𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦, minho (tmr)

Chapter Fifteen

"I don't know how, but I know you." The words were blunt and spoke with unwavering certainty. Thomas' wide eyes grew round and he faltered in eating his breakfast.

The poor boy. He had been thrust into the Maze, already woken up early to be given the 'Griever Show', and now the girl of the Glade was only adding to the overwhelming pile of things he was being forced to deal with.

He swallowed his mouthful as the girl settled down opposite him watching him expectantly. The room was virtually empty; only Frypan was busying around the kitchen and singing loudly enough to block out their conversation.

"Well I- I already said I knew you. Yesterday." He shrugged uncomfortably, dragging his fork around his plate. There were wide circles under his eyes and Florence frowned sympathetically. She felt bad for what she had to say next, but it was necessary.

"Listen, no one can know about this. You've already made an entrance and a lot of people are uncertain about you. We don't want to give them a real reason to be."

He nodded begrudgingly, although it was not like there was a long list of people he could even turn to tell. He had obviously taken a liking to Newt, and Chuck was a friend also, but there was no one else that seemed to really like him.

"Thomas," 

She began, but when the boy's eyes fell on her again, she squirmed with discomfort. She wanted to ask him if he remembered talking to her when she came up in the Box. But how would she go about doing it?

"Do you, remember anything else?" He furrowed his brow at the odd question and Florence felt her cheeks flushing. 

"What do you mean?"

Well clearly he can't.

"It doesn't matter." 

Standing up abruptly, she seized her plate and returned it to the kitchen. Hopping up on the counter, she interrupted Frypan doing his usual cleaning up and inventing new songs about food.

"He's a weird one, huh?" He commented, as the girl was still watching Thomas. She jolted from her trance, relaxing her expression to avoid worrying the other boy. Frypan chuckled heartily at her daze, and she cracked a smile as she zoned back in.

"Yeah, he is."

When Alby came to fetch Florence later on to give Thomas the Tour, Chuck was tagging along by Thomas's heel like a small puppy dog. Alby was visibly agitated by this but Florence found it cute.

"Can I come Alby?" The younger boy asked, and Florence and Thomas shared a knowing look about how this would go down with their leader.

Alby reached down to smack him around the side of the head and Chuck yelped in pain.

"Ain't you got a job, slinthead? Lots of slopping to do?" Chuck rolled his eyes and Florence nudged Alby's shoulder, feeling sorry for the small boy.

"Don't be mean Alby, can't he come along?"

Now Florence could persuade Alby to do a lot of things, but for some reason, this was where he drew the line.

"Have fun." Chuck told their Greenie, and the girl flashed him a smile as he returned to whatever Slopper duties he was supposed to be doing.

Florence began the Tour at the Box as supposed to, and began to talk Thomas through the traditions and workings of life at the Glade. She could barely focus on how he looked when he was taking it all in because of the insane amount of information she was giving, but the tiredness of his eyes was clear.

She pointed out the four corners of the Glade, walked him past the Deadheads and the Blood House before stopping in front of the Maze walls. As she began to explain briefly the job of the Runners, she could see how Thomas' interest grew. It was scarily similar to her own.