I Know Places [Thomas The Maze Runner]

[03: The Circle]

"But--"

Newt interrupted, "No! Rules are rules. Just be grateful I'm tidy so your room is in great condition." He grinned.

"Alright," Elle reluctantly agreed. "Thank you, that's very generous of you."

Newt's back straightened. "I know," he joked, nudging her arm playfully.

Elle liked how easy it was to get along with him. He was good at comforting other people and making them feel listened to. Even though he was clearly as respected as Alby, he had the luxury of being less authoritative as the second in command. Alby couldn't walk the line between leader and friend as gracefully as Newt since he was always in leader mode.

"You know, I think I like you, Newt," Elle said.

"I think I like you too, Greenie," Newt chuckled.

Elle grimaced at the nickname. "Elle," she corrected him. "All this Glader slang isn't sitting right with me."

"It will," Newt assured her. "Give it time and before you know it, you'll be speaking like Chuck. Isn't that right?"

Chuck, who stood beside Elle as he tucked into his food, grinned happily at the mention of his name. "Oh yeah, I'm all over this klunk," he agreed, adding another word to Elle's Glader vocabulary. "It's pretty cool that you get your own room, Elle!"

"It sure is," she echoed. "Listen, I really appreciate everything you guys are doing to help me but is there any way to stop all the staring?" Elle asked Newt, glancing uncomfortably around.

"I honestly think the only thing that's going to stop the staring is time," Newt replied, shrugging helplessly. "Right now you're the only girl anyone here has ever seen. Everyone is just a little surprised and curious, that's all. Once you settle in and get to know everyone things will get easier." Elle nodded in agreement, trying to see things from the Gladers' perspectives. Nobody seemed to be looking at her with malice or bad intentions, it was more like they couldn't help themselves. "Where's the other Greenie?" Newt searched the crowd. "I feel like I haven't seen him."

"He's probably leering at the Maze again," Elle thought aloud. "I'm gonna go find him." She spotted him sitting by himself, far away from the bonfire, staring at the Maze, like she suspected. "I'll be right back," she excused herself to try and convince the Greenie to join in on the fun. "Is this seat taken?" Elle asked, making her presence known.

He looked up, grinning, realising it was just Elle. "No, go ahead." He scooted over to give her room to sit beside him. Some boys were banging on makeshift drums they must have built while others stood laughing and conversing amongst themselves. Elle's knees brushed the Greenie's from where they sat with their legs propped up. With their backs to the bonfire, the flames illuminated everyone's faces except theirs. "Having fun?"

"Yes, actually," Elle admitted. "Newt's really nice. Everyone else seems happy to just stare and talk about me rather than actually coming up to me, so that's a little weird. But I don't really blame them." She laughed. "What about you? Have you talked to any witty conversationalists so far? Other than myself."

"Nah," the Greenie averted his gaze, suddenly timid when he realised how beautiful Elle was up close. Perhaps it was because the day was so stressful, but he never had the chance to give her a proper look over. He'd known she was pretty but now it was undeniable how gorgeous she was with her brown hair, sweet smile, and entrancing green eyes.

Before Elle could convince him to join the others, Newt joined them. He sat on the Greenie's other side, leisurely chewing some barbecued meat. "Hell of a first day, Greenies," Newt said rhetorically.

"I'd imagine it was a hell of a day for everyone," Elle acknowledged, recalling the stir their appearance caused. "Definitely one for the books."

Newt nodded in agreement. "Here." He held a large mason jar full of moonshine out to the Greenie with an innocent smile. "Put some hair on your chest," he teased cheekily, looking forward to his first reaction to Gally's moonshine.