The New Distance [The Scorch Trials Book]

t w o

bravado // lorde

"Mum, why can't I go outside?" The younger, ten year-old version of me asked gently, looking out the window of the very tall skyscraper we were currently in. I didn't expect her to have heard it; I barely whispered it. She was surrounded by scientists and she looked busy doing whatever she was doing on her desktop.

To my surprise, she looked at me with a sad smile on her face. "You know why, Sanza." She stood up from her workplace and nodded at the people who were there, they left the room immediately. She sat beside me on a long chair that faced the large window overlooking Seattle.

"Are you going to go crazy like dad and the others did, mum? Because I don't want you to." I hugged her and watched as her blonde hair fell around me as I did so, acting like a curtain.

"Oh darling," She cooed. "We're all going to go crazy." The sadness in her voice was almost too hard to bear, causing me to regret asking her. "But," She said as she pulled away and held me at an arm's length with both hands on my shoulders. "Mum is trying to find a cure so we won't have to."

I smiled at this and nodded, causing her to smile as well. I loved it when mum smiled, she didn't do it often but when she did, it was so full of hope. Suddenly there was someone knocking on the door. Her face contorted into one of fear but she relaxed when it opened and a boy of my age poked his head through the door. I smiled at him.

"Sorry to intrude, Chancellor Paige." Stephen grinned. "But can I go with Sanza now? I had just finished the daily tests and y'know I wanted to..." he trailed off hopefully.

Mum smiled. "Of course, Stephen." She nodded. "Run along now, Sanza." She ushered me out of her room. I kissed her cheek before I went out and joined Stephen who was wearing an awful lot of white clothes today. We walked down the corridor together.

"Why are your clothes always white?" I scrunched my nose at his clothing color.

He gave me an 'are you serious' face. "It's uniform. But you're right, though. They could have given us colors we wanted, it wouldn't matter that much anyways. I've always wanted blue," He said, pinching the hem of his shirt, wishing it would automatically transform into a blue shirt.

"You would look good in blue." I agreed. "I've got blue shirts!" I said, smiling excitedly, an idea popped into my head. "We could go get them and you can wear them!"

Stephen whined. "But they're gonna be girly shirts."

I scowled at him and took his hand. "They not girly shirts because they were my dad's." I pulled him towards the direction of my room. "Now, c'mon, Steph."

"Glad to see you still know how to take a nap." I peeked through a squint and saw Newt standing next to the bed I was in, staring down at me.

"How long was I asleep?" I yawned and asked, forcing the memory-dream?-into a dark corner of my mind to agonize over later but most likely be forgotten.

Newt looked at his watch. "A couple of hours. Everyone kind of followed your lead when you lied down. It was relaxing watching you sleep."

"What?" I almost choked. "You were watching me sleep?" I couldn't help the smile that crossed my features.

"Erm," He scratched the back of his neck. "Yes?" he laughed nervously, like he was caught doing something he shouldn't. I laughed along with him, at his expense. He looked quite cute, his eyes were everywhere but on me and I swear I could see a bit of red in his cheeks.

"Do we have food?" I asked to change the subject. Newt seemed thankful.

"No. but I'm pretty sure these people wouldn't go through all this trouble to bring us here, trick us or whatever they've done, just to let us buggin' starve to death. Something will happen. Reminds me of when they sent the first group of us into the Glade. The initial group of me and Alby and Minho and some others. The original Gladers." He said that part with a not-so-subtle burst of sarcasm.

I nodded. Newt was smart and he was right, WICKED wouldn't just let us starve, they've got more horrible things up for us. He was staring at me with an unidentifiable expression on his face.

"What?" I laughed lightly at the awkwardness.

"Who's Stephen?" He asked, his smile disappearing.

I froze as I sat up. "Stephen?"

"Yeah, Stephen." He said. "You we're saying the bloke's name again and again in your sleep."

I was having trouble breathing as the dream of a memory resurfaced, along with some other memories that nipped at my heart as I remembered them.

"Was he your boyfriend or something?" Newt sat down beside me with furrowed eyebrows.

This brought a laugh out of my mouth and I shoved Newt's shoulder playfully. I looked at him with a knowing smile. "No but I'll tell you someday, Newt. I promise."

The expression on his face gave it away but he hid it with a smile. "Alright."

"Why were you watching me, anyways?" I asked.

"Just to make sure the guys don't get any ideas." He gestured to me. " A sleeping girl alone in a room, I don't trust them with you."

Oh.

"Come on, Newt," I snorted. "Who would think about that at a time like this?"

"I would." His dark eyes were boring through mine. He leaned closer and I was taken aback by it but I did nothing. I sensed something in the air between us had shifted all of the sudden, I felt hot and my palms were sweating, I felt really awkward.

Okay, what?

I laughed to ease the tension that built up. And thank God, Newt laughed as well. I knew very well what he was implying but as much as I liked Newt, I didn't want to think about it. Not now.