Edge of Insanity

Chapter Three

I tilted my face towards the stream of freezing water.  It ran down my body taking the sweat and dirt and blood with it.  Despite the soaring temperatures this afternoon, as the sun had set the air became frigid.  Goosebumps rose on my arms and I really couldn't help but shake my head at the irony.  I would've killed for a freezing shower out in the Maze.  Now I was so cold my toes were going numb.

I shivered turning the water as hot as it would go with no avail.  This was the only downside to showering later in the evening.  The boys had used all the hot water.  So my only solution was to shower as quickly as possible before wrapping myself in a towel.  I wrung out my hair and shivered again.  It really was freezing out here.  And the cold shower definitely hadn't helped. 

I hastily dried off before doing a quick check to make sure there were no boys in sight.  Then I darted out from behind the Homeastead and to the edge of the woods.  I stepped inside my shack and closed the door behind me.  I let out a sigh, before searching for my lantern.

"So when do I get to shower with you?"

I jumped.  "Minho, what the hell?  You scared me."

He chuckled as I light the lantern and hung it on the wall.  It cast the room into a warm, flickering glow and I turned to face him.  "Never."

"Never what?"

"Never do you get to shower with me."

He rolled his eyes from where he was sitting on the edge of my bed.  "You know you'd like it."

"What I really wouldn't like is if someone found us."  I shuddered.  "Can you imagine Newt's reaction to that?" 

"I suppose you're right." 

"I am right."  I bent down to pick up my shirt off the floor.  I slid the fabric over my head and around my torso before dropping the towel.

"That's my shirt," Minho observed as it hung akwardly off my small frame. 

I looked down.  "Well that explains why it was so big."

"I am the most well-built guy in the Glade.  What can I say?"  He grinned lazily.

I flicked my hair over my shoulder and squeezed more water out of it.  "Goes well with your ego being the biggest in the Glade too."  I shivered again.  "Why is it so shucking cold?"

Minho motioned for me to come to the bed and he scooted over as I sat down next to him. His hand brushed my hair and he frowned.  "Maybe because you took a cold shower?"

"It was the only water left," I retorted as he found my injured hand and looked at the stitching. 

"So what did Alby say about the thing we found?"  I asked him. 

He ran a finger lightly over the threaded flesh.  "Wanted to know if I'd ever seen anything like it before.  Asked what I thought it could be." 

"What did you say?" 

Minho shrugged.  "I have no idea what it is and I told him I didn't think we should tell the rest of the Gladers until we figure it out.  No need to give them false hope about something that could be useless."

I nodded in agreement and then shivered again.  Minho made room for me to lay down as he stood up and crossed the room to blow out the lantern.  The little shack was plunged into darkness.  A few seconds later I felt the the mattress dip beside me as he settled in.  The small space was instantly warmer.  His body was like a furnace- I had no idea how but no matter what he was always warm.  Not that I'd tell him that.  It would only lead to stupid jokes from him, I could foresee it now.

  I tugged the thin blanket over us, pressing my back against his chest. 

"A new greenie comes tomorrow."

"Has it really been a month since Thomas arrived?"

"Yeah.  Time flies when you're having fun."

I snorted.  "Fun."

I felt his answering laugh vibrate in his chest.  His arm threaded its way over my stomach, tugging me closer. 

"Maybe it will be a girl."  I said jokingly. 

"Mhhmm.  I wouldn't be opposed to that.  Maybe it would get all the other Gladers to stop looking at you." 

"Well it would be kind of difficult for me to do anything around the Glade without them looking at me."

"You know what I mean."

"You used to look at me like that."  I said after a brief pause.

"Yes, but I got what I wanted and now you're off limits."  I felt him slowly playing with my hair.

"Except they don't know that.  They think we hate each other's guts."

His hand stilled in my hair.  "Remind me again why no one can know?"

I let out a sigh.  "There's already enough rifts between the Gladers.  Especially with Gally's newfound hatred for Thomas.  Also I would prefer everything you or I do not be called into question because people know we're together.  No one would take any of our votes seriously and we would always be pegged as partial to each other."

"I'm willing to take that risk." 

"Well I'm not, Minho."  I rolled over to face him.  "They could even remove you as Keeper of the Runners if they think you're too busy worrying about me."

"I just get sick of it sometimes."

"I know," I murmured.  "Believe me, I know."   

                                                                    ~~~
When I woke up sunlight was streaming through the small holes in the thatched roof.  It made the dusty ground look speckled with gold.   Minho was sleeping soundly beside me.  He must've been really tired, usually he woke up early enough to leave my shack and get dressed before the other Runners were up. 

I slid off the mattress, careful not wake him.  He could have a few more moments of sleep.  I dug out a clean sports bra and slipped off Minho's shirt.  

"Now that's something I could get used to.  Waking up to see you shirtless every morning."

"Very funny."  I pulled the sport bras over my head and turned to face him with my hands on my hips.  He was propped up on one elbow in the bed, hair falling messily in his face.  I had to admit it was difficult not to crawl back under the blanket with him when he looked at me.  Especially when his voice sounded like that in the morning.  

I reached for the same shirt I'd worn yesterday- now dry and clean.  Minho pulled himself from the bed.  "I can't believe I slept this late."

"You were tired."  I opened the door for him.  "You'd better hurry and go change." 

"Maybe I'll just move my stuff in here," he mused, a smirk on his face.

"You run that past Alby and tell me how it goes."  I gave him a little shove out the door.  "Now go!"

I shut the door behind him and located my clean pants and a pair of socks.  I slid on my trainers and grabbed my pack.  I forced my hair into a braid before heading out into the morning light.