Wishful Thinking | Newt [DISCONTINUED]

11 | finding newt

The next morning started out as a quiet and uneventful one, mainly because almost all the boys were taking advantage of Nick's 'two extra hours of sleep on the morning after Greenie day' rule. When Anne walked around the back of the Homestead and towards the bathroom, she was happy to see that instead of the usual line of boys waiting impatiently for whoever was in the bathroom to be done, there was only one boy. That boy just so happened to be a very impatient Minho who looked like he was going to break down the door any second.

"Quit hogging the bathroom, Ben!" He shouted, slamming his fist on the door. Ben's muffled voice shouted back from the other side of the door. Minho just rolled his eyes.

Right when Ben walked out, Minho pushed past him and rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He didn't seem to have noticed Anne's presence but Ben did.

"Never come between Minho and the bathroom in the morning," he joked. "I'm not kidding."

"I can see that," Anne replied, still staring at the bathroom door.

"I'm Ben, by the way," Ben said, holding out his hand to her. "Don't think we've met before."

He was right. She hadn't seen him around the Glade before and if she had, she couldn't remember him. But that was probably because Ben was a Runner and was out in the Maze for almost the entire day. Anne looked at his hand hesitantly before taking it. He seemed like a nice person.

They both heard the toilet flush and Ben's eyes went wide. "And he's fast too. I better run."

And then he took off just as Minho exited the bathroom not more than two minutes after he entered, shouting "it was nice meeting you," over his shoulder as he ran. Minho rolled his eyes and ran off as well, leaving the bathroom empty for her. He still hadn't noticed her standing there. Was she that invisible?

Frypan and his Cooks were already in the Kitchen preparing breakfast before the other Gladers woke up. After exiting the bathroom, Anne went to have breakfast and sat at one of the picnic tables that allowed her to watch what the Runners did. She had always been fascinated in them even though she never wanted to be one. The doors opened a few minutes later and the Runners slipped through them right when they opened enough for them to step outside.

Anne could see Nick, Alby, Clint, Gally and a couple more people unloading crates from the Box. Jeff who had also woken up by then told her that those were the supplies the Creators sent up that week. Lincoln was still nowhere to be seen which Anne didn't really find very surprising. He needed his beauty sleep.

"Newt, you should not be running on that leg!" Alby's voice shouted from the Box. Anne and Jeff who were seated on the grass outside the Homestead turned to see Newt slow down when his friend screamed at him.

"They sent a box up for you, Anne," Newt gasped out, coming to a stop in front of her. He bent over, hands on his knees as he breathed in deeply.

"That's why you ran all the way here?" Anne asked in disbelief, grabbing Newt's hand and pulling him down to sit beside her. "That really wasn't necessary."

"Didn't feel like shoutin' across the bloody Glade and wakin' up everyone," Newt muttered. There was a look of pain on his face that was making Anne get more and more worried. Jeff seems to have noticed it as well.

"Newt, we should get your leg checked," Jeff said. "You don't look so good."

"I'm fine," Newt waved a hand at them.

"I swear Newt, I'm gonna get Alby and Nick's help and drag your sorry ass all the way upstairs and stuff that leg into the brace if you don't let me check it," Jeff said.