"𝑭𝑰𝑹𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑭𝑨𝑳𝑳," Alby stepped forwards, his arms folded. He nodded his head in Ed's direction. "I'd like to discuss that heck of a punch you gave Ed over here."
Emis swallowed. She glanced at the cut on Ed's lower lip, and dropped her gaze immediately to her feet. Her cheeks blazed with embarrassment. She heard Ed chuckle quietly.
"Now, as far as I'm aware, he's pretty damn okay." Alby let out a dry laugh. "In fact, he probably looked a lot uglier before that nasty cut on his lip."
"Hey!" Ed protested. There was a round of laughs, but Emis kept her lip in between her teeth. Laughing was the last thing she could think of doing.
"However." Alby said, and the silence fell again. It was as if the whole room was holding its breath. "You broke one of our most important rules. Never harm another Glader." There were a few murmurs of agreement. Alby uncrossed his arms.
"However," he said again, taking a step towards her. "You were aware of no such rule at the time. Which means there were, at the time, no rules in place for you to break. So, basically, you punched Ed before anyone could recognise that you'd be our new Greenie." He shrugged. "And that's why, I think it'd be a shuck waste o' time, tossing you in the Pit."
She swallowed. Her chest felt as if it was filling with light air; maybe this wasn't a lost cause. Alby was right. And as he said it, more murmurs of agreement filtered through the air.
"Alright, settle down." Said Newt. He was sat behind them, pencil and paper in his hands. "We're still yet to hear Ry's side of the argument. This ain't over yet."
Emis glanced over her shoulder, at the tall boy who glared daggers into the back of her head. She couldn't help but shoot him a confused look. What on earth could she have done?
"Thanks, Newt." Said Ryan, finally. He stepped towards Emis. "I'd just like to say, that I don't think we're looking at this in the right way at all." He broke eye contact as he shifted his gaze across the whole room. "This is the first girl we've seen. Ever. Doesn't that bother you?"
There were a few mutters in response. Emis felt her pulse quicken again.
"For all we know," Ryan continued, "she could be a spy. A weapon. I mean, did you see that punch?" He laughed sourly, "How many girls, realistically, do you think are gonna be able to punch like that?" No one spoke. Emis curled her hands into fists. Jerk, she thought. "Exactly," he finished, tilting his gaze lazily in her direction. "None."
