To Love *The Maze Runner/Newt Fanfic*

Chapter 21

"Fine. I'm going." I mumbled, giving in to Victoria's guilt game. I mean, I had basically lost the battle between my grumbling stomach and faulty conscious, anyway.

"Yay!" She quickly hugged me, "I'll be watching from the homestead window. Ya' know, just in case things go wrong." Victoria skipped away.

Once alone, I felt awkwardly afraid. I have to plan before I act.

Alright. First, I say hi. Then, I ask Newt about his day; more small talk.

And then I- I don't know what else to do.

Skip the planning; that's what I'll do.

I stepped out of line.

God, I can't do this.

"Newt!" I yelled, running up to him. He turned in his spot in line to the direction of my voice. The scowl across his face softened when he saw it was me.

"Brianne? Hi." He said, giving me a quick smile, "What's up?"

Don't lie, Brianne.

Just kidding, lie.

"Just starving, haha." Well, that wasn't a total lie.

"Yah, me too," Newt said, oblivious to the fact that I'd joined him in line, "How ya' liking your job?" He asked out of the blue.

"So, so." I answered, "Find anything interesting in the maze today?" Goodness, that had to be the lamest question ever.

"Yah, I did."

"Really?!" Wow, maybe it wasn't as stupid as I thought.

"No." He laughed, placing his hand on my shoulder, "Just messin' with you."

"Oh, wow, I almost got excited." I was right, it was a stupid question.

"Yah, but I find essentially nothing everyday." I stepped up to the kitchen and took two bowls of soup, "Well, I'll see ya' around, love.-"

I froze.

"I mean-" Newt ran his hand through his hair, a regretful look on his face, "Sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

"It's okay, babe." I emphasized the last word I said, in an attempt to make his slip of speech not as awkward.

"Did you only talk to me to cut in line?" Newt asked, his back turning to walk away.

"It might have started out that way," I said, relieved that he wasn't looking at me," but I'm glad I did."

"I'm glad you did, too." And without another word, Newt walked away.

I eventually walked away too, realizing that I was also glad.

Glad about what? You might ask.

I don't know. I couldn't quite put my finger on what I felt towards Newt.

I still don't know how I feel about Newt.

It'd been a few days since Newt and I had bumped into each other in the storage cellar. But everyday since then we'd found ourselves sprawled out on the cool concrete floor, sometimes in silence, and sometimes in conversation. Nobody in the glade said or knew anything about us meeting alone; honestly I think Victoria has an idea or two but she's giving me space.

It was routine, though. Newt would come back from the maze and after an hour or so in the map room, he'd meet me at the edge of the deadheads.