˚ ༘✶₊˚. ⊹ ˚ . FIRST ACT
❪ TWELVE ♥︎ ₊˚༢࿐
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     SOMETIMES SILENCE WAS DEAFENING, so deafening that Mae had found herself unable to hear anything else but the rapid beating of her heart. A heart that ━━ up until an hour ago ━━ she didn't think could break anymore than it already had.

And as Mae kneeled in front of the Maze doors, the only thing she wanted to do was take a stone a carve her heart out, just to spare herself from the pain that came with the sickening fact that she had lost yet another people she loved.

"Mae?" Chuck voiced from beside her, leaning forward just enough to catch her attention. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed him there. "Mae!"

"Huh? Oh—" She croaked, reaching up to rub the exhaustion in her eyes as she gave the boy a tenderly smile. "What's the matter, Chuck?" Mae had hoped that he didn't notice how her voice wavered with each word.

"You plan to sleep anytime soon?" He asked her, looking her over with a concerned frown. "You look like a pile of klunk." Mae winced at his bluntness.

For a moment, she looked around the Glade. The other boys had also stayed in front of the Doors, waiting around for morning to come just so they could be the first to see if Minho and Thomas had made it back. Three hours in and most of them were already sound asleep. Most.

"Not yet," She tells him, her voice so delicate that Chuck almost thought he'd missed it ━━ not that he could catch what she usually said anyway, her accent was so thick he had to work his brain really hard to mash a sentence. "I'm not even tired."

"Liar." He says, giving a scoff.

Mae raised her eyebrow, "I'd rather not spend the night being attacked by you, Chuck. Maybe you should sit next to Dan and the others." She was teasing him, like she always did. But it didn't stop the boy from paling at the thought.

"No way!" He squeaked.

She pressed her index finger to her lips, "Then I suggest you shush."

The pair was roped up into silence once again. Mae felt her hands begin to shake, thinking about what could possibly be happening on the other side of the Walls. The possible thought of Minho or Alby dying send a rigid shiver up her spine, and for only a moment her mind drifted to Nick.

And the way he was torn apart.

"Mae," Chuck began again, "Mae?"

The blonde couldn't help but groan a little, turning to the boy with a tight-lipped smile. Mae was patient yes, but boy did Chuck know how to wear it thin, "Yes, Chuck?"

This time, the boy hadn't responded quickly. Instead, Mae had watched as he pulled a small wooden carving from his pocket. It was horribly bend, and a few pieces of wood needed to be sharpened down ━━ not to mention the awkwardly pointy part at the bottom that the young boy had accidentally punctured his fingers against.

It wasn't until it was pressed firmly against her palm did Mae realize that the carving was meant to resemble a flower.

"Made this for you," He tells her, his cheeks round and red at the idea, "Just thought it would make you feel better, I guess."

Mae didn't realize her eyes were starting to water until she felt the uncomfortable sting. For a second, Chuck thinks he'd somehow offended her, looking around at the sea of boys in hopes they didn't notice that he had made her cry.

"Sorry?—"

"I love it." She tells him firmly, closing her fingers around it and pressing the gift to her heart, "Thank you, Chuck. It's beautiful."

"Yeah, yeah!" He waved off with a proud smile, giving a shrug. Then, his eyes flashed with a question, and he quickly turned back at her. "Hey, why isn't Gally with you, anyhow?"

His eyes fleet right to where Gally was laying, his back turned away from them and his head resting against his arm as he tried to sleep. Gally, like always, was surrounded by his Builders ━━ which wouldn't be so odd if it wasn't for that fact that he'd usually be seen with Mae around this time.

"Isn't he your boyfriend or something?" Chuck continued, scrunching his face at the mere thought. "Yuck."

"He's not my boyfriend," Mae corrects softly, turning her head away from Gally. "It's against the rules for another Glader and I to be together, remember? Alby's enforced it now more than ever since Nick."

Chuck frowned at that, giving a shrug, "Guess so. Wouldn't want a whole buncha mini Gladers running around." He teased, making her face scrunch in discomfort. He quickly added. "Is that why you and Gally sneak around?"

Her eyes snapped to his, "W-Who told you that we sneak around? It's absolutely incorrect." She insisted.

"Zart said he saw you and Gally behind that tree yesterday," He says, pointing over to the tree.

The same tree that Gally had pushed her up against and made her whole mind fizz out and unable to form a single sentence. It still frustrated her that she folded so easily under his gaze. But how else could she react while being pinned between Gally's arms?

Mae's eyes fleet to Zart, glaring hard at the back of his head. Of course, her gardening partner was the biggest gossip there. Almost sensing the deadly gaze, Zart turned around, his face going slightly pale before instantly turning away to avoid her stare.

"We don't sneak around," Mae defends. "Gally and I are just friends."

"Who kiss," He adds on, scrunching his face again, "Yuck." He repeats.

"Does it matter?" Mae groaned.

"Depends, do ya like him?"

She doesn't respond for a long minute, fiddling with the flower in an efforts to distract herself. Of course she liked Gally, there wasn't a doubt in her mind about it. He made her feel safe, and comfortable. Every touch, every long glance made her heart flutter in a way she had never felt before ━━ or at least she didn't remember feeling.

"It's against the rules. ." She repeats softly, shaking her thoughts away. "You don't have to stay here," She changes the subject, "You should sleep."

"I want to be here when that idiot comes back," He tells her, and Mae instantly knew he was talking about Thomas, "Besides, I don't think you should be alone, neither."

Mae smiled, and bumped her shoulder against his. "Don't worry about me, Chuck, I'm fine," She insisted, her tone sobering.

"Yeah, okay." He scoffed lightly.

"I am." Her head turns back to the Walls, another small frown appearing as more doubts gathered, "I am."

She wasn't. Because pretending you're fine wasn't the same as actually being fine. And it didn't matter how many times she tried to convince herself otherwise. Her heart was aching for Minho and Alby ━━ and Thomas, of course. But her pain just didn't stop there.

She was hurting pain because Newt was hurting, as silly as it sounds it felt almost as if Mae could feel her friends sorrow. Her eyes land on the blonde boy far on her right, who was anxiously tapping away at the ground and his bloodshot eyes locked on the Doors.

Through all that teasing Mae knew that deep down Newt truly loved Minho ━━ whether he was quick to realize it or not. She couldn't imagine what it was like to lose someone you were in love with. Not to mention that Newt would have to step up once Alby was officially announced dead, being the second-in-command.

Losing Nick, Alby and Minho in the span of a month? It was the hardest they've sunken since losing George, and it only seemed to be getting worse for the group.

Suddenly, her thoughts drifted to Thomas. She pictured his curious face in her mind, remembering the way his eyes squinted in confusion or his amused smile whenever Chuck did something stupid. Her smile turned into a frown. Why did losing him hurt almost as much as the others?

He'd only been there for a day or so yet Mae still found herself mourning him, too.

"Are you going to cry?" Chuck asked suddenly, shifting in discomfort as he looked around. "Right here?"

Her glistening eyes narrowed, "No." She lies, clearing her throat.

Truthfully, Mae didn't think crying would do any good for anyone. With everything that's happened this last month, tears didn't release half the stress and worry.

"Thank you for staying with me," She says suddenly, giving him a soft smile. "I quite enjoy your company."

He shrugs it off, his round face going red at her words, "'Course." He hesitates for a moment, having an inner battle with himself before saying, "You know, Thomas gotta crush on you."

Mae freezes, "Uh, sorry?"

If this was Chuck's attempt of playing Wingman then he sure had bad timing. She wouldn't be surprised if Thomas was cursing him out in his head right now.

"Never stops asking questions about you," He continued proudly, glad he had information that no one else did. "Always looking at you, sometimes I gotta snap my fingers in his face just to get him to listen!"

Her face heated up at that, "I-I hadn't noticed," She muttered, and the conversation ended there.

Mae didn't remember falling asleep, but when she woke up Chuck's head was rested in her lap ━━ snoring so loud that she startled awake thinking she fell asleep in the pig pen again.

She yawned, stretching her limps until she heard a satisfying pop. Then, like a sudden wave, Mae was reminded of the events only a few hours ago. The doors would be opening any minute now.

"Chuck!" She shouts, patting the side of his face anxiously.

He swats her away, "Shush."

"Chuck, the doors!" She repeats, scrambling to her feet and flattening down her dress. His head slams against the ground as Mae kicked and prodded at the others. "Everyone! Get up! The doors are going to open any moment!"

One by one the Gladers began to stir, more than half of them muttering insults to Mae for her abrupt awakening. And just as Chuck finally regained his energy, the Doors began to pull apart just like they had every morning at the exact time.

Mae felt the presence of Newt beside her, and her hand instantly grabs his in a comforting manner. He tried his best to give her a optimistic smile, but failed miserably.

When the Doors had finally opened all the way, Mae felt her heart sink when Minho, Alby and Thomas weren't on the other side. Her eyes began to glisten with tears, and she felt Newt squeeze her hand to try and compose himself.

"I told you," Newt tells the pair. Mae and Chuck had been the only ones so sure that they'd return, "They're not coming back."

Slowly, the boys began to breakaway from the Doors and back to their morning routine, but Mae and Chuck had stayed planted at the door.

"Newt. . ." Mae began, ready to comfort him.

"Just—," He closed his eyes to compose himself, "Just let it go, Mae, I've got a lot to do."

     "Newt!" She calls him again, grabbing his hand. The boy yanks his hand out of hers and turns to face her with a heated glare, one that made her shrunk back.

     "Shuck it!" He snapped, "Save the optimistic speech for someone else you rope into your loony madness, all right?"

     Mae flinched slightly, and cowered away at his loud tone, "Loony?" She repeats painfully, making him falter instantly. "I. .I just wanted to help, that's all." She defended weakly, her eyes watering as she rubbed at her arm in discomfort, "M'sorry."

     Newt sighed, rubbing his temple. He was ready to apologize, reassure her that he didn't think she was actually loony ━━ even if most of the others did. He was just overwhelmed, he was scared and lashed out that's all.

Zart turned back around for just a moment, ready to talk to her about the Garden, "Mae, we have to start with the. . ." He trailed, his eyes landing behind her, "No way."

Mae turned around, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes as she stumbled over her feet, a big watery smile began to stretch across her face when she saw exactly what Zart was looking at. Walking toward the Glade was Minho, Alby and Thomas, both boys dragging in their leader that everyone was sure was dead.

"Yeah!" Chuck cheers, pumping his fist in the air. "Woo-hoo!"

Clint and Jeff quickly take Alby from their grasp, slowly placing him on the ground as the other Gladers croweded around, asking all sort of questions. Mae watched nervously as Clint pressed his ear against Alby's chest.

"He's breathing all right," He confirms. Mae let out a relieved sigh.

"You saw a Griever?" Chuck asked, making the rest grow silent. They all turned to Minho and Thomas anxiously, wanting to hear every last detail.

Mae's eyes were burning into Thomas' face, mostly out of shock and awe at what the boy had accomplished just a day into the Glade. Thomas must have sensed her gaze, and looked away from Alby to search the crowd.

Even through a sea of people, Thomas had instant found her. Mae didn't understand why his shoulders sagged in relief at the sight of her ━━ unknown to her that Thomas had been worried about her since he ran into the Maze.

Why? He didn't know. But the thought of him seeing her again seemed to be one of the main reasons he fought so hard to come back.

"Yeah, I saw one." He tells them, his eyes still never leaving hers. Thomas hated the stares and attention that came his way, just wanting to be up in that tree with Mae once again.

"He didn't just see it, he killed it." Minho corrected breathlessly.

The others instantly began asking more questions, overlapping each other for more information. Newt's voice broke through the chaos and called a Gathering. The Gladers were quick to rush to Homestead while Clint and Jeff dragged Alby to the Med.

Then, it was just Newt, Minho, Thomas and Mae.

"Look, Newt, I—"

Before Thomas could even begin to explain his reasoning for breaking the number one rule, Newt had breezed past him and pulled Minho into a tight hug. Mae's eyes began to water in relief, watching as Minho happily wrapped his arms around his back with teary eyes.

Then, Newt pulled back and kissed Minho, causing Thomas to reel back in surprise.

"Finally," Mae grinned.

Before Minho could properly react, Newt had punched him hard in the shoulder, "You could've bloody well've been dead! Slinthead!" His accent was so thick that Minho didn't bother to try and navigate it, "Grievers didn't kill you but I will."

"Missed you too," Minho says, rubbing his shoulder. "At least I brought back Admiral Alby, you're welcome. Where's my parade, huh?"

Mae was done being patient, and threw her arms around Minho too, squeezing him tightly and making him groan out, "I'm so glad you're okay," She muttered.

Minho's shoulders sagged in relief, the thought of never seeing her again made him so restless in the Maze, "Who knew almost dying would show how much you guys like me."

Newt quickly turned to her, guilt filling his eyes, "Mae, I'm really—"

"Don't worry about it," She cuts off, accepting his apology with a simple smile, "It's okay." His shoulders sagged in relief.

Thomas had been awkwardly standing beside the three, keeping his mouth shut for the sake of not getting hit by Newt, too. Mae turned to him, and before he could register it she had pulled him into a soft hug.

     He takes a sharp breath, wondering if she could feel his heart practically ripping out of his ribcage. His arms slowly dragged up her back and wrapped around her, his head dropping into the crook of her neck. He was comfortable there, like he had hugged her thousands of times before.

Thomas felt like he was there for hours, yet the second she pulled away it still didn't seem enough. He already missed the smell of her hibiscus and honey, that somehow made him feel calmer.

"Thank you," Mae tells him, a grateful smile on her face. Her hand drops from Thomas' arm, "You brought them back, you survived the whole night. That was very brave of you."

"You did too," He reminded. Her face falls and he instantly regretted mentioning it, like Chuck had told him thousands of times not to do. "I-I just, I mean—" He stops to compose himself, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, "You should give yourself more credit, considering you were the first."

Mae gave a dismissive shrug, "Sure, but I didn't kill a Griever."

"True," He agrees teasingly, and the second she grinned Thomas felt somehow accomplished to be the one to make her do it.

"Hey, shanks!" Minho bellowed.

It was then that Mae and Thomas had realized they were the only ones in the area, and both Minho and Newt were already halfway to Homestead.

"Stop your macking and let's go!"

"Says the one who was just macking," Mae grumbled, walking toward the leaning building.

Thomas shook his head, "I didn't see it coming."

She gave a loud ha! and had to stop herself from leaning over with a laugh. "Then you're oblivious." Then, she grabbed his hand and pulled him forward, "Come on!"

The boy smiled, stumbling to catch up.

━━

     IT SEEMED AS THOUGH the second Mae and Thomas stepped into the Council Room, the joyous mood had left quicker than it came. Thomas almost whined when Mae released his hand and made a quick dash to where Zart was standing.

     He had to remind himself that if anyone else had seen her hand in his, they'd report the interaction to Newt or even worse for him, Gally. Then he'd be in even more trouble ━━ he didn't have to know the title of Mae and Gally's relationship to know that he should steer clear of her when the Builder was around.

     "Things are changing. ."

Mae turns her head to Gally, who began to circle around the middle to address the Gladers in the room. She gave him an encouraging smile when his eyes landed on hers, and Mae could've sworn he saw his lips twitch upward. Maybe it was an attempt of being comforting, but she couldn't tell.

"There's no denying that," He continued. "First, Ben gets stung in broad daylight. And then Alby. And now our Greenie here," He turns sharply at Thomas, glaring. "Has taken it upon himself to go into the Maze. Which is a clear violation of our rules here."

"Yeah. ." Frypan speaks up, agreeing with his friend, "But he saved Alby's life."

Gally gives him a look, "Did he?"

"Yes, he did." Mae spoke, her eyes widening when she realized that she did. All eyes land on her in surprise, not just because she was speaking but because she was speaking against Gally. Mae clears her throat, shrinking back. "Well, he did."

"For three years, we have coexisted with these things. And now, you've killed one of them," Gally says. Thomas  narrows his eyes back, keeping his mouth shut. "Who knows what that could mean for us?"

     Newt frowns, "Well, what do you suggest we do?"

     "He has to be punished."

     This caused an uproar amongst the Gladers, some defending and others agreeing with what Gally had to say. Mae smiled a little when she noticed Thomas roll his eyes.

     Newt looks past the crowd to Minho, who was leaning against a wall beside Winston. He hasn't said a word since the Gathering was called. "Minho? You were there with him. What do you think?"

     Minho sighed, "I think. .in all the time we've been here no one has ever killed a Griever before. When I turned tail and ran, this dumb shank," He motioned to Thomas, "Stood behind to help Alby. Look, I don't know if he's brave or stupid, but whatever it is, we need more of it."

     The next thing that came out of Minho's mouth had been so surprising that even Mae thought she misunderstood him.

     "I say we make him a Runner."

     More than half the group disagreed with Minho, overlapping their opinions and causing another loud scene. Newt actually looked amused. Chuck began to chant his friends name, but was quickly drowned out by the others.

     Thomas' shocked eyes found Mae, "You heard that?" He mouthed to her.

     Mae gave two thumbs up, "Yay!" She mouthed back, giving familiar teeth-baring smile.

     "If you wanna throw the newbie a parade, that's fine! Go ahead!" Gally snapped, "But if there is one thing that I know about the Maze, it's that you do not—"

     His words were cut off by the sound of a blaring alarm. The same alarm that sounded whenever a Newbie was scheduled to come up from the Box. Mae frowned ━━ that's impossible, Thomas had only arrived yesterday.

     Mae slide off of her chair and made her way out of Homestead like the rest, her feet anxiously dragging her toward the Box.

     "The Box, it's coming back up!" Chuck states the obvious, looking to Thomas with a confused frown.

     Minho pushed past him, "It shouldn't be." He grabbed onto Mae's hand, and together they pushed their way through the crowd. "Stay close," He tells her.

     Mae found herself leaning over the Box, waiting impatiently as it lifted higher and higher. She didn't know if she should be worried that no other sounds followed, or horrified for that same reason. A new Greenie was sure to be screaming their heads off right now.

     "What's going on?" Thomas asked her.

     "Your guess is as good as mine," She shrugged softly, "Lots of crazy things have been happening since you showed up." She teased.

     "Ha, ha." He responds back.

Gally and Newt had gotten to the Box first, and with a quick nervous glance shared they pried the metal doors opened. Newt had jumped inside quickly, and the others had crowded around in hopes to get a decent look.

"Newt, what do you see?" Jeff asked.

"Holy. . ." He breathed, looking at no one in particular ━━ well, his eyes were mostly on Mae as he gave the report, "It's a girl."

Mae gasped so loud that the other boys reeled back thinking she was about to seize. Then, she gave an excited squeal, grabbing the bottom of her dress before hopping down into the Box, despite both Minho and Gally telling her not to.

"Oh, my Dot." She says, looking to Newt with an bright smile, "It's a girl, an actual girl," Mae stared intensely at the girl's features before giving a firm nod, "We're going to be best friends." She vowed.

"That's not the half of it," He tells them, giving Mae a soft shake of the head, "I think she's dead."

Mae frowned, instantly pressing her ear against the girl's chest. "Is not!" She seethed, "I refuse to believe the only other girl in the Glade is a corpse."

     Noticing something clasped between the girl's hand, Mae leaned over to reach for it. Muttering an apology to the comatose female, she tried her best to pry the note from her hands.

"What's that?" Gally called down.

     "It's a note," Mae reports, unfolding the paper. "It's says. . ." A chill ran up her spine, "She's the last one ever."

     Newt shifted, "What the hell does that mean?" He asked her.

     She couldn't help but deadpan a little, "I don't know, Newt, maybe it means she's the last one ever."

     The girl gasps out, sitting up a little. Her burning blue eyes darted back and forth as she took deep shuttering breathes. The Gladers jump back at the sight of her moving, and although she seemed harmless Mae had froze up.

     Her eyes. She thought, Where have I seen those eyes?

     Before anyone could say a thing, the girl had spoken up, her voice hollow and haunted but very clear. She had looked at only one person in particular, and Mae found herself unable to deny that something was terribly wrong when she said.

     "Thomas."

Everyone's attention turned straight to the boy ━━ ignoring the fact that the girl had slumped back into unconscious. Mae had never heard the Glade so silent, all while Thomas shrunk away wishing he could disappear.

"This. .this is bad," Mae grimaced.

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