Everywhere, Everything ◆ Thomas ◆ TMR

019 - Jealousy, Jealousy

She still found it weird to go outside and be greeted with the sad, grey color of the ceiling instead of a beautiful summer sky. It was disorienting, to not be able to see what time it was; if it was nearing evening or if they were already passed that and headed towards night. The only thing she had to keep track now was the maze walls. But they were still open, so it couldn't be too late yet.

She imagined Theresa, waking up to the faces of boys hovering and fussing over her, and thought back to her first encounter with Clint's face. She'd barely even blinked her eyes open when she'd been inches away from tasting the Med-jacks curls. And the way Newt and Jeff had stormed in, how scared she'd been.

She thought of the solace she'd found in the Deadheads, so that was where she started.

It wasn't as peaceful in there when the sun wasn't peeking through the branches and the leaves. It felt more like a sad winter day. She stopped in her tracks, moving with more caution when she noticed that Theresa was in fact there. But she wasn't alone.

Theresa was talking to Thomas.

Her heart stuttered pitifully, her breath catching in her throat. She kept behind the tree, trying to stay quiet as she observed them. Thomas was holding her arm in his hands, his eyes staying on her intently.

"Everything about you is weird, you know that?" He said, but his words were soft, with no malice as her studied her, like he was committing her face to memory. A lump formed in her throat.

Theresa crossed her arms. "Well, judging by your little hiding spot, I'd say you're not so normal yourself. Like living in the woods, do you?"

Was that flirting?

She sucked on her teeth, contemplating stepping out and ruining the moment. Also, it was creepy to hide behind the trees and spy on them.

But how did one define flirting? Was that how other girls flirted? The only person she'd ever flirted with was Newt, and that was all in good fun. That was just the way their dynamic was. The only reason she could do it was because it didn't matter.

How did you know if a girl was flirting? Was there some kind of handbook?

"Well, you look familiar to me, and you claim we're friends. Guess I'll trust you." Thomas smiled gently, a tiny blush on his cheeks, and it was the final thing that made her snap.

She made her way through the bush loudly, clearing her throat. Both of them jumped, like they'd been doing something they weren't supposed to. Ari crossed her arms, looking at them with a raised eyebrow. Even though she really had no right whatsoever to be irritated, she kind of wanted to make the girl faceplant in the dirt.

What had her life come to?

Someone else burst through the bush. Newt. Followed by Alby, Jeff and two people she barely recognized as Baggers. She didn't see them often, as she liked to stay clear of them. She found them a little creepy.

Theresa hadn't taken her eyes off Ari, even with the intrusion of everyone else.

"Arielle," the girl breathed, making the red head stop in her tracks, every bone in her body freezing.

Her face lost all color, so quickly that she almost stumbled. She was not supposed to know that. "What."

"How in the..." The second in command trailed off, his eyes flickering between the two of them. He did a double take when he saw her, eyes narrowing slightly at her rigid stance. He chose to prioritize and turned to Theresa again. "How'd you get here? Med-jacks said you were there one second and buggin' gone the next."

Theresa straightened, getting into a protective stance. Her eyes were hard and calculating, the blue crystal in them burning brightly like lasers. Ari fought the urge to cower away from them. "Guess he forgot to tell the little part about me kicking him in the groin and climbing out the window."