Ross had been quiet lately. Less flirtatious. Less playful. But more intense.
He watched you differently now—not with curiosity, but with longing. And it wasn't subtle. Brenda noticed. Teresa noticed. Even Newt noticed.
"He's not just crushing anymore," Minho muttered. "He's obsessed."
You tried to brush it off. Ross was charming, sure—but you were with Newt. You were loyal. You were solid.
Until the glitch happened.
One night, while reviewing Maze patterns, Ross collapsed. His eyes rolled back. His body convulsed. And then—he stood up, perfectly calm.
"I need to talk to Y/N," he said.
Newt stepped forward. "She's busy."
Ross didn't blink. "It's urgent."
You followed him to the edge of the Deadheads, heart pounding. He turned to you, eyes glassy.
"I think I'm in love with you," he said.
You froze. "Ross..."
He stepped closer. "I dream about you. I see you in every corner of this place. I feel like I've known you forever."
You backed away. "This isn't you."
He blinked. "What do you mean?"
You swallowed hard. "WICKED's manipulating you. They're testing me. They're using you."
That night, Newt found you crying near the windmill.
"They're trying to break us," you whispered. "They're using him to see if I'll fall."
Newt pulled you into his arms. "Then we don't break."
The next morning, Ross didn't remember the conversation. Didn't remember the confession. Didn't remember you.
Frypan found a chip behind his ear—small, pulsing, WICKED-branded.
They'd programmed him. To love you. To test you. To see if you'd betray Newt.
But you didn't. You stayed faithful. Even when the Maze whispered lies. Even when Ross said things that made your heart ache.
Because love isn't just feeling. It's choice. And you chose Newt—again and again.
