Only Herself to Blame...

Chapter 16 - Zak

The look on Minho's face was priceless.

"But-Bu-But today is stew! That's not fair!! How did ya know?" He stuttered.

I grinned. "I may let you have a little taste. And I know because I remember him."

Minho stared. "These blackouts.... They're memories... Aren't they?"

I sighed and nodded. Minho was my best friend. I could trust him.

"I'll tell you what I remembered in a bit, ok?"

He nodded and squoze my shoulder.

I turned to look at Zak. He was in conversation with Alby and Newt.

I tried to see if I could remember anything else about him. I closed my eyes and thought. Nothing came. It must be an involuntary thing, seen as though I can't pick when I have them.

"You okay?" I opened my eyes. Minho was looking at me like I had just been shot.

I laughed. "I'm fine, Minho. Calm down."

A few people away, Ben looked at Minho and winked. "Got yourself a gal, have we, Minho?" He shouted.

"Ben!" I said, watching as my face mirrored Minho's, going bright red.

Unfortunately, Newt, Alby and Zak had heard, as well as some other Gladers.

"What's that Minho? You pulled?" Newt laughed.

Since when did Newt say things like that?

I shook my head frantically. "We're best friends. Besides, Minho wouldn't have time to date, cus he's always fixing his shucking hair."

We all laughed at that apart from Zak. He was staring at me.

Brilliant. Why did all the Newbies have to recognise me? Why did I have to be different? I hated it.

Zak shook his head a tiny bit and turned back to Newt. "Who sent us here?" He asked.

"The creators. We don't know who they are. Or why they sent us here." Newt replied.

I nudged Minho and nodded my head. I hope he got the message.

A crease formed between his On-Fleek eyebrows and then disappeared. He mouthed the words "You do?" And I nodded again.

Most of the boys had gone back to their jobs after getting bored with Zak, so I thought it would be ok for Minho and I to leave without causing a scene. We went and sat against the wall in the Deadheads and I told him my memories.

Once I had done, his mouth was hanging open slightly.

"Why does everything happen to you?" He counted them off on each finger. "Fall on glass and have to get stitches, blackout and have memories, have some non vivid memories when standing, getting strangled, being the only girl, being the only one to come up in the box with another person, having telepathic skills. Anything I've forgotten?"

I laughed. "Why does it always happen to me. I mean, I know I was the one to put myself in here, but-"

"Oh! That's another one." Minho said. "You put yourself in here, and we didn't get a choice."

I shook my head. "Dya reckon there is something wrong with my brain?" I joked.

"Probably." Minho nodded, his face completely serious.

***

After dinner, (I let Minho have his stew) I went and laid on the grass, just as the deadheads started.

I liked that spot in the evening because it was nice and quiet, and I could watch the 'sun' go down, and then the walls would rumble shut.

I felt someone lay down on the grass next to me. "What dya want, Minho?" I said in the most exasperating voice I could, but he always knew I was joking.

"Ermm.. I'm not Minho."

I sat up and looked down at Zak.

"Sorry." I said. "Thought you were someone else."

"No problem." He answered, his voice flat.

I sat with my back against a tree and he did the same. We didn't talk for a while, but I could feel the tension in the air. It was extremely akward.

"Can I ask you a question?" Zak asked me, just as the tension was starting to become unbearable.

"You just did." I said.

He smiled and took that for a yes. "Who are you?"

"Zoe."

"Oh. I thought I could kinda remember you, but that's impossible becasue I have no memories."

I shook my head. "It's not impossible."

"Why? Has someone got their memories back? Have you?" His eyes were frantic and desperate.

I shook my head again. "A friend of mine. He has these memory flashes and can remember bits of his past."

Zak stared at me for a while, in deep thought. "Well. Thanks for answering my questions."

He stood up. "You know, you're kinda cute." He said, and he ran across the plain, towards the Homestead.

I sighed. For 2 years I had wanted him to say that, and when he finally does, I have my heart with a different boy, though no one knows who...