Secrets | TMR | One

0:8

The first thing Nick hears as his body begins to awaken is the sound of Adeline, humming a small tune to herself as she gathers everything she needs.

He uses his left arm to push himself up while his right hand attempts to rub any lingering sleep from his eyes. "What are so happy about?" he questions, although the sound comes out as more of a moan as he lets a large yawn escape from his lips.

Adeline turns her body around, jumping slightly at the unexpected noise. As soon as she spots the leader sitting up and looking over to her, she cannot contain the small giggle that escapes from he throat at the dishevelled sight of him.

"Today's the day" she says cheerfully. Taking a few short steps over to him, the girl extends her hand out, using it to ruffle up his hair.

Nick smacks her hand away, stifling another yawn as he spins around and practically rolls out of bed.

He grumbles and groans to himself, slightly peeved over the fact that Adeline has woken him up so early. She had already kept him up until the late hours of the evening, rambling on and on about her first day in the maze and how she was "kind of looking forward to possibly seeing the monsters in person."

Weirdo, Nick thinks.

The leader trails down the hallway and out of the Homestead, his eyes barely opening into he reaches the kitchen, and the sweet smell of bacon swirls up into his nostrils.

The scent immediately puts the boy on high alert.

His legs appear to move on their own accord, quickly leading him towards the table that is already filled with runners.

Nick takes a seat next to the boys, just as Adeline jumps out of the Homestead. There is a bright grin on her face. A smile so wide that Nick would bet you could see from the other side of the Glade. She skips by them all, excitedly waving and greeting them all before disappearing around to the bathrooms.

''She seems a bit too enthusiastic about running out there'' Leon comments as he takes a bite out of his fruit.

''Don't even'' Nick says, raising his right palm up while the fingers on his left hand rub the bridge of his nose. ''She would not shut up about it last night.''

''That's what you bloody get for letting her sleep in your room'' Newt chimes in, ''you can't whine about it when you're the one who put yourself in that situation.''

''Why don't you just make her sleep outside with the rest of us?'' Kenny questions.

"Because, Kenny" Nick starts, raising his head back up to face the group, "first of all, she's the only girl... and I don't trust none of you shanks." He waves his finger, motioning to each boy at the table. "And secondly, she sleeps with a light on. Do you really want to have to sleep with a light?"

''Hold on a minute'' Minho says, twisting his hand around in the air and pointing his fork towards Nick, ''you know none of us would go near her... not like that anyway.''

''She's one of us, Nick. Nobody would touch her'' Leon adds.

''And'' Newt chimes in, leaning forward in his chair and resting his elbows on the table, ''none of us care if she sleeps with a light on. We can sleep through anything.''

"We manage to sleep through your snoring every night" Minho comments, earning a nod of agreement for the rest of the boys at the table.

''What's this really about, Nick?'' Kenny questions, furrowing his brows at the leader as he tries to figure it out.

Minho is the first to think of a suitable reason, a small smirk playing on his lips as he addresses Nick. ''You have a soft spot for her.''

Newt gasps as the realisation hits him, whereas Leon and Kenny just sit there with a daft grins on their faces and their eyebrows raised so high they are nearly reaching their hairlines.