VARIABLES - THE MAZE RUNNER - Newt or Minho -

-05-

It's nightfall, the gathering finished a while ago, and there is one new rule; don't touch Thea (without permission). It gave me comfort knowing that if anyone did touch me they would be punished and therefore no one was willing to be punished. They all decided that it would be safest if I stayed in Newt's room while he bunked with Minho. I felt bad but then one of the other boy's whistled at me when I bent over to pick up my fork I dropped. I was now happy to be staying in the room by myself.

The boy's made me stay in the homestead eating dinner until they were ready. They had a surprise for me, or well that's how they put it but for me I only had the feeling like something bad was occurring while I was stuck in the quiet homestead pacing back and forth.

The howling sound of Gladers shouting into the wind gathered my attention, I hurried to the door opening it up to the Glade that was light by moonlight and torches that were statered around in random places. I watched as the Keepers all grabbed a torch each and threw it into a giant pile of sticks, dried leaves, and bark.
I smiled at the boys who all cheered at the outburst of light that collected in the pile, looking over the rest of my view I saw a group of boy circled around the sand pit as they awed and owed at the sight of Gally shoving around the boys who entered the ring of sand. "Who's next?" I heard him growl with a grin on his face.

A little stocky boy who looked twelve-thirteen came running up to me. A massive toothy smile plastered across his chubby face. "Hey greenie, I'm Chuck, I was the greenie before you" the little boy held out a fist, I bumped it with my own "you got a name yet?" he questioned.

"Thea" I responded, his grin somehow widened. "It's nice to meet you Chuck" I filled the happy silence.

He nodded, "you too, Hey! You wanna have a go at Gally, I bet he'd go easy on you" Chuck's grin turned into a wicked smirk as he lifted both his eyebrows.
"God no, he'd tear me to shreds, did you not see him at the gathering, felt like daggers were protruding right through me every time he looked my way" I ranted.

Chuck waved it off, his smirk fading back into a smile, "oh well, another time" without another word Chuck rushed off to watch Gally pound a kid half unconscious.

"Shuck I almost forgot you were here" the familiar voice of Newt echoed from behind me, I spun around seeing his face in the orange light of the fire, making his eyes look as though they were swimming in honey.

"Hey" I wide curl of my lips lifted upwards, "what is all this?" I questioned, happy at the surprise that they had made me wait for.

Newt chuckled, "it's a welcoming party, here" he handed me a drink of murky brown liquid in a mason jar.

"What is it?" another question spilled from my mouth as I took it from his hand. He didn't say anything, moving his hand under the glass jar lifting it up to my lips. I took a large gulp, the liquid tasting bitter and sour at the same time, I pushed back the disgusted face I wanted to pull. 'Asshole' I thought as he laughed at my scrunched up expression. Lowering it from my pursed lips, I coughed "oh my god what is that?" Newt laughed at me once again.

"I don't know, it's Gally's recipe, tastes like Klunk but does that trick'' as if Newt triggered it with his words I started feeling very relaxed. Giggling along with him, Newt threw his arm around my shoulder's, my short stature making it easy for him to reach down over my shoulder and grab the jar back from my hands. Turning me around to face the crowd of happy Gladers, "just wait until they get drunk enough and start singing" Newt lifted the jar to his lips having barely half the same reaction I had to the vile liquid.

Pulling the glass from his hand I took another sip, getting used to the icky tasting liquid. The questions piled up in my mind, one capturing my attention, "hey Newt?" I caught his attention in full as he took his arm away from my shoulders, looking me in my eye, "what do I look like?" Newt was taken aback at my new question, taking a second to answer.

"Well, you have pale skin, red hair but not ginger more like a dark copper colour, it's very pretty. Umm... you have pink lips" he looked down at my face taking in every little detail, "a heart-shaped face" he took a step closer. "Blue eyes, with yellow and green in the centre" Newt moved some hair from my face. The slight touch of his finger tips sent a trickle of warmth through my body, "there's a dark blue ring around the outer part of your eyes" his soft touch moved to my cheek.

With his hand cupping my face I gazed up at his brown orbs, my lips parting as they took in quick intakes of breath. "I-I" I couldn't speak.

The door clicked open revealing the sight of a silhouette of a tall boy. I turned to face the noise from my bed in the far corner of the dark room. Flicking a little switch on the side of my bedside table a bright yellow-orange light filled the room with a warm glow.

Looking back at the figure it was now clear who it was, Newt. He had snuck out of his room to come see me, "Newt what are you doing here it's past curfew?" I questioned climbing out of my comfy bed walking up to him.

Not saying a word Newt smile sending the contagious grin onto my face, lifting his hand he cupped my cheek. Allowing me to have a good look at his features I looked up at his face. He wasn't much different from how he looked in the Glade, only the muscles were more defined now then in my memory.

"You're gonna get into trouble" I giggled, his touch warm on my skin. "What are you doing here anyway?" I asked again, Newt's brows furrowed.

His scrunched up face made me wish I could wander into his thoughts and kill the demons that plagued his being. "I just needed to tell you something before tomorrow" Newt paused looking away from my eyes "well actually do something rather than tell" he ranted.

"Newt spit it o..." I was interrupted by his lips as they crashed into my own. His hand on my cheek moved to the back of my head, pulling me forward into the kiss. I relaxed into his hold, his other hand wrapping itself around my waist, I kissed him back, his tense figure relaxing with mine.

His hand still cupped my cheek, my eyes stared into his while I waited for my memory to stop. I pulled away thinking of what my memory held. There wasn't only one figure, one boy. There were two. I could remember Newt and Minho. My mind couldn't grasp the thought of anything other than the chaotic thoughts that ran wild in my head.

I stumbled over a small rock walking away from Newt "hey, is everything okay?" he asked, stepping forward to help in case I fell.

"Yeah, everything is good" I whispered, walking away back to the homestead. "I just need some sleep" I could hear his footsteps behind me.

"You don't even know where your room is," he smiled. I shrugged, rolling his eyes he opened the door to the Homestead. "I'll show you come on" he nodded to the indoor area "after you" he let me pass him into the Homestead.

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SO... THEA REMEMBERS BOTH MINHO AND NEWT. WHAT! I NEVER SAW THAT COMING, WHAT IS HER RELATIONSHIP WITH MINHO LIKE IF THAT HAPPENED IN HER MEMORY.

I'M JUST REMEMBERING THE LINE 'THE WAY I FELT ABOUT HIM. THE WAY HE FELT ABOUT ME.' OR SOMETHING CLOSE TO IT. DOES THAT MEAN NEWT OR MINHO. OR BOTH. OR NEITHER. COULD IT BE ANOTHER BOY SHE HAS FEELINGS FOR?

TAKE A GUESS, ONCE AGAIN I'LL SEE YOU NEXT CHAPTER.

- EVEDYN :)