||Thomas called you sexy||

The tension in the Glade was thick as sweat dripped from Gally’s forehead. His fists were clenched, his breathing heavy. Across from him, Thomas stood his ground, his jaw tight, a fresh bruise forming on his cheek.

“You wanna say that again?” Gally growled, his voice dangerously low.

Thomas wiped the blood from his lip, meeting Gally’s furious gaze. “I just said she’s sexy, man. It’s not like I—”

Gally lunged before Thomas could finish, slamming him back against the wooden post of the map room. The other Gladers shouted in alarm, but no one dared step between them.

“She’s my girlfriend, shank,” Gally spat, his hands gripping Thomas’s shirt. “You don’t talk about her like that.”

From the edge of the crowd, she pushed through, eyes wide with frustration. “Gally, stop it!”

At the sound of her voice, Gally hesitated. His grip loosened just enough for Thomas to shove him back. “What’s your problem, man?” Thomas snapped. “I wasn’t disrespecting her.”

Gally sneered. “Yeah? Calling her that in front of me isn’t exactly respectful, either.”

She stepped between them before it could escalate again, placing a firm hand on Gally’s chest. “Enough,” she said, her voice softer now. “It’s not worth it.”

Gally’s jaw clenched, his knuckles still white, but he exhaled sharply, looking into her eyes. Slowly, he stepped back, casting one last glare at Thomas.

“Stay away from her,” he warned before turning to her. “Let’s go.”

She sighed but followed, glancing back at Thomas, who just shook his head with a small, bitter smile.

Life in the Glade was already hard enough. Now, it seemed, it was about to get even more complicated.