𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦, thomas (tmr)

Chapter Thirty Eight

When Clara woke, her senses were overwhelmed by the bright light invading her eyesight. Blinking slowly, she adjusted to the sun, and found a blonde boy sat on the end of the couch she had been resting on.

Newt was shaking his head at her, but he couldn't push away the relieved smile that came to his lips. She grinned back sheepishly, sitting up so she could shake off her sleepiness.

"You shouldn't have left without us." He scolded, only half harshly. "What if a Crank found you?"

One did, she thought to herself, but it wouldn't help if she mentioned it. Finding herself now frowning, a feeling of guilt was settling into her bones, the adrenaline from what she had done spontaneously the night before having worn off.

"I know, I'm sorry." She cringed, raking her hand through her tangled hair and giving Newt a hopeless expression that she hoped he could understand.

"I was just impatient. Especially with Jorge..." She trailed off, voice getting quieter as she realised he was probably around to hear it.

It was then that she looked up, eyes searching in alarm, for everyone else she was missing. She relaxed upon spotting all of her friends. Even when she saw Teresa hanging over a sleeping Thomas, she could only feel comforted by the presence of them.

"Clara," Newt's tone caused her eyes to snap right back to him. "You've always led us more than anyone here. You didn't have to go alone, we would've followed you. We trust you."

She could see the upset in his eyes, and wished more than anything that she hadn't left without them. But she couldn't take back what she already did.

"I'm sorry Newt. I really am. I wasn't thinking straight and I-" She felt a lump form in her throat as she realised something. "I felt hopeless not looking for them. It was like when Nick got stuck in the Maze. Except this time, I knew there was something I could do to help. It was stupid of me."

She shrugged, eyes darting away as she forced away tears. Newt's gaze had softened, but the frown hadn't left his face. He knew that his friend always wanted to take care of them, but until then, he didn't realise just how out of control she felt when she didn't know if they were okay.

"Just don't leave us again, okay?" He said eventually.

Clara nodded, still not looking at him. Newt caught her off-guard then, tugging her into a half hug. One of his arms settled around her shoulders as the other remained by his side in a weak attempt to appear casual.

She threw her arms back around him, realising how long she had gone without any sort of embrace from her friend. She felt so relieved then, and Newt did too, as the reality of what their lives had become came rushing in and the hug acted as a shield around it all.

"Save some hugs for the rest of us."

Clara could hear Minho's playful pout in his voice. She pulled away from the blonde, Minho not even giving her a chance to breathe before sweeping her into a hug and pressing a sloppy affectionate kiss to her forehead.

She wiped her head, giving him a disgusted look as he smiled back at her proudly. He slung his arm casually around the blonde boy beside him.

"Don't you dare leave us again." He warned the girl, although his tone was more relieved than anything else.

She bit back a smile, looking about the room properly for the first time. Her other friends were sprawled across two more couches, with Thomas and Teresa taking up one for just the two of them. Brenda was eyeing them, whilst Aris and Frypan were watching in fear of what Jorge was doing.