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Zelia is now officially 6 months at the Glade. They are just waiting to see who the Creators will send today. No one expects who will come to them. Unless Creators are really evil, they will send children below 13 years old.

After Gally confessed his feelings to her, there was no awkwardness between the two of them. It seems they have become even closer. They can't be separated anymore so they tease the two even more. Zelia didn't pay attention to it because she knew in herself that he was really just friends with the man.

The girl was right here in the Armory while she was fixing something. Almost everyone was still eating lunch so she busy herself while waiting to some Gladers finished their food. She just finished eating her lunch and went here to avoid the noise from the Gladers at the kitchen.

"Hey, Zel." The girl looked up at who called her and smiled when she saw Maggie.

This girl is tough like her. Even though she had only been here for a few months, she noticed that there was still hope in her eyes that they would be able to get out of the Glade. There's one time when Maggie told her about the person she likes. The way she's telling a story, there's a hint in her voice that she's happy.

"Hey, Maggs, what's up?" Zelia asked and stopped getting ready to face her friend.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you since I have something to tell you. I feel like you'll be happy too." The girl frowned, curious as to what she would say.

"You're not disturbing me since none of the Gladers have returned yet so I can't still continue what I'm going to do." Zelia said and Maggie seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She gave the girl a smile before she spoke.

"Do you remember the day that I told you who I like?" Zelia nodded while still frowning.

"And? What about it?"

"Well, it turns out the feelings are mutual."

Zelia was loading on what Maggie said so she reacted a little late. The girl frowned at her and was immediately replaced by a smile and joy for her friend.

"Wait what? How? I mean, when did you confess to Winston? What did you tell him?" She didn't expect the question to come out of her mouth one after the other. Zelia felt Maggie's hand holding her, who was now smiling.

"Slow down, Ms. Keeper. Calm yourself, first and I'll tell you everything." The girl took a deep breath and waited for what her friend would say next. She was just so carried away by her feelings that she almost couldn't be wait to know about how it happened.

"Actually, I just confessed to him this morning, before our breakfast. I would have liked you to be the first to know, but Gally always precedes me by saying that you two should eat breakfast and lunch together. I really won't judge you if you ever have feelings for him. The Keeper of the Builders is not that bad, though."

Zelia rolled her eyes at what Maggie said. "Like I said, we're just friends. He didn't really expect anything else, and he himself said that it's okay for us to just be friends."

"Or maybe it's because you just don't want to admit that you really like someone." Zelia looked at Maggie with a mixture of surprise.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing. I'll continue with my story." The girl just shrugged her shoulders and ignored what her friend said. "Anyway, I really didn't expect our feelings for each other to be mutual. I told him that since he was the first person I saw when I got here, there's something for me that I really want to know him that day. So when I found out that he was one of the Keepers, I did my best to be part of a Slicers, and I didn't disappoint myself."

"Based on what I observe and to your story, I can sense Winston is a sweet person, kind, who's willing to protect his friends no matter what. I can say, he's a perfect guy." Zelia saw how Maggie's smile grew.

"It's true the way you describe him. And he's a funny guy; not a day goes by that he doesn't tell me a joke. I feel like animals don't like us anymore when Winston and I start talking." They both laughed at what her friend said.

Zelia noticed that she was obviously happy with Winston every time she told her about what happened on the day they were together. Newt, Kendrix, and Ben have been teasing Maggie every time they eat together that Maggie and Winston are said to be the next lovebirds.

"I'm really happy for you that your feelings for each other are mutual. For sure, Winston will take good care of you. So I don't have to worry about him. And if he ever hurts you, I know you know who you call your friend," Zelia jokingly said on her last sentence, and Maggie just let out a chuckle before she nodded her head.

"You know, Wins told me something about you earlier. He also can't confess to me aside from the rejection he will receive from me; if you find out that he has feelings for me, he's scared for his life since he witnessed what happened when you arrive here."

"Please tell him I'll punch him if he doesn't take good care of you." The girl just laughed softly before giving her friend a tight hug. "I'm proud of you for choosing your happiness."

Maggie smiled because of what she heard. She was about to speak when they suddenly heard an alarm from the Box, a sign that what the Creators had sent had reached them.

Zelia is the one who pulled from the hug, and the two looked at each other before smiling, and they both went to where the Box was to see who came to them.

-----

It was late at night, and all the Gladers were outside to welcome the new arrival. Someone surrounds the bonfire, someone challenges a friendly fight, eats, and sits, just quietly watching.

The new Greenie is named Chuck, 12–13 years old, they think. Too young to be here; that's why they had a little trouble learning how to calm it down. He peed on his own clothes several times before they helped him explain everything. They can't blame him since it's normal to react like that. Poor kid; he really felt so scared. Doesn't remember anything when he woke up at the Box. He still doesn't deserve to be here in the Glade.

"What's that?" Chuck asked Zelia with the glass in her hand. They are now sitting on the grass while leaning against the trunks of the tree.

Since he started to calm down and Newt had explained what to do and what he should know, Zelia started to be close with Chuck. It feels like she found a new friend, or more like a little brother. She doesn't know why she has a strong feeling that she needs to protect this kid no matter what happens. Thankfully, Chuck let her in in his life and they just talked after Newt explained everything to him what they will do at the Glade.

"This? It's a Gally recipe. You won't like it though because it has a strong taste and smell. Full of bitterness." Chuck was still thinking about what Zelia said; it was obvious that he wouldn't like it, so he didn't force himself not to find out what flavour she was drinking.

"Is it true that you and Gally have a relationship?" Chuck suddenly asked Zelia, almost spitting out what she was drinking. She coughed a few times before looking at the person next to him.

"Where did you get that information?"

"Newt."

Suddenly, the aforementioned name came to Chuck's side, so the young lady rolled her eyes at him. He laughed at the reaction of his friend.

"What? The Gladers already know that he confesses his feelings to you; they're just waiting for you if you two would become the next lovebirds," said Newt. "Even though Gally has a tough personality, he's still a good guy. You're the only one who can stand his behaviour these past few weeks."

Zelia took a deep breath, and she looked where Gally was now wrestling with Aidan. She knows that Gally is strong, kind, and has a sweet side—he just doesn't show it—overall, he's a perfect guy.

"I know he's a good guy, but there's nothing I can do if I really only consider him as a friend. He told me himself that he respects my decision. So there's no problem with him if I can't return his feelings."

The three were enveloped in silence as they just looked somewhere, trying to decide whether to speak or not. Newt knows what he is doing; they just don't really know how to express their feelings to each other. He's trying his best to give them a hint.

When one of them hasn't made a move, maybe he himself will make a way for the two to just talk properly again. Gally talked to Newt the day before he confessed to Zelia. He told his feelings about her; that's why Newt is confused about why Gally is saying this to him, but he has a reason.

He's aware that he won't be able to reciprocate Zelia's feelings in the first place. First of all, he already knew that he could never replace someone who the girl was always waiting for to return to the Glade. He also knew that when he came back, he noticed that someone was always looking at him, more on glaring at him. He is not blind to not notice the feelings of the two for each other. Gally didn't pay attention and was just waiting for when he would make a move for the girl before he distanced himself from her.

"If nothing comes between you and Gally, then who is the person you like, Zelia?"

Newt and Zelia both looked at Chuck next to them when he spoke. The kid looked up at the girl who was looking at him. Before Newt could stop himself, he smirked.

"Hmm, good question. I wonder who she likes," the young man said as his grin grew. The girl seemed to have an idea why her friend said this.

"N-no! I mean...I don't have one. All of the guys here are a bunch of ugly klunkheads. There's no way I'm going to like anyone here." Unconsciously, Zelia's hand went to the necklace she was always wearing; it was still hidden in her shirt.

"Bunch of ugly klunkheads, I see. Come on, don't lie." Zelia rolled her eyes at Newt.

"I'm not lying."

"Yeah? What about-"

"What about Minho?" Newt didn't finish what he was going to say when Chuck suddenly spoke again, listening quietly and looking at the two of them. Zelia frowned at what he said.

"What about him?"

"Newt told me that he's a former Keeper. I don't know the whole story, but he got Banished because he planned something and he protected you." Zelia glared at Newt, who just shrugged and drained the contents of the glass he was holding.

"He's....um, he's just...a friend. Friend. Yeah, he's just a friend. Not very close, but I care for him as a friend." Zelia heard her friend laugh. He felt that the girl was going to punch him again, so he immediately stood up to tell them that he would get another drink and left.

"I mean, it's true that he protected me that time, and that's where our friendship started. So we're just friends too."

Zelia didn't even know what she was talking about. She didn't even know why she was explaining herself. Maybe it's because of what she drank; that's why she's bluffing right now. Chuck looks at her innocently, and she gives him an awkward smile. A very awkward smile since she didn't know if what she was saying made any sense.

Zelia noticed in her peripheral vision that someone entered where the Deadheads were. She looked at it to find out who it was, but it completely disappeared inside the Glade.

Why there's a part of me that I should follow that person?