𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦, thomas (tmr)

Chapter Sixteen

"Hey Alby!"

Clara called after her leader in a breezy tone, feeling surprisingly good despite being up in the early morning. She knew he'd be taking Thomas on the tour of the Glade, but she was hoping that she'd be able to do it instead.

"Why are you awake at this time?" He asked, clearly taken aback by it.

Rolling her eyes, the girl dismissed his question with the wave of her hand. She gestured to where the newbie was eating his breakfast and then looked back to the leader.

"Can I take him on the tour?"

"What? Why?"

Alby was clearly reluctant to agree, but Clara was adamant that she'd be able to persuade him to. Thomas was oblivious to their conversation, simply just eating the bacon and eggs Frypan gave him, and the girl found it quite funny.

"If I'm being honest, I'm missing being leader a bit." It was true, but Clara was adding a little more sheepishness than was actually authentic, just to help her case. "I don't want it all back, but I'm just feeling useless. Please, let me do this?"

She batted her eyelashes and fixed Alby with a pleading stare. There was no way he couldn't admit defeat. And he had to admit: it was fun to play matchmaker in the Glade. And he was certain that she actually only wanted to do it because she thought he was good looking - which was definitely a part of it.

"Fine. Afterwards, put him in the Gardens to work with Newt."

She gave him a gracious smile and rushed around him to get a head start on the tour. He thought it would be good for the girl: doing something that clearly brought her joy, even if it was only giving the newbie a tour of the place.

"Come on Greenie, tour time."

Thomas almost choked on his food at the sound of the girl's voice. Immediately his head shot up to look at her and his eyes widened.

"I thought Alby was taking me on the tour." He said in response, looking a little nervous.

"Change of plans. Why? You disappointed?" She teased, tilting her head to one side.

"N-no! Definitely not, I- that wasn't it."

It was entertaining to watch Thomas try and deny her teasing words. She only nodded, jokingly unconvinced but clearly amused. Turning on her heel, she gestured for him to follow with the wave of her hand. He had mere seconds to finish off the rest of his bacon before he got up after her.

Clara was already bounding across the Glade, towards the Box where she wanted to start her tour. It only felt logical to begin in the place that they arrived in the Glade, and work around that. She hadn't given any Greenies tours before this one, but she was sure she could figure it out along the way.

Thomas followed quickly after her, anxious to keep up to her pace and go through the tour. He almost bumped into her when she stopped suddenly on the grass, instead backing up a few steps and rubbing his neck sheepishly.

"Ready?" She asked, with a mischievous glint in her eyes that made Thomas' stomach do backflips.

He nodded and Clara took the initiative to gesture to the Box. It was currently sat open, the now empty supply crates thrown inside lazily for when the Creators brought it back down.

"Here's the Box. Every week we get a bunch of supplies, and every month we get a Greenie." Clara paused, an unintentional smile coming to her lips. "This month, that was you."

Taking her eyes away from Thomas, she began walking away from the Box and towards the Gardens, explaining that, "Supplies are mainly just med stuff, clothes, whatever we need. Although there is a requests list; we put in requests to the Creators and sometimes they'll give it to us."