𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦, minho (tmr)

Chapter Five

"They seem friendly." She mumbled, under her breath almost, but Newt caught it somehow.

"And that's why we don't go out there. You get it?" She eyed the boy, taking in his expression. Somehow, the grotesque creature hadn't scared her once she had gotten passed the initial shock, and her thoughts of becoming a Runner returned to her.

"Yeah I get it. But the Runners go out, right?"

Newt had let go of the ivy, the window covered up again as the Glade begun to spring into another day of action.

"Well yes but-"

"-Minho can't run today. What does that mean?"

Inside, Newt was growing irritated at the girl's questions about the Runners. No one wanted to be a Runner. Why was she so interested?

"Well there's a few 'round here that'll step in if someone can't run." He shrugged nonchalantly, not wanting to provoke more questions from the girl.

"Why can't I do that?" Newt felt the frustration in her voice, but his heart ached more. This girl was his friend, and he felt like he couldn't let more of his friends go out into the Maze.

"Florence-"

"-No don't give me anymore of your stupid excuses I'm sick of it!" Her temper had taken control, and she felt herself slipping into rage as she shouted at the boy.

"You all think I'm inferior just because I'm a girl. How the hell would you know what I can and can't handle? I bet I can run faster than any of the boys in here. You saw it on that first day! What is it gonna take for you to realise that?"

Newt was silent. As much as he didn't want the girl to be a Runner, he knew that they all felt differently because she was a girl. And she wasn't inferior.

"How about a race?" Another voice came from a few feet away, and they both jumped. Ben was getting ready to run, and as the pair were stood in front of the entrance to the Maze, he had naturally been making his way over.

"What?" Newt found himself questioning the boy, and at the same time trying to silently signal to get him to drop the idea and not excite the girl; but it was too late.

"Get together the fastest boys in the Glade and Flo can run against them. If she beats them then we should at least consider her for Runner." Ben explained out his idea, and Newt facepalmed, knowing there would be no way of stopping the girl from jumping on it.

"Aren't the fastest boys the Runners?" She asked, trying to keep herself calm on the outside, despite her thumping heart.

Ben's giving me a chance.

"Minho's the fastest by far but obviously he can't run. I'm sure the others would be up for a race. I know I am." He said simply, and now Newt was glaring right at the boy.

There was no avoiding this now. All Newt could do was hope the girl would lose.

Florence could barely keep her thoughts together all of that day. News of the race they had planned spread through the Glade like wildfire, and at about midday, it reached Minho - somehow - who was lounging around in bed.

But of course, he hobbled out of his bed and into the Med-jack's room looking for the girl.

"You want to be a Runner?!" His voice was raised questioningly and threateningly as he addressed the girl, leant against the door frame to ease his struggles. His crutches were nowhere in sight - and knowing Minho - they were probably stranded in a bush.

"Why does everyone have a shucking problem with that?" Florence found herself glaring at the boy, and Clint and Jeff shared an uncomfortable look as they watched the pair stare at one another.