The Trigger (A Newt fanfiction)

Chapter 3

I shuffle into the large room, where Sonya and Harriet occasionally hold meetings regarding issues in the Glade.

I spot Newt walking in through the door next, curiosity in his eyes. A few girls quietly chatter as he enters the room. Harriet shows him to a seat next to me, and then I see Rachel sit in a seat next to Newt. Fear is evident in her eyes.

"Alright, everyone, can I have your attention?" Harriet announces her voice booming across the room. Conversation immediately stops.

"Okay, so we're here to discuss the arrival of the boy, and his suspected relation to Rachel and Maya," Harriet says.

Rachel's eyes water, and she nervously taps her foot. I can tell this unwanted attention is getting to her.

"Rachel," Sonya begins, "We all know Newt said your name when he arrived. Do you know him?"

Rachel breaks her gaze from Sonya, then looks at Newt. Her pupils dance, trying to identify the boy.

She looks back at Sonya. "No," she says, her voice firm.

Harriet turns to Newt. "What about you? Do you recognize Rachel?"

Rachel shyly looks over at Newt, giving off a weary smile as if posing for a picture. Newt leans in and scans her face. Rachel awkwardly sits, a fake smile still plastered on her face.

"Nothing," Newt sighs.

"Alright then," Sonya says. She then eyeballs me. "Maya, do you any idea why he may have been sent?"

I glance at Newt, and suddenly, a rush of nostalgia fills my brain, and certain memories come back to me. Somehow, I've seen his face before. And I remember a man labeling him as 'the Trigger'. There's no way I could've known him from before. I've looked at him before, why do these memories dare to present themselves now?

"Well?" Sonya snaps, interrupting my train of thought.

I couldn't tell her the truth. That would just give more people the suspicion that I'm the bad guy. As much as I hate to, I have to lie.

"No," I say, biting my lower lip.

Harriet squints her eyes, as if she can tell that I'm lying, but then she nods. I sigh out of relief.

"Well," Sonya concludes, then looks at Newt, "If Rachel and Maya don't know who you are or why you're here, then do you know?"

Newt stares at the ceiling, racking his brain for any memories he can find, but shakes his head no.

I hear someone from the crowd groan. I look over and see that it is Beth, rolling her eyes. She stands up. "Come on! One of them has to know something!"

"If they say they don't, then they don't," Harriet snaps.

"I just think one of them is lying," Beth says, crossing her arms. "I say the boy gets locked up!"

Soon after Beth says this, multiple other girls start chatting, and then they all chant.

I want to protest, but what good'll that do?

Newt sits in his chair, his face a flurry of emotions. I get up and walk over to Sonya and Harriet, who seem to be debating this option.

"Come on, he didn't even do anything wrong," I protest.

"Majority rules," Harriet says and shrugs. "We don't know anything about him, plus he'll be safer in the Slammer."

I sigh, and proceed back to my chair. I look over at Newt, and him and Rachel seem to be staring at each other, not saying a word. Their eyebrows are furrowed in concentration. What are they doing?