Song - Back To Black (Amy Winehouse)
"You sure you wanna do this?" Gally sighed.
"You really think Teresa will follow you?" Newt asked.
"No... no she won't follow me. But I have a hunch... that she'll follow Thomas," I answered.
That's how I ended up waiting with Brenda for the boys to return with Teresa. We sat in the room we had met in before. I sat on the table and Brenda leaned against the wall.
"So... that's the Gally?" Brenda asked disapprovingly.
I chuckled airily,
"What? Not your type?"
She shook her head firmly,
"Fuck no,"
"What is your type if Gally is so below your league?"
She smirked,
"That's my business,"
"Not ready to come to terms with the whole Fry thing I guess then?"
I smiled cheekily.
She rolled her eyes but still didn't say anything.
"My prediction was correct," I muttered but still loud enough for her to hear.
She just smiled to herself.
"What are you gonna do when you see Teresa?" She asked folding her arms across her chest.
My smile dropped.
If I'm being completely honest... I had no clue.
I hated her. I did.
But it felt like the boys were kidnapping a different version of her. Not the one who betrayed us. Betrayed me. They were bringing the girl who was one of my best friends since I was a child.
The girl with the shoulder I used to cry on. And the girl who cried on mine.
The girl I used to whisper secrets to on my top bunk in the wicked compound.
And although I would never admit it... part of me hoped that maybe, just maybe she might change her mind about everything.
I sighed,
"I don't know,"
We sat in silence for a few minutes before she sighed,
"But seriously... I'm glad this Gally guy is alive... it seems like he means a lot to you,"
I nodded and smiled to myself.
Of course... now that he's back, all my problems disappear right?
Not exactly.
For some reason, I couldn't seem to shake the ever-growing emptiness in my stomach. Like it was being consumed by a black hole. No feelings left where they should be. It was concerning. Like I knew something in my brain wasn't right. But I just couldn't seem to figure out what.
"I think that-"
"Hey! Guys, they're back. They have her in the church next door," Fry appeared in the doorway.
Newt whipped off the bag over Teresa's head. She blinked rapidly to register the light. And the seven faces glaring at her. She ran her eyes over every one of us. Except me. She completely avoided my gaze. But seemed to stay extra long on Thomas.
That made my blood boil.
"Gally?" She murmured in disbelief as her eyes reached the boy beside me.
"Here's how this is going to go... we're gonna ask you some questions, and you're gonna tell us exactly what we need to know,"
Gally got up and stalked towards her, grabbing a chair,
"Let's start simple... where's Minho?"
Teresa completely ignored Gally and looked past him at Thomas,
"You guys don't actually think-"
Gally sat the chair down and blocked her vision of the rest of us,
"Don't look at him. Why are you looking at him? Look at me. He isn't going to help you,"
I swallowed.
Brenda glanced at me with her eyebrows raised. She had to stifle a laugh when she saw my face.
God that was hot.
Teresa nervously shifted her gaze to Gally.
"Now, we know you have Minho in the building. Where?" Gally growled.
Teresa sent one last glance at Thomas before exhaling,
"He's with the others in holding. Sublevel three,"
"How many others?" Newt butted in.
"28"
"I can make that work," Brenda said from behind us seated with Frypan.
"No. No, you guys don't understand. The whole level's restricted. You can't get in without a thumbprint ID," Teresa explained.
"That's why you're gonna come with us," Thomas revealed.
"Well, I don't know. We don't necessarily need her. Right? Not all of her. We just need her finger," Gally sneered while standing up and pulling a small knife from his pocket.
"Gally, back off," Thomas ordered.
"What, are you squeamish? I guarantee you she's done a lot worse to Minho," Gally hissed while taking a step closer to the girl tied up in the chair.
"Gally," I warned.
He looked over his shoulder at me before backing down. He sat on the table beside me.
"It won't make a difference. Do whatever you want to me. You still won't get through the front door. The sensors will pick you up-"
Thomas stood up,
"We know. We're tagged. Property of WICKED. You're gonna help us with that, too," He murmured bending down beside her.
"So, you gonna say something or just ignore me forever?" I muttered as she poked around the back of my neck. I winced at the sharp pains.
"I'm not ignoring you," She murmured from behind me.
I scoffed,
"Yeah, sure,"
We sat further away from the others. I glanced towards Gally. He was watching us like a hawk, sending Teresa frequent dirty glares.
"If you really hate me so much, why are you trusting me to help you?" She muttered.
I laughed sarcastically,
"Believe me, it's not my idea... but I don't care what we have to do to get Minho back,"
I heard Teresa exhale a small breath.
"What? You don't think we can pull this off?" I snapped.
"I think I made it obvious how difficult this is going to be," She hissed back.
We both went silent. I tried to ignore the throbbing pain as she dug into my skin.
I sighed,
"Why'd you do it Teresa?" I murmured.
She didn't respond.
Not at first.
"I know you think this is about you El... but it's not. This is about something bigger than you and me. Bigger than any of us," She responded.
"Stop acting all high and mighty with me Teresa," I scowled.
She sighed,
"You still haven't changed," She muttered under her breath,
"What do you mean by that?"
"You can't see the bigger picture,"
"Well, at least I'm not a traitor... and if you really were so against us then why'd you follow Thomas?"
I heard no response. She immediately stiffened.
"Oh... I get it now. After all these years... you care for him, don't you?" I sneered.
A fiery pain behind me made me jump and turn around. She was holding a piece of bloody metal with tweezers.
"You're finished," She muttered.
I stood up immediately and stalked away. Thomas passed me and he raised his eyebrows at my red face.
I just shook my head.
I sat down beside Gally. I rubbed my face with my hands.
He shifted his body so he was facing me.
"Turn around," he whispered,
I gave him a questioning look but did as he asked.
He gently brushed my hair out of the way and dabbed the back of my neck with a cloth. He must be wiping away the blood.
His gentle touch sent shivers down my spine.
Newt came up to us and handed me a stack of black clothes.
"Here. See if these fit,"
"Thanks, Newt," I said smiling up at him. He smiled weakly in response.
I glanced over at Jorge and Brenda talking quietly in the corner. Frypan came up behind Brenda.
"If something happens to her, I'll kill you... you got that hermano?" Jorge threatened.
Frypan swallowed and nodded.
I stood up and I turned back around to face Gally.
"I'm gonna go put these on," I whispered into his ear.
"Okay," He whispered back.
I found a secluded room and got changed into the suit. I looked at myself in the mirror and almost laughed at the sight. I looked just like a Wicked soldier. Mask and all.
I took off the mask and looked at my own face. It looked more hollow than it did a few days ago.
During the six months we spent with Vince trying to find Minho, I noticed my face filling out. Rosy cheeks and dimples more prominent. But now the face I'm staring at resembles something like the person who came straight of the maze. Then again... I don't remember the last proper meal I'd eaten.
I sighed.
Whatever happens now, I just need to remember that all of this... is for Minho. He saved me too many times for me not to be willing to give up everything for this boy.
I can't get distracted.
I cannot get distracted-
There was a knock at the door.
I opened it to find Gally standing on the other side.
His eyes looked desperate.
"What's the matter?"
"We need to talk,"