"You'll be okay." He assured me, ripping bandages open. "Just don't close your eyes."

"I won't..." But they were getting heavy. I wanted to sleep. Sleep sounded so good.

"Valerie." Gally shook his head. "Stay awake. Okay? I need you to stay awake."

"Since when did you... become a... doctor?" I breathed. A very small smile pressed on his lips, but he didn't reply. "Why did you leave?" I murmured.

Again, he didn't reply. He focused on the side of my head, touching it with a cotton pad, causing me to wince in pain.

"Gally." I said. "Why did you... leave?"

"I was looking for you." He replied blankly before pressing a band-aid on my skin. "Hang on."

"My side." I whispered, too weak to communicate well. "I... it hurts."

"Val, I'm gonna cut your shirt open a bit, okay? I'm sure Clint will arrive soon. Can you trust me?"

I nodded weakly. "I trust you."

He seemed to struggle controlling how panicked he looked. With almost shaking hands, he cut open my shirt.

"Okay." He took a deep breath. "It's not that bad. Just a small cut."

Another figure entered the hut. Clint. "Gally! What happened?"

They started discussing. I didn't catch up what happened exactly. Flashes of Peter's grinning face and Dave's twinkling eyes appeared. They planned it. Of course it was planned!

What did I ever misdo them that made them do this?

Why didn't Newt help? Didn't Minho see? Was Ben too busy laughing with Frypan? Didn't Alby care about his Gladers?

They don't care about you, Valerie! No one cares about you. That's what they said. Was I supposed to start believing?

But no, Gally was here now. It would be okay. I just had to close my eyes and...

"Valerie!" Clint put a cold cloth on my forehead. "Stay awake."

Jeff seemed to be working on my side, almost my hip, which I still wondered what happened with. It stung so badly.

"You'll be okay." Gally sat next to me, reaching out for my hand and squeezing it. "We're almost done."

~

Everything hurt.

It took a million tries to open my heavy eyelids. They squinted against the light of the sun shining through the Med Hut's window.

"Val." A surprised voice from my side. Gally's voice.

His voice sent waves of comfort over me. My tense, painful chest turned softer now. It rose and dropped in a steady way.

"Hey." Was the only—quite dumb—thing I managed to force out.

"Hey." A soft smile. "How do you feel?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"If you mean physically or emotionally."

He snickered. "We'll start with physically."

"That's what she said."

His face fell. Muttering 'unbelievable', he shook his head before laughing out loud. "At least you're still... Valerie."

"I hope." I smiled poorly, trying to sit up carefully. He immediately reached out to put my pillow against the wall, gently taking my arms to help me. "Thank you."

He nodded. There were a few seconds of silence. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Val."

I watched his desperate face for a while. "For what?" My voice cracked.

"For leaving."

"Gally, no. I-."

"I saw you watching that fight. I... when I was done, you disappeared." He looked down, talking in a low tone.

"I moved to take a closer look."

"And I didn't see you. So I went to look for you. Thought that maybe you went to that lake again. On my way, Newt, Ben, and Minho interfered. Ben was just teasing around a bit, but Minho and Newt were also asking where you were."

I didn't know what to say. My words got stuck in my throat. Gally looked as if he was in despair.

"And when I came back, I found you getting beaten up by Peter. At first, I thought it might've been just a wrestle thing. But then I saw tears streaming down your face. Peter didn't even look like himself, either. And there was blood. So much blood. I... I saw a knife in his hands, where he had just cut you with. In your side."

I swallowed hard and deep, choosing my next words carefully. "There was something in the drink Dave handed me. It tasted weird. Something was in it... some kind of drug."

His face twitched.

"Oh." Panic came fast. "I didn't meant to- I- I'm not blaming you. I-."

"I know." Gally replied fast. "I know. A few people have been accusing me. Said it was my fault."

"That what was your fault?"

"That nearly the whole Glade got drugged." He muttered. "Lots of guys were vomiting this morning. Even Peter. So whatever he drank and the amount... was the cause of what he did, I hope. He better not be that cruel."

The whole Glade got drugged. My breathing hitched again. "Dave said I would feel better going into that fight if I drank the thing."

His face didn't show much emotion, but he spoke softly, "Do you think he might've put something in the drinks?"

"No- well, I don't know. I... really, I don't know." I stammered, suddenly overwhelmed. So much had happened. And how long was I unconscious for? What did I miss?

"Hey." He lay a reassuring hand on my arm. "It's okay."

I nodded in appreciation. "Where am I hurt?"

"A small cut on your side, not to deep. Your stomach is pretty bruised and a few bruises on your face. Nothing's broken." He explained. "Jeff said you had to say it if you felt dizzy or nauseous."

"Okay." I nodded again. "I think we need to sort out what happened and who drugged the drinks. It's not normal."

"Play officers?"

"Exactly." I couldn't help but to grin slightly. "As a Third-in-command, I suppose I have to do something."

He grinned too. "You know, one benefit, you missed that day in the Slammer. Maybe you'll get it later, though."

I laughed. "Maybe."

He smiled while leaning back against his chair, his eyes trailing over my body for a second. I felt my cheeks turn pink as butterflies formed everywhere.

That boy in front of me, or man, was definitely Lana Del Rey coded.

Feels like the song Art Deco.

"What're you smiling at?" He raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Nothing." I blushed even deeper. Slowly, I moved to get out of the bed.

"Oh, we're standing now?" He was surprised, immediately alert.

"Trying." I corrected. "So are you gonna stare or help?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." He scoffed and scooped an arm under my shoulders. If it was possible, my cheeks turned even darker. "You should really not forget your sunscreen, Ginger. I can see you getting sunburn right here and now." He smirked, obviously joking.

"Gingers get sunburned very fast." I confirmed, nodding heavily.

He lifted his head. "In three seconds?"

"Yep."

"Aha. Explains your red cheeks."

I hummed and attempted to walk, which worked. And quite easy, too. "I can walk."

"That looks like it, yes." He removed his arm. "Wanna go outside?"

"Gladly."

Without warning me, he took my hand. Sparks of electricity hit me. My sunburn got worse, suddenly. But I didn't let go and intertwined our fingers.

That's what they all say, Val. I bet that in two months, maybe even less, you're in love with Gally.

And then I realized,

Newt was right.