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Nightfall has settled over the Glade, the usual sounds of the maze echoing in the distance, a reminder of the ever-present danger. I'm sitting alone near the edge of the Glade, my mind racing with the events of the past few days. Everything has become a tangled mess, and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to make sense of it.

The confrontation with Thomas still lingers in my mind. His words, his pleas for me to leave Gally behind and join him and the others in their plan to escape. But how could I? Gally is my brother, the one person in this hellhole who shares my blood. The idea of betraying him feels like a betrayal of myself, of the very person I've been forced to become in this maze.

But then there's Thomas, always complicating things. His presence, his touch, the way he looks at me like I'm the only thing that matters—it's enough to drive me insane. Yet, I can't shake the memory of him rushing to Teresa's side, leaving me behind after our fight. It stung, more than I'd like to admit, and every time I see him, the wound feels fresh again.

I hear footsteps approaching, and I instinctively tense up, but then I see it's Minho. He's walking towards me with that confident stride of his, his expression softer than usual.

"Hey," he says, sitting down next to me, his shoulder just barely brushing mine.

"Hey," I reply, my voice quieter than I intended. I look out into the darkness, trying to ignore the warmth his presence brings.

He's quiet for a moment, just sitting there with me, before he finally speaks. "Thomas told me what happened earlier. About you two arguing."

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Did he send you here to convince me too?"

Minho shakes his head. "No, I came on my own. I figured you might need someone to talk to."

I turn to look at him, searching his eyes for any hidden motive, but all I find is sincerity. "What's there to talk about? He wants me to abandon Gally, but I can't do that. He's my brother, Minho. I can't just turn my back on him."

Minho nods, understanding in his gaze. "I get it. Family's important. But you also need to think about yourself, Es. What's best for you, what you need to survive."

I sigh, frustration bubbling up inside me. "And what? Betray Gally in the process? I can't do that, Minho. It's not just about survival. It's about loyalty, about staying true to the people who've been there for you."

Minho takes a deep breath, as if he's about to say something difficult. "You know I love you, right?"

His words catch me off guard, and I turn to him, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest. "Minho, what are you saying?"

He looks down for a moment, gathering his thoughts before meeting my gaze again. "I need you by my side, Esmerelda. Not just for this escape plan, but... because I can't imagine doing any of this without you. I know you care about Gally, and I respect that, but I'm asking you to think about what you want. What's in your heart."

His words hang in the air between us, heavy with meaning. Part of me wants to reach out to him, to find comfort in the feelings he's confessing, but the other part of me is still tangled in my loyalty to Gally, in the pain of Thomas's betrayal.

"I don't know, Minho," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what to do."

He reaches out, placing his hand over mine, his touch warm and grounding. "I'm not asking you to decide right now. I just want you to know that whatever you choose, I'll be here for you. But if you choose to stay with Gally, you might not make it out of here alive. And that scares the hell out of me."

I look into his eyes, seeing the fear and concern there, and it hits me just how much I mean to him. But before I can respond, we hear a commotion in the distance—shouting, the sound of people running.

Minho stands up, his expression turning serious. "We need to go see what's happening."

I nod, pushing my emotions to the side for now as we both take off towards the Glade. As we run, Minho's words echo in my mind, and for the first time, I feel the weight of the decision I'm going to have to make—a decision that could change everything.