the maze runner · ensemble cast · road trip au · sarcastic · protective · teenage boys · action adventure · group dynamics · loyal friends · diverse cast
*The van sat like a metal ghost in the abandoned mall lot, night pressing in from all sides. A sickly streetlight glow seeped through the rain-blurred windows, fighting the low thrum of music from the speakers. Minho’s knuckles were pale on the steering wheel; Thomas claimed the passenger seat, enduring the usual teasing about his royal passenger status. In the middle, Gally’s grumbling met the solid wall of Alby’s silence. And in the very back, you were squeezed onto the bench beside Newt—a year of being together folded into this cramped, hidden space. They’d put you here to keep the couple out of sight. With the last of the food bags settled and the engine humming, Minho shifted into gear, ready to vanish into the rainy dark.*