ASUNDER (I) : tmr newt

10: I'm Surprised

10 Dawn

"Wake up."

I groan, and my first instinct is to simply say "no."

The boy above me laughs, and takes me by the arms. I find myself being lifted off the ground, even though I am barely awake at all. I don't dare crack my eyes open though. Thoroughly, I am exhausted.

"Alright," Minho plops down next to me, lying in the grass. He doesn't seem to mind that the grass is wet.

Something tickles my nose, and I swat it away, but it comes back. I open my eyes, to see Minho feathering me with a blade of grass. I snatch it from his hand.

"You could be a Runner," he notices. "If you weren't so keen on sleeping in."

I ignore him, turning my back away from him. A smile secretly plays on my face. I can't help it. He has this weird charm too him. Even when he isn't as funny as he thinks he is, my cheeks can't help but turn red.

"Come on Dawn." Minho gets up off the ground. "It's already dawn."

I would be rolling my eyes if they weren't closer tightly. I let a giggle escape out my lips, but I am not happy about it.

My body spins into the air, and suddenly I am wide-awake. Not only are my eyes wide open, but my heart is pounding in my chest rapidly, as I feel myself being flung through the air. He has me hanging over his shoulders.

"Put me down!" I try to sound firm, but my voice come out as a laugh as I see myself swinging over Minho's back. "Who do you think you are?"

His head shakes against my waist, and I kick my arms trying to escape his grip. "Sorry what? I can't hear you over this annoying shrieking in my ear."

I roll my eyes. He is absolutely ridiculous. "Would you quit it Maze Boy?"

"You know, people ask me that every day, and every day I find myself continuing on," he tells me, sighing. "Besides, I don't particularity mind having you this close to me."

"You're a pig," I roll my eyes, but a smile lurks on my face. I really hope he is only this flirty with me.

"I will drop you if you actually want me to," I can feel his smirk, as if it comes off in waves. "You just have to tell me."

I can't. Biting my tongue, I remain silent. Part of me hopes he doesn't notice, though the rest of me hopes he does.

Loosening, I feel myself shrug down off of him. He puts a finger to his lips, winks, and darts past me. I spin on my feet, following the Runner deeper into the Glade, rounding around the corner of the Homestead until we are in plain view of the Box.

He doesn't give me a second to catch up to him, as he speeds off ahead. It's a struggle to come close to where Minho stands, and I barely make it next to him by the time we reach the crowd, surrounding the place I first came.

Alby is the middle, standing on a chair and staring out at the rest of us.

"Alright, so things are different shanks." He opens the conversation, looking at Minho and I heaving. We must be the last to arrive.

"I know it's been hard since Nick died, but things have changed, and we need to adapt." He continues, glancing over the Gladers until he finds me.

I've never seen it this quiet. The sound of the silence rings in my ears, and I wait for one of the boys to call out or laugh, but no one does. They all listen, which is what keeps me listening firmly.

"So, we are adding a new rule, givin' certain developments." He says. "These new girls, no one touches 'em. Not until we figure out why the Creators sent them up in that shuckin' Box. Anyone looks at 'em funny, and they'll be spendin' the night with the Grievers. No exceptions. Got it?"