LIBERATION | A Thomas Love Story

5 - Feelings and Jealousy

--2 months later--

Joan was content with her life in the glade. Her days mainly consisted of cracking jokes with Minho, gardening with Newt, and eating Frypan's good food. She had gained the upmost respect of the boys in the glade, because if they disrespected her, they were at the mercy of her smart mouth. Joan's hidden garden had flourished into a rainbow oasis in the corner of the glade, and it was her sanctuary. After a long day, she would seek asylum in her garden and unwind.

Often,Peter would visit her. The two Gladers would chat together and joke around as teenagers do. However, they didn't know that someone was watching. As a beetle blade scurried off away from them, a flustered boy sat behind its connected screen. Thomas often found himself immersed in Joan and Peter's time together. He listened in on their conversations and couldn't help but feel jealous, left out. It had been two months since Joan was sent to the maze, and he missed her. The boy wanted desperately to have a conversation with her, to see her.

He felt envious of Peter, who had the luxury of seeing her everyday. Thomas was slowly feeling himself slip into a state of sadness, almost depression. He felt so isolated from his friends being behind a screen. The only person he had left was Teresa. The boy still was weary about his childhood friend, questioning if he should trust her again. But after a long talk with her, he understood that she was scared, and that's why she called on them. Thomas had known Teresa since he was young, and he believed that she wouldn't do anything that would harm him or Joan on purpose.

Still, it irked him how Teresa would sugarcoat the acts of WCKD. She claimed that Joan was in a better environment, and how she was happier in the glade than in the labs. Thomas agreed to some extent, but he still felt that it was utterly wrong and inhumane to steal memories from a person and send them into a testing environment. Sometimes, he wanted to just jump in the box and go to the glade. To see his friends

***

Joan sat in her garden after a long day of working. The girl watched as the sun's rays slowly slit behind the maze walls. She then heard footsteps and sat up, expecting who'd they belonged to. Just then, Peter appeared out of the brush, a small grin on his face.

"You're late." Joan said, crossing her arms. The boy plastered on a goofy smile.

"Sorry, Red"

Peter then sat himself down next to Joan on a log. The girl smiled as they began their daily banter, much to Thomas's displeasure.

The boy sighed as he watched them and listened to their chat. However, he leaned towards the screen as he saw Peter get close to Joan.

"Gally got so mad." said Joan, grinning.

"That prank was so shucking good." replied Peter, smiling. Thomas watched as their hands rested close together on the log. Suddenly, there was silence between the two Gladers as they looked each other.

Every nerve in Thomas's body froze as Peter leaned in and kissed Joan softly. He expected Joan to punch him again, to push him away. To his surprise, and horror, she didn't.

The boy shook his head and shut off the screen. Teresa watched him sit silently in front of a blank monitor for a few moments before leaving.

Meanwhile, Joan felt a new feeling. She felt like birds were fluttering in her stomach. The girl watched as the blonde boy pulled back from their kiss.

A shy and goofy grin once again appeared on his face.

"I-uh..sorry.." he rambled, blushing.

"You stupid shank, don't be." she laughed as she playfully shoved him. To her surprise, Peter fell back off the log and into a fit of laughter.