artemis, MAZE RUNNER¹

² 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏.

"What about her?"

Emis ignored the cold snap to his tone. "I don't know," she said, "Has she said anything?"

Newt cast his eyes down, shaking his head. "No." He said, then sighed. "Nothing of much importance, anyway."

"Apart from pretty boy's name over here." Ed slapped Thomas on the shoulder. He mumbled something, dodging out of his grip in a full, swift movement. He reached forwards and snatched the scrap of paper out of Newt's hands.

"Wait, Thomas?" Emis said. His eyes snapped up to meet hers.

"Uh, yeah?" He was rolling the slip of paper in his hands, absentmindedly.

"She said your name?"

His eyes flashed away, downwards. Mild embarrassment crossed his face. "I guess, I─I don't know. I don't ─"

"C'mon." Minho butt in. "All this talking's making me tired. Come say hi."

Emis nodded. She took a step forwards, as if to follow them out through the door, but felt a hand close around her wrist. Caught off-guard, the momentum swung her backwards, and suddenly she was thudding roughly into Newt's chest. Her hands went automatically to his shoulders.

"Newt, what ─" She didn't get the chance to finish. He cut her off with a kiss, the words dying out. She felt dizziness wash over her─the good kind. Her body tingled with nerves, as she let him pull her closer. This kiss was different─it was as if she'd plunged cold into warm water, all the air escaping her lungs, the sensation of floating, of losing air, of leaving gravity behind.

As quick as it had started, suddenly he was pulling away. She gasped for air, embarrassed at her heavy, uneven breathing. He cracked a smile, reaching to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "We were interrupted, last time." He said in a low voice.

She felt tingles running up her spine, breathing in sharply. Then, swiftly, she bent her head forwards and pressed her lips against his jaw. It was light, barely there, but it stung, slightly. Like volts of electricity had shot in through his skin from where she'd made contact. She glanced up at him, thrilled to see that his eyes had gone dark, wide with shock, then turned swiftly to head through the doorway.

𝑬𝑴𝑰𝑺 didn't know what she had been expecting. The air had turned thick and heavy with incense, and the sand was course and slightly damp under her thin sneakers. When she had pictured the girl in her head, she had dreamt of light. All light hair and light eyes and light skin. This girl did have light skin, but that was where it stopped.

She was striking, her hair dark, long and thick. She was scruffy, skin flushed, wrapped in a starchy, stiff shirt. There was a distant feeling, a sharp ache at the back of Emis's head. She'd never met this girl, and yet─

"Jeff." Newt's voice brought her out of her thoughts with a start. She glanced up; he had his arms folded, jaw tight. His whole body had a strung tension to it. She swallowed. "What's going on? What's the matter with her, why won't she wake up?"

Jeff looked up, throwing Newt a tired glare. "Hey, man." He said defensively. "I got my job the same way you did." He glanced at Emis, flashing her a small smile. "Hey, Emis." He said, "Glad to see you're feeling better."

She gave him a quick smile in response. The achy pain flared up in the back of her head again, suddenly. Emis winced, trying to squash it away as she jarred her ear into her shoulder. And then, her name is Teresa. The empty voice was back. Her name is Teresa. You recognise her. Emis furrowed her brow, trying to backstep through the fogginess of her mind. But there was nothing. She recognised her, but distantly. And maybe her name was Teresa─but Emis had no idea how that had come out.