Newt

The Glade's sun was merciless. Lee was standing at the gate when she heard his footsteps. Newt came closer, and she smelled the familiar scent of wood and sweat.

"I have something to say," he began, a steely edge to his voice. "I've been waiting for the right moment, but I've realized there aren't any in the Glade."

He turned her face towards him, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"I love you, Leah. Not as a friend or a comrade. I fucking love you."

The world turned upside down. An icy terror spread inside her. What would the boys say? Gally would gloat, Elbie would look at her suspiciously. And if they didn't succeed, she would lose the only person who understood her without words.

“What?” she choked out. “No. You’re talking nonsense.”

• I'm serious.

"This is stupid! We're surviving, not wasting our time!"

She pulled away when he grabbed her arm. Panic flooded her mind. She needed to say something that would push him away.

"You've got it all mixed up! It's prisoner syndrome! You're not my type. Too proper. And you're a temp. I need Minho, not you and your melancholy!"

She saw the light in his eyes fade, replaced by an icy mask. He let her go.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “I need to check the cards.”

She ran. Not toward the cards. She ran toward the labyrinth, stopping at the wall. She'd talked crap to him, so he'd hate her, so he'd stop looking at her the way he'd looked at her a minute ago. She'd been afraid of ruining their friendship, but now she realized—she'd ruined everything.

Li slid down the wall, hiding her face in her hands. Tears burned her cheeks. All she could hear was the pounding of her own heart, torn apart by pain and fear. She thought she was protecting him, but in reality, she was breaking herself.