LIMERENCE ﹐ the maze runner.

43

Teresa found Clara in the Map Room, looking over maps and marking out the quickest and least risky route to the Map Room.

"Hey,"Teresa said, trying to smile.

Clara looked up, hoping it was one of her friends, but when she saw Teresa she rolled her eyes and went back to looking at the map. "Hi,"she greeted Teresa, her tone laced with annoyance.

"Look, I know you probably hate me." Teresa walked over to the table Clara stood at and took a seat opposite to where Clara stood.

"Gee, look, you're actually right about something, Teresa! Never thought this day would come."

Teresa let out a slight laugh. "Yeah, I probably deserve it. But, I just wanted to apologize. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness. You were trying to be such a good friend to me, and all I could think about was Thomas. Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. I was a real bitch."

"Mmm, right again,"Clara muttered.

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry,"Teresa apologized sincerely. "I'm so sorry. I know this doesn't change what I did, but Thomas never chased after me. Never. And I just don't want things to be like this between us anymore."

"Well, thanks for apologizing, I guess,"Clara put down her pen and looked up at Teresa. "I guess it's all in the past anyway. We might not even make it out alive after this-"

"No, no, we're going to make it out alive. No matter what,"Teresa said. "Actually, you should probably go talk to Thomas."

"Yeah, I should,"Clara agreed. She shoved both the pen and the map in her pocket and stood up. "Thank you, Teresa, your apology means a lot to me, it really does. Maybe after this, if we make it out alive, we can try be friends. I don't know. But you're right, I have to go see Thomas."

Teresa smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that. Go see your man."

Clara nodded, muttered a smile, and ran out the Map Room. It didn't take long for Clara to find Thomas as all, seen as though he was walking towards the Map Room, looking for Clara.

"Tom!"Clara shouted. "Tom!" She started running, and as soon as she was close enough to him she flung herself into his arms. He caught her, wrapping his strong arms around her waist. They held each other in a tight hug, as Clara buried her face in his neck.

"Hi,"she muttered, and he let out a laugh. "Hey,"Thomas replied.

She let go slightly, so they were gazing into each other's eyes. "You aren't gonna sacrifice yourself, are you?"she asked, trying to fight back the tears in her eyes and the ever-growing lump in the back of her throat.

"No, no, of course not." He pulled her back into the hug. "No, no, I'm not. I'm never gonna leave you, Clara. I love you too much for that."

It was then that Clara started to cry. She managed a laugh, and said,"Good."

The two stayed like that until it was time to leave.

❀✿❀

Just before the normal Door-closing time, Frypan prepared one last meal to carry them through the night. The mood hanging over the Gladers as they ate couldn't have been more somber or sodden with fear. Thomas found himself sitting next to Chuck and Clara, absently picking at his food.

"So ... Thomas," the boy said through a huge bite of mashed potatoes. "Who am I nicknamed after?"

Thomas couldn't help shaking his head-here they were, about to embark on probably the most dangerous task of their lives, and Chuck was curious where he'd gotten his nickname. "I don't know, Darwin, maybe? The dude who figured out evolution."