The Box

Chapter 2

Toria's P.O.V

I feel a slight shaking as the black emptiness of sleep leaves me. I open my eyes.
"Hey, Thomas. What'd I miss?" He removes his hand from my shoulder. An unreadable expression crosses his face.
I sit up. "Thomas? What happened?" He sighs and looks over to me.
"Listen, I don't-" I give him puppy eyes, knowing what he was going to say. "I saw someone going through the changing."
I search my mind deeply to remember anything called the changing. Thomas reads my confusion and explains.
"I don't know much, they said they'd tell me more today at the tour, but there's these things called Greivers and when you get stung by one you go through the changing. It's terrible. Screaming, paleness, green veins..."
I put my hand on his back as I see the grim expression on his face.
"C'mon let's go get some food. I'll race you!" I dart up on my feet, and with the mingled laughs of Thomas and I, the slamming of my heart upon my chest, and the questioning looks from the Gladers, somehow, even in the Glade, I am happy.
We practically stumble into Frypan's kitchen and Thomas tells me to sit down. I find a seat next to Piper.
"Hi." I steal one of her strawberries and though she slaps at my hand, weakly, I plop it in my mouth and smile.
"What's with you today? Yesterday I thought you had memories and somehow hated me." I laugh, covering my mouth with my hand.
"Tell me you'd be the happiest person alive if you had to arrive here with no memories or answers." I wink and she childishly sticks her tongue out.
Thomas comes over to sit by us and gives me a plate of chocolate chip pancakes. However dull, they taste amazing. And obviously, Piper agrees as she keeps stealing my chocolate chips.
"Guys, we better get going. Don't want Alby to have a fit." With this, Piper nudges me in the arm and we all get up. As if on cue, Alby comes into the kitchen.
"Where're the Greenies? Tour Time." We set our plates down on the counter and head for the door.
Alby leads us to the Homestead. He begins to explain, but just then screams erupt from the building, my blood running cold.
Alby turns to either side and then spots Newt, grabbing his arm and tugging him towards us.
"Duty calls. Newt, you tour." As Newt begins to explain, Piper pulls me towards her.
"He's limping. What do you think happened?" I hook arms with her and smirk, not meeting her gaze.
"I don't know but he's cute. "
<><><>
After the tour ends, Greivers, the maze, and the Creators having been explained, I look to Piper in horror. She begins to walk away. So shy.
"Hey!" She turns back to me, raising her eyebrows.
"What?" I roll my eyes and grab her arm.
"C'mon we're the only two girls in the place and you can't get through life with just guy friends. I know something fun we can do."
I pull her towards the edge of the Glade that is filled with crops. I put a finger to my lips and laugh.
I pull down my light blue tank top a bit, and flip my hair. The golden curls glide down to my waist glimmering in the sunshine.
She laughs, raising an eyebrow. I climb up one of the ladders and make eye contact with one of the workers.
Batting my eyelashes, I wiggle my fingers at him with one hand, and with the other, I take a peach and toss it to Piper.
As I grab one for myself, I then jump down from the ladder and give a little bow.
"You are, no matter how crazy, a misunderstood genius." She takes a bite of her peach and I my own. The sweet juice squeezes into my mouth and I smile.
Somehow, I feel so happy, even knowing that deathly monsters lie just outside these walls.
As we laugh, neither of us notice Newt approaching.
"Hey guys. This is Minho I told him I'd intro- wait. How do u have those?" I smirk and look to Piper.
She turns her back to Newt and Minho, and I look at their confused faces as she unbuttons the top of her black shirt and ruffles her hair.
She turns back to Newt and Minho, snickers at their confusion and climbs up the ladder.
Biting her lip, she waves at the worker and tosses down two peaches.
She jumps down and re-buttons her shirt. "That, my friends, is how being the only two girls in the Glade has an advantage"
<><><>
Late that night, after hours of badly repressed laughter and senseless chatter with Newt and Minho, Piper and I are alone.
"C'mon. I wanna show you something." She heads towards the deadheads and runs her fingers across each tree we pass. She stops at a wall, covered in ivy, and a quiet pond nearby it.
"This is where I slept last night. Nice isn't it?"
My mouth drops open. I look at the clearness of the pond, reflecting my blue eyes as I stare down into it.
"It's beautiful." I breathe my words out, stunned. She sits against the ivy wall.
"So anyone you're interested in yet?" I ask, curious.
She laughs. "And next are we gonna do makeovers and then make charm bracelets?" I sit beside her and we don't talk, we don't need to.
Finally, staring up at the beautiful moon shining down on my face, sleep overtakes me.