Michelle 75

Alby, the shucking shank, was already waiting for us when we show up. He is sitting in the Gathering room, with all the chairs in a circle around him. There are more seats than body, so when we walk in and Minho shuts the door, Newt moves a few away.

Alby raises an eyebrow, but he doesn't seem surprised. His eyes sort of linger on Minho, since he's the guy who Alby expected the least. Of course, Newt is a shucking princess, so I'm surprised Alby doesn't immediately ask Newt what he's doing.

I sit down in the chair on the end, although I scoot as far away as I can from the others. I'm still not one hundred percent on if they are going to throw me under the bus or not, so I'm ready to throw them back if I need to. I have a pocket knife that Gally loaned me, and I never gave it back to him, so if one of these shanks snitches, I'm ready.

"So, anymore lies y'all've come to tell me?" Alby crosses his arms over his chest. "I take it my message was shucking clear."

Newt sits on the end farthest from me, and Minho finds himself sandwiched between Newt and Dawn. Fitting, because most of this is his shucking fault. He just had to get shucking caught with Dawn. See, this is the difference between me and that lot. If I do something shucking dumb, I make damn sure I am not getting caught.

And I've kissed more than one Glader in broad daylight. And done way worse than that with the lights off.

"Depends on what Leo told you," Minho tries to joke, but his voice falls flat.

Alby crosses his arms over his chest, so tightly I imagine his shirt is going to pop open. Why is everyone here so over dramatic, beating around the bush like its some deal? I would say something, but like, I don't want to talk. Especially not to Alby, snice I thought he and I were cool.

"That she beat up Ben with a shovel," Alby offers.

I snicker out loud. Does he seriously shucking believe that? Dawn leans over and nudges me, lightly but seriously.

"And you shuckin' believed her?" Minho asks, leaning forward. "Sometimes I think we'd be better off having a Slopper make calls than you."

"I hope you know Minho, that you are the only Shank who can talk to me like that," Alby snaps, although he seems pissed. "And I ain't putting up with that klunk anymore until someone tells me what is happening."

I wait for any of them to speak up, reclining in my chair. Alby simply glares at this decision and I only recline further, until I'm practically lying on the chair. This is exactly how much I respect the Glade as an institution.

"Ben attacked Dawn," Newt rips off the truth, his voice shaking. "Way back when she was hurt, that was him."

"I figured as much," Alby sighs, before biting his lip. "And let me guess, he tried to attack Michelle so she beat him up?"

More or less. I shrug, looking over to let any of them take over. When no one does, I roll my eyes. "I barely hit him. Could've done a lot worse if I wanted to."

Alby only rolls his eyes at this, shaking his head back and forth. I don't care if it isn't what he wanted to hear. Really, I barely touched the guy. This is all Minho's fault.

"I hit him," Minho tells Alby. "Saw him sneak in the Deadheads after Michelle, and I've always thought the guy was a selfish slinthead. I was shucking right. He tried to force himself on them."

"And no one told me, why?" Alby asks, turning to Newt. "You covered this all up when you're the shank who's always got my back on order. Klunk friend you are."

Newt's face turns pink and I roll my eyes. I look out my window, and can't see David. I don't see Gally either, and I wish one of them was here. Gally would know what to say that isn't the truth. These guys, for some reason, decided the truth is better.

"Al, I had to," Newt sighs, leaning forward. "You don't understand."

Of course he doesn't, because no one will explain it. The chair behind Alby creaks. He lifts an arm up to his chin, rubbing it with the back of his hand across the scratchy skin. Waiting for someone to take over.

"Oh, would somebody just shucking tell him?" I ask, finally sitting up. "Fat lot of help you slintheads are. I doubt he'll even care."

Alby sighs, not waiting for anyone's response. "Let me guess, Dawn and Minho? Seriously?"

Neither of them answer, since there is no good answer. No one is worth dying over, so their violation of the rules is pretty shucking dumb. Then, I think about Dave. While the shank is nothing special, I can imagine myself risking death just to feel him again. Nothing in favour of him though, just what that whole thing felt like.

I almost feel sick when I wonder if Gally would feel the same.

"I figured the only thing Newt gives a shuck more than the rules is making sure nobody dies." Alby rolls up his sleeves, barely paying us any mind. "I've never seen the shank rule in favour of a banishment. That's why we make such good partners anyway, since you won't banish any shank and I'll banish every shank."

"Good that," Minho nods. I forget that if either of those shanks die, Minho takes up a leadership roll. He has more authority than anyone else here, and for some reason the Gladers respect the Runners. Not that it matters right now, but I don't think there is any point in getting banished.

"So, what now?" Newt asks.

"That was shucking easier than I thought," Dawn exhales, and I roll my eyes.

Alby stands up, moving the chair away. The other three find themselves on their feet seconds later, but I continue to lounge in my chair. If anything, I recline further.

"I have every right to banish you," I look up when Alby says this. "You both have been breaking a shucking big rule, seeing each other."

I finally stand up, moving myself behind the chair. "But not me?"

"Obviously not you," Alby snorts, looking around. "You did what exactly? Have someone attack you? And you didn't tell me because you thought I'd banish you? I don't blame you."

"He can't be a bit of a slinthead sometimes," Minho adds, another out of place joke.

Alby only sighs, trying to decide whether or not to agree with or scold Minho. I don't particularly care so long as I am off the hook. The only reason I came is because David told me Alby was acting all jacked and wanted to banish a whole bunch of people. If I had realised I was off the hook, I wouldn't have wasted my time showing up.

"You going to banish us though?" Dawn takes a step forward, and I watching Minho's hand curl as he tries to reach for her.

Alby waits, but then he shakes his head. "The rule wasn't meant to stop you two from shacking, but from Gladers like Ben. At least I'm glad you didn't get in a fight over her, Minho. I'd definitely banish you for that."

"Good that," I mutter, and Minho shoots me a glare. I make a face at him. He thinks just because we take down a violent boy together, violently, doesn't mean we are friends. If that were true, I'd be friends with a lot more people. Violence isn't really a big deal.

"But you can't banish Ben," Newt adds in. "He'll make sure the other Gladers know about Dawn and Minho. You can't banish three people at once."

Alby shrugs his shoulders. "My plan is to move Michelle to the Slicers."

The what's now? He can't be serious. I'm actually beginning to tolerate Gally and now he wants to separate us? Because of something Ben did? He is shucking off his shucking rocker, what a shucking klunk. I wish I had words to describe this. The only feeling worthwhile is anger, and I'm livid.

"You're shucking what now!" I almost yell, standing up. Alby only steps closer to me.

"I can't have you working with him, and preventing him from being a Runner is punishment enough for now," Alby begins. "In a couple weeks I will work out a way to demote him to Slopper."

That's not good enough. I walk out of the room, and find myself slamming the door shut behind me. If Alby can't take care of this, I will find a way out of this myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, I guess all is well that ends well... just the epilogue left essentially..... nothing bad can happen.... everything will be fine....

I'll see you soon, one final time.