Sequel to "You Make Me Brave"!! Please read that book first!!
Elsie and the gang have escaped the Maze! Now what? A city built on talent-and-behavior-fueled segregation and the mystery of it's lore and meeting their expectations is what.
As the gr...
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Arriving in the cafeteria, I sat between Gally and Christina, my normal spot. There was food on the tables and everyone was happy and eating and minding their own business.
Until Peter sauntered in and boy did he look pissed. He sat at his normal spot but instead of eating and doing his own thing, he glared at me.
I ignored him for a while but eventually we made it halfway through the meal and he was still glaring at me.
I leaned on Gally which prompted him to turn my way. "You okay?"
"Peter," I sighed. Gally looked over where Peter was sitting and saw him glaring.
"He can't hurt you anymore. Four and Eric had a heated conversation after you passed out. Four said they'd never be doing that again, pairing two already fighting Initiates together. It's dangerous."
I nodded, thankful for the new rule, but still worried. That glare Peter is shooting at me feels cold. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid for my safety.
After dinner, all of the Initiates made their way down to the bunk room until curfew. Which was terrifying. Because there's no one here to keep an eye on Peter the rage monster.
I sat on my bed next to Gally and Christina sat next to Thomas. Who still looked bothered. So I stood up, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him out to the hallway.
"Hey? What's wrong? You've been in a funk forever and it's not like you."
"Why does it matter? Why are you so bothered by it?"
Ouch. That was cold.
"Because whether you like it or not, you're still my Greenie," I nudged him. "And I care about you like a sibling."
The reminder of the Glade seemed to soften him a bit. "I miss the Glade."
"Me too," I felt a bit of relief seeing Thomas show more of himself. "What's up, Tommy?"
"Why Gally?" He asked sadly. "You remember how much of a jerk he was in the Glade. How he tried to fight me one of my first days in there."
I sighed. "He was a jerk. Was. Thomas we've all changed a lot since the Glade. Even you can admit that."
"I know," Thomas sighed. "It seems like Gally only changed because he's got the opportunity to get in your pants now."
I scowled. "Thomas, what would you know about Gally? The real Gally? Not the fear-hardened Glade Gally. The one who was so scared of not making it out of that Maze alive just like the rest of us. His coping mechanism was to build a shell around himself. Look at Alby! He did the same thing. And I'm lucky I was able to get Gally out of there to come with us because he wanted to stay. I don't know what I'd do without him."
"He was a total dick to you!" Thomas fired back. "Can't you see he's just playing nice now because he got the girl?"
"He gave me a rose!" I raised my voice. "He gave me a rose when I was in the medjack hut and almost died. He asked the Creators, the shuckfaces who put us in that damned box, for cherry trees because he knew I found peace and comfort in them! He was just scared, Thomas! Like the rest of us!"
