𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦, thomas (tmr)

Chapter Fifteen

The buzz in the air at this bonfire was particularly strong. Considering the small disagreement with Gally and the Greenie earlier, many people were looking forwards to the fight inevitably going to happen later on. Clara couldn't deny wanting to see the newbie in action.

She had had a few overconfident swigs of Gally's alcohol and was feeling her head grow more giddy by the second. She had fairly good alcohol tolerance: it tended to affect her at first, and then it would wear away after a mere twenty minutes.  

After failing to convince Gally to fight her in the ring, she had moved on to where Minho sat with the Runners, attempting to entertain the straight faced boy. He was in one of his dull moods; where he'd had a bad day in the Maze and just wasn't in the right mood to mess around like usual at the bonfire.

Minho wasn't responding to her stupid jokes - although she did feel validated by Ben's snickers - and so she began to pout and turn away to look around the rest of the bonfire. Somehow, she couldn't see Newt and Thomas at the outskirts, looking over at her and the Runners.

She was completely oblivious to Thomas' questions to Newt about her and to his obvious fascination with her; which was of course reciprocated. She was made aware of him being there only a few minutes later, taking the opportunity to escape Minho's irritancy to actually go and have some fun.

"Tell my friend here what bacon tastes like."

Newt's voice rang out over the other sounds of the bonfire, and Clara's head eagerly turned to see him standing with the Greenie in front of Frypan's little food station he had set up. Ears perking at the mention of bacon, the girl hauled herself to her feet and strolled over casually, stopping besides the newbie.

"Lemme have some as well, Fry." She asked sweetly, smiling at the Cook.

Thomas eyes fell on her, and he shifted in his spot, quite aware of her presence close beside him. She still just watched Fry, cracking a smile of delight when he passed her a small piece that she ate graciously.

"I'll tell you what, Greenie," She finally turned to the boy, studying his pretty face carefully. "This is good bacon."

He watched her in silent awe and she took the opportunity to wink cheekily as he ate his own piece of it. Newt dragged Thomas on to continue showing him around the bonfire, and Clara stared after them both for a moment, before involving Frypan in a conversation on how he had to teach her to make good bacon.

"If you come in the kitchen sometime soon, I could show you how t-"

"-What do you say Greenie? Up for seeing what you're made of?"

Frypan and Clara both looked away across the bonfire to where they could hear Gally loudly taunting the newbie. It was all part of his plan to get him to remember his name, but Clara could tell he was also enjoying annoying the boy.

"Fight?" Frypan questioned, pointing over to the fighting ring with clear excitement.

"Fight." Clara agreed, and within a second, they had both made off towards it.

The chants for the Greenie had begun just as Clara and Frypan assimilated into the crowds. Thomas' eyes were searching the crowds for some sign of escape, but he found nothing, and so he took a step forwards; a sign of accepting Gally's invitation to fight.

The Gladers all closed in around the pair, watching as Gally rolled back his sleeves and explained the rules of the fight. Thomas didn't really looked bothered by Gally's cocky words, merely just nodding when asked if he was ready.

"Go easy on the Greenie, Gally!" Frypan yelled out, seemingly a little nervous at Thomas' blank stare.

But Gally chose to ignore this, shoving the Greenie roughly in the chest and sending him backwards into a line of boys stood behind him. These boys only pushed him back into the ring, letting Gally tip him over the edge and onto the ground where he seemed to be coughing up sand.