𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓬𝓮𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓫𝓸𝔂 // 𝓷𝓮𝔀𝓽𝓶𝓪𝓼 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂 ✿

Evening Stroll

The rest of our wonderful Monday consisted of reading, touching, and talking. Newt was indeed very thoughtful. He proposed the most wildest of ideas in which I had to rack my brain to come up with a decently acceptable response to. The real world had to resume when we headed down for dinner. We decided upon staying with the other Gladers as we ate. Secretly I wished we could've been alone.

"Oh Thomas, where have you been?" Teresa gasped as I settled down near the fire.

"Oh I was just exploring with Newt." It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Oh."

"I'm sorry, did you need me?" I ask.

"Oh no, it's whatever." She seemed uneasy.

"Hey, are you all good. Wanna talk?" She was my best friend, and meant the whole world to me.

Although I noticed she flinched when I placed my hand on her shoulder. She was acting very jumpy, it made me worried.

"Please." She chokes out.

I flicker my eyes to Newt as to warn him that I'll be right back. I guide her behind the Homestead and I being to see tears brimming in her eyes.

"Teresa, what's wrong?" I pull her into a hug.

I feel her shudder against me. She pulls away and quickly wipes her tears off of her face.

"This was dumb." She whines, trying to mask her sadness with anger.

"I don't even know why I made you come back here Tom." She scowls with each word.

"Teresa." I force her to look at me.

"I'm scared." She admits.

She leans into me and wraps her arms around my neck. She dangles by her arms and looks up to me innocently.

"We're never going to make it out of here." She complains.

"Yes we will." I affirm.

"I'm not out there running that maze for the fun of it everyday. We are going to get out, you just hang tight Teresa." I saw with determination, and I believe it too.

I stroke her hair until she eventually calms down.

"Thanks you." She whispers.

"For running the maze." She adds.

Then she turns around and walks the opposite direction, I walk back to the Gladers and the fire, eager to resume my meal. It did feel nice to be with her again, just like when we first arrived. We were practically inseparable. I wonder if Newt ever noticed. I plunk myself right next to the boy and listen in on the conversation I've walked into.

"Yeah well it's not like I see you running your skinny butt around the maze all day." That's Minho.

"Ok well I do see you enjoying that squash." Zart.

"Yeah and that chicken!" Winston adds.

"Who said I'm enjoying it." Minho retorts.

"I don't know, you kinda look like it." Chuck pipes in.

"Ok, you guys are officially impossible to argue with." Minho stands up and exits.

I hear Newt laugh and watch as he stands up to follow Minho and put our dishes away. I automatically follow. Although I have to whirl around at the call of my name.

"Oh Thomas!" Chuck calls.

If only everyone wasn't so inexplicably eager to talk to me today.

"What's up?" I play it off cool, as if I'm not dying to catch up with Newt and Minho.

"How is the tree house looking?" He asks excitedly.

I am the worst.

"Uh actually yesterday I didn't feel very well and we barely made a dent." I lie, we made no dent.

"Oh it's no biggie. Tomorrow maybe?" He brushes it off.

"Yeah of course, once I run I promise." I wink and jog to catch up to my lover.

I hastily throw my dishes into the sink of sorts and scout out Newt. I walk up from behind him.

"Oh there you are," He smiles as if actually happy to see me.

He lowers his voice as to not be heard,

"Tommy we can't sleep together tonight. People will grow suspicious, and Chuck will be missing his bunk mate." He explains guiltily.

"I understand, but it was heavenly last night with you." I frown, not wanting to leave him alone tonight.

"I'm aware, would you like to walk around a bit before you'll have to return to your humble abode?" He offers kindly.

"I'd love to." I agree with a smile.

He leads me into the Deadheads which had almost become a regular thing between us now. We strolled around, sitting on our lumber pile at the willow, and drinking from the spring. The whole affair put me in a better mood, but I still dreaded parting ways when we returned to the Glade at dusk. He leaned in an gave me a quick kiss when we were still in the protection of the outskirts of the Deadheads. I pulled him in for a hug and inhaled the his scent which I would miss tonight.

We parted ways and I settled into my hammock for the night. I eventually fell asleep to the sound of crickets and the breeze which I despise compared to the warmth of the Homestead, and the feeling of Newt at my side.