"I don't like him," Gally said. "They shouldn't have sent him up." He could say the same thing about Chris. He'd been let out of the Slammer and was as annoying as always. He wasn't talking about his hut-mate at the moment, however - he was talking about Tyn.

Elizabeth's face did that scrunchy-thing it always did when she was thinking or confused about something.

"I think he's sweet. I know he's not like you, Gals, but give him a chance. You might actually have something in common!"

Gally snorted. Something in common with that four-eyed, skinny, slinthead? No way.

"Of course you like him, Elizabeth. You like everyone," Gally said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes and sat on the edge of the well.

"Not true," Elizabeth said. So quick to defend herself. He raised an eyebrow when she crossed her arms.

"Chris doesn't count," he said.

"What do you mean? Of course he counts!"

"Yeah, but nobody likes Chris."

"I don't think-" Elizabeth started weakly.

He cut her off: "Trust me, Elizabeth. Nobody. After what that shank did to you, everybody's done a good job of actively avoiding him. He doesn't have any friends." Gally was telling her the truth. The Gladers often talked about how awful he was whenever Elizabeth wasn't around. They were all upset about what he'd almost done to her.

"That's...kind of sad," Elizabeth mumbled. Gally laughed at that.

"Between you and me, Elizabeth, I don't think he cares. He doesn't give a klunk about finding friends because in his mind he doesn't need any."

"Well it's not right," Elizabeth said with an air of stubbornness, "Everybody needs friends."

Gally snorted. She was so predictable. He ran a hand through his hair and looked around. There wasn't anyone else around at the moment. It was too early in the morning for that; the sun hadn't even started peeking from the trees, yet. He and Elizabeth were hanging out by the well, which they hadn't done for a long time. Usually he wasn't such an early riser, but for some reason he couldn't sleep with the thought of Chris snoring beside him. He didn't sleep well, and from the looks of Elizabeth, she hadn't either. There were slight bags under her eyes, and she carried herself in a way that reminded him of a slug. He didn't want to pry, but she wasn't normally awake at this hour, either.

He was glad to provide her with some company - Newt was most likely still sound asleep in his hut and wouldn't be waking up any time soon. Since he'd been a Runner, Gally had assumed that he was a morning person, but ever since switching to Track-hoe, he barely woke up in time for breakfast. From the looks of it, he'd never really been a morning person. Elizabeth liked the mornings and tended to head to bed earlier than some of the others, Newt included. Often Newt would come back to the fire-pit after walking Elizabeth to her hut and spending some time with her there. Presumably she was asleep when he did this.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Elizabeth asked him, jolting him from his thoughts.

Gally shrugged: "It's funny how you and Newt have so much in common and at the same time are so different. That's what I was thinking."

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose again, but she was smiling good-naturedly. "You were thinking about me and Newt? That is funny."

"Whatever," Gally mumbled. He distracted himself from embarrassment by pulling on the rope that led to the bucket down in the well. It had a good amount of water in it; some shank had forgotten to draw it out after letting it down.

"Aww, Gally, are you jealous?"

"Shut up, I'm not jealous."

"Oh, that's right, you like brunettes," she tossed her head to the side and her blonde hair fell over her shoulder. It was stick straight and hung a little past her chest. Gally remembered when it barely reached her chin and was all choppy and uneven. He pulled the bucket out of the well and set it on the ground before wiping his hands on his pants.

"That's right, I like brunettes," he said. He looked over at her and she looked uncertain and almost...nervous. He sighed and clenched his fists together to keep from pinning her down with a glare.

"Relax, I don't have a crush on you or anything," he said. She visibly relaxed. "I think I had a girlfriend before the Maze."

She blinked and he grinned. She hadn't been expecting him to say that, had she? "Yeah, every once-in-a-while I can see a girl with dark hair," he said. "I've had a couple dreams with her in it and it feels different than a dream..." why am I telling her all of this? "It feels like a memory."

"I remember things too," Elizabeth said. He smiled. That's why he was telling her all of this - she always took him seriously and never teased him when he was serious.

"Yeah, I guess we all do," he said. He looked away from her and was greeted with a cool breeze on his face. "Sometimes I can smell her perfume." He said this low enough so she wouldn't hear him, but she heard him anyway.

"Do you remember her name?"

"Nah," Gally said, and then turned away, signaling the end of the discussion. He didn't want to think about his life outside the Glade right now. It was too early, and it was stupid conversation topic, anyway. He was bored with talking, and starting to feel irritable.

Thankfully, Elizabeth took the hint and started rambling off about Running and guessing what breakfast would be and other, girly things like that. Gally half-listened, knowing that she wasn't really expecting him to respond, anyway. That's what he liked about Elizabeth: she was always able to open up to him and never judged him when he couldn't open up back.

---

Elizabeth was totally exhausted by the time the Runners went into the Maze. She thought she had said good morning to Newt, but she honestly didn't have any coherent thoughts after hanging out with Gally at the well, which was hours ago. Before she followed after Dalton into the Maze, Newt had kissed her and it was the only thing giving her energy. All she could think about now was the feel of his lips against hers and the warmth from his hand on her back and on her shoulder. Her lips quirked up when she also recalled the way Dalton, Minho, and P.F. just stood there watching their heated exchange with bemused expressions on their faces.

"You okay back there, Elizabeth?" Minho asked, slowing down to run beside her. She flashed him a grin.

"I'm a little winded, but I'll live," she said.

"Already? That must have been some kiss," Dalton added, wiggling an eyebrow. Elizabeth wiggled her eyebrow back.

"Oh, it was. I can still taste his tongue..." she sighed dreamily and pretended to swoon.

"OKAY! I did NOT need to know that!" P.F. said. He was a little ahead of her, but she could still hear him making fake retching noises.

"Damn," Dalton said. Minho didn't say anything, but he looked like he was somewhere between pleased and creeped out.

By midday Elizabeth wasn't sure she'd be able to keep going. She was ready to collapse and sleep right where she was, in the Maze or not. They stopped for lunch and she chewed her sandwich slowly. Dalton and P.F. talked among themselves, but Minho was also quiet. She smiled at him and he frowned.

"Did you not sleep last night or something?" he asked.

Elizabeth shrugged and swallowed her bite. "I had a few nightmares. Nothing too serious, but I was up before the sun was."

"We can take you back for the day," Minho said. Elizabeth shook her head.

"No, but I might go myself. I know the way back."

"That's not happening. At least take one of us with you."

"But then that person would have to find his way back to you alone? Relax, Minho. We haven't seen any Grievers in days. I'll be fine. I know the way back, and I have a Griever-sword. If anything happens it would be on me, not you, and I'm pretty sure you'd be able to find me, because I'll be screaming my head off if a Griever started attacking."

Minho looked uncertain, "Newt would kill me if anything happened to you," he said.

"Um, excuse me, but Newt doesn't own me. Tell him it was my decision, because it is, and then tell him how stubborn I was about it. I'm a big girl; I can make my own decisions."

"We can all go," Dalton said. He and P.F. were paying attention to her conversation with Minho, now. P.F. nodded in-between chomps.

"If that's what you really want," she huffed. As much as she was thankful for their concern, she was also a bit bristled by the way they practically suffocated her with their over-protective actions. Logically, it was safer for them to go in at least pairs whenever in the Maze, but she was tired and using her emotions to dictate her thoughts rather than logic. Why did they all have to be such stupid gentlemen all the time?

It was settled - after their brief stop, they started off again, this time in the direction of home. Not home, the Glade, Elizabeth reminded herself. But where was home, if not the Glade? That was where all her friends were. That was where her room was, where she slept and bathed and lived. That was where Newt and Gally and Zart and Frypan and Snow were. Where was home, if not in the place where everyone she loved was?

The Gladers were confused when the Runners came back early, but Elizabeth didn't stay for their questions. She made sure to say goodbye (and tried very hard to keep the anger out of her voice) and started walking to her hut. She passed Gally and the other builders working on a hut. Louis waved cheerfully at her, and she smiled back. She passed the gardens where Zart and Snow were on break and laughing together about something or other and Newt was stretched out on the grass taking a little snooze. Tyn was hanging back by himself a little ways from the others. He didn't look nervous from what she could tell, but he was watching them intently.

She changed her route and half-walked, half-stumbled over to him. Gads, she was tired. How was she even moving, right now? On brain power alone, no doubt.

"You okay, Greenie?" she asked as she walked up. Tyn jumped, but wasn't as visibly terified as he was on other days.

"O-oh, I'm fine," he said, sounding sheepish. "Are you done Running already?"

"Yeah, I need a nap," she answered. He nodded and looked away from her. She followed his gaze to Newt, who was sitting up and smiling at them. She blushed and pretended to look at the grass.

"You like him, don't you?" Tyn's voice was soft. Elizabeth started. She blinked at him, trying to find the right words. She forgot that he was new so might not have realized, though she'd assumed it had been obvious.

"Um...Tyn, Newt and I...we're sort of together."

"Together?" she was surprised to see Tyn's face fall. He looked at her behind those thick glasses, making her feel uncomfortable.

"I-I mean we haven't really made it official, I guess, but...yeah," she looked back at Newt and the fuzzy feeling returned to her face. "Yeah," she whispered. Tyn watched her.

"He's your boyfriend?"

Elizabeth didn't know how to respond. Technically he was her boyfriend, but they'd never called themselves "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" before. Obviously they were a couple, but for some reason "boyfriend" sounded too...immature or something. That was something kids in high school called their significant other, and neither Elizabeth nor Newt were in high school. Their relationship felt so much more real than that.

Still, it was better than calling themselves "lovers" or "sweethearts" so she went with it.

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that, or something?" she asked, wondering what the big deal was.

Tyn just shrugged and laughed. "Nothing is wrong with that. Newt is great. He's pretty hot."

"Oh, he is!" Elizabeth relaxed, and then jumped. "Wait a minute, what?" Of course she thought Newt was hot, but for Tyn to mention it...

"I said he's hot," Tyn said again. This time, he didn't look nervous at all. Instead, he seemed more relaxed than she'd ever seen him. "There, I said it. Now you know."

Now she knew? Now she knew...what, exactly? Elizabeth looked back at Newt, who was now with Zart and Snow. She went back and forth between Tyn and the Track-hoes, and suddenly it clicked.

"You - oh. Ohh!" She felt so stupid for not guessing it sooner. Embarrassed, too. Not for him, but for herself. It wasn't like her to be so non-observant. She didn't know what to think of it exactly - since he'd thrown it out there so bluntly - but it didn't change her opinion of Tyn at all. If anything, it gave him more substance.

"You don't have to worry, though. I don't like Newt or anything, I barely know him," Tyn went on. Elizabeth relaxed again, feeling much better about things now that everything had been cleared up. She felt like she could talk to Tyn more normally now that she knew he'd been attracted to her...boyfriend (and probably still was.) She wondered what he thought about Chris. Chris was repugnant in all ways except appearance.

"That makes a lot of sense, actually," she commented, "Newt has this way about him that sucks everyone in. I can't remember a time when I wasn't drawn to him."

"He is charming, for sure," Tyn answered.

"I know! I don't know how he does it!" she gushed, suddenly feeling excited. "And his eyes and that smile...everything about him is wonderful!"

As if he sensed she was talking about him, Newt, sought her face again. He was laughing about something either Zart or Snow had said, but when his eyes met hers he smiled for her, and for her only. She loved him. She loved him so much. Even exhausted, her feelings for Newt made her glow and light up like a sparkly sparkle.

"You're lucky," Tyn said. "He seems to really like you, too. I hope I get to have that, one day."

Something opened in Elizabeth's chest and bubbled to the surface in laughter. She loved being able to talk like this! She loved the feeling of sharing her thoughts about Newt with someone who understood. Tyn looked surprised at her sudden outburst, but he chuckled along with her. She wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug, but he was so tall she felt like an ant when he hugged her back.

"Thanks, Tyn," she said, and let him go. "I'm glad you told me. We should talk more sometime, but I really do need to take a nap. I feel like I'm going to pass out any minute!"

"Um, sure?" Tyn still looked confused, but he was happy when he let her go and his shoulders straightened. He wasn't so tense as before, and Elizabeth was glad to see him relax. With his glasses and a goofy grin she'd never seen on him before; his hair was a little curly at the ends, and his shirt was a bit too small on him. He was cute in his own, adorably nerdy way: with his glasses and a goofy grin she'd never seen on him before. His hair was a little curly at the ends and his shirt was a bit too small on him. When she waved goodbye and went to her hut, she closed her eyes and thanked whatever being had sent him into the Maze.

---

*Special Author's Note*

I know it's been slow-going, and I'm sorry for that, because it won't be getting faster any time soon. I have a new job at the airport and it is both mentally and physically exhausting so I don't always feel up to writing. "Like a sparkly sparkle" is actually a quote from the movie, Date Night. I thought it fit the situation. :)

Thank you so much for all the reads, follows, favorites, and comments! I'll work hard on getting the next chapter up sooner rather than later!