chapter eleven:
Realization

With her hair braided, Elizabeth left her room and headed towards the Blood house. She sat down next to the pig's pens and watched as Bark laid his head on her lap. It was typical for the guys to come up with such a funny name.

Sometimes she wondered why she got up so early in the morning. She could be sleeping in until it was her duty to help with making food. Instead, she wakes up early and spends time with the animals before going to the Kitchen. It had become a habit ever since she first arrived in the Glade.

"Is this seat taken?" An unfamiliar voice asked. Elizabeth looked up to see a boy, of course, since she is the only girl. He had light brown curly locks, green eyes and a charming smile. The blond girl smiles at the boy and nodded her head. She continued to pet Bark before deciding to talk.

"What's your name?" Elizabeth asked.

"Luke." The green eye boy answered along with a smile.

"Luke, how long you were here?" Elizabeth questioned. She sounded nice but she just wanted to know basic things.

Luke's eyebrows furrowed while thinking of the answer. Elizabeth patiently waited until she heard what she wanted to hear. "A year." His accent stuck out to Elizabeth, it sounded strange, nothing compared to hers and Newt's accent.

"Oh." Was all Elizabeth could think of. She heard a breath intake meaning he was going to ask something but was interrupted by a certain person.

"Beth, Frypan needs you in the Kitchen," Minho informed the blond. Elizabeth immediately got up and left.

"Do you like her?" Luke asked. Minho was caught off guard by the question and wondered if he did like Elizabeth. It never occurred to him how he saw Elizabeth. He'll admit he felt jealous when Elizabeth mumbled I love you in her sleep. He just wondered who.

"Yes."

***

Minho ran through the corridors of the Maze with one person in his mind. Elizabeth. He also couldn't help but smile when he remembered when she told him to be careful. He hastily stopped running and sat down for lunch, letting his thoughts consume him while he ate a sandwich and drunk water.

How did he just realize that he had a crush on Elizabeth was beyond him. He didn't know if it had to do with her sarcastic remarks, her comebacks, her humor, her looks or her being herself. But there was one thing he knew that would keep him away from her. Newt. If not Newt then the other 10 boys that managed to like her. If not them, then it was himself.

***

"For the last time, Elizabeth. I'm not going to make you a swing set." Gally informed the blond girl. Elizabeth frowned and admitted defeat. They obviously needed the wood and rope to repair a few things in the Glade. So after leaving Gally alone, Elizabeth headed towards the Homestead. She entered one of the rooms where Jeff was located at.

"Elizabeth." Jeff greeted the only girl while he patched someone up.

"Jeff. Isn't it strange on how the Gladers get hurt often?" Elizabeth asked.

"I heard some shanks talking about you." a voice joined in. Elizabeth examined the boy and waited patiently for a name. His blue eyes widen in realization before he introduced himself. "I'm Ash."

"Elizabeth. And what did you hear?" Elizabeth asked, curious to know what the blond hair boy overheard with the strange accent. Strangely enough, it sounded similar to Luke's.

"Some of them just want to get a chance to get in a room with you and some others want more," Ash answered. Elizabeth's brain ticked before she finally understood everything.

"That's gross. I don't want to be a bloody toy to them." Elizabeth scrunched her nose while Ash and Jeff laughed at her reaction. She shook her head not believing them before turning her attention to Jeff. "Do you need any help around here? Or do I have to ask Clint?"

"We just have Ash here with his clumsy self. And then we have old Fred in the other room but Clint is handling him." Jeff answered, deep in thought. "Have you tried the Kitchen? Maybe Frypan needs some help."

"Nah, that shank just told me to come over here," Elizabeth replied, shaking her head.

"Why don't you go with Chuck? He seems to be bored." Jeff asked, finally finishing up what he was doing. Elizabeth nodded her head and left the Homestead to look for her dearest friend.

"Chuck!" Elizabeth yelled once before she gave up and sat down under a tree. That's how most of her free time was spent whenever everyone was doing their job. She would join them but she didn't know if she could handle it. The Glade seemed to have made her physically weaker. Elizabeth hasn't been doing morning runs around the Glade lately and she's been slacking.

"Libbie?" Chuck asked out loud once he spotted Elizabeth under the tree. Elizabeth's closest friends have all managed to come up with a nickname for her that she is having trouble remembering who gave her what name.

"Chuck." Elizabeth smiled. Welcoming her friend to take a seat next to her.

"Ash just told me to ask you something," Chuck confessed, his cheeks going red with embarrassment.

"Go for it, Chuck," Elizabeth replied with a small smile.

"Do you like Minho?"

○●●●

I feel like Luke and Ash are planning something. I really like this chapter for some reason. Wish I knew.

Yes, I used Ashton Irwin and Luke Hemmings and just flipped their names. This is what happens when someone lets me fill my library with 5SOS fan fiction.

~ J