𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋//𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘𝐗𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

Everything is fine 😁😁😁🥲

I flopped out of bed for the second time and dashed over to the mirror. Pulling out one of the brand new toothbrushes that had been provided, I began brushing away. Feeling my mouth and teeth get cleaner by the second.

Next I took care of my hair. Fluffing and preening myself until I saw y/n. I saw the true me. The happy me. The one that made everyone around them laugh. Perfect.

Victor was able to keep me quiet as we sat on the floor for a few minutes. He explained what the facility we were in was and about Mr. Janson and the men that had saved us.

"A helicopter ride?" I gushed, clutching onto his bare shoulder. "I got to ride in a helicopter and I wasn't even awake for it?!"

"Yeah." Victor watched me, looking at me different than usual. "It was pretty cool but everyone was a little busy worrying about you. You know, how you-"

"What's Janson look like? Is he sexy?" I cut him off swiftly with a goofy question. "I bet he's super sexy."

"Uh he's fine I guess. Kind of looks like a rat though."

"Ugh even better. He's ugly hot. Kind of like Pete Davidson." Speaking of him flirtatiously might get Victor to forget the entire matter. The incident. "I never got to try older men before. Maybe this is my chance."

"Well I don't know if that's the greatest idea-"

"Too late!" I chirped, jumping up at the sound of the room's door opening up. "We're already married! He buys me things and takes me to super bourgeois places and all I have to do is sit there and look pretty while fetching him an occasional Viagra!" Victor was too stunned to speak, tilting his head at my frivolity.

"Hey guys, it's time for breakfast. Report to the mess hall." A guard ordered, waiting for us to follow him. I decided to be the first. Walking with a little hop in my step.

________________________

Our group swung through the push and pull doors of the cafeteria. A cool air jetting toward us. We took our place in the food line, standing like a row of ducks. The first thing I noticed in the amply spaced room was the chatter.

Scanning the place, I saw a plethora of teenagers scattered around at different tables. Each clump sticking relatively to their same clique. There were boys I didn't recognize and girls I for sure didn't. Which could only mean that there was more than one maze!

Just my luck! I knew I was right! I knew there had to be a maze full of all girls. The maze I secretly wished sometimes at night that I'd been plopped in into. I thought of the countless moments I had, aching for someone to truly understand me.

"Hey." Thomas bumped an elbow into me, breaking me away from my old daydreams. He leaned down, saying in a hushed voice. "Let's all stick together, okay?"

"Okay." I agreed, taking my tray freshly filled with food and followed him. My eyes trailed among the other girls, taking note of their soft features. Their voices were at a higher pitch but still ranged from honey smooth to husky with a rasp that sent chills down my spine. Stop y/n. Don't get ahead of yourself. Just sit down next to Chuck and Victor.

Plopping myself between the boys, I immediately began to dig in. Savoring every bite of the meal. Minho began to chat with a pair of unfamiliar boys we had seated ourselves with. Their attention in the conversation soon faded when they realized I was eating with them.

"Hey." One gave a small wave, a glint of interest peaking through his face.

The same glint I'd received ever since I'd been in the maze, every time I turned my head. It was inescapable. At least now since I'd been so practiced with the look. I knew exactly how to deal with it.

"Hi." I replied, smiling politely at him. Continuing to eat until he filled the awkward pause, speaking again.

"I'm Marco and this is Theo."

"Nice to meet you both."

Silence. Boys I knew flicked their attentiveness between the strange ones and I. Watching with bated breath. Theo shied up, sufficing with stealing little glimpses of me.

"So what maze are you from?" Marco pressed, interest turning to curiosity. "Shouldn't you be with your friends over there?" He gestured toward a group of girls. Wait a minute...

Were our mazes differently structured? I could see it in the pair's faces. The look that said I-haven't-been-this-close-to-a-girl-before-in-my-entire-life.

Oh.

"These are my friends. I came from their maze." I explained, setting my fork down. "I was the only girl until the last time the box came up. But right after that is when we escaped."

"Oh wow." Marco lit up, intrigued by what I had told him. Very intrigued. "Our maze was just guys." His gaze faltered, dropping to stare painfully obvious at my chest. "You're really pretty." Stumbling with the compliment, he grew red. Flushed with color.

Newt snorted at the interaction, covering his mouth to hide a grin. Jack, Winston, and Frypan fell under his influence, snickering along with him.

"Fuck off." I muttered at them, lifting my fork to pick at the food. Chuck set a hand on my free one, radiating comforting warmth.

"You're like that one kid over there." Theo spoke up, slow in speech due to his tongue tied nature. "His maze was filled with nothing but girls." He nudged towards a boy. A boy cloaked in a hood. Sitting alone. All alone. Like me.

"Well then I should introduce myself." I decided, standing up from the metal table. Not bothering to finish my plate. I abandoned it. Step by step towards the boy. Until I was in front of him, staring down.