𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋//𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘𝐗𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

ᴏᴜʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴘᴀᴘᴇʀ ᴛʜɪɴ

"Hey, guys." I shivered, cool wind pattering touches on my skin. All the boys from our group, except for Aris who was having a heartwarming reunion with Sonya and Harriet, were gathered at the top of a rocky hill. They were sat in a close-knit bunch, reclined on the ground.

"Hey y/n."

"Hey."

"What's up?"

Victor and I ignored each other, sneaking glimpses every so often. I didn't want everyone to know what happened in the tent. I wanted it secret, for myself. So instead of sitting beside him or Chuck, I slid between Frypan and Minho.

Dusk was just starting to settle, a hazy rose color painted the sky, violet dragging the pigment down. Mary's coat bundled me up, the lining thick with warmth.

With all of us gathered there, I felt peace wash upon us. Calm finally found me, sinking into my skin. There was nothing more to run from. We had found community. We were safe.

But so many were not with us. Only their spirits were here, glowing beautifully beside our beaten bodies. I could feel them. I could feel him. His fingers traced my spinal cord, sending shocks down the vertebrae.

"I wish Alby could've have seen this." Newt bit back his expression, wind tousling his light hair. He had been close with Alby. I mean he had been second in command for God's sake. Alby was his friend. His grumpy friend.

"And Winston." Added Frypan, his thoughtfulness shining through.

"And Zart." I brought his name up, as well as a few others. "And Jack and Ben and Sid and Marcello and Freddie."

Gally was left out. For good reason too. The boys didn't know my stance on him quite yet. For now, I just wanted to pretend as if he'd never existed. It was easier that way. I decided that when I got the chance to be alone I'd try to sift through the trauma, but not now.

"And the list goes on and on and on." Minho drawled, allowing a mourning look to flash in his eyes. He pulled his arm around me, bringing me close to his side. Minho was never one to show his sadness. He always covered up any vulnerability with piles of snarky behavior. This was rare.

"Hey, Aris!" Frypan called down to the southern boy seated around a crackling campfire.

"Hey, guys!" Aris brightened up, waving back at us. He was with his people. Sonya and Harriet brought out his spark, they made him happy.

"I kind of like that kid." Beamed Frypan, cheeks rounding.

"Yeah." Narrowing his eyes, Minho joked. "I still don't trust him though."

"I still don't trust him, haha." I mocked his brooding voice, messing up Minho's hair.

"Hey!" He pushed away my hand, an eyebrow-raising playfully. "Careful with my mane, Shuck face."

The group snickered at his classic antics, smiles creeping up our lips.

"Hey, where's Teresa?" Thomas mentioned her absence, making us lose the lively energy we had created.

"She went up there." Newt threw a thumb over his shoulder, aiming toward another craggy mountain top. Sure enough, a feminine silhouette starkly stood out, her long tresses rippling in the wind.