What If | tmr, newt ✓

Chapter 24

"Just because you don't run doesn't mean you can't. And what am I supposed to call you instead?"

I shrug. "How 'bout by my name?"

He waves off the idea. "Pfft, boring." After a pause, he laughs, thinking of an idea. "I've got it. Candy."

I furrow my brow. "What? Why? At least Falcon made sense."

"You're sweet. Too much of you is deadly." He smirks. "And he loves it when you're in his mouth," he finishes, pointing to Newt across the campfire.

I gasp in disgust, elbowing him, and remembering my second night in the Glade. "That's not fair."

"Fine then. Falcon it is."

I smile, shaking my head, and look forwards again. Newt is just explaining something to Thomas, pointing at Minho through the flames, before being overwhelmed with more questions. Jesus, this Greenie... he was so goddamned curious about everything! I mean, rightly so - nothing here made sense. But he did ask a hell of a lot of questions.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Gally make his way over to the builders, constantly eyeing Thomas with suspicion. I could tell he didn't trust him, but he has no reason to - apart from being very curious, he hadn't done anything wrong. I curse Gally and his unjust ways under my breath.

Shivering from the cold - and thinking that I probably have circulation problems from the amount of times that I have - I shuffle closer next to Minho and tuck my legs close to my chest, trying to somehow gain some warmth from his body heat.

"Oh no you don't," someone says walking up beside me. It's Newt. He sits down and picks me up, dropping me sideways in his lap. I giggle, curling up into him as he wraps his arms around me to warm me up.

"Chill, dude, I know she's your girl," Minho laughs as Thomas joins us, looking lost. He sits down next to Minho so I can see all of them as I speak.

"Good first day, Greenie?"

He shrugs. "Good as it could have been," he says, eyeing Newt and I warily. "Guess there's no messing with you when he's around."

I laugh quietly. "That's right." I turn my attention back to Newt. "Though the Greenie's quite hot, don't you think? Maybe I'll leave you for him."

I pretend to stand up, but Newt pulls me back down so I'm straddling him. "You couldn't," he whispers, and I smile as he kisses me.

"Gross," Minho says.

I pull away, staring into Newt's eyes as he smirks and runs his hands through my hair. "No offence, Thomas, but Newt's right. You have too much to contend to."

"Hey, none taken," he says, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

Chuck chooses that moment to return from wherever Newt had sent him. He runs back, out of breath and grins at the four of us as he sits down next to Thomas. I smile back at the young kid from where I'm sitting on Newt's lap, knowing I will always feel sorry for him, when I think...

"Oh my God," I whisper, turning back to face Newt. As soon as he sees the expression on my face, concern covers his.

"Addie? What is it?"

As soon as I open my mouth to speak I can feel the tears welling in my eyes. Instead of talking, I lace our fingers together and lean forwards, resting my head on his shoulder. "I'm just really tired," I say, squeezing his hands and hoping he gets the message.

***

About an hour later, I find myself dragging Newt by the hand away from the group of boys. I had pretended to fall asleep on him, but really I had a multitude of thoughts spinning around my brain, listening in to the boys' conversation, before he 'woke me up'. And now we're here, me trying desperately not to start crying.

"How old do you think you are?"

He frowns. "I've been told maybe sixteen or seventeen."

"How long have you been here?"

"Addie, you already know this. Nearly three years."

I squeeze my eyes shut before opening them again, staring up at him. "Thirteen," I whisper.

"What?"

"Thirteen," I say, louder. "You could have been thirteen when you were sent here. Thirteen when... when you climbed the wall that day. Thirteen when you wanted to end your own life."

His eyes flick around my face before finally resting on mine. He doesn't say a word, but I can see the sadness in his eyes. I wrap my arms around his torso and close my eyes, urging myself not to cry. Three years ago they were willing to send up thirteen and fourteen year old boys. And they still are now. Will they ever stop? When will this all end?

Abruptly, a thought enters my head, causing me to step back out of our embrace. "Oh my God. I might be fifteen."

Newt chuckles. "And?"

I fold my arms, deep in thought, frowning. "But- no, that can't be right. Why would they send..." My mind wanders back to the pill they gave me, marking my second week in the Glade; they didn't want me conceiving whilst in here, but... was that even legal?

I sigh, realising that if keeping kids trapped in a maze for years, with no memory of the outside world or their childhood, was legal - anything was possible. I dreaded to think what state the world was in as of now.

A/N I know at the beginning the story moved quite slowly as there was more description, and recently it's been a bit faster paced. If you have any questions about the passage of time then please ask, though I hope I've made it as clear as possible. (I also had a bit of writer's block, so any interesting scene ideas failed to come to my mind for a while...). Thanks for reading!