MISTAKE | Minho / The Maze Runner

twenty-four

The remaining Gladers had set up camp for the night in the Scorch. As hot as it was during the day, it got awfully cold at night. They were huddled around a fire.

"We keep moving forward, we don't rest until WICKED is destroyed," Thomas said, catching the groups attention.

"We do it for Chuck. For Alby. For Clint. For Jeff," Newt said, speaking up.

After a moment, he said, "we do it for Vera."

Minho winced when Newt mentioned her name, but for the first time since she died, he decided to talk about her.

"Remember when she convinced us to raid the kitchen and go stargazing," Minho said, smiling slightly at the memory.

"And Jeff suggested we make a cake, and it tasted like complete klunk," Frypan added, laughing.

"And how she kept reminding us that the middle of the Glade was the best place for stargazing," Winston said.

"Or the time she said we should all have daily meditation sessions," Newt chuckled, "We really thought she was serious about that. Vera, out of every shank, meditating," he scoffed.

"I still remember her getting stuck in a tree. The slinthead wanted to learn how to climb one, and Nick had to climb up and drag her down," Minho said, and this time, his smile was genuine.

"Everyone was happier with her around," Minho said after a while.

"She was amazing," Thomas added.

"Tommy-" Newt started to say, trying to signal to him that he shouldn't say anything.

"Don't talk about her. You didn't know her," Minho snapped, an iciness in his voice that made Thomas afraid.

Minho got up and walked away. The other Gladers let him be, Vera was still a sensitive topic for him. This was progress though, he finally mentioned her.

"Tommy, I know you mean well, but bloody hell, just don't mention Vera, especially not around Minho," Newt sighed.

Thomas nodded, getting the hint. Vera was someone he wanted to know, but he needed to accept the fact that he would never know her, and he shouldn't try and make it seem like he did. He felt left out, with all the Gladers talking about her, but the thought made him feel selfish. That was their dead friend, not his.