"Wake up." I shook Gally's shoulders. He ended up with his head on my stomach and both arms wrapped around me. His eyes were closed. Breaths super steady. "Gallyyy."

It was Greenie Day. And I never lost my hopes for a girl. Plus, it was quite fun to see them for the first time.

"Potato, wake up." A slap on the back of his head. "Wake u-."

"I'm awake." He announced. "The Greenie won't arrive before that alarm goes off, Ginger. So don't rush yourself."

I groaned and pulled him face-to-face with me. "Okay, then."

He smiled and rolled his arm around my torso again, happily closing his eyes. I smiled at that, too, but soon got impatient.

And then, finally, after a few more minutes, the alarm went off. I jumped straight out of bed, put on clothes, and ran over to the Box before Gally even managed to stretch.

Later, everyone else surrounded around the cage, which seemed to come to a stop.

Newt stood behind me and whispered, "Your turn for the Tour. Wanna get them out of there, too?"

I just nodded. The hole opened automatically, and Newt and Alby helped open the Box under that. I jumped in, wincing slightly at my leg. The ridiculous shouts from the boys already started, but I ignored them and wanted to do my best to welcome this Greenie the nicest I could.

They sat there, in the corner of the Box. Knees pulled up to the chest, shoulders shaking, and breaths heavy.

And pants wet.

"Hey." I bent down and put a hand on their knee. It caused them to flinch, but then, slowly, they looked up.

A pair of big, watery brown eyes met mine. I recognized them as a boy, with dark curls all over his head. Tears ran down his chubby cheeks and wow, he didn't seem older than thirteen.

I did not expect that. Swallowing deeply, I forced a smile. "Hey." I said again. "You're safe now."

Jesus, Val. Of course he wasn't safe! But I had no idea what else to say.

"Wanna get out of here?" I talked quietly, not wanting to make him flinch again.

A hesitant nod. Then, "W-where am I?"

"I'll explain in a minute, yeah?" I suggested softly. "First we'll get out."

I smiled at him and took the rope. A loop was on the end, where I put my foot on. A few other Gladers pulled me up, next was the kid.

"It's a kid!"

"He klunked his pants!"

More shouts followed. Gally stared at the boy too, blankly. At least he didn't shout, because the boy only shrunk more and more by the second.

"Come on." I put a hand on his back, leading him away from the guys. "It's okay. It'll just last for a second. Most of them are very nice, don't worry."

The kid looked so upset. So broken with those tears, that I promised myself to make him have the best life any Glader could imagine having. He didn't deserve to be put in here with that age. He was so, so scared, too.

Another stutter. "M-most of them?"

"You'll be okay." I assured again, smiling warmly. "How about we get you some clean clothes?"

He nodded. Looked down, face red of shame. "Sorry."

"Don't worry." I kept talking soft. "We were all scared. It's fine, really."

I stole some clothes out of the Homestead and told the kid to shower and change. He obeyed fast, not talking much. It didn't even take ten minutes for him to come back all fresh and clean, yet he had tear stains, bloodshot eyes, and pouted lips. 

"Awesome." I patted him on the shoulder. "I'll show you around."

He followed me, our pace equal because he had small legs and I had my limp... and I had small legs too. "What's your name?" His voice was no more a stutter, but not the most confident either.

"Valerie. Do you remember yours yet?"

His lower lip started to tremble already, as he shook his head.

"That's okay. You'll get it back in a few days. I'm sure you have a lovely name." I motioned at the Glade. "This here, is the Glade. We call ourself the Gladers. We live here. Grow our own food, we build or own huts, and everything beside that."

"No TV?"

I laughed. "Nope, sadly not. We tried to ask for one, though, but they wouldn't give it."

"Who's they?" He peeped.

I sighed long. "I don't know. None of us know. We call 'em the Creators, though. The ones that put us here." I pointed at the Box. "That's the Box. It's where you were just in. Once a month, we get a Greenie delivered. Like you. Once a week, we get supplies."

"Greenie?"

"New people in the Glade. Get used to it. You'll be called Greenie the coming month." I explained, constantly glancing to see if he was doing okay. "Moving on. We got different jobs here. Builders, Runners, Med-jacks, Track-hoes, Baggers, Slicers, Cooks, Sloppers, and Brick-nicks."

He frowned. It almost looked cute. "I don't even understand half of that."

I chuckled. "You'll learn."

"What's your job?"

"Third-in-command. I help leading this place together with Alby, our one and only leader, and Newt, our Second-in-command."

The kid nodded. He was a little bit shorter than me, cute, a bit chubby, but very nice. And, I wouldn't be the shortest anymore.

"I only see boys. But you're a girl." He muttered. "Why?"

"Because maybe my parents did the wrong pos- oh. I mean, uh, I don't know."

His cheeks filled with red, and so did mine. "Are you the only girl?"

"Yep. Except for my chicken. Josephine. I'll let you pet her later."

A tiny smile formed on his lips. "Okay."

"Yeah." I smiled too. "Over there we got the Homestead. Most boys sleep there. You'll be doing too. In a hammock. There's a few huts for the leaders and the Keepers. Keepers are the leaders of each job, if you get what I mean. The Bloodhouse for slaughtering, the showers, Med Hut, and Deadheads."

It surprised me he didn't ask anything about the gap in the wall, though somehow it relieved me, too. He didn't even seem to dare looking at it.

"I think you'll be okay, Greenie. You'll find your place." I confirmed. The smile on my face never left. He was so cute! And turned out, I loved kids.

But suddenly, his eyes widened, face washing over with fear. He hopped behind me fast. He hid. "Who's that?" The kid whispered as he pointed at a boy I recognized as my boyfriend.

"That's Gally. Keeper of the Builders."
Did I beg my mind to add 'my boyfriend'? Yes. Did I turn out adding it? Not yet.

Gally stomped toward us. The kid hid behind me even more, seeming so afraid for no reason. "Hey." Gally greeted, mostly looking at me.

"Hey."

A few seconds of silence. Then a small, "Hi."

Gally whispered to just me, "Why are they always scared of me?"

"Well, maybe because you look kind of mean." I whispered back. "And you're very tall and broad."

"I'm not scared of him." The kid spoke up, a little bit louder this time. I stepped aside, he shrunk.

"Hey." Gally put on his cold face. It made me wonder if he did it on purpose or he was just grumpy again. Or his usual self. "Gally. You may call me Captain Gally."

I wanted to bang my head on a tree.

"What?" The boy peeped. "B-but I thought... Alby was-."

"He's joking." I quickly interfered.

"I'm no-."

"He definitely is." I said awkwardly. "So how about we get some lunch? You hungry, buddy?"

His eyes turned big in desire this time. He wet his lips. "Yes."

"Okay. Let's go." I marched forward, Gally by my side and the kid behind us.

"You'd make a nice mom." He whispered.

"Shut up."

"I'm not even joking."

A middle finger.

We arrived in front of Frypan. The Greenie shyly greeted the Cook and got his food before following the rest of us to a table.

"Alright." Gally looked at him, smiling in a way that scared both me and the kid. "I'll introduce you to some boys here. Yeah?"

He nodded.

"That over there." He pointed at Minho, who appeared to have another day off. "That's who we call Minnie."

"Is his name Minnie?"

"Yes. Weird, I know, but hey, Gally's not so common either." He rubbed his chin. "That's Jeff. Him, we call-."

"Yo!" Ben joined us loudly. It startled the smaller boy. "Gally, Val, I see you got a child? And I've got a grandson?"

The boy's eyes went from Ben, to me, to Gally. "W-what?"

"I'm kidding." The Runner laughed loudly.

"I'm Valerie."

"Funny." He glanced at me. "I'm Ben. Not kidding. Remember ya name yet?"

"No."

"Doesn't surprise me. Anyway. What's up?"

"The—."

"No."

"—sky."

Ben threw his head back. "Valerie likes to make these stupid jokes. But I like her, so she's allowed to."

"Are you two dating?" The kid blurted out.

I choked on my food, Ben made an 'o' shape with his mouth, and Gally squeezed his fork so hard his knuckles turned white.

"I'm her boyfriend." He announced in a low tone.

Shame filled his face again. "Sorry. I- I thought because-."

"It's okay." I comforted. "Don't worry."