Disclaimer: I am not James Dashner.

—Chapter 38—

Tara

She ran like the wind that day. Minho was silently snickering the whole time, she had to stop once to ask him what he thought was so funny, that sobered him up just right. She had the perfect night's sleep, and it had been a long time since she had slept properly. Even slept at all.

It wasn't a surprise when Newt was standing in front of the doors when she ran out. Her dry lips broke into a smile when she caught sight of him.

But his smile was wider.

She ran into his arms as he wrapped them around her, kissing her neck. Luckily, she had her priorities sorted.

"Stop, I need to draw the map," she pulled back.

At least his smile didn't waver, he knew she loved him.

"Yeah, go, I'll be waiting at the Kitchens," he let go of her.

Just before she turned around and started jogging towards the Map Room, he called her, "Tara,"

"Yeah," she spun to look at him.

"I love you,"

Her heart stopped in her chest, she knew he loved her, but hearing the words from his lips, it hit her like a wave. Newt's smile was gone, he was biting his lip, his eyes solemn and thoughtful.

"Me too Newt, me too," she started walking towards the Map Room.

"Nice lines Tara," Minho commented.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

After neatly arranging the maps, Tara rushed out towards the Kitchens, Newt's blonde hair visible in the distance. He was sitting alone at a table, with his back to her.

"I'm hungry," she groaned a she slumped next to him.

"I brought you some casseroles," he put one arm around Tara.

"Thank God, I was starving," she said before biting into one of the casseroles.

"Hello, you two seem to be getting along just fine," Minho grinned.

Newt opened his mouth to speak but Tara cut in, "Shut up Minho," she snapped.

"Fine, I see you don't want me to intrude, fine, I'll just be third wheeling around you guys," he pretended to wipe a non-existing tear from his cheek.

"This is the part where I say, 'I told you to shut your shuck mouth!'" Tara did an impression of Alby, and the three burst into laughter.

Just like old times, except, better.

"I'll catch up with you guys later, I gotta read," she said.

Her soul yearned to finish the book. It was, wait for it, AWESOME.

She was engrossed in the book when someone knocked on her door.

"Come in,"

"Hey," Newt said.

"Hallo!" Minho called.

She stuck her nose up from the book and made a serious face.

"Honestly, can't you two read," she said in a Hermione-accent, she had covered her book with paper and written on the top;' Warning! Do not interrupt while reading, serious injury or death may result.'

"Dude, I'm gonna run for it," Minho slapped Newt's shoulder.

Newt gave Minho that adorable judgemental look and turned to Tara.

"Serious injury or death?" he spread his arms.

"Hmm," Tara put her book down. "I think I'll go with serious injury this time."

And she launched herself towards him, obviously he hadn't been expecting it.

"Sometimes you forget how serious I can get," she smirked.

Newt was too busy laughing on the ground, it was utterly un-second-in-command like, but hey, who was she to judge. Oh yeah, Newt's girlfriend. Skipped that part.

"As usual, I am the epitome of all things awesome, therefore, I didn't forget," Minho raised a cocky eyebrow at Tara and flashed a wicked grin her way.

"I didn't know you knew the meaning of the word, 'epitome' let alone could use it in a sentence," Tara raised both her eyebrows, arms crossed.

At that, Minho gave a dramatic heave and raised his hand to his chest.

"Such an insulting statement has never been said to me in my relatively short life," he gasped.

"Well, stick with me and it won't be the last," Tara's eyebrows rose a fraction higher.

"Minho, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were flirting with Tara," Newt heaved between guffaws.

"What an excellent deduction Newt," Minho responded drily.

"Seriously Newt," the girl rolled her eyes.

"Calm down, I was just joking."

"Your prodigious sense of humour awes me," Tara scoffed.

"And this is why we're the ones who joke, and not you," Minho's smirk had returned to his face.

The three of them threw their heads back in laughter just like old times. Just the three of them. Happy. Okay, not really, they weren't entirely 'happily ever after' or whatever, but for the moment, all was well.

Yeah right, all was well. Like the last line of the Harry Potter book series. Tara thought.

"Minho, have you been reading my books?" she narrowed her eyes, Minho had been using intricate wordplay the past few days, not to mention the book that was missing from her box.

"Me?" he pointed to himself, "Reading? Ah, sweetheart, you have underestimated my book-hating ability," he ran his hand through his hair.

"Aha! You're fidgeting, I can't believe it Minho! You're reading!" Tara squealed and started jumping up and down like a child.

"No I'm not," Minho stuttered, "and what the heck are you doing?"

"Uh, duh, I'm fangirling, but that doesn't matter, you're reading!" she repeated.

"Fine, whatever, yeah I read one of your books, it's-" but Minho didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Tara squealed again and hugged him tightly.

All the while Newt laughed unmindfully.

"Great friends, you two," he muttered under his breath.

"Oh shut up, come on, we're talking about this all night." Tara grinned.

"Shuck it, what have I gotten myself into," Minho pinched the bridge of his nose.

"So. . . who's your favourite character?" the girl had pulled him onto the bed and sat beside him, while Newt watched their conversation intently.

Before he could stop himself, Minho blurted out, "Magnus," then realising his outburst, he dug his head into his hands, "shuck my life."

—Author's Notes—

I beg your forgiveness.

No, legit, I'm super sorry I haven't been updating for such a long time. I was very busy due to our Term Finals at school, thankfully I got straight A's and I'm happy. But I'm sorry I couldn't make you guys happy.

I started reading The Medoran Chronicles, and trust me when I say this, my sanity has been pushed over the edge. The state of my psychology is no longer stable. At least I can write though. It's been a long week for me, and I hope a few of your reviews can cheer me up. Because I'm in a worse state than Katniss Everdeen was when Peeta was taken by the Capitol. Also, my ability to speak multiple languages isn't helping, I burst into Latin sometimes. Jeez, my life.

Okay, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I really can't say when I'll be updating next, but, you know what they say, take what you get.

And bye.