Hello there my lovelies(: I want to send a special thanks to AmazingArwen for always reviewing and telling me that everytime I update it makes everything better(: I really do appreciate it. I also appreciate all the other reviews telling me not to stop this story it makes me happy(: Ill try and make this chapter a little longer than the last one, Im still not feeling well so I wont make any promises.
Chapter 19
I was almost asleep when I heard someone clear their throat, I cracked my eyes open and rolled over to face whoever was standing in front of the door,
"Who's there?" I asked, sleepily. I heard a chuckle and I knew right away who it was. Sitting up I crawled over to the door and Minho was there, his face lit by a lantern,
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" I ask with dripping sarcasam. He shrugs and pulls out something wrapped in paper.
"I figured you would be hungry." He handed it to me and I smiled up at him,
"You figured right. Thank you." I unwrapped it and found a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, taking a bite I let out a satisfied groan which earned me another chuckle.
"Dont laugh, you would do the same if the only thing you ate today was breakfast." He leaned against the rock outside the door and he was quiet. I paused for a moment, "Whats up?" I asked and he looked over his shoulder at me and shook his head,
"Nothin' just thinking about running." His answer was simple and I shrugged and kept quiet myself. While ive been in here I have managed to drive myself crazy thinking about not only the weird dreams I've been having, or the random ability to 'beat people up', but also this shank sitting here with me. Everytime I think of him it's like I get this warm feeling, like I was standing in direct sunlight. It felt good and of course It confused the hell out of me. I mean, im sure I had crushes on boys back before this place but I couldnt remember and I also couldnt rememeber what It felt like to really feel that way about someone. Now I havent fully come to the conclusion that thats how I feel towards Minho but I do know that having him as my best friend makes me almost as happy. I looked up at the Runner who had pulled out an orange and was peeling it, the light reflecting off his face making his facial features stand out, like his full lips, to his well defined biceps. I didnt realize I was staring to that degree until his eyes met mine and I felt my face instantly heat up as well as my heart to feel like it was going to explode from how hard it was beating. I wanted to look away so badly! At anything just to hide the fact that I got caught staring at him like this but I couldn't.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" He asks and before I have the chance to answer his face morphs into his signature smirk and his brown eyes get that mischievous look in them, "You were checkin' me out weren't you?" He teases and my mouth almost falls open but I regain my sense of mind and pull my lips into my own smirk,
"Please, you wish. You being here is keeping me up and I spaced out. Don't flatter yourself shuckface." He rolls his eyes but chuckles.
"Sure Red, whatever you say. Im outta here. Im going to hit they hay, see ya in the morning sleeping beauty." He pushes himself up with a tired grunt as he watches his knee. He grabs the lantern and he looks down at me, "Try and sleep. This is a pretty klunk space and it gets shucking cold in there but if you don't sleep the next day sucks pretty bad." He says in a normal, non-teasing manner and I nod,
"Ill be fine. Im tired anyways, don't worry about me." I say with a small smile before I lay back again, back to the door. Once I hear his foot steps walk away and the small amount of warmth that fire lit lantern was giving off left with him I began to shiver,
"Aw hell, he wasn't shucking kidding." I grind out before I close my eyes to try and get some sleep.
Minho wasnt more right than he was that night. I didn't sleep a wink. On top of that, my back was killing me, I was cold and filthy and my mood was just a bad. I prayed for any shank to rub me the wrong way today. When Minho came to get me I was already sitting up as close to the door as possible to have any possible warmth from the lightening sky. Since we never saw the sun I really wasnt sure how it got to blasted hot in here but I was ready to get out of this place. I heard him before I saw him, his foot steps werent quiet. His boots came into view first, then his tan crago pants and finally the rest of him. He leaned down in front of the door and his smirk dissapeared quickly,
"Wow, you look like klunk. Didn't you sleep?" I looked up at him and simply shook my head. He stood up and opened the door. A bare hand entered my line of sight, looking up again I saw he was holding his hand out to me. I didnt hesitate to take it and he pulled me up with such ease I almost toppled over once standing.
"Go take a shower and come eat. You might scare the other shanks." I shot him a glare and his eyebrows shot up, almost into his hairline, "Yo, calm your shuck ass. Im trying to help you. Don't put your claws in me girly." He frowned at me and I realized he was right. Sighing I relaxed my face and looked at him with an apologetic look,
"Im sorry Min, im in a sour mood. Last night was the worst night since I first came here." He must have accepted my sad excuse for an apology because he put his hand on my head in a soothing manner, like he did before he left to go into the Maze that day. I shivered when he ran his hand down the side of my head, like a soft caress. When he withdrew his hand without a word I felt cold, like you pulled all the blankets off me in my sleep.
"Just go take care of yourself before you start taking care of others." I nod at him and head back to the Homestead to grab my clean clothes then take off to the showers.
Minho POV
I dont know why I did it but before I decided to go to sleep I found myself raiding Frypans frigde to pull out the things to make a simple PB&J. Once I was finished I washed everything and put it all back like I wasnt here. He will have our asses if he finds we've been going through the fridge. I wrapped it up and grabbed myself an orange before quietly leaving and heading towards the Slammer. I grabbed a lantern along the way and when I got there Peyton had her back to me and it looked like she was sleeping so I cleared my throat a little louder than neccesary to try and get her attention and to my surprise it worked. She sat up and looked around before asking he was there, I stepped up to the door and looked down at her, she smirked at me which, ive noticed now that when I see that playful look on her face I get excited. I love seeing her like this and it confused me why.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" She joked and I held up the sandwich,
"I figured you would be hungry." I hand it to her and she snatches it and upwraps it quickly. I know how that feels, Ive spent my fair share of night stuck in here but I chuckle anyways. She gives me a look before saying that I would feel the same way. I set the lantern down and sit with my back against the rock and I pull out my orange. I dont say anything for a while and I start to think if any of the other Runners have found anything different since Ive been out.
"What's up?" Peyton interrupts my thoughts and I shrug,
"Nothinn' just thinking about running." I answer truthfully. She doesnt say anything for a while either so I concentrate on peeling my orange. After a while I toss the peel off to the side and look at her to see if she wants anything and I meet her eyes. She was staring at me. And I caught her. To have someone stare at you like the way she was staring at me, it caught me off gaurd. Her green eyes met mine instantly and her cheeks turned red, I felt my heart quicken I couldnt tell what this feeling was, it almost felt like I was nervous.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" I ask and I smirk at her, now would be a good time to see what she says, "You were checking me out werent you?" I ask her and her eyes widen a bit but she regains herself before throwing my own sass back at my face. I call her out on her crap then tell her im going to hit the hay. I was sore and tired. I pushed myself up and grabbed the lantern before looking at her again,
"Try and sleep. This is a pretty klunk space and it gets shucking cold in there but if you dont sleep the next day sucks pretty bad." She smiles at me and it gives me shivers.
"Ill be fine. Im tired anyways. Dont worry about me." I nod and head off to go to sleep. I head to my own room and kick off my boots and throw myself onto my hammock. It took me a couple minutes but I finally managed to clear my mind and fall asleep.
I woke up early like I normally would, sleeping in doesnt work for me. So I pulled my boots on and went to relieve Peyton of her night in the Slammer. I run my fingers through my ruffled hair and crouch down in front of the door. My eyebrows shoot up almost into my hair as I see Peyton sitting as close to the door as possible, she looks like klunk.
"Wow, you look like Klunk." I say and ask her if she slept, I open up the door and hold my hand out to her, she takes it and I pull her out of the Slammer, she was a lot lighter than I thought and I had to steady her before she fell over. I look her over and her red hair is tangled and dirty and her green eyes are dull and ringed with dark circles, "Go take a shower and eat before you scare the other shanks." I chuckle and her green orbs meet mine with a feirce glare. I frown at her and tell her to calm down,
"Whoa Red, put your claws away. Im just trying to help." She looks at me and her eyes soften and she looks apologetic.
"Im sorry Min, Im in a sour mood." She apologizes to me in her own way and I place my hand gently on her head, she looks so tired. Almost as if besides being stuck in the Slammer wasnt the only thing keeping her awake. My rough, calloused hands stroke her hair softly before dropping to her shoulder, she looks at me shocked, "Go take care of yourself before you take care of others." I withdraw my hand from her shoulder and she nods before leaving. I shake my head and turn around to get some food in my stomach.
Peyton POV
After I left Minhos side I retreated to the showers, I was so ready to get clean that I didnt really even care if some random Glader burst in on me. I turned the water as hot as it would go and let it steam up the room before stripping off my soiled clothes. As soon as the scalding water hit my skin I let out a content sigh. I tipped my head back and let the water soak me. I grabbed the small bottle labeled shampoo that I asked for from the creators and lathered it into my hair. The smell of coconuts soon filled the room. As soon as I deemed myself clean enough I got dressed and combed out the tangles in my hair before braiding it and tying it off with a strip of leather. I exited the showers and went back to my hammock where I deposited my dirty clothes until the Sloppers could get around to cleaning them. I turned around and made my way towards the kitchen, I was famished.
"Hey Fry, what did you make for us this morning?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen. On top of the counter sit a large bowl of eggs and another large bowl of what looked like grits and a large platter next to it with waffles and bacon. My mouth started to water as I sat myself down next to Ben and Adam who sat at the small table. They smiled at me and Ben leaned in,
"So have you seen Gallys face yet?" I looked at him and raised an eyebrow,
"No why?" They exchange looks before Ben chuckles. I was getting curious.
"He has a black eye and his nose is so swollen. He looks like he got into it with a Griever. You did a number on him Peyton." I made a face and shrugged like it was no big deal. In all honestly I didnt really want to talk about it but It did feel good that my punch to his face made that much of a mark.
"He deserved it." I look up and see Minho standing behind me, he places his hands on the top of my chair and he looks down at me,
"Feel better?" I smile at him softly and nod.
"Much. Thanks." He nods and sits myself at the last empty chair, Ben and Adam look at him then to me then back to Minho, I can almost see the wheels turning in their heads. They maybe Runners but theyre not the brightest.
"Better? Did something happen?" Adam asked in fake innocence. I look to the brunette boy and shake my head,
"Don't worry about it. I just had a rough start to my day is all." I respond and he shrugs. Ben is about to ask a question of his own when Frypan informs us that breakfast is now served. I bolt up out of my chair rather quickly and grab a plate and start piling on the food. I drown my waffles in syrup before heading back outside to sit at my usual bench with Clint, Jeff and Winston. Sometimes I sit with Minho but he usually sits with the other Runners. I smile at my other friends,
"Good morning boys." Winston looks up with a mouthfull of food.
"Mornin'" Pieces of waffle goes flying and I make a face of digust before shaking my head and digging into my own breakfast. I keep my mouth shut but I listen to the others around me. The normal buzz of the Gladers keeps me calm but as soon as my table gets quiet I look up, I see the boys looking over my shoulder so of course, I follow their gazes. My eyes widen when my eyes land on Gallys face. Ben wasnt kidding, his face looked shucking ugly. Well, more ugly than usual.
"Oh my god." His nose looked almost crooked but what got me was the black eye that I know I didnt give him and the bruised, swollen cheek. Minho beat the living klunk out of him. I look over to said Runner and I see him looking at Gally as well with a heated glare. I look back to the Keeper of the Builders and his angry, hate filled gaze is already on me. I gulp nervously, I want to look away but I refuse to give him anymore reason to think Im weak. So I hold his gaze until hes walked past me and is no longer looking. I look back to the boys at my table and they look from Gallys back to my face.
"Please dont look at me like that. That wasnt all me." Clint shakes his head and he goes back to silently eating his breakfast. I let out a sigh and look down at the food remaining on my plate and suddenly im not hungry. I stand up and toss the rest of my food in the trash and discard my plate in the sink before I head off towards the Sick Room. I need to get my mind off all this shucking hostility going on before I lose my klunk. I already want this day to be over.
Whoo this took me over a span of like, 4 days to finally complete. I hate starting a chapter then running out of time to finish it. It drives me nuts! Plus with how little free time I have the ideas just keep swimming around in my head and my mind keeps coming up with new things to write about and the longer I cant write the more frustrated I get. Sigh. Anyways, I really hope you all liked this fluff filled filler chapter. I know it was a bit fluffy when It came down to Minho but one thing I love about James Dashner and the book series is that he never put Minho in the situation that called for him to develop feelings for a member of the opposite sex so in instances like this, I am free to write about how he would react. Its loads of fun(: So please please pleaseeeee review and I shall keep writing. I love all of you! Thanks youuuu! 3