Till The WICKED End | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

5. Almost

"I'm sorry..." I began, not really knowing what exactly I was apologizing for.
"You have nothing to be sorry for." Now Gally looked confused.
"I'm not who I'm supposed to be," I tried to explain what I meant.
"You're perfectly right."
"Gally, I... No. I'm being so unfair to you."
"I told you back when we first got here that I could wait. As long as you needed it. I would never push you into anything, if that's what you feel."
"No!" I groaned in horror and he looked at me with wide eyes, surprised at this reaction.
"No, quite the opposite. You're so sweet to me... It's all so complicated. I'm way too complicated. You deserve someone who isn't as broken as me. Someone who can be the one you need. And that's just not me. I will never stop thinking about him, no matter how hard I try. To not tell you that and instead get out of the way is so unfair of me. You don't deserve that."
Now he took my other hand as well and looked at me piercingly, as if to add emphasis to his words.
"You know I don't care. You're exactly who I need you to be, and nothing is going to change that, no matter how much you try to keep your distance. It's always been that way and it always will be. No matter what you want to say now, I'll be waiting for you, you should finally understand that, 'lil one."
"But it's not going to get any better. I'll always have to think about Newt, Gally..."
"And you think that's bad? You were with him for four years. He meant an infinite amount to you. What you're feeling is perfectly normal."
"But you can't want that... To be with me and know that I will never forget him."
"Yes, I do. I want you exactly the way you are. And I'll be there when you're ready. Not to mention the fact that I still can't believe you would even consider ever wanting me."
I fell silent. A battle was raging inside me. It was as if the part of my heart that would forever belong to Newt was trying to push away the other part that finally wanted to make Gally happy, that wanted to make me happy again.
When I said nothing, Gally kept talking, and it was as if his words decided the battle inside me.
"I'm in love with you, Anna. I was before the Maze, I was at the Glade, and I still am today. It's like the other girls don't even exist, like there's no one but you. Always have been. Believe me, I would -"
But he couldn't talk any further, because I reacted in a flash and interrupted him. In a split second, I had let go of his hands and wrapped my arms around his neck. I had to stand on my tiptoes to get to him, but he came towards me as if it were the most natural thing in the whole world.
Our lips were almost touching and I just closed my eyes, was about to forget everything around me and let the moment finally happen. I felt him put his hands on my waist and his breath tickled my lips.
But suddenly we were abruptly interrupted as someone yelled my name across the entire beach. We broke away from each other and I staggered a little. Gally groaned in surprise and we both looked around for the person who seemed to be getting closer now, still calling for me. This person really couldn't have chosen a worse time, could he?
Finally the person came close enough for me to recognize his voice. It was Heath, clearly, and he was completely out of breath. Something had happened, I suddenly realized. I let go of Gally and ran toward the boy.
"Anna!" he gasped.
"Heath? What's wrong?"
"You've got to come right away. The radio... Come on, let's go!"
With those words, he turned and ran in the opposite direction, back to the camp. Gally and I exchanged a confused look, then followed him.