It feels like war has been declared.

Jeff was one of the only people waiting outside the Homestead. He asked Clint what had happened, who was too ashamed to reply at first.

Then he muttered something about Zee getting banished tomorrow night.

Jeff's face fell. "And did you vote for that?" He had asked.

Clint remained silent.

"Clint!" Jeff pulled on a strand of his hair. "Did you vote for that?"

"...yes," Clint then slowly admitted.

Now I'm still watching them roll over the floor, fighting after Jeff blew the first punch.

Nick took Zee to the Slammer. She gave me one of those looks again—the pretty devastating one—and she also gave me one of those during the Gathering. It really will spook me.

I know Stan would've thrown a tantrum as well.

Jeff eventually decides he has beaten Clint up enough. He gets off the ground, wiping blood from his mouth before he looks around. "And you?" He snarls at me. "What did you vote for?"

"You're going to beat everyone who voted against your will up?"

He steps closer, so that we're face to face. "Maybe. So tell me, what did you vote for?"

I stare back at him, unfazed. "I voted yes."

I easily duck away from Jeff's fist, wrapping my arms around his torso with such force that he falls to the ground.

He crawls back up. "You should be ashamed of yourself. You should be banished right with her!" His hands slam against my chest. Then he notices Ben beside me. "And you?"

"I'm no Keeper, man. Couldn't vote. But would've voted no."

Jeff glares at me again. "Who else voted no?"

"Gally, Fry, and Newt," Ben says.

"What about Nick? Aren't him and Zee super close?"

Ben eyes the ground now. "He was the one who suggested it."

"What?"

"He was the one who suggested it. The banishment."

"Hold up, hold up." Jeff's hand rises. "You're saying what?"

"Nick was the—"

"Yeah, I understood that!" He blurts out, almost yelling. "But why would he do that?"

"Ask him. He's right there."

The second I see him, I rush over to him. "Watch out. Jeff's about to punch you in the face."

Jeff comes marching towards us. I push Nick away from him right on time, and as I do, I take the exact thing that I need, silently thanking Jeff for being distraction.

Then I sneak away from the duo. Some Gladers stare, others come up to me to ask what happened. I ignore them.

Until it's Newt in front of me, with his lips pressed together, eyes twitching. "How could you?"

"My vote wouldn't have made a difference."

"Exactly. So you could've voted no just to make her feel better! But nah, you decide to be a heartless little shit."

"So?" Liar. "She'll be dead soon anyway." Liar. "And she may die knowing how much I despise her." Liar— sort of.

Newt stares at me as if he's only now realizing that I'm a bad person. "I can't believe you."

"I'll see you tomorrow. I'm going to bed."

★

After a few good hours of staring at my ceiling, I decide it's been long enough. Everyone's asleep.

I tiptoe out of my bed, the keys that I stole from Nick fumbling lightly in my pocket. A small breath leaves my mouth. This is a terrible idea.

Do I have other options? No— well, yes, I could definitely just ignore the situation, and I'd love to, but I can't live with it.

I could do it after the banishment, but it might be too late. It's very, very likely to be too late.

I head to the Slammers in silence, constantly looking around to check if no one is up. I walk as far away from the hammocks as possible.

The Keepers still have their huts, the rest sleeps in hammocks inside and outside the Homestead. I'm pretty sure Zee's hammock is outside.

Before I've completely arrived, I take another deep breath, and grab the keys.

There's five Slammers in total. I assume I need to check the first one.

It turns out I don't even have to check. I hear the sniffs and tiny sobs from multiple feet away. The whispers leaving her mouth, words I can't quite place.

"Keep your mouth shut," I whisper-scream. She is silenced in a second. I can't see her, neither can I see the lock of Slammer very well. It takes some effort to open it with the right key.

Once it's opened, I step back, waiting.

She doesn't move.

"Well, come on, then."

Some rustling inside, but she doesn't come out.

"I swear on my hair that I'm real and if you don't come out right now I will close this thing again and you'll be dead in about twenty-four hours. So get the fuck out."

Slowly and shakily, she climbs out. Then she stands next to me, not a word leaving her mouth, her hands buried in the pockets of her hoodie.

"Take it off."

Her eyes widen. "What?"

"You're wearing an undershirt, right?"

No other words are needed, because she is already pulling her hoodie off. I look away for no reason.

"Done," she says in a whisper. "Will you make me go back in and live with the cold for the rest of the night?"

I frown. "No, what the hell. Now take off your shoes."

She does as I say, and hands them to me again. The black boots are heavy compared to my running shoes.

"Alright." I take a pair of scissors out of my pocket. "Sorry about this, but I have to."

Snap, snap, snap— three chunks of her afro hair.

"I always wanted it off anyway," she admits. "Until I got the braids."

I don't tell her to shut up or sigh out loud. Just nod a bit, and then take the pants I had wrapped around my torso. "Stay here. Don't move, unless you see someone. Duck if you do."

I jump inside the Slammer. I lie the hoodie down, and grab the pillow Nick must've given Zee to fill it up. I lie the pants below them, but crunch them up in a way that makes it seem like she has wrapped herself up. No one will notice that her legs have become boneless. I lie the shoes down next to it, and make sure the three stands of hair stick out of the hoodie's cap.

Until tomorrow night, no one will know. And if they try to talk to her and she doesn't reply, that means she's holding a grudge.

"There you go," I mutter. When I'm standing next to her again, I watch her touch the hair I cut. Probably checking if that's real.

"Why—"

"Don't ask. I don't know, either." I start walking. "Come on."

She hurries after me, in the white tank top that's way too long and the dark socks, three pieces of her hair looking off.

Tomorrow, I'll sneak the keys back in Nick's pocket. Now I just have to finish this.

We enter my hut. I don't light a candle, that might draw attention to me. "Hide below the bed for... maybe the rest of your life."

Okay, so this doesn't make her life any better. Still makes me selfish.

Yet she gets below it without any protests, still in the white tank top that's way too long and the dark socks, three pieces of her hair looking off.

I am too tired to do anything else today. Soon, I'll make sure there's some kind of alarm on my door and an escape route in case anyone enters and decides to look below the bed.

After removing my shoes, I plop in my bed. The warm sheets welcome me immediately. I close my eyes, hoping I sink away soon.

Unfortunately, the person below my bed is tapping against the floor.

"Can you stop that?" I hiss.

She stops. "Sorry."

I close my eyes again. Just don't focus on her. Yet a faint, rapid clattering reaches my ears.

"Whatever that is, please also stop it."

"I'll try," she says shakily.

"What do you mean, you'll try? What is it?" I twist around, annoyed.

Slight hesitation before she replies, "I'm kind of cold. It's my teeth."

"Why didn't you just say that?"

"Why do you think? You throwing ice cubes on me or doing whatever it takes to make me freeze doesn't sound that weird to me."

I sigh. Look around. I have only one blanket and my pillow won't help. I really don't feel like giving her one of my sweaters, and I'm definitely not forced to, but I can't neglect this, so I throw one of them below the bed.

"Thank you," she whispers. Vulnerable. Weak. Soft. Shy. Whatever. "Good night. And double thank you, for—"

"Yeah, yeah. Night."