Beyond the Maze | minho tmr [1]

IX. The Kiss

Lily wandered through the trees at the edge of the Glade

The quiet hum of the forest calmed her restless mind. After everything that had happened—between the Maze, the new girl, and Minho—she needed space to breathe. The argument with Minho had left a knot in her chest, and no matter how hard she tried to ignore it, her thoughts kept drifting back to him, to the almost kiss, and the tension between them that seemed to grow with every passing second

The leaves crunched under her boots as she made her way through the woods, her feet moving without any real direction. She wasn't sure how long she'd been out there when she spotted a figure standing near one of the huts, shifting nervously from foot to foot. As she got closer, she realized it was Thomas

"Thomas?" she called out, her voice curious but guarded. "What are you doing out here?"

Thomas jumped slightly, clearly startled. His face flushed, and he scratched the back of his neck nervously, avoiding her gaze. "Oh, uh... just... you know. Standing."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Standing?"

"Yeah. Just... standing," he repeated, the awkwardness thick in his voice.

She crossed her arms, a slight smile tugging at her lips despite the tension swirling around her. "Sure, Thomas. Because standing out here, alone, is totally normal."

Before Thomas could stammer out another nonsensical response, footsteps approached from behind. Lily turned, and her heart skipped a beat as Minho appeared, flanked by Frypan, and a few other gladers. Minho's expression immediately shifted from confusion to wariness when he saw her

"Lily?" he asked, frowning slightly. "What are you doing here?"

Lily shrugged, trying to keep her tone casual. "I could ask you the same thing."

Minho hesitated, clearly torn between whatever they were planning and Lily's presence

"We're... going to check out the Griever," Minho finally admitted, though it was clear he didn't want to say more. "The one we killed last night."

Without missing a beat, he turned on his heel and started walking away with the others, leaving Lily standing there

"Wait!" she called after him, her frustration flaring up. Without thinking, she followed after him, quickening her pace until she caught up. "I'm going too."

Minho stopped abruptly, his back rigid. He motioned for the rest of the guys to go on ahead without him. They exchanged glances, but complied, leaving the two of them alone

Minho spun around to face her, his expression a mix of irritation and concern. "No, Lily. You're not going. End of discussion."

Lily squared her shoulders, her stubbornness rising to match his. "Why not? I'm a runner, Minho. I'm just as capable as any of you."