Mask of Promises (MinhoxOC) Sequel to Just Smile

Chapter 46- Tommy gets kidnapped. Again.

"Can we talk in private for a second, Zia?" Minho asked me, looking sheepish. It had only been two days since he ignored me.

"Make it quick," I frowned. He gently grabbed my hand and led me off some distance away from the Gladers.

"Listen, I know what I did was wrong. I accidentally heard you telling Vera that you didn't know what to say about our relationship, and I was kinda hurt. And... I can't believe what I'm about to say, but I was... I was jealous. Of James," Minho blurted out. I bit back a smug smile.

"Alright, I forgive you," I replied and turned around to walk away. He caught me by the wrist and then sheepishly asked a question that made my moodiness fade. A question that threatened to make my heart burst.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

I grinned widely, a grin that wasn't forced. A genuine grin that shone through the masks of smiles, sarcasm, jokes, and promises.

"Of course."

Minho's look was so funny that I wanted to laugh. An expression of pure boyish joy formed itself on the Keeper, no, Leader's, face. He whooped and smiled very proudly about himself.

"HEY GUYS! GUESS WHAT?! ZIA IS MY GIRL! MY SHUCKIN' GIRLFRIEND!" he hollered.

"ABOUT BLOODY TIME!" Newt hollered back, laughing at the childishness.

"I called it!" Ren squealed. "I win the bet! Now you have to do the dare, Harper."

"You shucking bet on us?" I asked, bemused.

"My girlfriend," Minho murmured. I patted his shoulder.

"Yes, yes," I grinned.

"Guys?" Thomas called. "Hate to burst your bubbles but we got trouble."

"Well damn," I rolled my eyes.

We were walking, nearing the bottom of the mountains when it happened. Minho made everyone halt, making me go past the sweaty bodies of the Gladers to see what was happening up front. I stood next to Minho's left side, and Thomas stood on the other side of the leader whereas Newt stood next to me. I smiled a little, knowing that this was his way of watching over me and Minho at once. If he stood near me, he could look after me, and I would look after Minho. He nodded at me, giving me a tight lipped smile.

"Do you guys see that?" Minho's question interrupted our interaction.

"Everyone huddle up," I whispered.

"Everyone stick together," Minho ordered as a group of people started down a dune of sand. From what I could see, they were holding weapons in their hands and were teenagers, just like us. Group B.

"It's Group B," I voiced my thoughts. Newt looked at me in realization as the puzzles began to click together in his head.

"Run, Thomas. Run," Newt urged my brother. "Or at least buggin hide."

"It won't work. They're already watching us, any sudden movements and we're as good as dead," I pointed out.

The Gladers huddled up, forming a tight circle as the Group B girls approached us with various weapons at hand. A familiar face was at the front, holding up a spear and aiming it at us. Her blue eyes were cold as she circled the group. When she saw me, my dark brown eyes meeting hers, there was a softness in her blue eyes, as I showed her a blank expression.

"Teresa?" Thomas asked as she halted in front of us, Minho being in between me and Thomas.

I saw Brenda and her exchange looks filled with hatred as Brenda recognized the name.

"Shut up," Teresa growled. "Are you Thomas?"

"No, he's Chuck," I snarled, knowing that the name was sensitive for her as much as it was for Thomas. She flinched at the name but nevertheless put up a brave face.

"I said, 'Are you Thomas?"

"You know the answer," Tommy replied, not bothering to hide the hurt.

This got him a slam on the head with the blunt end of the spear. She repeated the question and Thomas screamed at the girl, replying yes over and over, earning another smack with the blunt end in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Newt winced, and Minho shot death glares at the former Glader.

James and Aris gawked at the group and I realized why. They had once been with Group B.

"You're coming with us," she called out. "Thomas. Come on. Remember, anyone tries something, the arrows fly."

"No way!" Minho yelled. "You're not taking him anywhere."

Teresa acted as if she hadn't heard him, her eyes riveted to Thomas in that strange squinty-eyed stare. "This isn't some stupid game. I'm going to start counting. Every time I hit a multiple of five, we'll kill one of you with an arrow, starting with Zia. We'll do it until Thomas is the only one left, then we'll take him anyway. It's up to you."

I wasn't taking any chances, and my plan to stalk them at a distance or somehow mix in was impossible now because Teresa brought me to the attention of the whole group.

"One."

Thomas moved up towards her immediately throwing all hurt and hatred in his eyes at Teresa.

"We're taking him with us!" Teresa yelled. "If anybody follows, I'll hit him again and we'll start shooting you. We won't really bother aiming. Just let the arrows fly any old way they feel like."

"Teresa!" Minho's voice. "You catch the Flare that quickly? Your mind's obviously gone already."

The butt of the spear smashed into the back of Thomas's head; he collapsed onto his stomach and two girls put him in a burlap sack. 

"Take him, and shuck off. Oh, why don't you take your good old partner with you, hm?" I snarled.

"Shut up," she ordered. I was trembling, not from fear, but from strain. I wanted nothing more than to go after her, fight her, release all this tension building up in me. "Shut up or your little friend here dies."