A few boys stood around a huge pile of wood, the rest of the Gladers stood around hooting and hollering.

Alby lifted his touch into the air and yelled, "We Survived another month. We got another Greenie," He looked over at her. "FOR THE SHE -BEAN! LIGHT 'EM UP!"

He threw his flaming torch into the pile of wood, the other Keepers followed suit. The pile lit up quickly, throwing bright flames high into the air, giving the darkening Glade a warm glow. The Gladers all broke off into their own friend groups. She heard some music being played on buckets and other hand made instruments. She saw one boy, holding an actual guitar. Some guys were showing off their dance moves and tricks. Whatever else teenage boys do to show off to each other. A rowdy crowd gathered by a sand pit, shouts and grunts coming from the middle.

She was left alone, the few people she knew were all busy doing something and she couldn't see them. She decided to wander around, see what's what. As she shyly walked around, heads turned in her direction, watching as she walked past. Some of the guys would stand up to say hi and introduce themselves. Most of the guys were nice enough, holding a hand out to shake, giving their name, asking if she remembered hers, and leaving it at that. A few of the bolder guys tried to lean in for a hug. She would side step and give a quick "it was nice to meet you" and slip away, desperately trying to find a familiar face.

One boy, who she recognized as the oily voiced boy at the box who said they should use her to procreate and told Alby he wouldn't mind touching her again, given the chance, kept following her. He was the only one who wouldn't take a hint. She shuddered thinking back to the comments he said about wanting to touch her again. She definitely got an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach when she thought of him. Definitely not a guy she would trust to be alone with. He had caught up with her again; he threw an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her uncomfortably close to his side, sliding his hand down.

"Hey there, beautiful. Looks like you could use some good company." He said in a suggestive tone, winking at her.

"No. Thanks. I was just on my way to find Newt." She looked desperately around for him or Minho or Chuck or Alby or even Gally for that matter! She'd take Gally the Bully over Mr Sleazy Creep.

"Aww, no need for that shank, I said good company. The name is Chris, by the way." His arm was clamped around her, forcibly steering her.

She realized he was pulling her away from the Gladers, and the bonfire. Her danger alert went off wildly, she grabbed his arm, pushing it off and spinning away from him. She stepped back quickly.

"I said No." She took another step back, his sleazy smirk dropped for a split second to anger before the sleazy smirk was back. But she saw it. She was uncomfortable before, but now she felt unsafe. Without another word she turned and ran back into the crowd, desperately trying to get away. She wasn't watching where she was going, a few shoulders bumped into her and she tripped over someone's foot. She landed on her stomach with a loud OMPH.

"Ahh! Looks like the little She-Bean wants a turn in the ring!"

Oh no. Oh shuck shuck shuck! Stupid bloody shucken shuck!

She recognized that sneering voice. It belonged to Gally. She pushed herself up onto her feet, brushing sand off her pants and shirt. She looked around, and realized she was in the middle of the sand pit, the wrestling ring; Gally was standing on one side with his shirt off, covered in sweat. When Gally had yelled, it got the attention of every Glader around the fire. They excitedly gathered around, forming a tight circle around the pit.

She stood perfectly still, hardly daring to breathe. Scared that any movement would trigger the bull of a boy in front of her. Her eyes darted around trying to find someone, anyone for help. She finally found coffee colored eyes. Minho.

Where was he 5 minutes ago?

He stood at the back of the crowd holding a clear jar with some light brown liquid inside, he took a small sip and cocked an eyebrow at her. Silently saying "well, what cha gonna do shanket?"

The boys were chatting. "SHE -BEAN! SHE-BEAN!"

She could hear the excitement and the greed in their voices. What was she going to do? On one hand, she could try to stand up for herself and get her butt whooped. On the other hand, she could back out and be the weak little girl these guys thought she was. Her odds weren't in her favor. If she wanted to survive in a place like this, she had to at least try, show them what she was made of. She was smaller than Gally, meaning faster and more agile. She still hadn't moved, standing completely frozen, her eyes bounced from face to face.

Gally was smirking, "Aww looks like the little baby girl is too scared, gonna go cry to Newt? Go find Alby? Or that Shank Minho? Getting awfully cozy with them boys! You need your babysitter, little girl? Too weak to do anything more than be a slopper. What do ya think boys? She'll be a slopper for sure, cleaning up after all the big boys!" He mocked her.

That last statement got the boys wild. She could feel her face heating up, she hated this bully in front of her. What did she ever do to him, other than exist. Hot anger and embarrassment bubbled inside of her, she could feel it rising. There was no shucking way this pig headed slint head was going to keep talking to her like that. He was nothing but a bully, and she hated it! She clenched her jaw, hands clenched into fists. Her eyes flicked back to Minho again, his face gave away nothing of what he was thinking, but he cocked his eyebrow again and folded his muscular arms. This was her choice, he wasn't going to step in. She knew she had to prove herself, just like everyone else. Did he believe in her, she stood up to Gally once, could she could do it again. He gave her a slight nod. Her eyes finally found Newt, he was pushing his way to the front, Chuck right behind him. They were the only 2 who seemed to be trying to stop this fight from happening.

"Gally!" Newt called, "stop! This is stupid, how is this a fair fight?"

"Look little baby girl, your babysitter's here!" Gally taunted her.

Her fists clenched and unclenched. She was fuming now, the anger was simmering right at the surface, waiting to be released. If she got her butt handed to her, at least she was determined to get at least one good hit in. She hoped.

With her heart beating so loud it blocked out all other noise, the jeering sounds of the crowd, Gally's taunting, and Newt's pleas to stop. Everything was silent, except the thumping in her ears. She ground her teeth and narrowed her eyes. In an instant she had turned to the side, making herself a smaller target, placing her left foot in front of her right, bending her knees a bit, getting into a fight ready stance; her weight on her back leg. She brought her left arm up to guard her face; her hand in a loose fist- ready to block, grab or punch- and her right arm came up to guard her abdomen. This fight stance felt natural, easy, like she's done it before. It felt like muscle memory. It was like that deep male voice yelling in her head again.

She didn't have much time to think about it, because Gally was coming at her, like a giant angry bear. He was big, but kind of slow. She blinked and her hearing came rushing back, the jeering noise of the crowd of wild boys came crashing back. Gally swung his big bear paw at her, she ducked and stepped to the side, out of the way just in time. He lumbered past her for a second before gaining his balance.

The boys all cheered.

"Oh baby girl wants to play" he sneered.

He came at her again, this time with the other arm swinging down, she tried to step back, but she didn't see his other hand swing from the other side. His open palm smacked her in the ear. She crumpled to the sand with a grown, holding the side of her head.

"Stay down girl." Gally bellowed. She shook her head, trying to make the ringing stop. She stood up shaking her head and hands out. She got into her ready stance again.

"Keep your eyes open Solider!" that unknown deep male voice bellowed in her head.

Gally, laughing looked at her and shrugged, "Not done getting smacked around? Your death wish."

He charged, bending down slightly, both hands out, as if he meant to grab her. She held her position until the last possible second, and then side stepped to the left, at the same time driving her back leg up, with a yell, slamming her knee into Gally's sternum.

There was an instant "ooooooooh!" from the boys as Gally's face hit the sand, the wind knocked out of him.

The boys started screaming, absolutely wild, watching the fight. Minho was smirking now.

Ha, that actually worked!

She was impressed with herself. Gally was panting and growling like an angry bull, he didn't like to be humiliated, especially by a tiny little baby girl. He lashed out with his leg and swooped her legs out from under her, she landed hard on her back, smacking her head for a second time that day. The wind was knocked out of her.

"Gally! That's enough!" Yelled Newt.

"No."

"What?" Said Gally and Newt at the same time. Both boys looked down at her in disbelief, as she sat up, rubbing her head.

"I said. No." She raised her shaking voice so they could hear her.

"Get up Soldier." Said the male voice, it was like a memory, the voice in her head. She shook her head and got to her feet. Turning, again, to face Gally. He had a twisted gleeful look on his face. She took a step forward, both hands now closed tight into fists. There was a fire in her eyes now, pure determination, and stubbornness. She wouldn't stay down. She would get back up again and again if it meant fighting against a bully, no matter how big or small.

"I could do this...all day," she panted, "Bring it, shuck face."

For a brief second Gally's mask slipped into one of mild respect. It disappeared and Gally charged at her again. As he came at her he swung his left arm from the side trying to hit her ear again. She was ready. She ducked under his swing. Grabbed his arm and wrist from underneath and twisted it down and around making him lose his balance. She twisted herself around, still holding his arm so she was now facing his back, she kicked the back of his knee and released his arm. Slammed both her clenched fists down onto his unprotected back with a loud fierce snarl. He landed in the sand with a moan. It was quiet from the boys watching for a moment, and then they erupted in a wild "OOOOOHHHHHH!"

He got up right away, twisting around as he did, he got ahold of her shirt, and pulled. She lost her footing and stumbled forward. Gally got a better hold on her small shoulders, picked her up and slammed her down into the sand.

This time the CRACK sound of her head hitting the ground was heard over the crowd of whooping boys.

It went deadly still and silent. She didn't move. The Gladers didn't move. Gally was panting standing over her, watching. Her eyes were closed. She was breathing, but not moving.

Something happened when her head smacked the earth. White hot burning pain shot threw her head. Something came loose. A small slip of fog slipped through the wall around her memories and formed into something solid. A word. A name. Her name...then two words.

Two names? One is mine. But who's the other belong to? But I remembered MY name! Alexandria. That's MY name!

She finally remembered a small part of who she was, her name! She breathed her name out loud. The crowd of boys were still silent, afraid to move closer. She said it again louder this time. She heard a small intake of breath beside her. Her eyes fluttered open. Newt was crouched beside her, his face pulled tight in worry.

"I remember my name! Newt, I remembered my name! Alexandria. My name is Alexandra!" She stood up and looked at the boys around her, a huge smile on her sweaty face.

"Guys, I remembered my name! I'm Alexandria!"

Alby lifted his drink into the air from the back of the crowd and shouted "ALEXANDRIA!"

All the boys lifted their drinks or fists into the air, screaming her name over and over. She laughed. Alby gave her a nod of respect. She nodded back, grinning. She was a Glader now. She was one of them. She had a small piece of who she was.

Gally had come up to her, muttered begrudgingly, "That was actually...surprising. You surprised me, Girl Shank." He gave her the smallest of nods, one would think it was a twitch, and walked away. Newt was standing beside her staring at her, with a goofy grin and his hands on his hips. Chuck came running to her and slammed her in a bear hug around the waist.

"Holy shucken' molly She-Bean! I mean Alexandria! I didn't know you knew how to fight! That was so shucken awesome!! You totally humiliated Gally! Haha! He totally thought you would chicken out, like all Greenies. Haha! So shucken' amazing!"

He couldn't stop laughing; he had a big goofy grin on his face. It was contagious, and it made Alexandria smile and then she was laughing too. She really surprised herself and to be perfectly honest, she was proud of herself! She held her own. Long enough to have impressed the boys, to earn her place. And that was enough.

"Told ya not to mess with the She-Bean. She's a feisty one!" Chuckled Minho coming up behind the group. He handed her a jar of water as he swung this other huge arm around her shoulders. Alexandria took the water gratefully with a smile of thanks. She was very aware of his arm around her shoulders.

He grinned down at her, "Seriously, impressed, girl! Knew you wouldn't back down from a fight." He paused and his sly smirk reappeared, "but didn't know you would hold out that long." She gasped and elbowed him in the ribs. He yelped and jumped away chuckling, "Only a handful of shanks ever last that long. Me. Obviously. I lasted way longer than everyone. Beat him actually. Cuz I'm the best. I beat him every time I get in The Sand Pit." smirked Minho. He was so cocky. Her stomach did some weird twist.

Newt leaned in and whispered loudly, " He barely won. And that was because Gal tripped on a untied shoelace."

"Pfft. Technicalities. I won." Minho rolled his eyes, grinning, he threw his arm around Alexandria's shoulders again.

"Really? Why didn't you do it tonight, then Mr Braggy pants? Just leaving me hanging out there alone! You're all talk. I won't believe it, until I see it." Alexandria shot back, elbowing him in the ribs again.

He squirmed, with a small chuckle, but didn't take his arm away. "It doesn't interest me, if you really must know. I got nothin' to prove!" Minho said nonchalantly. "Everyone here fears and respects me!"

Chuck snorted and rolled his eyes, "Sure man. Or you don't want to mess up your perfectly swooped hair or your pretty face!"

"That too little Shank. That too. It takes a lot to get this hair perfect." sassed Minho, messing up Chuck's hair giving the kid a wink.

Everyone rolled their eyes with a groan, Alexandria just laughed. It was nice to see the friendships in this place.

"How did you know you could do that?" Asked Newt, changing the subject.

Alexandria thought for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders, "I didn't. I was sick of him being a bully. Definitely thought I was going down in two seconds. But once I got set, it was like my muscles took over and knew what to do. I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm smaller and faster? And a lot of luck? I don't know, he's done a lot of wrestling already this evening, he was probably tired." She shrugged her sore shoulders again.

Minho smirked down at the petite athletic girl beside him. "Let's get you some more water and some bacon She-Bean, bet you're hungry".

"I have a name now, ya know, ya shank!" she sassed.

Minho chuckled "Glader slang is so natural for you, I love it! Ok Al-ex-and-r-ia" he said, drawing out every syllable.

"Know what? You're a MEAN-Ho!" She said with all the sarcasm she could muster, Minho gasped and clutched his chest and put a hand to his forehead like he was going to faint.

"Man, you're dramatic!" Alexandria rolled her eyes, giggling at his antics. "Call me Alex. I like Alex better."

The boys smiled at that. It suited her better. "Ok Alex. We have a stop at the Wall doors and then let's get you to Fry's." He turned her around and headed into the dark.