The front door of Homestead swung shut behind her.

"I am the infamous Fry and THIS here is MY kitchen, Lil Lady-Bean!" called an older teen from behind a long steel counter of an outdoor kitchen. The state of the art kitchen was covered by a roof, and had three wood and steel walls, the front was open to the outside. In between the kitchen and the Homestead were picnic benches and tables. At the moment there were a bunch of boys sitting at the tables talking.

Everything went silent. All heads turned towards Newt and the new girl, she felt very uncomfortable with all the attention. She was very aware of her body and what it was doing. She felt all her muscles tensing up, her fists clenching and unclenching, and her jaw tightening. Her heart thumped wildly against her chest. The blush from Minho swooping in and saving her got darker, she looked away with a small growl in her throat, feeling more annoyed with all the boys.

The boy behind the counter cleared his throat loudly, "What's the matter with ya filthy slint heads? Act like gentlemen-shanks and not a bunch of shuck face slintheads! Come on now. We have a Lady-Bean present."

Newt nodded and added, "Don't ya' have jobs to bloody finish before tonight? Break's over! Go!"

The boys got up grumbling and left. A few heads turned back, trying to get a last view of the girl before going back to work.

"Thanx" she mumbled in frustration. "I guess I gotta get used to that...all the staring..."

"Ah, it's just a bloody shock. We don't remember seeing a girl before, creators took care of that. It'll wear off quickly, once they get used to a Shanket, She-Bean. You're the first, but probably not the last...who knows. Come meet Frypan."

The boy behind the counter was tall, he looked older than most of the boys, he had a big beard, and it looked like it was starting to turn gray. His eyes were kind and his smile made you feel welcome. He had on a white apron covered in stains, over his jeans and black t-shirt.

"Why hello Lil Lady-Bean! Welcome to my kitchen." He boomed, sweeping his arms wide, he was still holding a whisk. "A few rules." He pointed his whisk at her, "Don't touch nothin' unless I say. No stealing food- water is over there- feel free to take anytime, just wash the cup- if you're a lucky son-of-a-gun and get a water bottle, then don't worry about washin' cups. Now I expect Jeff or Clint sent ya' down for some water and food?"

She nodded, a small smile on her nervous face.

"Excellent! Newt, show her where the cups are, I have some leftovers I'll heat up. It'll hold ya' until the bonfire- don't want to spoil your appetite! I got my famous bacon tonight!" He waved his whisk and now a spatula around while he talked. His personality made you feel like an instant friend. She liked Frypan. Newt showed her where the cups were and led her to a table and sat down opposite. Frypan came over a few minutes later with some soup. She was so hungry, the bowl was empty too fast.

"Ha! Fry! You got a fan of your cooking! She-Bean here didn't even bloody chew!" Yelled Newt, chuckling.

"What? I was hungry! I don't remember the last thing I ate!" She said it as a joke, but the smile slipped off her face. She literally couldn't remember when she last ate, or what she ate...or where she was this morning. And she still didn't remember a name!

"Darn tooten'!" laughed Frypan, "I'm the best cook in the glade!"

"I'm pretty sure you're the only cook in the glade." she said as she brought her bowl and spoon to the sink. Frypan looked at her with a hand clutching his heart in mock pain.

"Ouch! Lil lady! Ouch, that hurts, right here!" He pointed to his heart, "after I fed you this is how you talk to your personal chef an' his gourmet cooking?"

"I thought you said this was left overs? You and I have very different ideas of what the definition of Gourmet is." she shot back, with a hand on her hip, an eyebrow raised.

Frypan gasped dramatically, Newt was failing at trying to hide his laughter. There was a loud snort followed by a loud deep belly laugh that echoed through the picnic area. Minho was strutting towards them. Frypan held his whisk, pointing it at Minho, narrowing his eyes.

"Stay away from her. She's a sassy little shanket already. Quiet, but the sass is there. I don't need your snark rubbing off on her! You're bad enough already! We don't need two!"

Minho glanced at her, smirking, "Hmmm, no promises." He winked again with that sly cocky smirk and sauntered away.

Newt, still laughing to himself, got up and threw an arm around her small shoulders and steered them towards the forest. He waved at boys, greeting each by name. It didn't feel weird being close to Newt. There was no awkward tension, he didn't do anything to make her feel uncomfortable. In fact she felt quite the opposite. She felt very safe, and for the first time, since coming up from that stupid shuck box, she finally relaxed her tense muscles. There was an ease about him, a gentle familiarity... his face wasn't familiar, but there was something. Something at the back of her brain was trying to break through the stone walls that surrounded her memories.

Did I used to know this tall British blond boy? Maybe that's just him; he seems to be friendly with everyone, he has the respect of the boys around him, he is kind, trustworthy, he puts everyone around him at ease.

"Newt" the nameless girl stopped suddenly, "What do I look like? How old do you think I am?"

He took a step back, scrutinizing her. "Hmm, well, you're a girl."

She huffed and rolled her eyes, "Ya, no shuck Sherlock! You bloody nailed it!" Throwing her arms into the air.

"Okay okay, hmmm. Just a sec' ...HEY CHUCK! Come 'er a second!" He hollered over this shoulder.

A short chubby boy, no older than 12 came jogging over, "Ya, what's up Newt? Wow, holy shuck, it's the girl! What's your name? Do you remember your name yet? Probably not. Took me two days to remember mine. I saw ya pass out! Man! I don't blame ya! If I was the only girl and those guys kept touching me, I'd probably pass out too. So no worries. Though I did klunk my pants a few times! Haven't done that yet, have you?" He said all in one breath, his big brown innocent eyes wide and wondering, his tight corkscrew curls bouncing as he talked.

"Uh, no..no I don't remember yet. You guys keep calling me weird names though...so... I don't know.." she trailed off, unsure what to say. The little boy was cute, and seemed so innocent, he was also the youngest boy she had seen.

They send up children here...this boy is barely out of babyhood! That's so sick!

Newt's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Chuck. I called you over to help me out. How tall do ya think she is? I'm taller than 6 feet, she comes up to about my armpit" He took his hand to the top of her head and moved it closer to his body, trying to measure her height.

"Eww dude, you smell! Don't shove my face into your armpit! Do you guys even shower here? Ugh, gross!" She groaned trying to push his arm away, but he had his arm now wrapped around her head squishing it into his chest and armpit.

"Newt! Eww gross! Staaawp!" She whined loudly trying to wiggle free from Newt's headlock. Chuck doubled over, hands on his knees, howling with laughter.

"Owww!" she shrieked.

Newt let go instantly, her hand grabbed her forehead, where the fresh stitches were.

"Oh shuck, I'm Sorry Grennie! Shuck! I didn't mean to bloody hurt ya'! I'm sorry. You okay?" Newt asked, a little panicked.

"No, it's fine. Nothing ripped, just pulled. Stings like a mother shucker though. It's fine Newt, really-"

"-Wow, you catch onto the Hlader slang quickly!" Chuck interrupted, pride in his voice.

She smiled unsure at him, "Okay, now, as we were trying to figure out; boys, what do I look like?"

Both boys took a step back, Newt had his hands on his hips, Chuck was tapping his chin, both looked like they were thinking way too hard at this question. It made her giggle, as she watched their faces scrunch up in concentration.

"You're short, and small. Make a good slopper, seeing as you're a girl." A voice sneered behind her, "Clean up after us, work with that fat little shank right there." The girl whipped round to face the voice, furry exploding inside her chest.

"Gally, be nice" warned Newt.

"Ya ya whatever Newton. Don't treat her differently. No special treatment because she's weak and useless. You don't need to defend her."

"I'm actually kinda more worried about you..." Newt muttered.

"Good. No special treatment just because I'm a shuck bloody girl. I'm sure you are just as pleasant and charming to everyone new in this god awful place. Don't pick on me more than anyone else because I'm a female." She hissed, stepping closer to him, both their eyes narrowed at each other. "Are you this rude to the other guys, or just to me?! Why? Because I'm a girl? Do I threaten you!? A shucken girl in your world of bloody shucked macho masculinity?" she continued calmly, making her words even more threatening.

Gally grunted and rolled his eyes, "whatever you stupid shank" he pushed passed her and stormed away.

She turned back around to Newt and Chuck, her hands felt numb, she could feel the fire in her chest die down. She noticed right away that Minho had joined them, she blushed a little, and looked away. She glanced back, Minho was smirking at her, he had a mix of amusement and pride on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"No one has the guts to say anything to that hot headed slint head, especially a Greenie on their Day One. Nice job She-bean! Told ya she's feisty." Minho replied, putting a fist on his hip and reaching the other out for a high five.

"Oh." She shrugged looking down. Realizing he was still waiting for a high five, she slapped his hand. She didn't like a bully, and that's what Gally was. A big bully, with weird eyebrows.

"Okay, back to your problem," said Chuck seriously.

"What problem?" Minho asked, looking between her, Chuck and Newt.

Newt gestured to her, "Shanket here doesn't know what she looks like. Wanna help?"

Minho's eyebrow shot up, and that sly smirk appeared on his face. His dark eyes trailed slowly up and down her body and face, taking in every detail. She shifted from one foot to the other, and couldn't help but wonder specifically what Minho thought of her, she scolded herself, she had just met him! She waited while the three guys looked her over.

"Well, like Gally said, you're kinda short." Minho squinted his eyes and tilted his head. He continued, "You have long wavy hair. Kind of the same colour as Newtie here, but yours is more fiery red and then the sun catches when you turn... It's like sunshine. It looks like sunshine at sunset.. It's shiny. And looks soft and silky-'' he stopped suddenly and cleared his throat looking away rubbing the back of his neck.

Was that a blush on his cheeks? It's so cute he's flustered.

Newt and Chuck glanced at him and then at each other, they had to look away quickly, snickering a little.

A blush rose on her cheeks again, and a small shy smile formed on her mouth.

"You have brown eyes kinda like Newt's...but yours have a lot of green and some gold in them, if you get up close, though!" jumped in Chuck, breaking the awkward tension. He took a few steps forward, he was toe to toe with her and looked up into her eyes, "Ya, brown eyes, but with green and gold flecks in them!" He glanced over his shoulder with a cheeky grin, "Pretty, don't ya think Minho?"

"Yeah, dreamy, I could get lost in them! Same with Newtie Patootie's dreamy chocolate brown eyes!" He sassed with a roll of his eyes, she could see the blush on his cheeks darken.

Newt snickered at his friend, and added "You have a dimple on the one side when you smile, and some freckles across your cheeks and nose. And now that I think of it, you have an accent. Like mine! That's pretty cool." He held his hand out for a high five. She obliged. Minho looked between the two of them.

"Huh, you two do have a lot of similarities. The similar colour hair, eyes and accent- except she's prettier Newt." Minho messed up Newt's hair when he said it.

"Oh shuck off Min!" Newt whined, swatting his arm away.

"OIH! Newt! Minho! Come 'ere a second!" Alby roared from beside a giant pile of wood.

Newt and Minho walked over to their waiting leader. She watched them go, Minho kept glancing over his shoulder until his foot caught on a rock and he stumbled. Newt looked at him and then behind him. Newt started laughing and wacked Minho on the back of the head. He was saying something to Minho, she couldn't hear, they were too far away at this point. Both boys were arguing with wild hand gestures. But it looked like an old married couple arguing. She laughed to herself.

"Come on She-Bean, let's go. Fire will be starting soon." She looked over at Chuck who was heading over to Alby too.

The sun was starting to set. Today was going fast. She had already spent a whole afternoon here. The setting sun hit the top of the giant stone walls, and there was a horrible loud grinding noise, making the ground shake. The noise was so loud she slapped her hands over her ears and wiped her head around trying to find where the noise was coming from. Her frantic eyes landed on the big black openings in the middle of each stone wall. The openings were getting smaller. The walls were moving together. One side of each wall had spikes reaching out for the other side that had big holes waiting for the spikes. The walls were trapping everyone inside.

"No, not trapped, please not trapped!" She whimpered as her body started to shake, she could feel her chest squeezing and rising and falling unevenly. She was wiping her head back and forth between the four doors. She could feel the panic bubbling up inside.

"I hate small spaces!" she whimpered.

With hands still clamped over her ears she crouched down, before her legs gave out, pressing her head against her knees. She heard yelling from beside her, possibly Chuck trying to say something over the loud grinding but she ignored it. She was trying to take a normal breath, trying to ignore the ear splitting sound of stone on stone and rusty metal gears.

She felt arms wrap around her, holding her close. She could feel the steady thump of a heart beat. She didn't look up. She stayed there, wrapped in strong arms, listening to the comforting sound of the heartbeat for an extra minute getting herself under control. She felt an arm move to rub her back and another one stroking her hair and a third hand squeezing her shoulder softly. When the loud grinding noise of the walls had quietened and the shaking ground had stilled, she took one last deep breath and raised her head to see whose arms she was wrapped up in. She looked up to see warm chocolate brown eyes, and a curtain of shaggy blond hair.

"You ok Shanket?" Minho asked gently, from beside her, he had his hand on her shoulder and concern in his dark coffee coloured eyes.

"Y-Ya.. I think I am...now. Wh-what the actual bloody shuck was that?" she asked, still shaking a little.

"That. Would be the bloody walls. The doors close every night at sundown and open every morning at sunrise." Newt said.

Minho chuckled softly, "You catch on to Glader slang pretty fast, Shanket, seems natural for you." He then added seriously, "You're claustrophobic, aren't you?"

She shuddered and nodded her head, "The box was awful" She whispered with a quiver in her voice.

Minho's hand tightened on her shoulder. The boys looked at each other and then back at her, with worry. She took a deep breath and let it out, her heart beat slowly going back to normal.

"Guys" she said looking at both of them, "I'm okay now. Just next time maybe give a warning to the new kids. Just so we know, k? Giant moving solid stone walls aren't normal. I don't know much, but I'm pretty sure about that. I'll be okay. Still brand new, no idea what the bloody shuck is going on. A little warning would go a long way."

They both nod.

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