𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋//𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘𝐗𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

Aris being shy mysterious sarcastic jess mariano kinnie

"I'm y/n." Sticking a hand out, I waited for him to shake it. He remained reclusive, face tucked under that hood. He was so alone. I couldn't just leave him like that. "So no handshakes? That's okay." My mission was set, I had to make him like me. Taking a seat across from him, I leaned forward. "Does a name come with that jacket?"

"Aris." He mumbled, tossing a glance in my direction. Unable to maintain true eye contact but the few moments he did look up allowed me to see what he looked like. The boy had a lean face, reserved brows that gave little of what he was feeling away, and a sloped nose.

"Salutations Aris. Nice name."

"You were the girl that was crying last night." How did he know that I'd been crying? Had I been crying? Last night was so blurry. "They stuck me in with your group." I hope I didn't make my alleged meltdown available for everyone to see. Heat surfaced from under my skin.

"I don't think so." I shook my head, offering my warmth to him. "No that wasn't me you must be mistaken. How come I didn't see you in the morning? We all would've left the room together."

"I have my ways." Aris went back to his food, abandoning my question. Leaving it partially answered.

"Well aren't you a man of mystery." I teased, aching to develop some kind of banter. "What kind of ways are we talking about here?"

"Mine." An unmistakable smile entertained his face, timid and quick to hide away. Disappearing.

"How long you been here Aris?" It was a fair question. A needed one. "Where are all of your friends? Y'know, the people in your maze."

"Almost a week." He muttered, his eyes darting behind me, towards the clock on the wall. Was that a southern drawl in his voice? Hey, he was kind of like Newt as well. "Most of my maze was taken."

"By the grievers?" I asked, leaning forward. Could his maze have had grievers too? Dif all of the maze's had grievers?

"To the safe place or whatever Janson calls it." Aris began to stack his silverware on to his tray, standing up from the table.

"Breakfast is over." A guard declared, filing kids out of the cafeteria. "As usual lunch will be  brought to you and served in your rooms." Aris shuffled away swiftly, returning his tray. Leaving me to scamper behind him for answers.

"Hey wait up!" I called after him. Aris lulled his head, letting it hang towards the ground. I guess he like to keep a low profile. I wonder why. I had to know why. With one swift motion I looped my arm with his, locking him next to me. "What's the safe place?"

"What are you doing?" He hissed, untangling his arm from mine.

"What's the safe place?" I wasn't giving up on this. He knew it too, shooting me a weary look. "Just answer the question."

"I don't know." Aris's words were barely audible, very hushed. Especially around the guards. Why was that? "They tell us that it's a farm of some sort. Where no people can hurt us anymore. They started taking a couple of kids at a time at dinner when I first got here but now they're taking handfuls."

They were taking us? Why only a couple at a time? A horrible thought dawned on me, making my feet feel heavy. If Aris had been separated from his group, would they do the same to my group? Who would they take?

Then again, the guards were bringing us to salvation. It was a good thing, right? It would be selfish of me to want our group to stay together if one of us was plucked for freedom. We were going to the same place eventually.