Secrets | TMR | One

4:5

Adeline has done something to upset Nick.

Or at least, that is what she presumes.

From the very moment she woke up the morning before, all the way through the entire day, he avoided her. Barely uttering a word to her, never looking into her eyes during the small moments when he did speak, and the small fact of him refusing to even be in the same room in the Medhut as her.

When Adeline heard the sound of the door opening, and the person shifting past and going into the smaller room, she had originally thought that it was one of the builders, or the slicers. In the hut to visit the Med-jacks after, yet another, work related injury.

But the faint sound of his voice fluttering through the walls as he spoke to Jeff confirmed to her that it was, in fact, Nick who had opted to go into that room.

The girl was nothing short of disappointed when she heard him, although she managed to mask it well. None of the boys in the room with her noticed when her face dropped, or the way she suddenly became so quiet.

She must have done something to warrant this strange behaviour from the boy.

However, she has not the slightest idea as to what it could be.

Even before, once she had gotten over the initial disappointment of waking up to find Nick gone.

Even when Alby and Henry had emerged into the Medhut to assist her in getting to the kitchen.

Even after the two Gladers had all but carried her to the dining area, sat her down on a chair, and gone to get her a plate.

Even now, when breakfast is drawing to a close, and the boys are slowly beginning to retreat back into the Glade for another fun-filled day of work.

Adeline still cannot figure it out.

"You okay, quine?" she hears Alby asking from in front of her, pulling the girl from her daydream and back into reality.

Her eyes zone back in, only to find that they have been locked on to a small splint that is protruding from the otherwise perfectly smooth table.

She flickers them up from the spot, immediately noticing every boy at the table staring at her. "I'm, uh, fine" she responds, sending them all a tight-lipped smile and nodding her head.

Of course, Adeline is lying. Alby knows it. She knows it.

Hell, the whole table knows it.

But the only one daring enough to question it is Alby.

He leans forward on his chair, pulling his arms up and resting his elbows on the table. Keeping the same expression on his face, he curls his fingers together, his left cheek bristling past his knuckles as he gently twitches his head forward. "Are you sure?" he questions again, "you've been awfully quiet this morning."

"Really, I'm fine" the girl assures, glancing away from the boy and looking down to her fingers which are twiddling together.

Alby nods his head slowly, his eyes squinting as he continues to stare at her and try to figure out what is wrong.

Although she is not looking at him, Adeline can sense the look in his eyes, can practically hear the cogs turning in his head, and she prays to whoever may hear her that he does not question her mood further.

She does not wish to burden the boy with, yet another, drama between Nick and her.

It is not that she is upset about the leaders blatant avoidance of her, no. She is... irritated.