The First Glader

16

Gally raised a brow. "Ada. I nearly squared up to him because he was holding your hand."

She snorted despite herself. "Okay, maybe a little weird."

Gally looked pained. "I don't know why I do that."

"Do what?"

"Get... alert. Protective." He rubbed his palms together. "It's not about him. It's about you. I just... I feel like I need to make sure nothing hurts you."

Ada looked down, touched. "You don't have to do that."

Gally's voice dropped. "I know. But I want to."

Ada studied him—not the muscle, not the strength, not the fiery temper he sometimes had—but the vulnerability. The softness he didn't show anyone else.

"You're adjusting fast," she said quietly. "Faster than most."

He shrugged one shoulder. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

"You do," Ada said. "You could shut down. Refuse to fit in. Push everyone away. A lot of boys do that their first week."

Gally shook his head. "Doesn't feel right."

"What does?"

His eyes lifted to hers. Steady. Clear. "Trying."

Ada smiled a little. "You are trying."

"I want to be good at something," he admitted. "I want to pull my weight. I don't want to be a problem for you or anyone else."

Ada's heart squeezed. "Gally... you're not a problem."

He looked away quickly. "I was. That first morning."

"You were scared," Ada said. "Not dangerous."

Gally's voice lowered. "Still. You deserved better."

Ada blinked. "Better?"

"Yeah." His jaw tightened. "Someone calm. Someone sane. Someone who didn't freak out the second he saw daylight."

Ada stared at him, stunned at the amount of pressure he was putting on himself.

"Gally," she whispered, "we all freaked out. Me included."

Gally laughed once—humorless. "You? No way."

"I was terrified," Ada said. "My hands were shaking so hard I dropped the water bucket twice. I threw up behind the Box. Nick had to talk me down from having a panic attack."

That made Gally look at her. Really look.

"...You?" he asked again, disbelieving.

Ada nodded. "Me."

Gally swallowed hard. "...That makes me feel better."

Ada bumped her shoulder against his. "Good."

They sat quietly for a moment, listening to the wind move through the leaves above them.

Then Gally spoke again, voice softer. "You're with him then? With George?"

Ada let out a slow breath. "Yeah. We're... figuring it out."

Gally nodded, eyes flicking to the ground. "He's good to you."

Ada narrowed her eyes slightly. "Is that your way of saying you approve?"

Gally's lips twitched. "I didn't say that."

"What would make you approve?"

He shrugged. "If he keeps you safe. Makes you happy. Doesn't make you cry." His jaw clenched again, tone darkening. "And if he never gives me a reason to knock his teeth out."