Maze Runner: The Subject Experiment

21 ✿ Confrontation

Jemma made her way happily back from the maintenance room towards her own section. She opened the door to her bedroom and switched on the light.

"Where were you?" said a voice that made her jump out of her skin.

Thomas stood in front of her, arms folded and his face serious.

"Damnit, Tomkin!" she yelped, placing a hand on her pounding heart.

Thomas didn't respond. He just stood there, unmoving.

"I stayed with Moira, Newt and Minho a little longer, remember?" reminded Jemma softly.

"So you didn't go somewhere else after seeing them?" Suspicion rose in Thomas' voice.

"No."

"Then what took you so long?"

Jemma pushed past him to sit on her bed. He watched her every move intently.

"You were out for ages, how was I supposed to know someone hadn't caught you talking to the others? They would punish you, LJ. What if something happened to you?" he asked, taking a seat beside her on the bed. His voice was a little shaky even though he tried to hide his anxious concern for her.

Jemma couldn't help but smile at Thomas' nickname for her; 'LJ', it was short for Lucky Jem.

"Nothing did, so..."

"That's not the point," said Thomas, giving her a serious look.

Jemma sighed.

"Fine. If you must know, the reason I took so long was because I needed to talk to our friends about something," she said quickly. "Is that a crime?" 

"You needed to talk to them about something but you couldn't trust me with it?"  

To Jemma's surprise, Thomas sounded confused and even hurt.

"No!"

"Then why'd you tell Teresa and I to leave? Is there something you don't want me to know about?"

Jemma was at a loss for words. How could she explain?

Yes. Yes there is something I don't want you to know about. I made a deal with Newt that I would confess to you that I like you!

She wanted to tell him, but she couldn't. She wasn't ready.

"It was just something private, Thomas...it was important. I needed advice."

"Too private for me, I guess," grumbled Thomas. "If it was important I could have helped!"

"No you couldn't have!" Jemma shouted back.

There was a slight pause from Thomas. He looked offended and defensive, his eyes looking deep into hers.

"Oh yeah, and why's that? Is it because I'm annoying? Because I wouldn't be able to concentrate? Because I have no common sense? Because I can't focus? Because in your opinion, I don't have a brain?"

Jemma froze. Yes those were all things she'd teased him about, but she never thought he would take them to heart. He always brushed them off, didn't he?

"Thomas I just couldn't tell you. I can't explain why!" 

"No, I get it. I don't need an explanation. Obviously you think I'm too stupid to understand your problems. I worked it out all by myself, even though I'm an idiot.  We're meant to be best friends, LJ...but right now it feels like we're not."

Those words pierced through Jemma.

"We are, you know you are my bestie Thomas...it's just...not something I could have asked you...or told you," Jemma said quietly.