Florence had her ears perked at all times that day. She knew what day it was, and as she tended to the many injuries of the Slicers, she couldn't help but think of the new Greenie that would be coming up in the Box today.

And then it happened.

The blaring alarm that sounded out over the noise of anything else in the Glade was impossible to ignore, and Florence started to feel silly for trying to listen out for it.

Acting as though she wasn't bothered, the newly and self appointed 'Greenie-greeter' excused herself from her fellow Med-jacks and left the Homestead to make her way across the Glade to the Box. It wasn't going to be long before the Box came up, but Florence wanted to prepare herself and the others for it.

Yes, it's the first Greenie since she arrived, but from her own arrival she had gathered that the boys weren't exactly great at making the newbies feel at home. Jogging over to Newt, she greeted her friend with a wide smile.

"Hey. Is it bad to say that I'm a teensy bit excited for this?" She asked him sheepishly, to the boy's chuckle.

"Not at all. We're always curious. And besides, it must feel great to not be the newbie anymore." She nodded at the boy's words, looking out at the boys now walking over to the Box, awaiting the new arrival.

Florence had shaken things up. Who knows who could show up in the Box after her? It could be another girl, it could be an adult, or it could be just another boy.

"I gotta get the boys to be not so rowdy. I don't want this Greenie to be more nervous than they're already going to be." She chewed her lip in worry, and the blonde boy placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry. You're the best person to welcome this guy to the Glade, I dunno, it's a girl thing? I guess." Florence smiled widely at the boy, letting herself laugh.

"Perks of being the only girl in the Glade; it got me on the Council, and it got me as a Runner." She winked at Newt, before turning away to the Box, the boy shaking his head fondly as he followed. The girl pushed her way through the crowd of boys gently, and stood facing them all as she cleared her throat.

"Okay so I'm going to talk to the Greenie first, because we can all agree I'd be the best at welcoming right?" Her words earned a few head shakes and chuckles, but they all agreed secretly.

"Don't go freaking them out okay? Let's be sympathetic guys." She asked them, but she knew it was helpless really, and that they'd all react however they wanted anyway.

"Whatever you say miss Florence! You know best after all." Gally's sarcastic tone came from the crowd, earning chuckles from his crones.

"Much appreciated Captain Gally." Florence smirked at the fact her comment got more laughs than Gally's and the boy immediately shut up, allowing her to turn back to the Box.

A strained sound came from the Box, chains clanging together, and a small cry was faint from inside, from what sounded like a young boy.

Florence's heart sunk, she couldn't help but have wanted the Greenie to be a girl like herself, so she wasn't so alone.

Newt and Gally pulled open the doors of the Box, sending light into the dark space and reminding Florence of the identical position she was in last month. She bent down beside the Box, resting her hand on the side. She jumped inside as carefully as she could, and the Box jolted at the impact of her shoes on the bottom.

A shiver ran down her spine as she forgot how traumatising this experience was. Being back in the Box again made the girl's heart pick up in pace, feeling reminded of her own arrival. Looking up and around the Box, she spotted their Greenie, a small boy quivering in fear in one of the corners.

It is another boy.

He looked only about thirteen, with curly hair and a slightly chubby form, and his face was streaked with tears.

"Hey, my name's Florence. I'm not going to hurt you I promise." She spoke comfortingly to the boy, and he sniffled slightly before getting up. He moved towards her cautiously and spoke between small sobs.

"Where am I?" She gave the boy a smile, and looked up to the crowds looking down at her expectantly.

The experience brought her back to when she came up in the Box, and as much as it triggered the fear and anxiety she felt in that moment, she felt more strongly about helping the boy.

"We call it the Glade. Do you remember your name?"

"M- My name is Chuck."

God, why'd I take so long to remember my name?

"Okay, Chuck." Gally chucked down the rope into the Box and yelled down to her.

"Come on, don't leave us in suspense! Is it another girl or what?" The girl rolled her eyes and motioned for Chuck to grab onto the rope.

"It's a boy. Now let him up you shuck-face!" Chuck was startled by the girl's yelling, and Gally hauled him up on the rope.

Newt lent his hand to the girl, and grabbing onto it and the side of the Box, she pulled herself out. She moved over to the Greenie, who was looking out at the Glade in silent awe. The other boys were disappointed, the arrival of Florence had made them all get their hopes up about another girl, but it seems they were back to their usual stream of boys.

"It's a lot to get used to, but you'll call it home eventually. Welcome to the Glade."

Chuck made Florence realise that she really adjusted to the place a lot sooner than most of these other boys. He was scared, and crying a lot. It was normal, and if anything, his being there made her feel abnormal.

Was it weird she only cried once on her first day of the Glade?

She took it upon herself completely to make the boy feel as comfortable as possible, letting him know everything she was allowed to tell him. Newt was also a helping hand in this, the boy's natural kindness and ability to sympathise melting away some of Chuck's nervousness.

The three of them were sat in the shade of some trees in the Deadheads, Chuck munching away at one of Frypan's sandwiches whilst the more senior Gladers simply just looked about the Glade in peace.

"This is good." Chuck commented, between mouthfuls. Florence and Newt exchanged an expression, and the girl leant on the boy as she laughed.

"Frypan's cooking is legendary." She responded, and Newt nodded in agreement, feeling the girl's breath on his neck.

She often did things like this, sitting close to the boys or showing friendly affection towards them, and her actions softened them. They were lucky to have her to stop them from all going totally macho.

At first, when Florence would do this with Newt, it would send his heart racing. But after a while, his feelings began to fade, and he no longer found himself crushing on her. 

"How come you're the only girl?" Florence rested her head on Newt's shoulder for a moment, chuckling, before lifting it to face the younger boy.

"I don't know. I keep them in line though. God knows what they were like before me." She shuddered jokingly at the thought, the younger boy laughing. The girl was happy in herself for lifting the boy's spirits, feeling how downcast he must be.

Eventually, after a few too many Slicers ironically slicing themselves on knives and such, Florence was forced to go back to her duties as a Med-jack. She left Chuck in the safety of Newt's company, with Alby also finally making an effort to introduce himself to the Greenie.

"Hello boys." She entered the room dramatically, both Clint and Jeff looking up with exasperated expressions, overwhelmed with injured Slicers.

"Sorry I've been elsewhere, where do you need me?" She asked Clint, who pointed her in the direction of a boy, and she set herself to work. She fixed up the boy's wound silently as the others in the room chattered away.

"Is it just me or are you guys disappointed we don't have another girl in here? Clearly Florence is off limits, and I'd kill for a chance of my own girl in this place." One of Gally's crones spoke from the bed where Jeff was bandaging up a deep gash on his leg. Florence furrowed her brow in anger and annoyance. 

When were these boys going to understand that girls aren't possessions, they're people? 

Jeff and Clint glanced at each other already knowing how angry she would get. She shook that thought off, knowing he'd never learn, and turned to the other words he spoke; 'clearly Florence is off limits'.

"What do you mean I'm clearly off limits? I know I am, but obviously you think for a different reason." The boys in the room shared a knowing look that Florence didn't seem to understand.

"Well..." Clint looked to the girl with apologetic eyes, as if not wanting to point out the obvious.

"You wear Minho's clothes, you sleep in his room, he calls you princess..." Florence was practically glaring into Clint's soul now, the boy getting increasingly uncomfortable. "Do I have to say more?" He clearly didn't want to.

She huffed, and released the grip of the boy she had treated the wound of. He disappeared from the room immediately, feeling grateful to escape her anger.

"None of that means anything, okay? It doesn't mean Minho owns me or that I'm his or anything. That's disgusting. I'm insulted frankly." The girl ranted away, but inside she wondered if she and Minho had something that resembled what she could remember to be a relationship.

She liked him, to be frank. But now she didn't want to. She was stubborn enough to not want her friends and the other boys on the Glade to be right, as stupid as it was.

When Minho returned that night, Florence found herself automatically avoiding the boy, not wanting to succumb to the other boys' assumptions. It was her worst flaw. Being so stubborn to refuse her own feelings, to refuse what made her happy, just because she didn't want the boys to be right.

The boy noticed this. It was hard not to.

When he entered the Glade, she had turned and walked in the other direction rather than greeting him like she did if she caught his return; when he was getting his food, she left to go out and eat with the Greenie; and she was sat across the bonfire from him, ignoring every glance he sent towards her.

He didn't want to ask her about it, he didn't want to annoy her, he didn't want to bother her. If it was anyone else he would've. But it was her, and so he couldn't bring himself to do a thing. Despite the fact he didn't have a clue of why she was angry.

She was attached to the Greenie's side, the boy in turn watching in awe as she strummed her guitar and chatted with the other Gladers.

Minho wasn't surprised the Greenie was so admiring of the girl; despite being there only a month herself she had made a huge impact. She was a Runner, she was on the Council, it was because of her that the Gladers had weekly bonfires instead of monthly.

She was a friend to everyone, really. Even Gally. Sometimes.

Minho's eyebrows furrowed as he watched the boy in question sink into a seat beside the girl and she greeted him with a smile. Minho continued to watch them, a suspicious expression firmly set on his face as he saw them talk. 

She laughed. At something Gally said.

Ben sat himself down besides the smitten - and very clearly jealous - boy, who seemed to mentally be somewhere else than the Glade.

"Are you okay there Minho?" He seemed very amused by Minho's expression and aura of jealousy.

"I'm fine." He grumbled. Minho barely spared a glance Ben's way, not wanting to look away from the girl.

Ben nodded, although he clearly saw otherwise. He counted to three in his head, knowing it would take that long for Minho to speak again, and of course he was right.

"Why is she laughing? Gally's not funny. He has never said a single funny thing in his life."

"Really? I thought he was so funny. Always cracking jokes." Ben replied teasingly, pretending to not notice the glare Minho sent him.

"Why are you jealous Minho?" He asked the boy seriously, and Minho's expression softened as he saw Gally get up from his seat by the girl.

"Why do you think?" Minho's tone was completely serious, matching Ben's. He knew that the boy already understood completely how he felt about Florence, and so he didn't need to explain.

"I don't know why you just don't tell her. Nothing's ever gonna happen if you don't." He advised, looking over to the girl as well.

The music she was playing was setting a soft background noise for the Glade. A few were watching, but most were just listening in the back of their minds as they continued their conversations.

To Minho, she was perfect. Everything she did, she put her whole heart into it. And Minho was truly head-over-heels for her. But,

"If I tell her, it ruins our friendship, alright? I don't wanna mess anything up." Ben shook his head as Minho's words, furiously disagreeing.

He had eyes.

He could see the girl glancing to Minho whenever the boy wasn't watching her, and he could see her cheeks flushing red. He could see her guilt for ignoring him all evening. He had also seen the pair together. Flirting constantly, finding any excuse to touch the other either on their shoulder or arm.

She liked him too.

"You won't mess anything up Minho, seriously. She'd never let that ruin your friendship." Ben knew that wouldn't even be an issue. He knew she reciprocated the feelings. But Minho couldn't see it.

The boy merely just ignored his words, and tried his best to push down his feelings for the girl. If he pretended to not like her, or just ignored it, it would go away right?

But it wouldn't. 

Because no matter where Minho found himself, or what he found himself thinking about, she was always in the back of his mind. Minho tried to help himself forget about his feelings for the girl by drowning himself in alcohol.

Not literally, of course.

The boy had his fair share of Gally's unique concoction, as if to make up for the mere sips he had had at previous bonfires. Ben was eyeing him warily.

"Maybe you need to slow down a little Minho-"

"I don't need to do shucking anything you tell me Ben!" Minho's words were slurring together as he wiped his mouth and staggered up from his seat at the fire.

Ben already knew this would end badly.

He followed Minho as the boy stumbled towards the group of boys crowded together close by, watching Gally and another Gladers fight one another. The girl and the Greenie - who Ben had informed Minho was called Chuck - had abandoned their own seats at the fire and were watching too. Chuck looked scared, but Florence was unbothered. She always was. 

Why do boys seem so invested in violence?

Florence found herself wondering how odd it was that the boys had an obsession with fighting one another. Gally won the fight unsurprisingly. He won every single fight he found himself in. But he didn't seem to be done with one win today.

"Anyone else want a go?" Then a malicious smirk spread on his face. He knew exactly how to get people to fight him.

"If you win, Florence'll give ya a kiss." The girl's face reddened in embarrassment and anger. She could not believe what she was hearing.

And to think I was sat laughing with this shank not too long ago.

"There's no way that's happening you piece of sh-"

Florence was cut off by a flood of boys talking over one another as they attempted to get Gally's attention. They all wanted to fight him now.

Only a few had said nothing. Newt, Alby, Minho, Chuck, Frypan, Ben; anyone else who was friends with the girl, or too young for the offer Gally had mentioned.

She shrunk small, heart thumping in fear. It was eye-opening to see the many boys who would jump at the opportunity for this, and to her it was terrifying.

Alby was scowling now, shouting to shut up the rowdy Gladers. "Like Florence said, there's no way that's happening! That is completely unacceptable Gally." Gally merely shrugged. He didn't care.

So much for Gally being a friend.

"I think it's time we all go to bed." Newt was watching the fearful girl carefully, how she shook whilst taking in deep breaths, and how she was avoiding the looks of most boys in the crowd.

"Oh don't be such a party-pooper Newt!" Gally sung, and now it was clear to Florence that he had drunk too much.

Who thought it was a good idea to give teenagers the ingredients to make alcohol?

But now other boys had begun to disperse at the words of the second-in-command, and Gally was scowling strongly. Florence herself turned on her heel, desperate to catch up to Newt who was limping towards the Homestead at a surprisingly fast rate.

But she - a Runner - wasn't quick enough to get there.

"I guess since I was last to win a fight, I'll be getting a kiss from our lady Glader huh?" Gally proclaimed loudly.

He caught up to the girl, tugging on her wrist and spinning her towards him. She found herself crying out in disgust as Gally moved towards her.

But he didn't make it that far.

Someone had seized Gally's shirt and torn him from the girl aggressively. He had let go of the girl and stumbled backwards at the force used on him.

Turning around to see who had done it, Gally came face to face with Minho. He looked so unbelievably angry.

"Oh so you wanna fight huh Minho?" Gally was amused, but Minho let out a low growl of anger and Gally's expression changed quickly.

A flicker of fear passed across his face, and then disappeared. His expression hardened, set in stone.

Minho launched himself at the boy, catching him off guard, but Gally had his feet planted firmly in the ground and was able to wrestle Minho off of him.

It wasn't serious fighting. Not yet.

Minho threw a punch to Gally's face, landing it on his right cheek, and the boy felt it. His ears rang for a moment, his hearing blurring, and he felt a burning sensation spread on his cheek.

He threw one back. But Minho was too quick. He ducked under the arm launched at him, spinning around and kicking him square in the back, sending him to the ground.

But he didn't stop there. Minho jumped on the boy, wrestling with him, and bringing his hand back to punch Gally in the face once again.

"Minho, stop it!" Florence found herself yelling at him. He had complete control of the situation and Gally couldn't defend himself, meaning he was taking punches over and over.

The boy heard her in the back of his mind, and faltered. His hesitance caused Gally to regain strength and move Minho in one motion, so he was flat on his back helplessly.

It was Gally's turn to hurt the boy. He landed a punch on the boy's jaw, and was going for another, but it was enough for Florence.

She had rushed forwards - at the lack of anyone else doing so - and ripped Gally off the boy. Her hands had gone around his chest and she used all of her force to pull him away. Surprisingly, it worked.

She dropped Gally and went straight to Minho, firmly placing herself between the pair to prevent further fighting. Newt had also intervened now, hearing the commotion. With his hand on Gally's chest, he kept the boy from attacking Minho again; while the girl did the same with the other. She was stood in front of him, her hand placed over his thumping heart as he glared at Gally with uneven angry breaths.

"Are you done now?" She hissed at the boy. Her tone was low enough so only he could hear. 

"Y-Yes."

He felt himself faltering completely now, his glare disappearing. He watched through glazed drunk eyes as Newt desperately tried to clear the remaining boys away and lead Gally from the situation.

Initially, Gally fought Newt's arms. But then he found himself letting the boy tug him away, leaving his grip and marching off faster than the limping blonde.

Everyone had disappeared from the scene now. Chuck had hesitated, but Alby called for him and then he scampered away.

Minho was still breathing heavily and catching back his breath from his outburst of anger. Blood trickled down from his jaw and onto his neck from where Gally had landed a punch and broke his skin.

His chest rose and fell against her hand which still laid on his chest over his heart. He couldn't keep his racing heart steady as the adrenaline that pumped through his veins was still as strong. Grimacing, Florence raised her sleeve and wiped away the trickle of blood from Minho's neck.

And then she pushed him. The boy was still under the influence of alcohol and staggered back, struggling not to fall over.

"You shouldn't have started fighting him Minho." Her voice shook furiously. As 'noble' as it was for Minho to fight Gally - or however she was supposed to feel about it - the violence was completely unnecessary.

"I know. I don't know what's going on with me. I- I just saw you were uncomfortable and-" Minho was beginning to ramble. He wanted desperately for the girl to understand his thought process when he attacked Gally, but he couldn't put all his thoughts together himself.

"-Leave it. Let's just go to sleep okay? I just need to get some shucking sleep or I'm gonna go insane." She said to him.

She didn't wait a moment before stalking away from the boy and back to the Homestead. He followed, his head down and his mouth clamped shut until the moment his room door shut behind him.

"I have no shucking idea how I'm going to run tomorrow. I'm gonna wake up with an awful headache." He muttered as he went about the room to get ready for bed.

The girl was already ready, and tired. So she crept under the sleeping bag and turned over to turn her back on the boy and face the wall. She didn't fall asleep yet. She stayed awake, her eyes on the wall as she listened to Minho eventually settling into bed.

The boy remained awake too. His eyes were instead on the ceiling, as he longed for the girl to say something. So he knew that she didn't hate him. As if she could read his mind, she spoke.

"Thank you for stopping him from kissing me." She said so quietly. But he was listening for her, and her words were loud to him.

"Of course. I'd never let him do anything to you." He let his eyes close, feeling as though he had found his peace with the girl. Everything fell quiet for a moment. 

And then,

"Could I uh- join you? In the bed? It's just, I'm cold. That's all." Florence cringed at herself and her awkward words. She instantly regretted it after a few seconds of silence.

What is wrong with me? What if Minho's super weirded out now?

"Yeah of course."

Oh.

His acceptance startled her. She froze for a moment before slipping out of her sleeping bag and walking over to the bed. She lifted the covers exposing Minho's bare torso and making him shiver at the cold air. She quickly got into the bed and laid on the edge of it staring straight up.

There was a force inside of her, telling her to cuddle up to the boy. But there was also a force inside of her - her ego and pride - telling her to give him space, to stay away.

Shuck my ego.

Florence scooted closer to the boy on the other side of the bed who was laying facing away from her and breathing softly. It was clear he was still awake. Unknown to her, he was waiting for her next movements very carefully.

She shifted so her legs were brushed against his. She moved even closer, so the boy's back was pressed against her, and her nose was tickling the back of his neck. She looped an arm over him and curled her legs around his.

Minho was smiling stupidly at the girl's affectionate touches and the way they were positioned. His head was spinning with giddy glee and his stomach was swirled with butterflies.

He was so gone for the girl.

Traditionally, the position would be switched and Minho would have his arms around Florence instead. But who cared about traditionally?

Florence was content with holding the boy close to her, and he wouldn't want to be anywhere else than safe in her arms. Pulling her head back the slightest, Florence's heart thumped in her chest as she thought about kissing the boy right now.

So when she settled back into their previous position, she didn't hesitate in placing the smallest and softest kiss against the skin of his neck.

She was so gone for him too.