Chapter 2: Settlement.

"So, what's up with you and Brenda anyway?" Minho asked as Thomas settled down in his seat, a bowl of Frypan's soup in his hands.

"Enjoy it, Thomas." Frypan said as he handed the bowl.

Thomas nodded in reply. He was always satisfied with Frypan's cooking.

Both him and Minho were in their own man-made "cafeteria", where a few guys had to chop down some wood to make a few tables, just enough for the number of people that lived there now, along with a few benches. Frypan's head chef, obviously. But he had help. He gladly appointed himself as head chef, not that anyone was complaining. He was good at cooking, and his kitchen set consisted of a huge cauldron and a place to cook the stuff. He was content with it. But it wouldn't hurt to actually have raw stuff just given to him without having to scrape and cut stuff everyone wouldn't want to eat.

Newt suddenly appeared next to Thomas, giving him a smack in the head. "What's up with Tommy and Brenda?" He repeated.

Thomas took a sip of his soup and swallowed it, hot in his throat. "What d'you mean?"

Minho playfully punched the side of Thomas' arm, "Don't play dumb."

Thomas smirked. "I honestly don't know, believe it or not."

"I don't." Minho said as he sat down next to Thomas.

"Ooooh." Newt said, intrigued. "Finally plucked up the courage to ask her out?"

Thomas laughed. "I don't know, guys. I mean— we kissed— she kissed me last week."

Newt's jaw dropped and Minho almost jumped out of his seat. "What the klunk?!"

Thomas smirked. "Yeah."

"Lady's got more balls than you, bro." Newt whistled.

"You didn't even tell us!" Minho said, pretending to be hurt by it.

Thomas laughed, "Sorry."

Minho kept quiet for a bit. "…How was it?"

Thomas kept quiet for a few seconds and looked up. "It was… I had butterflies."

Newt and Minho exchanged looks and then looked at their best friend in the eyes for a good ten seconds… and then they cracked up laughing for a good minute.

"Oh bloody hell." Newt snorted. "That's something you don't hear everyday."

Thomas shook his head, "Laugh all you want, you slintheads. When I end up having a girl by my side when I'm 40 and you both don't, let's see who'll be laughing then."

"No, you shuck face." Minho pretended to wipe a tear from his eye, "That's just the gayest thing I've ever heard."

Thomas grabbed his bowl and almost slammed it into Minho's head when he heard someone say, "What a bunch of five year olds."

Thomas, Newt and Minho turned around to face Brenda with a piece of drumstick in her mouth.

Thomas immediately put his bowl down and got up. "Brenda. Hey."

Brenda took the chicken away and grinned at Thomas, "Hey, you." She walked fast and stood in front of him. Thomas didn't realise how short and adorable she was. Her light brown hair was pulled up into a perfect pony tail. She was wearing a sleeveless white tank top and a pair of shorts, and matching combat boots. He had to look down at her and see her look up to him. She even had to stand up on her tiptoes.

Newt pretended to make a gagging sound.

"Yeah. Hi." Minho said, "you two don't worry about us. Better not start smooching here or Imma be sick."

Thomas shot Minho a glare, Brenda laughed.

"Well, I'm outta here. Newt, comin'?" Minho said as he got up from his chair, "I'll see you two lovebirds, la'er."

"Yeah, coming." Newt replied. "See ya."

"See ya." Brenda called out to the both of them as they walked away.

Thomas looked back to Brenda and smiled. "Hey."

Brenda grinned once more, making Thomas feel hot all over. "You already said hi."

Thomas couldn't help himself, he kissed her nose, "Not wrong for saying it again, right?"

Brenda shook her head and smiled. "Done eating?"

"Yep." He replied her, "you?"

"Nope. Just got here, remember?" She replied as she sat down and took another bite of her chicken. "I'll be done soon, though."

Thomas nodded.

Silence. "Hey," Brenda called out. "Is… he doing okay?"

Thomas knew who she meant. He knew that Brenda was talking about Newt's situation. His best friend almost died just because he wasn't immune to the Flare.

He hated WICKED for releasing the disease, accidental or not. He already lost so many people because of them.

"Yeah." Thomas suddenly felt grim. He had to restrain himself from punching a wall just thinking about all the shit WICKED put them through, and the many people it cost them. "He'll come around."

Brenda gave him an encouraging smile and squeezed his hand. "So, what're you boys up to later?" He was glad she changed the subject, which also made him wonder what he would be doing later on.

It's been a routine ever since they got here, wherever "here" is—Brenda suspects that they were on some sort of island in the middle of the ocean, but as far as they know, the island and its surroundings weren't infected or the Flare wasn't anywhere near them— the boys of their age, which was 15-20 year olds would look for blocks of wood for each family to burn during night time and scout around, 30-40 year olds would hunt for food or fish. The women would cut and prepare meals; helping Frypan out. Others would just plant and farm. The kids would just run around and play.

Thomas had to thank Chancellor Paige for setting wherever they were meant to go, because they were located just a few miles away from the nearest beach. Most of the time, they'd eat seafood by the shore— that's where the men usually fish for food. And Frypan makes the best seafood meals. Everything here was perfect— well almost— Thomas had to admit.

The beach was beautiful: it was crystal clear. The water was so blue, but you could also see what's underwater. And during night time, they would all gather up by the shore and look up towards the sky and watch the stars above them.

Suddenly Thomas remembered Brenda asked him a question.

"I'm scouting around with the guys," Thomas replied her, "we might be back after sunset, though."

Brenda nodded and pursed her lips.

Thomas looked at her, "Something wrong?"

She shook her head. "It's just that…"

"Yeah?"

"Can I come with?" She shot back, "it's just, it gets really boring here. Sonya and the others are really into the farming stuff and—"

"—You're not." Thomas finished for her and smiled. "It could be dangerous."

"So you're saying I can come with?" Thomas could hear Brenda's enthusiasm. He laughed at the thought.

"Well—"

Brenda jumped and hugged him before he could finish what he was saying. "Thank you! I swear, I love hanging out with the girls, but it gets tiring listening to their rants."

Thomas grinned. "You're welcome, girl."

Brenda replied him with a kiss on the cheek. "Shall we go?"

"Sure." He replied her as he stood up. He let out his hand for her to take and—thankfully— she did. They left the so-called cafeteria and headed towards The Shed where the boys usually meet up.

"Tommy," Newt greeted Thomas as he and Brenda approached them at The Shed.

The Shed was a place where they usually have their Gatherings and meetings: it wasn't much, the place. It was just a small hut they built, enough to fit about 30 people, in the centre of it was a round table.

It didn't take long to build it: there were—thankfully— about 5-6 carpenters and builders around there. All the others had to do was look around for the strongest tree they could cut down, all they had to do left was cut and nail them up with vines and nails.

Thomas nodded towards Newt, and Minho suddenly appeared from the inside of The Shed. "C'mon, leader. We're waiting."

Thomas rolled his eyes and walked inside.

For some reason, Thomas was the leader amongst the people. Even though he was coming 17, it didn't feel weird to him. Well, only when he felt confident. Which was only less than half of the time.

Ever since he instructed the immunes on how to leave The Maze and go through the Flat Trans, they pretty much trusted him with their lives.

Well, most of them.

And of course, beside him were the three people Thomas trusted the most, the people that would help him along the way— Newt and Minho. And Brenda.

In the hut up ahead, Thomas could see Gally talking to a bunch of teenagers. The Shed was surrounded by men right then, most of them Thomas still didn't know and didn't really talk to. And even if he did, he probably forgot their names.

"Alright. Settle down, everyone." Thomas said as he approached up front. "Nothing much to say this afternoon, we'll just do our daily jobs today."

He got a few nods and "Yes"s in response.

"Alright, dismissed." Thomas said, "Except for Marcus and James, I need to speak to the both of you for a sec."

Two men came towards him; one of them was probably 40 years old, the other 18.

"Yeah?" The 18 year old asked him— James. He had light blond hair, and was a few inches taller than Thomas. He was sort of muscly— he made Thomas look like a punching bag. James suddenly looked beside Thomas, towards Brenda.

Thomas admitted he wasn't the jealous type, but then again, he was never in a real relationship. But seeing the way James was looking at Brenda was starting to piss him off. Thomas caught him doing this a few times when he was with her, but he usually didn't let it bother him. But, well, he couldn't control it sometimes.

He also had a sneaking suspicion that he didn't like Thomas, either. Well, the feeling was mutual.

"What's going on, Thomas?" the older man, Marcus, said.

Marcus and James Walters. They were father and son, and Marcus was just pretty much an older version of James, except he was a few inches shorter than James and he had dirty blond hair. And also, Marcus was nicer to Thomas.

"Nothing." Thomas said. He immediately put his arm around Brenda's waist, one for assurance, and second, to piss James off.

He hated himself for it. "I want you both to scout around the forest, see if you can find anything we can make into supplies."

Marcus nodded. "Sure. C'mon, son." He nodded once more towards Thomas before heading out of The Shed.

James, on the other hand, stared a few seconds too long at Brenda, then Thomas, before he too nodded at them and went off with his dad.

"Well," Brenda said after a few seconds, "that was… intense?"

Thomas laughed, "I get the feeling he doesn't like me being 'The Leader' around here." He air-quoted with two of his index fingers.

Brenda laughed and put her arms around Thomas' neck, "Who cares? Everyone else does. Especially me."

Thomas then put both his arms around her waist and looked down to her, "Thanks." He said, "That means a lot to me."

"You're welcome," she replied. "So, where are we going?"

As if on cue - Newt and Minho appeared in front of them.

"Ugh, gross. Get a room." Minho said.

"Leave the bloody couple alone, Minho." Newt winked, "Who knows, maybe there'd be little Thomas-es in the future."

Minho cracked up so loud this time. Thomas could feel his cheeks turn red and Brenda, on the other hand, laughed along.

Thomas let go of Brenda and charged towards Newt and Minho, "You slintheads!"

Minho held both his hands up as a sign of surrender, "Joking, bro. I don't wanna be dead before little Brendas come into this world, too."

Thomas hit his head this time. "Ow!"

Newt grabbed both his best friends by the heads, "C'mon, you asshats! I wanna be back before sundown."

"Alright!" Thomas said, "Let's go."

The four of them then set off into the forest with the others, all of them hoping that Frypan would cook something else other than crab soup for dinner tonight.