I woke up to the sweet song of the birds chirping overhead. For a moment I didn't realize where I was, my pillow felt unfamiliar. I felt my surroundings while my sleep coated eyes still adjusted to the morning. I rubbed the fogginess from my eyes and noticed a strong hand rested on my thigh, I was still in Gally's arms. I shifted a little, my body stiff from the position I fell asleep in last night.

Gally slowly rose, his eyes still tired just like mine, "Hey." he soothed, taking his hand and fiddling with the hair at the back of my head, his face soft and gentle.

My legs felt more warm and covered than the rest of my body, "How'd I get here?" I asked after I took notice of the blanket over me. The inside of the Med-Hut was surprisingly bright. I could hear Alby's heavy breathing just across the thin border of sticks between us.

"You started shivering, so I carried you inside." Gally uttered.

Most people didn't see this kinder side to him. The one that surfaced from behind his intimidating mask. My heart was knocking on the door, it was tired of being shut out, pushed away, of being forgotten. I was tired too. If we really were to make it out of the maze, it probably won't be pretty. I couldn't waste this limited time many longer. I placed my hand around his cheek, and he held it with his other hand. I hesitated, unsure if I'd be able to go back from keeping my emotions locked away after this. I leaned forward just as I tried to last night, except this time uninterrupted. Our lips met and a refreshing feeling washed over me, like a cold drink after a long hot day. I wanted so desperately for the world to pause, give me more time to appreciate his lips and him in general. I feel like I needed to lock his moment in and memorize  every aspect of it, just in case this was the last time. His lips only adjusted once, not turning it into anything more than a gentle yet passionate kiss. He pulled me closer in an embrace and I didn't resist, but I still felt like I needed more of him. His voice, his lips, the way he glares at me when he's annoyed, all things I never wanted to lose.

Our lips carefully let go, but mutually. My hand trailed down from his cheek to his shoulder and his arm fit perfectly around the small of my back, holding me close. His soft lips traced down my jawline and followed the path down to my neck. I giggled softly at the stimulation of my sensitive skin, "Gally," I whispered, unsure if it was even loud enough for him to hear.

"mm hm?" he responded with his face still nuzzled in my neck.

I couldn't wait, each word I said diligently, I was ready to let it out into the world, "I love you."

He stopped what he was doing and looked up at me, our faces no more than two inches apart. His hand moved a piece of hair around my ear then cupped around my cheek, his hand quickly falling down my neck then rested on my chest. No one spoke for a moment, anxiety slowly started to settle in my stomach, "I knew I was in love with you the day you survived the maze. " His thumb wiped away the tear that I was too focused to even notice it. He bought me close and placed a tender kiss upon my forehead.

I heard a groan come from the other side of the separation. I had forgotten Alby was here, "I'll go check on him." I whispered. I reached for the canister of water that hung from the wall, Alby hadn't eaten or drank much the past few days. The vibrant blue veins he had settled now and were only faint streaks. The gash where he'd been stung was now flesh coloured but still needed much time to heal. I placed my hand over his forehead, he wasn't sweating anymore but he was still warm to the touch, "Alby." I stirred, hoping he'd wake up just enough to drink. He only responded with a moan, "Can you sit up a little for me?" He did nothing, except his eyes fluttered ever so slightly. I attempted to wrap my arm around his back and hold him up, but he was too heavy, "Gally, can you help?" Gally came around the corner, his face was tired but still carried some happiness with him. He came over and lifted up Alby from under his arms allowing me to put the canteen to his lips. He took very small gulps, but it was enough for now.

We heard the door the hut open and in walked Jeff still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "My shift Marty. Oh, Newt said you gotta give the new girl the tour today."

"Isn't Thomas supposed to do it?" I corrected. I honestly just wanted to spend my day with Gally. To do something together, just us.

Jeff came closer and leaned over Alby to check in on him, "Yeah well he's a runner now." Gally let out a deep breath behind me, I wasn't much happier than he was, but there was nothing I can do about it.

"Alright." I huffed and grabbed Gally's arm, he seemed a little surprised when I did. The sun had just made it's way over the East wall when I stepped outside. The grass was still coated with morning dew.

Gally's hand slid down my forearm until it intertwined with my fingers, "Be careful okay? I don't trust that girl." I felt his thumb stroke over mine a few times.

I stopped walking towards the common area, where the boys had just started eating Frypan's breakfast, "I'll be fine. One girl to another...not that I've had much experience with another girl." I'd been surrounded by boys for the past three years that sometimes I'd even forget I wasn't one of them. I just didn't want this girl to feel lonely amongst them, because I know that unsettling feeling all too well. Before anyone could see us, I let go of his hand and we started jogging towards the assembly of Gladers. My eyes caught Newt, who was leading this Teresa girl in my direction.

The girl looked frightened as her eyes paced around the little village. Boys stopped when she passed by and some kept their eyes on her. It reminded me of that alienated feeling when I first came up. Teresa's eyes widened when she caught a glimpse of me. Gally and I slowed down once they'd met up with us.

"Teresa," Newt introduced us, "This is Marty. She'll show you around today." His voice was so comforting. The first time I met Newt I knew I could trust him, I think everyone gets that feeling,  "This is Gally. He's not as scary as he looks." Gally quickly crossed his arms, he liked when the newbies were intimidated by him. It was funny seeing his scramble to keep up his reputation.

I took Teresa by the shoulder, "Did you get anything to eat?" She shook her head. Pretty talkative huh, "C'mon." I glanced back at Gally who seemed concerned. I just playfully rolled my eyes and lead her past the boys in line for grub. We made it to the front and I snuck two apples from the bowl of fruit beside Frypan, who was serving up breakfast.

"Marty, you owe me!" He shouted over a few boys in line who groaned at me for cutting the line too.

"Don't worry Fry!" I shouted back, "That was Frypan, our cook." I told the girl and handed her one of the apples. She cradled it in her hands but didn't say anything. I showed her around the homestead and took her inside. I explained what had happened to Ben and how the council meetings worked. Most of the boys that I tried to introduce her to didn't seem very interested. Winston, keeper of the Slicers was kind enough to show her around the Bloodhouse. I got her out of there when her face started to turn green after his explanations. Throughout the morning I took her to the Lookout, which she was familiar with and the edge of the Deadheads.

I gave her the three basic rules; Never harm another Glader, do your part, and never go into the maze. I left out what happened to Gally and the other boys that night. I didn't think I could handle reminiscing it, plus I couldn't even tell if she was listening to me half the time. I skimmed over the different jobs in the Glade and asked if anything suited her. She just shrugged. She has his very determined look to her face, like she's ready to pounce on anyone, except she's content siting in silence.

Lunch had rolled around and I made sure we were the first in line. Frypan came out with tomato soup and biscuits, a Glade classic. There's never enough left for seconds, so I took all I could get. Teresa stared down at her bowl, contemplating whether she should eat it or not.

"It's not poison," I said then sipped some of my own soup. She finally brought it to her lips and had some, leaving a streak of red across her top lip, "Nice moustache." I laughed. She wiped the excess soup from her lip then giggled with me too. I hoped I was warming up to her, or at least gained her trust a little bit.

Just as we sat down to eat, Clint came running over, "Marty!" he called, "Can you watch Alby for me."

I groaned, "Why, what're you doing?"

"Some builder fell and hurt his leg real bad," Thoughts raced through my mind. I prayed it wasn't who I thought it was, "don't worry it wasn't your boyfriend!" I scowled and took a rock that sat beside me and threw it at him. Clint jumped back then ran off to where the builders were before I could do anything else. Teresa and I packed up our lunches then wandered off to the Med-Hut.

Alby had rolled over in his sleep. His once pulsing veins had completely vanished now, but the sting would take longer to heal. As I went tending to him, Teresa finally decided to speak up, "Why are you the only girl?" I was expecting this question eventually. It's one of the first things that come to a greenie's mind after the whole, where am I situation.

"Don't know." was all I could say.

"There must be some sort of explanation." I wondered why she had decided to become so talkative all of a sudden.  It's like the gears in her brain had finally started whirring, "I mean everything that's here must be for a reason, right? If whoever sent us here didn't want us, they would've found a way to get rid of us."

I could feel myself start to get antsy. I'd already gone over this with Thomas, I didn't feel like trekking through those horrific memories once again, "They tried to!" I snapped at her, "The creators tried but it didn't work."

I cough came from below me, Alby was stirring and his eyes slowly peeled open. He didn't seem to know where he was, or anything for that matter, "Alby? Alby, are you alright."

"yeah..." he mumbled. He stiffly tried to sit up and I helped him, but he clenched his side where the wound was, "How long have I been out."

"A few days," I answered, "Thomas saved-"

Alby froze in his place, like I'd just said the worst thing imaginable, "Where is he? Where's Thomas?" He panicked. I stammered, unsure of where this reaction came from. A commotion of voices came from outside, something was going on.

"The runners are back." Teresa announced, half leaning through the front door.

"We'll be back." I said in an attempt to sooth him a little. Luckily, Alby relaxed and I left the rest of my lunch by his side just in case.

As Teresa and I jogged out of the hut, a group of boys swarmed Thomas and Minho from the entrance of the maze. I saw Gally, who'd been at the back of the group, start to look agitated. Teresa and I ran a little faster. To no ones surprise, Gally was getting in Thomas' face, but Thomas retaliated. I swore under my breath, but if he was mad it was probably for a good reason. The two of them kept bickering at each other when we joined the group. Neither of them had noticed us.

"Hey!" Teresa yelled, but no one heard, "It's Alby!" Suddenly, both of them stopped and Gally looked at me like a little kid who'd just been caught getting into mischief. No one of them seemed like they knew what to do until we led some of them to the hut.

Alby sat up in his cot while the rest of us kept our distance. He didn't look real, like a doll sitting on the shelf. The room was cold and stiff, much like how Alby sat staring off into nothing. Newt was the first one to walk over to him, "Alby, are you alright?" He didn't respond. I had to admire Newt's patience. No matter how hysterical or uncooperative someone was, he always managed to make them feel comfortable. Of course, I didn't appreciate what he did to Gally, but we were granted with new problems every day.

I wasn't really mad anymore, but I wondered how long with would realistically take for that wound to heal. Newt was always better at forgiving others than me, but not necessarily forgiving himself. When there were only a hand full of us, a lot of lives had been lost. Newt always blamed it on himself, but I'd be there to remind him of the circumstances we were in. He wasn't the cause of their fates, but he carried that responsibility with him. He didn't deserve to feel that way, Newt took care of all of us to the point where we felt like he was too good for us.

Alby was still unresponsive until Thomas made his way over, "Alby...we might have just found our way out of the maze. We could be getting out of here."

The room fell dead silent as we all waited for him to say something. Our leader, the boy we looked up to all these years, was in his most vulnerable state. He'd been shattered and rearranged like a mismatched puzzle. I'd been so accustomed to the anticipation that I jumped back a bit when he spoke, "We can't." My ears strained to catch what he said, "We can't leave...they won't let us."

"What're you talking about?" Thomas asked.

"I remember." he whimpered. I made quick contact with Newt. More people were remembering, which meant more people would want answers, "I remember you." A tear broke away from the puddle in Alby's eyes. Gally stood behind me and I reached my arm back for him. My hand met his arm but neither of us moved, "You were always their favourite. Why did you come here? Why did you do this?" Alby bent over and tucked his heavy face into his hands. The whole room shared the impeding denial; we were going to lose everything.

* * *

The evening was approaching and the sound of crickets tickled my ears. I was the only one in the garden now, looking for a few herbs for remedies. Something felt off tonight. I tried to distract myself but my mind couldn't help but wander. My heart was a heavy weight in my body. I felt the need to grab everything and hold onto it as tight as I could, for I would lose all of it in a second. This was something I had been all to familiar with recently. Everyday something was changing. Each day, something about the Glade was different then the last. This impending doom loomed over me until the sound of someone's foot snapping a stick made me jump. It was Minho who'd come to join me.

"That looks fun," he sneered while observing me, "Did you get any dinner?"

I looked up at Minho who was towering over me, "Nah, I wasn't hungry." I was thrown off; that wasn't something he would normally ask someone.

Minho took one of the leafs of the plants and fiddled with it mischievously, "You know Gally was waiting for you." A sly smirked crawled up his cheeks.

I got up from my work and playfully shoved him away, "Shut up! We're just friends." Saying that I knew I was lying to myself, and even as a joke it still hurt.

He only laughed at my weak shove and continued teasing me, "Hm...I don't think friends kiss like that!" He emphasised the 'kiss' loud enough for everyone to hear. I could feel the blood in my face drain as it went white, "Oh come on Marty. Just go for him. He really cares about you, more than you think."

The crickets continued on chirping. I looked back on the Gladers who'd surrounded one of the bonfires. Gally was laughing with some of the other builders. I wanted him to look over at me, I craved his touch. I imagined myself with them, wrapped up in his arms laughing with the other boys. I could call him mine. But the risks were too high, "What if we don't make it out?"

The night breeze felt cooler. The sun had fallen behind the walls once again, but something was missing, "All the more reason to stop waiting." Minho's tone changed. It was quiet for a minute, peaceful in the Glade. But that looming feeling still whispered to me. The crickets kept their noise up in the distance with no disturbance in the night.

"Minho," We both realized what was happening, or perhaps what wasn't happening, "The gates didn't close."