stuck with him - newt tmr

It was 5am, and the girl stood in front of the mirror, hands gripping onto the sides of the sink. Droplets of water ran down the sides of her face and splashing into the sink, the pitter-patters echoing softly in the silent room. She was a ticking time bomb, the events that unfolded yesterday setting off the timer. And she really didn't want to wake up to the multiple swines pestering her from the moment she opens her eyes. In the limited time of peaceful solitude, Maria carefully observed her facial features that glowed from its wetness. It was like remembering her name again back in the heart of the maze; for the past two years she had lived without facing a mirror once. It was like meeting a stranger for the first time. She assessed the curve of her eye shape, the arch of her brows, the fullness of her lips. For some reason, she felt a twinge of satisfaction in seeing her reflection again, and had the urge to pamper herself, a treat for her deeply damaged inner soul.

She raked her fingers through her hair, and proceeded to pull it up into a ponytail, showcasing her sharp jawline and prominent features. Some shorter strands had minds of their own and broke free from the grasp of the hair tie, falling back down in front of Maria's face, though she didn't bother to move them out the way, accepting its defiance against control.

Looking through the mirror, Maria checked behind her to see if any of the girls had stirred awake, but all were sound asleep. Maria was itching to get away from this place, even if she had nowhere to go to. Yes, this place was meant to be a heaven compared to the maze. But she had never felt so restricted in her life - powerless, weak, alone.

She needed to find Aris, hoping he had devised an escape plan by now for them two, and she knew that she would do whatever it takes to get away far from here. Far from any confrontation to reality, or more so the what ifs. For in fact, she is done looking for the what ifs. She had exhausted all of her will, simply wanting to just exist.

As soon as she hears the automatic click of the door unlocking, she swings it open and waltzes down the empty hallway, the buzz of the bright lights greeting her lone presence. Of course no one else had come out of their rooms yet - punctuality doesn't bide well with the newfound sense of freedom that all the kids utilise. She strides into the cafeteria, hoping to see her one and only ally. Instead, a few kids were dotted around the room, none significant to her. Disappointed, Maria grabs her tray of breakfast before taking a seat at the table that skirted the edge of the room. And she waited.

More kids began to spill into the canteen throughout the morning, and the effects of waking up so early began to take a toll on Maria. She could feel the heaviness of her eyelids start to overpower her until a loud clutter of a food tray jolted her awake.

Aris hastily sat down and possessed a new look of eagerness that filled his features, which urged Maria to feel a surge of hope. "So? Any updates?"

A twinge of a smile tugged at his lips as Aris replied back, "Not yet, but we've planned to investigate further tonight and then I can give you an answer by tomorrow latest."

Maria took in his words before she shot him a sharp look, "I'm sorry, we?" she retorted, "Did we not agree on not telling anybody else about this?"

"I get it, but I just got the feeling this Thomas guy will be really useful to us. We need the best chances of getting out of here, if we're really gonna do this."

Maria contemplates for a few seconds, before reluctantly nodding her head. "Fine." She leans back against her chair and crosses her arms. "Who is this Thomas guy, anyway?"

"I didn't see him when I came in here. He must still be in his room." He catches Maria eyeing him tentatively, internally shuddering at her intimidating gaze. "He's different from the others. Caused a scene like you did after you stormed off yesterday."