Perry was the first person in the Glade. Only wanting peace and quiet quickly goes south after the arrival of twelve teenage boys a month later.
Female oc x Minho
Pre tmr- tdc
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As soon as dinner was finished, Perry dismissed herself, instead of sitting around with everyone. The cool night air nipped at her skin as she made her way to her room. Once inside, she changed into her worn pajamas, the fabric soft and familiar against her skin. She lay on her bed, back facing the door, pulling the thin blanket up to her chin.
Outside, she could hear Nick and Minho's voices, their argument clear even through the wooden walls. Nick's tone was firm, and Perry could tell he was insisting Minho make amends. Moments later, the door creaked open, and Minho stepped inside, his silhouette framed by the dim light from the hallway. He squinted in the darkness, his eyes gradually adjusting until he could see her motionless form on the bed.
"Hey Perry, I'd just like to apologize for earlier. Um, we're all happy that you're back," he stuttered through the apology, his voice betraying his unease. Perry scoffed multiple times during his speech, the sound sharp and dismissive.
"Thanks for the effort, shuck face," she mumbled, not bothering to turn over and face him. She could practically picture his face in her mind—his thin eyes likely filled with pity, a smug smirk playing at his lips, his arms probably crossed across his chest aswell.
"Hey, I'm being honest. I really do feel bad," Minho defended himself, taking a step closer. The floorboards creaked under his weight. "Do you know how horrible I feel? Think it was easy for me to leave Leo out there?" His voice cracked slightly as he mentioned Leo's name. Perry's eyes watered, a lump forming in her throat.
"And do you know how guilty I feel being the one to volunteer him?" Her voice wavered as she turned over, now sitting at the edge of her bed. Minho could see the redness around her eyes and nose, the tracks of dried tears on her cheeks. They stared at each other for a moment, a heavy silence filled with shared grief and guilt.
Minho was the first to look away, his eyes now fixated on the floor, not wanting her to see the tears welling up in his own eyes. He took a deep breath, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Nick wants me to tell you he's proud that you came outside today," he said quietly before turning to leave, the door closing softly behind him.
Perry remained on the edge of her bed, the darkness of the room pressing in around her. But Nick being proud of her was enough motivation to make a change. She vowed to herself not to cry anymore.
The next day, she woke up early as usual to help Frypan in the kitchen. Frypan looked up, surprised but pleased to see her. He wiped his hands on a rag and smiled.
"So, what's been happening?" she asked, trying to mask her curiosity with a casual tone. Despite her efforts, she couldn't deny feeling left out of the loop recently—though she knew it was her own doing.
The bigger boy was more than eager to update her. "Greenie got his name back, Alex. He's a builder. But while he was working with Clint and Jeff, he accidentally stabbed Winston while stitching up his finger," he rambled, Perry's head spinning with all the new information.
"Pause, what happened to Winston?" she asked, worried about her friend.
"Sliced off the top of his pointer finger," Frypan informed her, his tone casual. Perry's expression remained unchanged as she scrambled eggs over the hot stove.
"As the greenbean was sewing it together, he almost lost the needle in Winston's shucking finger!" Frypan continued. Despite the seriousness of the story, the two teenagers laughed, both missing their morning hangouts that often started with a similarly chaotic tale.
"Since when did y'all start saying greenbean?" Perry chuckled, shaking her head.
"Ever since Zart finally grew something in the Gardens, a greenbean that was pretty much the same shade as Tony's face when he first got here," Frypan explained, a grin spreading across his face. Perry was grateful he was willing to explain everything to her.
The boys immediately brightened at the sight of Perry. Her presence was a welcome surprise for the three boys.
"Glad to see you back, Per," Newt flashed a smile at the girl. Perry tried to return the smile, but everyone could still see the ever-present sadness in her eyes, a shadow that lingered despite her efforts to hide it.
Perry ate breakfast with Nick and Alby, despite her best efforts to distance herself from the leadership team. She picked at her food, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation.
"Got new supplies two days ago," Alby said in his usual monotone voice, breaking the silence. He didn't look up from his plate, focusing on his breakfast.
Perry didn't respond, her silence a deliberate protest against being forced into a role she didn't want. She stabbed her fork into her food with more force than necessary.
Nick, sitting beside her, filled the silence. "That way Gally and Alex can build more rooms." His curly brown hair fell into his eyes as he turned to look at Perry, hoping for her input. When she remained silent, he added, "Perry, you can't just not talk."
"I absolutely can," Perry retorted, shaking her head in defiance. "I don't want to be a part of these discussions."
Alby looked up, his eyes sharp and unwavering. "And we are now your superiors making this decision for you," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. Both Perry and Nick stared at him in surprise.
"Damn, Nick, maybe Alby should take your place too," Perry said with a sly smile, trying to mask her annoyance with a joke. Nick rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a small grin.
Alby allowed himself a brief smile before continuing. "You will work with Winston unless we need your help with something else. Tony can take my spot in helping Zart. That's two people per job, excluding the runners." His voice was steady and authoritative, and even Perry had to admit she was impressed by his clear instructions.
"Seriously, why wasn't this dude in charge before?" Perry mumbled to Nick as she pushed back her chair and stood up, ready to face another day. The sunlight caught her hair as she walked away, casting a golden hue around her.
Nick watched her go, then turned back to Alby. "You know, she's right. You're good at this."
Alby shrugged, his expression softening. "Just doing what needs to be done."
