𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐎𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 - TMR, Gally

012 - Visitors

Two days later, there was a knock on the door. Through the days the Med-Jacks didn't dare to look me in the eye again, so just slid plates with food onto my bed and then rushed away again.

I didn't lay in the Med Hut. I was in a room upstairs the Homestead, where the Med Hut used to be, until they upgraded the place. There was one single bed and a nightstand. The rest of the room was damp and dusty.

"Who is it and what do you want?" I snapped.

"It's Alby. I-."

"Leave."

"Look, Val. We're so-."

I noticed the door slowly opening. "Leave."

"We're sorry." Alby continued. He even pushed the door further open. "And we would love it if you would come out of this room."

I was already sick of him, and everyone, acting like I was an injured dog. "No. Now get out."

"I'm sorry-."

"Stop saying sorry and get out!"

Again, I wanted to cry. Deep down I even wanted someone— well, not just someone, but an important person, though I didn't really know who— to hold me. Help me go through it.

But no one did. And Newt just disappeared out of the universe. Did he escape the maze by accident?

Alby sighed. "It's cold and the air is thick in here. I can barely breathe. Get some daylight or-."

"If you really want to do me a favor, go get Newt and ask where the hell he's been hiding. Does he think I'm a rabid monster too?"

"No one thinks you're a rabid m-."

"Then stop acting like you do. Now reply to my favor. Please."

His face darkened slightly. Frustrated, he rubbed his forehead. "Newt's been having..." He paused and sighed again. "Newt's been having a hard time coping with this all. Alright?"

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had to do something about people not appreciating me. "He's my best friend and I'm sorry to say this, but as that role, he is supposed to be here for me."

"Yeah, but-." Alby cut himself off for a second. "No one can blame him. No friend likes to see their best one in this position. Respect him for that."

Now Alby was just irritating me with the way he talked. "Oh, I respect Newt a lot more than you think, Alby. But, not to be selfish, because if you hadn't noticed, lately I had people bullying me and I thought I deserved it, so I won't consider that selfish— anyways. I think Newt should come and visit me. Or was I, as I always thought, not that loved by him? Is it true I love him more than he loves me?"

"No, no." He shook his head. "You don't get it, okay? I should not be telling you this, so I won't, but Newt has his own reasons for not visiting you and that is not because he doesn't love you."

I swallowed away my tears. "Thanks, Alby. You may leave now."

"You still didn't-."

"You may leave now."

"Valerie, I was told to-."

"I don't care what they told you. Just get the shuck out of this room." The anger rose fast again. Alby gave me a glance, but didn't obey. "Leave. I never agreed to you entering this room in the first place. Be honored you could've."

"I-."

"Alby, leave."
I reached for a book on my nightstand.

"But we-."