The Things We Held On To

3) Stuck With Her

Aris's P.O.V

Somehow, every medic is still sick. Every medic but me. Yesterday was also a struggle for everyone who wasn't one so I’m really screwed over right now. It's like just as I finish someone, a new person joins.

“Aris?”Vince called, knocking on the door.

“What do you need?”I asked quickly, leaning on the counter for the first time all day.

“I’ve got someone to help. She used to do this so you won't have to train her.”

“I didn't think we were getting anyone new,”I pointed out.

“We aren't, but she’ll be a good fit. Her job has too many people, yours has too few, and she already knows how to do this stuff.”

“Well, who is it?”

“Hi,”Y/N quietly greeted, waving at me as she stepped out from behind him.

“Are you joking? You're kidding me, right?”I begged.

“Why? What's wrong with Y/N?”

“I won't work with her. I can't,”I said quickly.

“Why not?”He repeated.

“I’m already living with her. This is my time not being around her. You can't take that from me,”I pleaded.

“She's all we have. If you have an actual reason, come find me.”

“But-”
“I’ve got to go look after some stuff, but I’ll check in later,”He cut me off, leaving before I could promise to do literally anything to not work with her. I would work alone forever if it meant I didn't have to be near her.

“So I guess I’m here now,”She spoke up.

“Yeah. I can see that.”

“I’ll take the next patient then?”She offered.

“Try not to sell them out,”I said under my breath.

“I didn't ask to be here. He just knew I had experience and put me with you,”She defended, throwing  in a harsh glare to the words.

“Is it the real you that has experience with this or the fake one?”

“I’ve always been me, okay? I just had to shut up and do my job, but I have never been anybody else,”She kept going.

“If everyone knew, they would disagree.

“Tell them then. If you're so desperate to get rid of me just say something,”She dared.

“Why? So you can lie your way out of trouble?”

“I’ve been keeping my mouth shut. I’ve been staying out of the way. I’ve been doing everything right. What more could I possibly do to prove that I’m not here to do anything bad?”She snapped.

“For starters, not have been a WCKD worker,”I answered

“You said for starters, but what's your other reasons? What's your reason for not saying anything? For not telling but then always bringing it up? What the hell is the point of that?”

“Because I’ve been trying to forget everything. I’m trying to push it out of my mind, but you're still here. For some reason, you're here which means I can't escape them.”

“I’m not them!”

“But you were! You did what they asked! You are just as selfish as they were! So yes! You were them! You were just as bad!”

“I’m not! I never even touched any of you! I didn't even tell half the things you did! Do you seriously think I didn't notice you writing an escape plan on paper!? Because I did! I didn't say anything though! Because I didn't care if anyone escaped! If you did, great! Amazing, but I still had to protect someone!”

“Who the hell were you protecting!?”

“It doesn't matter! I-”
“Hey, hey, hey! What is happening in here?”Thomas asked, walking in on the scene.

“Nothing,”We lied at the same time.

“Really? Because half the Safe Haven can hear you two,”He informed us.

“Did they hear what we said?”I asked quickly.

“No. Just a ton of yelling so chill out. Whatever it is, I’m sure you can fix it,”He sighed, leaving us there before we could reply. Standing in a more than uncomfortable silence, we didn't dare speak until another patient finally came in. We both thought the exact same thing though. It was the only thing we could ever agree on.

Nothing can ever fix the way we feel towards each other.