The New Horizon ~ A Maze Runner Story

- 45 -

May stepped past the door, watching as it silently slid closed behind her. "Thomas," she said breathlessly. Her speaking his name was something so delightfully chilling, "This is amazing. Everything is just .  . . wow!"
"Thanks. I'm not used to it myself." He watched her hands slide along the smooth walls, eyes inspecting the golden, mini chandelier that hung comfortably in the living room. "And it came fully furnished?"
He nodded, observing the way she studied the place. Her hazel eyes wide. "Yeah. Some of it is a little over-the-top for me, if I'm being honest."

"Well, it's definitely golden. Every inch of it. But I like it. I think it suits you."
"You do?"
They were in the kitchen now. She was inspecting the stovetop, marveling at the pristine setup. "Yeah, it's sophisticated like you, for one. It's clean, it's well-built, put together."
Thomas shook his head, chuckling as he did so. Internally appreciative for her indirect compliments. "Well, you'd be a diamond palace if you were a building. Totally outshining this place." He wasn't sure where that came from, or why he said it, realizing how childish that sounded, but May took it lightheartedly.

"Diamonds and gold. Both precious materials. I'll take it. City Sanctuary, on the other hand, now that's not-so-precious material," May replied. "I'm going to seriously envy this place once I get back there."
Her words stuck inside Thomas's head, spinning around and reverberating inside. Something squeezed him, clenched down on his gut, releasing nervous butterflies to flit around uncomfortably. May was looking out of the kitchen window, oblivious to Thomas's internal conflict. The City Sanctuary--did he really want her going back there? No. What he wanted, more fervently than he had ever wanted something, was for May to stay with him. But he felt stuck, unable to express himself, unable to ask her that simple question.

Would you want to stay here? It was simple, yet incredibly difficult to say. His heart throbbed with a deep yearn to ask her, but his mind was reluctant, frightened for what she might say; Thomas would be opening himself up to that rejection, that searing, pitiful rejection. But if he never asked, he knew the remorse would be more painful in the long run. He heard her say something, but it was muffled by his raging, inner conflict. It was now or never. He took a deep breath, feeling his clammy palms already slicked with sweat. "Uh, May?"
"Yeah?"

"This is . . . I wouldn't normally ask this, ever, but . . . well, I have a quest--I want to ask you something."
He could see the curiosity glimmering in her eyes and hear it even more clearly in her voice when she said, "Of course."
Thomas took a second, articulating his question while keeping his eyes off hers. "Would you want to stay here--live here? You know, instead of that hostel . . . There's enough room for two."
Silence took over. Thomas swallowed audibly, meeting her eyes. In that moment, he couldn't read them. He quickly added, "If not, I understand. Seriously, whatever you want. It's your choice."

"You mean that?" May asked, expression taken aback. He couldn't tell what that meant.
"Yes," he replied, nervousness welled inside his chest with each passing moment.
Her eyes became bashful, mixed with shyness and amazement. There was something so enticing about the way they lowered, the way she dipped her head, as if to question the inner workings of his mind, understanding his appreciation for her.
"I would like that," she finally said, "to stay here, with you."

***

Thomas and May decided to get some late dinner; he would go shopping for food later. The only restaurant that was open at eleven at night, beside the nightclubs and pubs, was a ramen eatery squeezed in between a gym and a sleep clinic. They were the only customers, failing terribly at pronouncing the Japanese words as they read off the menu. Thomas had never eaten ramen, but May assured him it was great. And when the delicate noodles bathed in hot, salty broth arrived, he was glad she'd recommended it.