Defender - The Maze Runner (Book 1)

Chapter 45: Girls are Awesome

Alex was leaning on the table with the little model maze, inside the weapons room, playing with her knife, flipping it and catching it, with Bark laying by her feet. She watched Minho explain how the maze worked with Thomas. Alex shook her head with a small smile, Thomas wouldn't stop asking questions. Which was making this take extra long.

"Take a look at this. About a year ago, we started exploring these outer sections. With numbers printed on the walls. Sections 1 through 8. See, the way it works, is at night, when the maze changes...it opens up a new section. So today, Section 6 was open. Tomorrow, it will be 4, then 8, then 3. The pattern is always the same." Minho was a surprising patient teacher. Answering all of Thomas's questions.

"What's so special about 7?" Thomas asked for the hundredth time.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "But..." he said slowly , thinking "when you killed that Griever...Section 7 was open." Minho answered, running his hand through his hair.

Shuck it, he's hot when he does that.

"That's why we are going to go check it out again," Alex said, ripping her eyes away from Minho.

Clint came bursting through the door.

"Hey! What are you doing? You're not allowed in here!" Minho yelled, stepping in front of the structure.

"Sorry, it's just the...uhh. It's the new girl." Clint panted, he must have run from the Med Room.

"Is she awake?" Alex asked, as she pushed off the table, she was excited and nervous...

"You could say that." He said nervously.

"Well, what are we waiting for, lead the way!" Alex said, rushing out the door. As they exited the map room, she could hear commotion on the other side of the Glade. She spied a group of Gladers huddled around a tree.

"Is that...the lookout tower?" Minho asked.

Clint nodded, Minho caught Alex's eye, she smirked and they both raced off to see what was going on.

"Hey Chuckles, what's going on?" Alex called as they got closer to the ruckus.

Chuck turned and pointed up the tree, laughing hard. "Girls are awesome!"

Alex looked up and saw something being thrown over the edge towards the boys and a light breathy voice yelling.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Newt ducked, "Watch your head!"

Fry was standing under a piece of discarded board, he peeked out from under it and hollord "We just want to talk!"

Another rock came flying in his direction.

"THROW ONE MORE THING-" Gally screamed at the girl, he stopped yelling when a rock hit him in the head. Alex couldn't help it anymore and she doubled over laughing!

Girls are shucken awesome!

Newt turned to look at her "I don't think she likes us very much." Amusement in his eyes

"GO AWAY! I'M WARNING YOU!" the girl yelled again and threw a few more rocks at the Gladers on the ground.

I should probably do something. This poor girl... I remembered my first day seeing all the guys..

She took a step forward, but Minho had grabbed her arm pulling her back.

"Be safe!" he kissed her forehead quickly "I trust you just don't sass her too much."

She smiled, "Min, if I can take down Gally, and you...I can take on that tiny little pipsqueak up there. She's terrified. I get it, she won't listen to you shanks, she'll listen to me."