Deleted Memories (The Maze Runner, Newt)

Chapter 15

My eyes met gentle brown ones and I push the boy in the chest. "What the hell, Newt?" I groaned, turning back around to pick up the wheelbarrow and then I crouched down and started scooping up the spillage.

Newt chuckled and knelt down beside me, helping me with the mess. I didn't bother to look up at him, hoping it would show that I wasn't impressed with him. He spoke up after we had cleaned up most of the compost, "I found it rude that you came and saw that Leo shank and not me, Princess."

"Was someone jealous?" I giggled, getting to my feet and wiping my dirty hands on my jeans.

"I just thought that we were better friends," Newt shrugged as if it was the easiest answer.

I picked up the wheelbarrow again and started for the compost pile. "I have other friends," I said, looking over my shoulder at the blonde haired boy and rolling my eyes.

"Yes, but you like me the most," Newt argued. He followed me to the wall and watched me dump the wheelbarrow.

"Newt, you are my best friend. I know-" I couldn't tell him about my dream, "I mean, we must have been friends before the Maze. It just feels like I've known you longer than just a few weeks." It felt stupid saying that, but it was true. No matter how sappy it sounded. Maybe we had been even more than friends before the Maze.

~

It was late. We had already eaten dinner and the sun was close to setting overhead. It had been a month since I got stung by the Griever and nothing was different. I had learnt more about being a Runner than I ever thought I would. I was still running with Minho, instead of running alone. Mainly before there were already eight Runners, nine counting me and there were only eight sections of the Maze. I had run with Ben a couple of days, and a few with another Runner named Jason, but most were with Minho. I didn't mind because I enjoyed Minho's company. He had become somewhat of a brother to me and I couldn't imagine never knowing him. Mistake or not, I was happy to have been sent to this place.

A new Greenie had shown up earlier that day, weeping in the bottom of the box. He didn't seem to have any wits about him but didn't look at me like a piece of meat, so I liked him enough. Well, as much as someone who hadn't even talk to that person could.

Newt and I were wandering through the garden fields, chatting about our days. I hadn't had much to discuss since Minho and I had found nothing new in the Maze, but Newt told me all about the Greenie's reaction to the Glade. "He ran off into the Deadheads and Alby had to go find him. I think he is too scared to function yet," Newt explained.

"Do most Greenies act like that when they come up?" I asked. I had only seen Tony come up and he was no normal Glader. He now worked as a Slicer and the job was warily fitting for him. I would still occasionally feel his gaze on me at dinner or later on in the evenings but Minho, Gally and Newt had all backed off about him being potentially dangerous; however, I could still tell that they were cautious about the whole scenario.

"Some are worse than others," Newt shrugged, "we all have our ways of coping with the change in life. Some adapt quickly and others find it extremely difficult. He'll come around eventually. Just needs a little bit of time.

I nodded, before looking up at him with a devious smirk, "race you to the tree." I didn't wait for him to answer before running off towards the deadheads. I could hear him right behind me, though his limp impeded his speed a little. I made sure not to get too far in front of him.

"Princess, stop! I'm not a Runner like you, this is unfair," Newt complained, huffing out a large breath.

"No!" I yelled back, giggling.