~~~Author's Notes~~~
Literal crap chapter. I had writers block until yesterday, haha. But exciting chapters are coming very soon in my story, don't worry! I have crazy things planned for Newt, mostly, and a bit for Brianne. I don't want to rush their relationship, but it needs a little push here and there. So I hope things aren't moving too fast.
This update stunk, I'm sorry baes!! My week has been awful, full of tests and exams and drama, and such. But Christmas Break is so soon and I'm so excited!! *Y'all know what that means; faster updates!!!!*
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~~~Brianne's Pov~~~
"Do you really think he likes me?" I asked, fixing the cot for what felt like the millionth time. Victoria had this weird fetish with clean beds. All day, she'd make and remake the beds anytime someone sat on one.
"Of course, I mean, I'm right -what?- 99% of the time." Victoria answered, while she ate an apple.
"But remember what happened the last time I took advice from you?" I laughed, remembering what Victoria had made me do, yesterday.
"Yah, I forced you and Newt to talk. I'm such a horrible person. Somebody arrest me."
"You made me lie."
"You lied and cut the dinner line, big deal." Victoria sighed, "But I was still right."
Victoria and I had been the last ones in the dinner line; which if you don't know, that's awful. If you're last, then you get the bottom of the barrel food. I'm like already skeptical of Frypan's cooking. I can only imagine what it tastes like cold.
So Victoria, being Victoria, took one glance up to the middle of the line and immediately plotted out an escape from the back; let me just mention now, that Newt was about 30 people in front of us, "Go cut the line, Brianne."
I shook my head, assuming that Victoria was kidding, "Oh okay, I'll ask Nick if he'll let me stand with him." I said, sarcastically.
"No, I'm serious. Ask Newt. He's like a whole lifetime ahead of us in line. Just start talking to him. He won't even realize your intentions."
"What about you?" I asked, trying to cling to any reason for me not to go talk to Newt.
"You can get food for the both of us," She said, stepping out of line, "Go. You trust me, don't ya?"
"I'm not cutting the line, Victoria." I said, finally.
"Looks like we're not eating tonight."
"Don't pull that crap with me." I mumbled, glancing at the Kitchen, which had to be a solid mile away.
Okay, not really, but it seemed so incredibly far from where I stood.
"Do it. You know you want to talk to him, anyway." Victoria smirked at me, "He always goes awkwardly out of his way to talk to you. Do the same for him."
"No, he doesn't." I said, more for self-reassurance.
"He came up to the medjack's room asking for a bandaid for Minho. I asked Minho how his cut was later that day and he said he never got one."
"That could mean anything."
"He asked us when the box was coming this morning at breakfast. Newt's been here longer than me, he knows when the box is coming."
"We did all lose our memory-"
"We're not that stupid, though." She shrugged her shoulders, "Whatever, you don't see the signs, it's okay. Looks like that relationship won't last long."
"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.
Even though we'd only done this a total of four times, I already found myself looking forward to it everyday.
"Alright, fine you're always right." I huffed, flopping onto the bed.
"You better believe it." She gave me a glare, seeing that I'd ruined her neatened sheets.
A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
"Come in!" I yelled, standing up. The door opened and Newt took a step into the medjacks room.
"Oh, look who it is? Our favorite! Or should I say your favorite." Victoria laughed.
"What's up?" I asked, ignoring her.
Newt brought his hand up to his mouth and made a noise that vaguely sounded like a cough, "I think, I'm coming down with something."
Victoria rolled her eyes, "Please." She mumbled.
"Are you really?" I asked, recognizing the humor in Newt's eyes, "What disease are you diagnosing yourself with?"
"I well- I think I'm lovesick." He winked. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Victoria pretending to vomit.
I on the other hand, wanted to cry. Newtttttttt, You can't throw sentences around like that. I'm never prepared.
I laughed though, pulling his arm over to the bed, "That's very serious, actually I don't think I've ever worked with a patient who's had that."
"It's very serious indeed."
"When did you realize you were sick?" I pretended to write down whatever made up symptoms Newt could think of.
"Well, I'm not sure when the sickness came over me, but I recognized my illness when I started falling for you."
My cheeks flushed, "Well, isn't that sweet."
Whenever Newt says random stuff like this, I cringe because my insides do thirty backflips.
I'd like to flirt back, but there's something stopping me. It's like an alarm going off in my brain. A red flag.
He throws the words into the air so effortlessly. How does he do that?
I have to force myself to show affection in the smallest things and here he was 'falling for me.'
"I might need to be checked out, ya' know, and I'd feel more comfortable if it were just the two of us." His eyes flicked over to Victoria.
"I get it. I'm going!" Victoria grabbed her sweatshirt and ran for the door, "I didn't wanna see you two make out anyway."
"I'll talk to you la-" The door slammed shut, "-ter." I sighed.
Newt sat on the edge of the bed, "We need to talk."
My heart beat started going a little faster, "About?"
"They're sending people out into the maze."
"What do you mean?" I furrowed my eyebrows. Newt looked around as if someone might be listening.
"There's a griever next to the west door. Nick thinks it's a good idea if a group goes out."
"How close is this thing?"
"A hundred feet. Maybe less."
"Are you going?" I asked.
"No, it's just- " Newt stood, "if they ask you to go, then don't."
"Why? It could be fun! See a griever close up. Live a little." I laughed.
"No. You can't go. I'm buggin' serious. It has death written all over it."
I didn't really feel like arguing, "Fine, I won't go. Why would they even ask me? Nick already thinks I'm a loose canon."
What's Newt talking about?
People going into the maze? Non-runners?
"It's nothing, I just- the maze is unsafe. The glade is very safe. Therefore, I feel secure in knowing that you are in the glade, taking care of some sickly human, far far away from grievers."
"When are they going?" I asked.
"Doesn't matter, because you're not going. But just for your information, in a day or two."
"You can't protect me, you know." I mumbled, looking out the window, at the open maze doors.
I'd venture into the maze, eventually.
"I can try." Newt coughed, as he stood up, "Now, what kind of treatment are you going to give me?" He asked, as the door to the room opened.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Jeff mumbled, slowly closely the door again.
"No, Jeff, it's alright, you can come in." I said, before turning back to Newt, "Rest. Take a breather, maybe a cat nap in a cool, dark place after you run today." I made sure I emphasized certain words, so that Newt got the gist of what I was implying.
I wanted him to meet me in the storage cellar this evening.
Newt paused for only a moment, "Alright, sounds good. I'll be sure to give you updates on my health." With a simple nod, Newt left the room.
"What's got him up here?" Jeff asked, flipping through the clipboard of people's sicknesses in recent weeks.
"Common cold." I answered, getting ready to leave the room, "I'll be back once I eat breakfast."
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~~~Newt's Pov~~~
I take a deep breath.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
I push myself forward, down corridor after corridor. Keeping the turns I take in the back of my mind; right, left, left.
Sprint 50 feet. Slow down to a jog.
Twenty feet ahead, take a right.
Farther, Newt. Run farther.
I want to beat my record, which is pretty tough.
No breaks, I tell myself. Only lunch and one water stop.
I grab big pieces of ivy off the wall as I run, throwing it behind me. You know, because I don't really feel like getting lost today.
This is the rush I needed.
The blood pumping through my body. My legs aching as they push off the ground. My mind actively thinking.
I feel alive.
The air slowly got thicker as the day went on, sweat rolling down my face.
I slowed to a stop, eyeing the walls surrounding me.
My hands reached out and grabbed onto the vines of the wall, but I didn't pull them off. I was testing their strength.
Feeling like they were strong enough to hold my weight, I began climbing up to the top of the wall.
This was easy.
I never tell anyone about this, but I always eat lunch on the top of the wall. It's a weird routine that I started to do back when I first became a runner. It's fun. It's pretty. Gives me a change of scenery.
The walls are all different heights, so I usually pick the shortest one to climb. I'd never risk going up to the top of the highest walls. I mean, I'm not trying to get myself killed.
This is my favorite part of being a Runner, if I'm being honest. It's so perfect. So dangerous, but so safe, at the same time.
I hoist myself up onto the flat surface of the wall, turning my body around. My legs dangling over the edge.
I take a deep breath.
I open my backpack and take out my sandwich and my pen and paper.
Yes, I did plan on writing.
I was kind of embarrassed that Brianne had seen what I'd written. It became even more mortifying when I told her what the entry was about.
But oh well, I was naive to think that nobody would find it.
I bite into my sandwich, and click open my pen.
Now the real question is: What do I write about this time?
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~~~Author's Notes~~~
Ugh, I hate this chapter. Except for Newt's cute puns, I like those. If you haven't noticed, I really like puns, lol. They're always in my story.
Anyway ILY GUYS!!! I've been super busy with life, but like I said before, I'm going to set aside more time for writing.
Hope you guys are having a wonderful day/week, y'all deserve it! I just think I should say this now, but if anyone needs a friend or just someone to talk to, IM MOST DEFINITELY HERE!!
ALRIGHT, I'll see you guys in the next update!!