𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 》TMR, Minho

050

"Lenora." A cough from my right made me look up from breakfast, interrupting my talk with Minho and the others. It was a few weeks after we played tag and my first night in the cleaning room. I knew the others better by know.

Randall stood there, a slight grin on his face. In his hands he held papers. I glanced at the others. By the look of it, they didn't know Randall.

"What do you want?" Minho was the first to speak up. Of course he was.

Randall stayed calm. "I'd like to talk to Lenora for a second."

"Alright. Go on." Minho made a movement with his hand. All of us waited for Randall to speak.

"In private." Randall added.

"Why?" Newt talked too now.

"I suppose that's my business, kid." He gave Newt a blank stare. "Lenora, get off your seat and follow me. Now."

Before I even got to move, Minho spoke again. "She's having breakfast right now."

"Sir." Frypan added in a whisper.

"Lenora. I won't tell you again. Do I have to remind you of what happened last time you didn't listen?" Randall raised his eyebrows.

A shiver went down my spine at the thought of the torture I went through last time. "It's okay." I quietly told them as I got up to follow Randall.

"Very good." He nodded in satisfaction and gave the boys a not so nice glance, then made me follow him.

I got ready for bad things to happen. In silence we walked, Randall opening a door. I expected a chair to torture, but hopefully to my luck, it was just a table with two chairs.

"Sit down." The man motioned at one of the seats and made himself comfortable too. With my hands almost shaking, I sat down. "No need to be so nervous, Lenora."

I took a quick, ragged breath and focused on Randall, not my emotions.

"We've noticed you're acting different." He started.

"Because I'm finally more cheerful?" I immediately blurted out. 

"That too." He agreed, to my surprise. "And you're getting weak."

"Weak?" I repeated, confused with what he meant.

"The results of the tests we do every week came back, obviously. And you're going down more every time. You're getting weak in defending yourself.. those boys cause a weak spot." Randall paused. "You would already do everything for them, won't you?"

"They're everything I have." I replied, secretly happy I got to say that. At least I had something. Four boys that cared about me, helped me through it without noticing, talked with me, took care as much as they could. They made me happy.

"Now that is the problem." Randall continued. "It's still boys, Lenora. You never know. They can easily convince you to do unwilling things."

"Indeed, they're boys. Seven year old boys." I snapped. "Seven."

"Exactly. Right now nothing is going on, but they won't stay seven forever. You won't stay seven forever either. You'll grow up, get different interests, emotions... and we'd rather not have any problems caused by that."

I slowly scrunched my eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that we changed our minds. You fit better with the girls, Lenora. It's for your own safety."

It came as a shot right in the heart, making my stomach drop. Yet I tried not to go too deep in emotion and communicate first.

"But you said I would argue a lot with them! You-you told me I fit better with the boys. And I do! I promised Minho that we would go running sometime if I teach him how to use a bow... and Frypan would bake with me, if we got the chance! Newt still has to teach me British words and Alby-."

"Lenora." Randall interrupted. "This is not a funeral. You've met them for what, four weeks? Five? It's not like your life depends on it."

"Yes, it does!" I almost threw my hands in the air. Tears started to form in my eyes, but I forced them to stay there.

"You think I haven't seen how you and your little club meet at night? We have camera's all around here. And I won't forbid you to visit them, but think about the consequences first." He explained. It annoyed me he stayed so calm. "You'll make new friends. Better friends... not rebels like Minho."

"Minho's not a rebel!" I raised my voice at him. The anger rose in my chest. "None of them are rebels! They're kind, helpful... they're everything I have! You don't get to take that from me! Not when you already took everything from me!"

The tears leaked anyway. They streamed and streamed as I ranted, hoping to convince Randall.

"Do I at least get to say goodbye?" I lowered my voice once it turned raw from screaming. Randall still sat there calmly, no emotion showing.

"No. It's better if we just talk to them and explain."

"Knowing you and your stupid doctors, you won't even tell the truth to them!" I spat the words out fast, with more tears.

"Then that's a pity." His eyes twinkled slightly. That was enough for me to protest again. They were going to lie to the boys, that must've been it.