A/N: This is the prequel to Bloody Amnesia, which you can find on my profile page. This is a short prologue that I hope you like; chapters will be longer from now on so no worries there!

IMPORTANT: So we all know the gladers had their memories erased, and their names were not the same ones. Then, this is a part of Newt's past that I've made up and really hope you like it. Tell me what you think about it, please!

Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Maze Runner nor do I own its characters. I only own my OC and the plot.

PROLOGUE:

Don't forget about me

"Come on, we're going to be late!" A frustrated Simon shouted, calling out for his parents from downstairs.

He was standing by the front door, a slight frown touching his features, and one of his feet tapping the floor with impatience. It was quite the sight, considering he was only eleven and was dressed in his best clothes; which consisted of a suit that was undoubtedly way too long for his short frame. Nevertheless, the boy smoothed his black trousers, taking special care not to step on their ends, and stuck his hands inside the pockets of his jacket, effortlessly sneaking his wrists in as well.

"Simon, we wouldn't be late even if we tried!" His father's voice came from upstairs, but the man was quickly scolded by his wife.

"Don't be so harsh on him, darling, he's just eager to see his Arleen." Now, that made Simon blush uncontrollably.

"Mum!"

"Who'd say she lives just next door?"

Light laughter exploded on the upper floor before his parents finally began to descend the stairs, amused smiles plastered on their faces. You see, some days earlier, his best friend, Arleen, had invited him to go see her at the theatre where she was going to perform. Needless to say, Simon had felt the happiest person on Earth, for he had known for years Arleen had a beautiful voice, but had never gone to any of her performances. This was why he was so eager to attend, and why the slow pace his parents moved at was getting on his nerves.

"Don't worry, Simon, we'll arrive in time," his mother tried to calm him as her hands ruffled his blond, tousled hair.

"Mum, don't do that," the boy groaned as he fixed his locks back into place, an action that didn't go unnoticed and earned him another witty comment from his dad, which brought a glare out of him once again.

However, as his mother had assured, they arrived at the theatre with time to spare. Then, much to everyone's dismay, they had to deal with Simon's complaints and nonstop movements. He shifted on his seat five times per minute at least and asked for Arleen every two seconds; patience wasn't his best virtue, everybody around him could tell. That's why, when the lights went off and the boy stopped being a pain in the ass, almost everyone who was nearby gave out a relieved sigh.

Simon took a sharp breath as soon as the form of his friend came into sight and took in her stunning features. He stared with no shame to be caught, following her movements while she walked with grace towards the centre of the small stage. Her red hair was loose and fell like a short curtain down her shoulder blades, and she clutched the microphone close to her chest. But Simon didn't notice her nervousness, because the moment she stopped and turned around to face the small audience, her green eyes met his. His young heart flipped inside his chest, but the boy ignored it and gave her a soft smile, which Arleen returned.

"She looks very pretty, don't you think, Simon?" His mother spoke besides him in a tender voice, loving the way her son and Arleen interacted.

"Yeah, she does."

Silence settled over the theatre, and Arleen placed the microphone below her mouth before a harmonious melody began to float in the air.

"Heart beats fast, colors and promises. How to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid to fall? But watching you stand alone, all of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow…"

Her voice echoed through the whole theatre, lulling him and not letting him take his eyes off of her. Unsurprisingly, everyone had gone completely still and quiet; the incessant whispers had died the moment Arleen began to sing. It was breathtaking, the way her voice merged with the melodic music. Not even for a second did Simon drift his gaze away nor did he seem to blink. In fact, he wouldn't know if he had been breathing had it not been impossible not to without dying on the spot.

From where he was sitting, Simon could see how her eyes slowly closed as she slightly swayed to the rhythm of the music. There was a noticeable blush spread across her face, but other than that, she looked like she was enjoying herself. A dreamy sigh escaped his parted lips, and Simon bent forward in an attempt to get closer to the stage, ignoring the fact that his face was almost smashed into the seat before him.

The music began to fade too soon for his liking, the last accords echoing in the thin air before only her voice could be heard. Simon was on his feet a second after the song came to its end, the biggest of the smiles plastered on his flushed face and clapping his admiration towards the girl on stage.

-#-

It was a Sunday like any other; the sun glowed brightly high in the blue sky, no clouds in sight. Its light seemed to glare viciously upon the small forms of the people below, and not even the soft breeze of the morning was able to blow the heat away. Nevertheless, that didn't stop the children from going out and doing what they did best: playing without a care in the world.

"Alright, I'm starting to count… now!"

Just as the last word echoed through the yard, light yet clumsy footsteps rushed towards the farthest part. Simon ran as fast as his legs allowed him to, looking frantically for a place to hide while doing so. There was a wide, familiar grin illuminating his slight tanned features, and his brown eyes shone with utter joy. From time to time, he would sneak a glance back to where his chaser was still standing and find himself unconsciously staring at her for longer than expected. Eleven-year-old-Simon almost run into a tree consequently, but that didn't wipe the content off his features.

Finally, after what seemed hours, Simon came upon a well-hidden place, where he was completely certain his friend would never find him. There was a narrowed gap separating his home from hers, which were the only ones in the surroundings; apparently, their families had been friends for a long time now and thus been sharing ground since their grandparents were just kids.

Simon quickly slid between the houses, chuckling mischievously under his breath as he did.

"Okay, you'd better be ready to be caught!" Arleen's voice reached his ears as soon as the blond hid in the shadows provided by the buildings, which caused him to automatically take some steps back.

Arleen walked down the path made of sand. Her green eyes were constantly darting around as she worked her way towards the dark grass. A deafening silence accompanied her, which soon led her to begin to hum a random song, as she was obviously not pleased with the quietness surrounding the place. A soft blow of air escaped her lips as she came to a halt, and Arleen placed her hands on her hips and pursed her lips into a childish pout. As she stood in the middle of the path, glancing around in search of Simon, the boy decided to take some steps forwards. He couldn't help himself -it was a lost cause-, and he found himself staring at Arleen for the umpteenth time that morning.

His brown eyes were locked on her, taking in every detail of her face like it was the first time. Truth was, cute Simon had been in love with the girl for as long as he remembered. The grin fell, and his mouth opened slightly as he stared at Arleen from his spot between the houses. Her red hair was out of its usual ponytail, and Simon couldn't help but think she looked even more beautiful that way. There was a noticeable blush decorating her cheeks, and even though it was probably due to the burning heat, he liked to believe it was because of him. Simon had been so focused on the girl before him that he had unconsciously fidgeted between the walls, which had resulted into a catastrophe. He didn't know what he had done to find himself in such situation, but somehow he had managed to get stuck.

Some feet away from where he was uncomfortably standing, Arleen let out another huff and scanned the surroundings one last time when something caught her eye. As expected, it had been a matter of seconds until she ended up finding him. However, the odd sight brought an amused laugh out of her.

"You know why it's called hide-and-seek, don't you?" Arleen casually commented while she approached the boy, eyeing him closely with her bright, green eyes.

A frown crept onto his features as Simon tried to glare fiercely at her, to no avail. To be fair, it was actually quite amusing the way she had found him; struggling the best he could between the thick walls of the houses, his arms unable to move more than an inch, and only his head popping out.

"I got stuck," he stated as a matter of fact, a slight pout decorating his childish features.

"I can see that." A victorious grin spread across her lips then, and she added, "Loser."

"I just got stuck!"

"So you lost."

"No! I wouldn't have gotten stuck if-" Simon stopped mid-sentence, immediately realizing his mistake.

Eyebrows furrowed, Arleen crossed her thin arms over her chest.

"If?"

But Simon wasn't going to confess his feelings yet, not like this. In fact, if it weren't for his father and his insistence, the boy would never consider such brave action. Not because he was afraid of rejection, but because he knew there was no way his strong feelings would be reciprocated. Thus, Simon settled on being just her friend. Some would say he couldn't be in love with her, for he was only a kid, yet he couldn't define what he felt towards Arleen any other way.

"If nothing," he ended up saying and looked away from her radiant smile for some seconds, before his brown eyes were drawn back to her flushed face. "Are you going to help me?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Arleen placed a finger under her chin, but ended up rolling her eyes at him. "Of course, dummy, you just wait here."

"Don't worry, I won't go anywhere," Simon mumbled as the girl disappeared from sight.

Soon enough, she was back. There was a pleased smile stretched on her lips, but she was holding something in her hand that would have caused the boy to recoil had he been able to move.

"What is that for?" he dared to ask, and even though he tried to pull a determined face, his voice gave him away.

Arleen merely gave him a pointed look, before saying, "Mom uses this whenever she bakes so that the biscuits won't get glued to the mould. I just thought this could work."

Then, before Simon could talk her out of it, she began to roll the butter down his arms.

"That's bloody disgusting," the blond complained, wrinkling his nose in repulsion.

"No cursing," she reprimanded him the same way his mother did. "Besides, it's your own fault, you know?" She commented, unfazed by his annoyance as she kept spreading the butter along his skin. "Okay, you should be able to-"

She stopped talking, for Simon was already out. Immediately, a wide smile spread across her face, and she threw her arms around him. Simon froze, his eyes wide due to the unexpected action, before he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her thin frame. If it was his heartbeat what he was hearing, he feared for his life. But he ignored its frenetic pace and enjoyed the warm feeling that filled his whole being as Arleen hugged him close to her. Much to his dismay though, the redhead suddenly pushed him away and took some steps back.

"Ew, you smell horrible," she exclaimed, ignoring the red colour that had tinted both their faces.

"Arleen, sweetheart!" A voice caught their attention, and Arleen waved happily at her mother, who stood by the front door with a soft smile touching her face. "Lunch time!"

The moment the word lunch reached her ears, her stomach grumbled in anticipation. Embarrassment crossed her features, and she turned towards Simon, expecting him to be laughing at her. Surprisingly, the boy was looking at her intently, his brown eyes sparkling and a loving smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I'll see you later," he said once he snapped out of his own stupor and started walking towards the contiguous house.

"Wait!" Her hand wrapped around his wrist, stopping him mid-track, before her lips placed a soft kiss on his flustered cheek.

And just like that, Arleen ran back to where her mother was waiting for her, leaving a dazed Simon behind.

Those days were filled with joy and peace, and nothing could ever destroy that… or so they believed.

It was a day like any other, when Arleen was called by her father to come downstairs. To be honest, the urgency in his voice surprised her, for he was known for being a calm man. Thus, she quickly made her way down the stairs and to the living room. However, she stopped dead in her tracks when she found herself standing face to face with an unfamiliar man.

"Who-"

"Arleen," her mother called out from the living room and motioned for her to approach

Arleen obliged, but not without hesitation. Slowly, she sat down on the couch, next to the woman, who immediately wrapped her arms around her small frame. Frowning at the sudden act of affection, Arleen glanced at her, only to catch a glimpse of her wet, flushed cheeks. Meanwhile, her dad was pacing around the room, his arms crossed over his chest and a troubled expression on his face. The tension in the atmosphere was noticeable enough for the girl to wonder, confused, what was happening.

"Sweetie, this is Doctor Norman," her mother said, bringing the girl's attention back to the stranger. He was dressed in a white gown, the one medics used to wear, and a serious look was spread across his wrinkled face.

"Hello, Arleen." His voice was void of emotion, and he stared down at her with such scrutinizing eyes that she fidgetted uncomfortably on her seat.

When silence responded him, he turned towards the woman and gave her a harsh stare. Immediately, she gave Arleen an encouraging squeeze and tried to pull the best of her smiles. Unfortunately, the girl didn't buy it, and her frown deepened.

"Arleen, this man is going to take you somewhere you'll be safe."

Confusion began to grow within her heart.

"Safe?" She drifted her eyes towards the old man and asked, "Am I in danger?"

"We all are," was all he said.

"Then why are you not coming too?" Arleen turned to face her father then. "And why are we in danger? What-"

"Arleen!" The loud, snappy tone in his voice caught her off gurad and scared her. "Stop questioning everything, and just do what we're telling you to do!" It was probably the frightened glint in her green eyes what made him recoil, for he quickly closed his mouth and let out a sigh through his nose. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."

Oddly enough, the strange man had adopted a defensive posture, as though he expected her father to begin trashing around. Thankfully, her mum touched her cheek lightly and focused the girl's attention on her.

"Say, Arleen, do you trust us?" When she received the firm nod of her daughter, she smiled softly. "Then you have to go, okay?"

As much as Arleen wanted to shake her head, to defy their orders, she had no option but to nod again. She didn't want to go, not without her family, and she still couldn't understand why they weren't accompanying her. However, she didn't say a word; the girl simply darted her eyes to her intertwined hands that were lying on her lap.

"Sweetie, why don't you go say goodbye to Simon?"

Her eyes widened. Arleen had been so focused on thinking about the reason behind that situation that she had completely forgotten about her precious friend. Simon… She couldn't bring herself to say goodbye to him; he meant way too much. Nevertheless, Arleen wasn't about to leave without seeing him one last time, for she knew he would never forgive her. Thus, she quietly stood from the couch and walked out, heading Simon's.

"Arleen, come in–are you crying?" Simon's mom answered the door and let her in, watchin her with concerned eyes the entire time.

"Can I see Simon?" Her words were barely audible, but the woman patted her shoulder and led her upstairs.

"He's in his room, playing the drums, so just go in. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen, okay?"

Arleen nodded absently, as she was not really listening to her, before she walked over to Simon's room. The loud sound of drums reached her ears, and she gently knocked on the door before letting herself in, ignoring the warning sign hanging on the wood. As his mother had said, Simon was playing the drums, so lost in concentration he hadn't noticed she had walked in until she approached him. Instantly, the boy jumped to his feet, and one of the drumsticks he was gripping dropped to the ground due to the abrupt movement.

"Arlie, wha-"

Her arms wrapped around him, and Arleen pulled him close to her. Again, the boy froze at the sudden exhibition of affection but wrapped his arms around her nonetheless. Contentment filled his heart, warmth clenched around it the same way she was hugging him. However, the smile that had started to tug at the corner of his mouth faded away the moment he felt something wet caress the skin of his neck.

"What's wrong?" Simon asked as he gently tried to push her back, only for her to tighten her grip around him. This time, his young heart didn't beat with excitement, instead, panic and fright squeezed his chest. "Arlie, what's wrong?"

"I'm going to miss you so much," she whispered, and her voice held a tone of desolation that made the boy frown.

"I don't understand."

Finally, Arleen let him go and stepped away from him. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, and she gave him a sad smile that caused his heart to drop.

"I'm leaving."

"What?" He blurted out, his brown eyes widened in shock. "Why?"

"They won't tell me," she said, shaking her head and pursing her lips in frustration.

"They?"

However, Arleen didn't answer any his questions. She dropped her gaze to the ground, wiped her eyes and sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry, Simon; you've been the best friend I could have ever asked for," she admitted, her lips pursed into a tight smile that seemed way too fake for him to buy.

Something inside of him churned with anxiety, driving his young mind into a crazy whirlwind of emotions. Arleen couldn't look at him, not when his expression seemed so devastated, not when his features were furrowed in utter confusion and innocence.

"But you can't go." For some reason, his voice sounded determined and firm, immediately drawing her attention back to him. His lips were pursed into a thin line, and his eyes were gazing at her with unexpected intensity. "You can't."

"Simon, I-"

"No, you really can't go!" The urgent, desperate tone in his voice caught her off, and she opened her mouth to speak but he wasn't done. "I love you."

That time, the words had slipped between his lips like a blow of soft breeze, a sigh with no strength, with no hope. His eyes had lost the determination that had been gleaming in them some seconds before, but he was still looking intently at her, staring into her shocked gaze.

"Please, Arlie, don't leave."

Simon tried to convince her, but something in his mind told him it was not on her hand. Yet, the way her hand suddenly grazed his cheek made his heart flutter. And then, he felt the pressure of her mouth against his as she placed a sweet, innocent kiss on his lips, leaving a tickling sensation on them when she retreated.

"Goodbye, Simon," she whispered so low he barely heard her before she turned towards the door.

It wasn't supposed to happen that way, with her returning his feelings but leaving him devastated by the turn of events. No. His dad had assured him there would be fireworks and happiness, that his chest would stop hurting, that there would be nothing that could make him feel sad from then on. But instead, a gloomy feeling surrounded his heart as he watched his first –and only– friend walk out of his room, and his life.

"Arleen, will I see you again?" The girl glanced at him from over her shoulder to send him a small smile and a hesitant nod. "Then I'll be waiting for you, so don't forget about me."

There was a pregnant pause, then she winked at him and said, "I'd never forget about you, dummy."

Unfortunately, fate had other plans for them.

The song sang by Arleen is Thousand Years and belongs to Christina Perri.