Skinny Love - Newtmas

Chapter One

I do not own these characters, they belong to James Dashner. However, the story line and dialog all belong to me. I hope you all enjoy this:)

I sit at my usual spot in the library after nodding to Rachel, the librarian whom I have somewhat be-friended because of the amount of time I spend here. She has offered me a job multiple times to help put away books, but every time I tell her the same thing, "sorry Rachel, then I won't have enough time to do all my studying and read all the books I check out. Just being here is enough." It might not make sense to other people but it does to me, and that's all that matters. Right?

This is my Freshman year at college and I'm not going to lie, I haven't made a single friend. But that's the way I like it, I like to be alone, I'm so socially awkward anyways; not only that, I have social anxiety. My roommates name is Alby, he's alright I guess. In the time that I've lived at college (four months) we have had probably had no less than fifteen conversations and I can guarantee that they were all about food or laundry. Like I said, I like to be alone, I've never really had friends. Even when I was younger, every single recess was spent in the library either doing homework or reading. In all my years at elementary school through high school I was the only student to have read every single library book at least once.

I was picked on a lot because of things like that, called a teacher's pet or a nerd, it never bothered me though because once a librarian told me, "let people call you names, but in your heart you'll know that it's cool to be a nerd. Liking books and school isn't something to be ashamed of." And it's not.

So here I sit, nose in a chemistry book, 5 subject notebook sprawled out in front of me, a few other open textbooks surround me with an assortment of pens, pencils and highlighters. The light of the sinking sun shines through the large glass windows behind me, casting long shadows across the pages in front of me.

-

"Newton," my head snaps up and a tall, lean boy stands behind me, peering over my shoulder at my books, I notice behind him that the moon has risen.

"Hmm?" I ask, confused as to how he knew my name.

"Isaac Newton," he says, leaning over me to point to a picture on a page of one of my many textbooks that lay open across the table.

"Oh...yeah," I mutter.

The boy walks out from behind me and I glance up at him. He has dark tousled hair and wears a gray t-shirt and red skinny jeans, deep brown eyes and a smirk plastered on his face. "What's your name?" He asks, still looking at the pages. His voice is deep and raspy and very attractive, not gunna lie.

"Newton- uh I mean Newt," I stumble over my words, fumbling for the right thing to say. This always happens, I get nervous talking to people, especially strangers.

"Newton? Like him?" He again points to his picture in my book.

"Well uh- my parents, they're like big science lovers and they uh...they named me after him. But most people call me Newt," I speak so fast and quiet I'm not even sure he can even hear me.

"Hmm...why not just name you Isaac? I mean Newton's a cool and and all, but why not use his first name?" The boy finally looks at me.

Breaking eye contact I gather my books and papers together as I speak, "uh...well, my cousins name is Isaac, so they went with Newton...it's weird but I don't know, I kinda like it." My palms start to sweat and I wipe them off on my pants.

"I like it too, it's cool. I had a pet newt once, or maybe it was a gecko? Anyways, I named it Scooter, it died though," he says.

I stare up at him, furrowing my eyebrows. "Uhhh...okay," I laugh nervously.

"I don't know why I just told you that," he laughs and runs his hands through his hair. "I'm sorry. Anyways, I like your name. Isaac Newton invented the light bulb or something right?" He asks, sitting in the seat next to me (a bit too close for my liking). But I laugh anyways, "No, no Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb. Isaac Newton invented the reflecting telescope."

"Oh," he laughs. "I feel stupid now, everyone in the world knows who invented the freaking light bulb," he breaks out laughing and Rachel gives him a dirty look. "Sir, please quiet down," she snips.

The boy bites his lip to stop his laughter and I can't help but laugh myself. "My name is Thomas by the way," he says, looking to me when he finally stops laughing.

"Thomas," I mutter, only then do I realize that I'm having a normal conversation, with a stranger. And of course, I have to mess is up and stumble with my words again. "Okay Thomas...I have to get going. Check out some books and uh...yeah," I stand quickly and hug my books and papers to my chest.

"Oh. Okay," The boy - Thomas, says. I'm probably just crazy, but I swear I see disappointment flash across his face for a split second. Thomas stands up beside me. "Well, it was nice talking to you," he smiles and my heart starts beating like crazy.

"Yeah. Yeah you too," I mumble and look to my feet. "Well I gotta go." I could've walked away and checked out my books like a normal person, but oh no, I couldn't have been that smooth. Instead, I take two steps and my foot gets caught of the leg of Thomas's chair and I tumble to the ground. Books and pencils go everywhere as my face smacks against the ground.

"Oh my god!" Thomas says, bending down to collect all my items that went flying in the fall. He gathers almost everything then sets them aside and crouches next to me, carefully setting his hand on my left shoulder. "Newt are you okay?" He asks in such a sweet and gentle tone I momentarily forget the pain that exploded from my cheek. Groaning I push myself up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I mumble. Running my hands through my hair, "god I'm so stupid," I mutter under my breath.

"Hey don't say that," Thomas says, still crouching next to me, looking directly at me. Wide eyed I look up at him. "Oh-I uh," at a loss for words I groan again.

"Here," Thomas says standing up, he sticks his hand out, offering to help me up. Nervously grabbing his hand he pulls me from the floor. Bending down he picks up my books from the floor where he set them and hands them to me, I hug them to my chest once again.

"Thanks," I say, smiling sheepishly. "Any time," Thomas replies, returning the smile.

a/n: omg!!! I'm really happy with this hehe:) I've been wanting to write a Newtmas fanfic for soooo long! I hope you all like this!