LIMERENCE ﹐ the maze runner.

14

"Hey!"Clara said and smiled at Thomas as he passed by the Box.

Because of the previous day's events, Clint insisted that Clara take the day off to rest.

"Hi,"he greeted back. "What you doing?"

"Nothing, Clint gave me the day off,"Clara informed him.

"Lucky shank,"Thomas said, hesitating before saying the word shank. "I was just at the Blood House. Let's just say I never wanna go back."

Clara laughed. "Tell me about it."

Thomas didn't reply, but stared at the West Door of the Glade. "Who's that?"Thomas asked and pointed towards the Asian kid with strong arms and short black hair.

"That is Minho, Keeper of the Runners,"Clara told him.

Thomas stared more, then stepped forward, eager to meet him.

And then Minho collapsed.

❀✿❀

"Alby!"Thomas shouted. "Newt! Somebody get them!"

Thomas sprinted to Minho, Clara trying her best to keep up with him.

Thomas and Clara knelt down beside Minho, and Thomas asked,"Hey - you okay?"

"I'm... fine,"he said between breaths, then looked up at Thomas. "Who the klunk are you?"

"I'm new here. I'm Thomas - been here just a couple of days.

Minho pushed himself up so that he was sitting. "Oh, yeah, Thomas,"Minho huffed. "Newbie. You and the chick."

"Don't call her a chick,"Clara sighed.

"And I assume you've met Clara, the biggest feminist you'll ever shucking meet,"Minho said to Thomas.

Alby jogged up to then, clearly upset, and asked,"What're you doin' back, Minho? What happened?"

"Calm your wad, Alby,"Minho replied. "Make yourself useful and get me some water - I dropped my pack out there somewhere."

Alby kicked Minho in the leg, then asked sternly,"What happened?"

"I can barely talk, shuck-face! Get me some water!"

Alby looked over at Thomas, then said,"Minho's the only shank who can talk to me like that without getting his butt kicked off the Cliff."

And then Alby ran off to get Minho water.

"He lets you boss him around?"Thomas asked in shock.

Minho shrugged, then wiped fresh beads of sweat off his forehead. "You scared of that guy, pip-squeak? Dude, you got a lot to learn. Freakin' Newbies."

"Isn't he the leader?"

"Leader?"Minho barked a grunt that wss supposedly a laugh. "Yeah, call him leader all you want. Maybe we should call him El Presidente. Nah, nah - Admiral Alby. There you go."

"Ah, and the sass returns,"Clara commented.

"So who is the leader if he isn't?"Thomas asked.