Sapphire Stones

''You're taking all the stupid with you''

Gally sits at my table the next morning, but he stays quiet for most of the meal. So do Ben and Minho.

"So, how about the weather lately?" I suggest in a desperate attempt to make conversation. "Pretty nice, huh?" I nudge Gally, but he doesn't respond. In fact, nobody at the table does.

Newt shoots me a look, but I ignore it. I can't stand the silence that has fallen across the table. 

"Tough crowd, huh?" I ask with a smile. Again, no one responds. Gally's hand brushes against my thigh under the table, but he quickly retracts it due to Newt being sat to my right. "Okay, I can't stand this. Why is everyone so damn quiet?" 

The Runner's heads both shoot up. I immediately regret talking. The looks on their faces are enough to make me feel ashamed for saying anything at all.

"Why are we quiet?" Ben snaps, his face pale. "Why are we so damn quiet? Maybe because we have to go investigate a shucking graveyard that has our dead friends bones in it! Is that a good enough answer for you?!"

I look down at my fidgeting hands, my eyebrows knit together in an attempt to not cry. Ben's never yelled or gotten angry with anyone before, so it's a shock to hear him raising his voice like this. I notice Gally's hands tightening under the table, so I place my hand over his fists in an attempt to calm him down.

I look up. Minho elbows Ben in the ribs when he sees my face and the Runner's features immediately soften.

"I'm sorry." He mutters, avoiding eye contact. 

"It's fine." I reply, fighting back tears. "It's okay."

"I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay, Ben. I know." I say softly. The Runner looks up to meet my eyes and I can see the pain he's fighting so hard to hide. He doesn't want to go into the Maze today. I can tell. He doesn't have a choice.

"I thought you were gonna have Jack do it instead." Newt says to Minho. The Asian runs a hand through his hair and down his tired face.

"He refused. Said he didn't have time to waste on something that'll probably go nowhere. He said it's just a waste of time."

"But how can it be a waste of time? You've never found anything like this before. What if this is a key part to finding our way out?" I ask.

"I tried to tell Jack that, but he didn't listen."

"What about one of the other Runners?" Gally asks even though he has no idea what we're talking about. Minho just shakes his head. 

"So Ben has no choice?" I ask, my eyebrows knit together in concern for my friend. He clearly has no desire to investigate this graveyard. Both Runners nod. The table falls silent. "I'll go." I suggest. Everyone at the table snaps their heads to face me.

"No." They all say at the same time. Gally's hand tightens around mine.

"Why not? I know I'm not a Runner, but I'm fast. Plus, Ben clearly doesn't wanna do this, so why can't I go in his place?"

"Because you can't." Gally snaps. I look up to meet his eyes and see a flash of anger there that I haven't seen before. 

"Only Runners can go into the Maze, V. You know that. Plus, Alby would never allow it." Ben mutters.

"Neither would I." Newt says. "If you think I'd ever let you past those walls, you're jacked in the head."

"Well that's just completely unfair! I can handle it!" I say, my voice rising in anger.