hall, calling Alex, Minho and Thomas for supper. There was no answer on Alex's door and Minho wasn't in their shared room. He rolled his eyes and knocked harder on Alex's door, waiting for a response. He heard no noise, so he opened the door. He saw the two curled into each other, sleeping. He muttered and grumbled to himself about being a mother and taking care of slint head shank glade children.. He went to shake them away, but he heard a giggle. He looked down at their faces, and that's when he realized they were messing with him. He threw his hands in the air and stormed out of the room, but not before he heard them burst into laughter.
Minho came bursting into the picnic area with Alex on his back. "My Fair Lady'' He yelled so loud that all the Gladers in the area turned to see what was going on, "We have made it to the Feast of Fry!"
Alex was laughing, and held both her hands out awkwardly to carry the plates while Minho continued to piggyback her to the table, Fry followed, with his plate-most of the Gladers were finished eating. Minho and Alex were sitting hip to hip, thigh to thigh, they were so close they kept bumping elbows. Newt looked at them with a sickened look on his face, Chuck was trying very hard to contain his laughter seeing Thomas and Newts faces.
"Will you always be like this? Uhg, It's so..bloody disgusting!" Newt whined.
Minho whipped his head around to look at the rest of the table, "Disgusting?" He gasped clutching his chest, "You guys think we are...disgusting?" He looked back at Alex, "Babe! Did you hear that Babe?" Alex could tell Minho was going to start with his dramatic antics, decided to play along and she tried to contain her giggles. She placed her fork down and looked at him, with a very serious face.
"Ya, babe, I did! Which, Babe, is odd, because apparently Babe, there were beats going on about us, Babe." She gave Frypan and Chuck a very disappointed look. She noticed Thomas look away, slightly guilty. Minho slowly placed his hands flat onto the table and stood up. Everyone looked slightly leery, they never really knew what Minho was going to do. He turned to face the rest of the picnic area.
"HEY YOU UGLY SHANKS!" he bellowed at everyone, he had their attention. "HOW MANY OF YOU SHUCK FACES HAD BETS GOING OVER ALEX AND ME?"
Every Glader raised their hands. Minho smirked at that and Alex's jaw dropped. Minho continued with a loud voice, addressing everyone.
"Okay then, so if most of you were betting then there should be NO ISSUE WITH WHAT WE DO, WHERE WE DO IT OR HOW WE DO IT!"
"Keep is PG13 though, there are children present!" a Glader yelled from the back. The entire Kitchen was laughing. Alex stood up then and faced the boys.. if looks could kill, they would all be dead and buried 6 feet under.
"You shanks wanted this to happen so bad and, Fry, you're the captain of this...of this..." She trailed off, she turned to Minho, with a frown on her face.
"Minho. What exactly are we? Definitely not JUST friends..."
He looked like a bucket of ice cold water was dumped on him, he shook himself from his shock and jumped up onto the bench, and placed a foot on top of the table, and his fists on his hips, Captain Morgan Style. He paused for a dramatic moment, then looked down at Alex who was trying very hard not to laugh, she was doing a very poor job.
He is so shuckin dramatic. But he looks good doing it. Keeps life interesting.
"It is true, Thy Fair lady, I have been a slint head in the past." He waved an arm around.
"Understatement of the year...but go on." She said, waving a hand.
"But from now on... I make a vow! Newt- take this down!-" He jumped down off the table, and got down on one knee right in front of Alex, he grabbed her hand, holding hers in both of his. He cleared his throat, and continued loudly, for everyone to hear.
"Alex of the MedJacks, Farm Hand, Cooks, Runners, my 2nd in Command, I vow to laugh with you- cuz we're shuckin hilarious. And comfort you during times of joy and times of sorrow- probably mostly sorrow in this shuck hell hole. I promise to always pursue you- cuz you're somehow shucken faster than me! You shank...Shanket, sorry. To fight for you- been there done that! I'll always have your back, babe. And I vow to love you unconditionally and wholeheartedly for the rest of my shanky shuck-faced life. She-Bean, Shanket, The Glade Ninja Warrior Princess and My Sunshine ...Alex, you are my best friend. Sorry Newt, you have been replaced."
He paused and reached out his hand to the side and snapped his fingers, then held his hand flat, palm up like someone was supposed to hand him something. He waited for a second, snapping again. Nothing. He looked over,
"CHUCK! Flowers! Now! Come on ya little shank!" Chuck looked confused for a second, then got up and ran off.
"Just a second folks, hold tight.." He yelled. It was an awkward 2 minutes. Chuck came back holding a handful of bright wildflowers that grew by the trees of the deadheads. Minho cleared his throat again, "Where was I?" he asked.
"I'm your best friend," Alex whispered.
"OH YA! She-Bean, Shanket, The Glade Ninja Warrior Princess and My Sunshine...Alex, you are my best friend. Will you now do me the honor of being" he paused dramatically..
"my girlfriend?"
He held up the bouquet of flowers. His beautiful rich warm coffee coloured eyes were so squinted due to his big cheese smile, his smile was stretched from ear to ear, showing off his dimples. There was complete silence from around the tables, every eye watching the ridiculous spectacle.
She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him up onto his feet and kissed him. laughing into the kiss, "YES! Yes you over dramatic shuck face!"
"I'm now YOUR over dramatic shuck face!" He beamed down at her. The Gladers banged on the picking tables, accompanied by applause, wolf whistles and cheering.
Newt sat there with his head in his hands groaning and rolling his eyes, "That was so bloody embarrassing."
Thomas however, came up to Minho and slapped him on the back "Congrats Man!" And gave him a hug, "Knew you could do it!" Frypan and Chuck were smiling and pretending to wipe tears from their eyes. Alex could hear Fry "I'm just so happy!"
This is all so shuckin' dramatic and ridiculous! What have I gotten myself into?!
But her smile was from ear to ear.
Chuck started to chant and it quickly caught on, and soon all the Gladers were screaming it, and thumping the tables "KISS HER! KISS HER!"
Alex crossed her arms and stuck a hip out, she looked at Minho expectantly, and his goofy grin turned into a sly sexy smirk, he slowly moved closer to her, toe to toe, nose to nose, he placed his hands on her hips and he lowered his head gently rubbing his nose on hers, "I shuckin love you" He whispered, his voice low and gravely, for only her to hear. Her knees went weak and he kissed her. Fireworks exploded inside.
"And I shucken love you too, shuck face." She pulled away and turned to the Gladers, "Are you shuckin happy now you slint heads?" There a very loud YES. "Good. Now. Back to eating supper, come on!" She ordered them. Everyone sat down and continued with supper.
"Well, that was a bit bloody dramatic, no?" Newt said with another eye roll, as Alex and Minho sat back down to finish supper.
"Nope" Minho said and popped the P, "just a typical day in the life of Minho." He said and took a bite of food.
"What's up with you?" Newt asked Alex.
"Oh, I was just thinking, we never got a bonfire for the New Girl...Ya, she's not awake right now, but we still missed it. How about one tonight? Sorry Tommy, you gotta go to the slammer, but.." Newt was thoughtful for a moment.
"Look, Newt, we don't get a lot of things to celebrate or many chances to let loose and have fun...I have yet to have a good bonfire experience.. As 2nd in command I bring this motion forward." Their friends and other Keepers at the table all thumped the table. "It's settled. Fire it is!"
Newt said. He stood up and yelled to the Gladers "Bonfire tonight! Gally, get your drinks ready to go! Builders, there is wood already ready and waiting, ya? We never got to light the fire on Greenie Day. Let's go!" He turned to Tommy, who looked crestfallen, "Sorry Tommy. Rules are rules. Gotta go to the pit now, or Gally would have my head, come on. I'll see if Chuck can sneak you a drink" He led Thomas off to the slammer with an arm around his shoulder.
The flames were reaching up to the bright stars, some of the guys had pulled out their instruments, some homemade and others asked and sent up by the creators. Gally had his special secret drink out.
Minho handed her a jar "Gotta finish this one. It'll put hair on your chest!"
"Ya? How come you don't have any then? I see you drink this... whatever it is, all the time!" She sassed back.
"How would you know?" Chuck asked innocently.
"Never you mind Chuck!" She answered him, pushing his head away, her cheeks red. She remembered very vividly when she walked in on Minho without a shirt, in her first few days here.
His abs and those chest muscles. Mmmm...
"Earth to Alex! Come in Alex!" Chuck was snapping his fingers in front of her eyes, "What were you thinking of?" He asked suspiciously, elbowing her. She cleared her throat.
"Nothing, nothing..." She raised the jar to her lips, Minho was smirking at her, she just winked at him. She took a sip of the light brown liquid, it burnt all the way down. She made a face. She could instantly feel a warmth and a weird happiness spread out from her stomach. She sipped from the jar, laughed and talked with her friends for a while. Minho had left for another drink, and came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, she leaned back into his chest, closing her eyes enjoying his closeness and warmth. He started to sway back and forth gently, humming quietly. She pulled away and turned to face him.
"Dance with me." He gave her a skeptical look.
"Minho doesn't dance," he said.
"Oh really. You? Mr Dramatic, won't dance?" She scoffed, she grabbed his hand and dragged him closer to the guys playing. She stopped suddenly Minho bumped into her, her head shot upwards and her eyes were glassy, her body started to shake.
***Alex was laughing so hard her stomach hurt, she was wrapped up in strong arms and he was laughing just as hard, trying to kiss her forehead. He grabbed her around the waist, spinning her around the room, dancing to no music.
***She was sitting on a chair in a bright white room, her chair facing a bed, and sitting on the bed was Minho. He had a guitar on his lap, he had his head down, focusing on what he was playing, he would look up into her eyes every once in a while. Singing a song he had written for her.
*** She was sitting on the bed, he was sitting behind her, his hands over hers, showing her a cord on his guitar.
*** They were in a room, smaller than a classroom, all their friends sat around a table eating snacks, Alby had found an old radio somewhere and brought it to their secret night meet ups. Minho had pulled Alex up from her chair and started dancing around the room with her. Their friends laughed and clapped. They all joined in eventually.
Alex came back to the present, a huge excited smile on her face.
"You okay? What did you see?" Minho asked. Her smirk just grew.
"Hey Pedro?" She called one of the boys who had a guitar sent from the creators.
"Yes senorita?" he called back. She walked over and whispered. He nodded with an evil smile. They both glanced at Minho. Pedro started to tune his guitar and she turned to fully face Minho.
"Alex, what did you see?" Newt called.
"Minho has some hidden talents." She laughed at the shocked look on his face.
"Trust me babe!" she patted his shoulder.
"Ok Senrita!" Pedro called, him and the guys started playing. Alex grabbed Minho's hands, placing one on her hip and holding the other, he looked amused and totally confused.
"Ok, babe. Now. WE DANCE!"
He was born to dance. The muscle memory rapidly coming back the more he moved. He spun her around and around, dancing around the fire. She threw head back laughing loudly. Minho's hips were made to move, he really knew how to salsa. Gladers joined in dancing around the fire too. They hadn't had a happy fire like this, ever. It would be a very long time until they had one again.
The wild dance party slowed down, everyone exhausted, but happy. Minho pulled Alex down beside himself on a log beside the fire.
"Okay, you need to tell me, please. What did you actually see?" He was breathing heavily from their salsa around the fire. But he looked quite happy.
"Well, Mr. I don't dance, we used to do that all the time. I would sneak into your room and you would slow dance with me, or salsa without music. We also found an old radio later and on our group night sneak outs - Alby, Newt, Thomas, Gally, Sonya, the girl upstairs and another girl, Chuck sometimes - you would salsa around the room with me." She smiled watching his reaction.
"We seemed happy. '' he said dreamily.
"You also used to play guitar and serenade me! You tried teaching me- didn't seem I was as good as you. You are a man of many talents." He snapped out of his daydream, "I used to play...the guitar?" Alex nodded, "Wait here" she said and got up and walked over to Pedro, said something to him who smiled, nodded his head and handed his guitar over. Alex came over and held it out to him. The crowd got quiet. "SING!" Someone yelled.
"But I don't remember how to play the guitar, that's Pedro's thing. Also singing is your thing."
"Try. Please. Minho...pleeeeease?" Alex pouted and batted her eyelashes.
"Only if you try it after." She nodded.
"Fine!" he relented, it was hard to say no to her. He sat down, across the fire from her, beside Pedro.
Newt came to sit beside Alex, he leaned over with a bemused smile. "I have never ever seen him like this. You got him to dance! All he ever used to do at fires was drink and be all moody and sarcastic. Sometimes he would challenge someone to something stupid...but I've never seen him...let loose and actually have fun. I was worried about him for a while. You are the best thing to happen to him. He really is happy."
She was watching as Minho tried to figure out the guitar in his lap. What Newt said made her smile more, she felt a warm feeling in her heart. Then she heard Newt whine "just PLEASE don't go all couple-y on us, k?"
"Couple-y?" she asked in amusement, turning her head to see Newt's face. "Ya..like pet names and like PDA...just..uhg. I don't want to see my sister like that!" his face scrunched up in disgust.
"Oh Mama Newt, Slim it! Can you actually see us seriously like that? We just like to mess with you guys!" Alex laughed at him while Newt just rolled his eyes. They were quiet for a few minutes watching as Pedro gave him a few pointers. Alex watched Minho's face as he concentrated, trying to figure something out, she could see the excitement when it clicked,
"SLIM IT YOU SHANKS!" He finally yelled. "I got it!" He cleared his throat dramatically, then strummed a few cords, then with his signature smirk he took a breath and began to sing.
Some of the guys from earlier started to improvise along with the guitar. By this time however, he didn't even need to pay attention to what his hands were doing, and this song came from somewhere deep inside, muscle memory. She could feel her face growing a little pink, he didn't take his eyes off her.
I knew he could play and sing...but MAN!
She stood up and clapped. And so did the rest of the Gladers.
"Did you remember that or was it made up?" Chuck asked.
Minho shrugged, "Just awesome little man, I'm just awesome."
Alex walked over, leaned down resting her arms around his neck, and whispered in his ear "That was the same song in my memories."
His eyes widened in surprise, "Really?"
"Mmm." She hummed as she kissed him.
"Now a promise is a promise! Your turn!"
He handed her Pedro's guitar. She sat down with it in her lap, she closed her eyes and concentrated on something, anything about what Minho taught her. And a little memory slipped through the cracks, she smiled. It was definitely getting easier to grab into them. And she sang for her boys again. Her guitar playing was not as good and smooth as Pedro or Minho, but her singing made up for it.
"Somewhere over the rainbow way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow Skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true
Someday I'll wish upon a star. And wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me. Somewhere over the rainbow Bluebirds fly Birds fly over the rainbow. Why then, oh, why can't I?
Somewhere over the rainbow Bluebirds fly Birds fly over the rainbow Why then, oh, why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why, oh why can't I?"
There was comfortable silence around the glade. Minho was looking at her with admiration and she could feel Newt sign in contentment. The Gladers were finally feeling a little bit of hope and happiness.
That's when a Griever let out a loud inhuman mechanical animalistic scream. Reminding them exactly where they were.