RECKLESS [The Maze Runner || Newt || Book 1]

29 - Something's wrong

Clara was rudely woken up by Minho opening the door to Thomas's cell, both of them speaking far louder than they needed to.

"Really guys? Could you speak any louder?" She groaned at them, throwing her arm over her eyes to block out the sun shining on her face.

"Sorry Clara, gotta get Thomas to the maze."

"Open the door please, Minho, help a girl out? Come onnnn, you know you want to."

"Nope, sorry. Strict orders from Newt. Clara stays in the pit."

"Assholes. Hope you shanks get eaten by grievers."

"Thanks." Minho deadpanned, rolling his eyes at the girl before him and Thomas ran off. Clara closed her eyes again, deciding to take advantage of her time alone and recover from the day before.

She woke up a little after lunchtime and tried to stretch her body as much as she could in the small hole. She heard footsteps approaching and looked up, her mood lifting when she saw Frypan grinning down at her, a plate full of food in his hands.

"Hey, jailbird." He mocked, sitting down in front of the pit, and handing her the food,

"Thanks, Fry. Nice to see you too." She said sarcastically, pulling a face at him before digging into her meal.

"Hey, listen, Clar, Thomas told me uh..." He trailed off, looking around awkwardly.

"Told you what?"

"Well, he said, uhm..."

"Spit it out, Fry."

"Did you and Newt kiss?"

Clara's eyes widened and she coughed, almost choking on a piece of bread she was eating. She looked up at the boy,

"What? No! Me and Newt did not kiss!"

"Yeah, well Thomas said otherwise."

"Shucking snitch. No, I didn't kiss him. We were arguing and – and he pushed me against the wall-"

"Sorry, he what?"

"Shut up you know what I mean. We didn't... I mean I... he- he didn't." Clara stuttered, trying to find the words. "I don't know how it happened, but we were fighting and then we weren't and then he was really close to me, but we didn't kiss."

"Did you want to kiss him?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows at the girl and smirking as her cheeks blushed red.

"No, I did not. Get out of here Frypan. Don't you have bacon to burn or something?" She hissed, throwing an apple at him. He raised his hands in defeat and stood up, chuckling to himself as he walked away. 

Clara finished eating her meal and leaned back against the wall. She tried to relax but found herself thinking of Newt, of the way he looked at her when they were in her room, the way he smiled at her when he handed her the bracelet. Did I want to kiss him? She questioned, but she shook the thought out of her head, scoffing at its ridiculousness. 

She picked up a small stone and started drawing small little pictures in the ground, mainly just small flowers. Creating the small petals and stems coming from them, connecting to one another. She smiled to herself, admiring her little creation before she noticed a small crowd gathering outside the maze doors. She lifted herself off the ground and stared out the wooden bars of the pit, wondering what was going on. She checked her watch and suddenly realized what was happening. 

The doors hadn't closed. 

A loud screech and a rumbling began on Clara's left, and another behind her, followed by a third on her right. Her heart dropped as she recognized the sounds, all the doors to the maze were opening. She shook the wooden bars of the pit, trying desperately to open the door and get herself out.