Serendipity - The maze runner, Newt

Chapter 35 - First kiss

"Not eating ?" Isaac asked me as I played with my fork in my plate.

"I'm not very hungry." I replied without lifting my head from the dish.

"You need to eat." Newt intervened.

"I said I'm not hungry." I answered again.

"You won't be able to run if you don't eat, idiot." Minho added.

Even he was getting involved ? I thought I was being more discreet than that. I didn't respond and just started eating, slowly.

I wasn't hungry at all. It had been more than a week since I had eaten almost nothing. I couldn't manage it. I wasn't hungry. I still tried to keep up a cheerful appearance, but I felt strange. I felt odd, like something was missing, and this lack was gnawing at me from the inside. I wasn't sad, just incomplete. And I didn't even know what I was missing.

"Well, I'm going to bed." I said, standing up after eating part of my plate.

"Already ? But the sun just set !" Chuck exclaimed.

"I'm tired, sorry Chuck..." I said, smiling at him kindly.

"No problem... Good night, Maylin !"

"Good night, Chuck ! And good night, guys !" I said, smiling at the boys still sitting at our table.

"Good night, Maylin." Isaac said to me.

"Good night, shank." Minho said to me.

"I'll go with you." Newt said, standing up.

"What a coincidence." Minho added, whispering, but loud enough for us to hear.

I rolled my eyes and headed towards my hut, Newt by my side.

We walked in silence until Newt broke it.

"What's going on with you lately, love ?" He asked me.

"What's going on with me ? Nothing's happening." I replied.

"You know, May, after more than three months... and probably years before the maze... I know when you're lying. You're worrying me, Maylin." He said.

"Don't worry about me." I said, opening the door to my hut and inviting him in with me.

"Yes, I am worried. You're a Glader, and more importantly... I care about you." He said, his cheeks slightly red.

"I care about you too." I said, smiling kindly at him.

"Then tell me what's going on... please, Maylin. Maybe I can help you ?" He asked, worried.

"I doubt that." I said, sighing in exhaustion.

"At least explain the problem to me... You never know, maybe I could help." He insisted.

"Alright... I... I feel like something's missing. I feel incomplete."

"Something ? Like your memory ?" He asked.

"No, not my memory... Something deeper... Something or maybe someone ? I don't know."

I saw Newt freeze for a moment, pausing our conversation.

"Someone...?" He repeated.

"I don't know..."

He paused again before putting his hand in his pocket, as if searching for something, then pulling out a folded handkerchief.

"I'm not going to cry, Newt. I don't need a handkerchief." I said, chuckling.

"Shh, I wasn't going to give it to you to wipe your tears, May." He said, chuckling as well.

"I don't know if this is what you mean when you say you're missing someone or something, but you had this on you when you arrived." He unfolded the handkerchief, revealing a necklace with a fine gold chain and a crystal star pendant.