The Things We Held On To

1) Stalker

Aris’s P.O.V

Sitting by myself, I ate breakfast as I contemplated life. While I know that it's a bit early for that, being out when the sun is barely rising is the most convenient. I can grab a plate, find a spot by the shore, and wonder how the hell I got here.

Don't get me wrong. I'm more than grateful to have made it. I just don't understand why. Why am I here and basically nobody else from my Maze is? It's just not fair. It's not right. They wanted to live too. They fought right alongside me so why?

Damn, the early mornings are depressing. I don't know why I still come if I know my mind's going to screw me over.

To be fair, it’s not like I have anything better to do. Nobody was out and awake so I may as well sit on the beach and wonder how my life got to this. What else am I supposed to do with my days?

It's weird. I’m supposed to be living in peace and happiness. Instead, I’m still torturing myself over the past. Typical survivors' guilt.

Standing up, I stared at absolutely nothing as I thought about everything and everyone. All the people that I lost and everything that I did wrong. Everyone that could have been saved if I was just better, if I was good enough.

I’m not though, and they're dead. No more Annie or Chelsea or . . . Rachel.

I really, really miss my Rachel. We were supposed to be forever, be a million lifetimes.

If I had just been better we could be.

I wasn't though. I couldn't save her, and now she's dead. Good going Aris. Your lies were really helpful.

‘It’s going to be okay. I’ll come back for you.’

Yeah. I really kept that promise.

While in the middle of internally drowning myself I heard a yelp and painful thud. Quickly turning around, I saw familiar Y/S/C skin and Y/H/C hair laying face down in the ground. Judging from the scratches on her arms and legs and broken branches sticking out of the bush behind her, she has just been standing there for who knows how long.

Storming over to her, I asked a question that I knew the answer to.

“Are you stalking me?”I asked, crossing my arms over my chest as I waited to see if she learned how to tell the truth yet.

“Uh, no?”She asked, lifting her head to reveal her freshly bloodied nose. Then again she knows a lot about blood. The difference is that it's not usually hers.

“So you're just hiding in the bushes for fun?”I pointed out, calling out her lies.

“Yes?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Sorry?”

“I really thought that you’d be a better liar by now,”He insulted.

“Listen. I know that-”
“No. I think I’ve listened to people like you enough,”I snapped.

“Aris-”
“Just stop following me. You’ve done enough spying for a lifetime,”I promised, giving her the coldest look that I was capable of before leaving her there. The day’s hardly started, and I’m already done with this. All of it.

Your P.O.V

I want to sit by him. I want to ask why he doesn't just tell everyone my role. I want to explain everything. I want to apologize for the things I did.

I just can't. The very thought of being just two feet near him made me want to vomit. Not because of him specifically. Just because he's the only one who knows. Well, he knows more than everyone else.