A5 // The Maze Runner

Chapter 2

-- at the bonfire --

"Hey greenie!" A boy yelled to me as I walked into the light of the glowing fire. "Watch this!" The boy, I think named Eric,  jumped into the circle with another boy and began to wrestle him. Although I stayed to watch, the awkward feeling returned.

"Hey greenie!" Another boy yelled and grabbed my wrist. He pulled me to the fire where another group of boys stood, all their eyes instantly traveling up and down my body.

"Yeah," I sighed knowing it was going to be something utterly stupid.

"Which one of us is the hottest? Now be honest it's me right?" The boy asked whom I recalled was named Henry.

"Umm do I have to answer," I asked timidly. They all seemed to think what I said was hilarious.

"Yeah come on. It's me!" The boy named Ben laughed.

"Guys leave her alone. It's her first night." Newt has intervened, placing his hand on my back and leading me away from them. He brought me to a thick log tipped on its side where we rested our backs on. He had us face the walls, away from the commotion of the boys, and handed me a jar filled with a brown liquid.

"Here. It'll calm your nerves," he said shyly. I took the drink and brought it to my lips. The smell in itself reeked but I pushed myself to tilt the drink into my mouth.

As the drink touched my tongue, my eyes squinted shut. It burned my taste buds until it seeped down my throat with the same aching feeling. I drank a pretty big gulp until I had enough and took it from my mouth.

"Shuck greenie. I didn't know you had it in you," he chuckled and took the drink back.

The taste lingered on my tongue. "What is that?"

"I don't even know. It's Gally's recipe. All I know is it helps sometimes," he said a little lower than before. The drink had a taste to it that made my head feel lighter as if I was becoming numb. I vaguely remembered that drink as alcohol.

"Newt are you okay? I know you just met me today but I want you to talk to me," I asked nervous about how far I should push my limits. He looked very down tonight and I wasn't sure if it was something I did or if it's his normal look.

"It's nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about greenie," he said with a fake smile, something I somehow knew very well.

"Please talk to me. I don't know if it's a memory or something but I just feel okay around you. I care about you so please let me help you," I begged shaking a little at how nervous I honestly was. This boy made my palms sweat and my chest tighten, but in a good way.

"I promise I'll tell you one day. For now, I want to make you feel okay. You are the one who just woke up in the glade," he said and scooted his body closer to me so there was only a hands lengthy apart from us.

"I'm okay. I don't think I'll ever fit in though," I chuckled and rested my head on the log.

"Don't say that love. I'll make sure you'll feel like a princess here." Giggling a little, I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Thanks Newt. Really for everything you did today." He swung his arm up and over so it rested on my shoulders when I was pulled into his chest where I placed my head.

"Of course love. I only want what's best for my greenie," he sighed. I felt his heart pick up as I placed my hand on his chest. I quickly retracted it with a simple sorry and red cheeks. His chest vibrated in a laugh as he grabbed my hand and placed it back on his chest.