Dreams // Newtmas

12. Breakfast

Thomas awoke to an empty bed. His head still hurt but only faintly and his tongue felt like sandpaper. Groaning, he pulled himself into a sitting position and looked out of the window at the backyard. 

It looked like a tornado had blown through the place. Cups and snacks blanketed the ground like a quilt made of trash with a more than a few people tucked under it for the night. They would be gone by noon, scared away by the very hungover Teresa that was sure to make an appearance within the next few hours. Until then, they slept in peace.

The sun was already blazing away in the sky, making the room all too bright for Thomas's liking. He wondered if the curtains had been open the entire time or if Newt had simply opened them out of habit. It was a strange thing to be thinking about but Newt was a strange person, and he was all Thomas could really think about in that moment.

And since Newt was all he could think about, Thomas decided to go and find the actual Newt who he could have an actual conversation with rather than make up fake conversations in his head. He spent enough time in his head overthinking things already, he didn't need to add more fuel to an blazing fire that would continue to go on for the entirety of his life whether he wanted it to or not.

Thomas dragged himself out of the bed and out into the hallway. He stopped to check in on the Gladers as he passed their room, but they were all still passed out on the floor. Gally actually was on the floor this time. Thomas shook his head and continued on downstairs.

When he arrived downstairs, Thomas was greeted by a sight that he had never imagined. Newt was in the kitchen frying some eggs while Brenda sat on the counter, swinging her legs idly as she talked to him. Sonya and Harriet were nowhere in sight.

Thomas approached the kitchen carefully, wary of any surprise traps Brenda might have set up for him. She loved to prank people, especially Thomas, and with her welding skills it was always nerve wracking when you saw her lying in wait for you. Thomas, knowing this, had learned to be very cautious around his sister at times like these. He had been a victim of hers for far too long to ever trust her when it came to this kind of thing.

Fortunately, there was no surprises in store for him that particular morning. Upon seeing him, Brenda jumped off the counter and encircled Thomas in a giant hug before talking about the party at a mile a minute. From what Thomas could understand of her rushed speech, she had had a really, really good time, which was a relief. He could only imagine what she would be saying to him if the party had been a total bust. It wouldn't be as nice that's for sure.

"So are you going to tell me about the two other girls I found you sleeping beside last night?" Thomas asked after Brenda had finally exhausted her string of news and was taking a moment to breathe. She gave him a sheepish smile before answering.

"Well, I met Sonya and Harriet near the end of the party. They were funny and sweet and then Sonya told me Newt was her older brother and asked to stay the night since she couldn't find him." She shrugged. "I mean, she was telling the truth so I let them crash on the sofa bed with me."

"And did you tell Teresa about her new guests?" Thomas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Uhhh... No." Brenda looked up at Thomas pleadingly. "But you will won't you?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Thomas looked over Brenda to Newt who shrugged. "Why would I tell her? She's already going to be in a bad mood when she wakes up, I don't want to give her another reason to hit me."

"But I don't want her to be mad at me." Brenda pleaded.

"And I don't want her to be mad at me !" Thomas retorted. "And besides, she treats you like a little sister, she can't get that upset with you. She will try to kill me, though."

"Please Thomas," She gave him the puppy dog eyes. Damn those eyes, they were definitely Thomas's weak spot. Why did teenage girls have to be so good at manipulation? It was like they were given a training manual on how to make everyone else do their dirty work. It wasn't fair.

"Fine," Thomas sighed in defeat as Brenda gave him a victory hug. "Now go be useful and help Newt with breakfast."

"You're the best Thomas, you know that." Brenda said as she practically skipped over to the oven. Thomas didn't bother to respond, instead pouring himself a glass of water and hopping up on to the counter that Brenda had been sitting on earlier.

Newt looked over his shoulder to smile at Thomas. "You know you give in way too easily?" He said as he placed the eggs on a plate.

"Yeah, like you could do any better with your sister." Thomas scoffed.

"That may be true," Newt replied, picking the plate up. "But I'm not the all intimidating Thomas Greene either."

"Thomas is about as intimidating as a cucumber." Brenda put in, picking up a plate of toast. "Believe me, he would do just about anything you ask him to if you ask enough times."

"Now would you get off the counter and sit at the table like a normal human being for once." She added as she sailed past Thomas to put the plate in the centre of the kitchen table. "And grab some cutlery while you're at it, would you?"

Thomas did as Brenda asked, literally everything she had previously said about him was true, and grabbed some knives and forks from a drawer while Newt brought the plate of eggs to the table along with a couple more smaller plates. 

"Are we the only ones awake?" Thomas asked as he joined them at the table. 

"Well have you seen anyone else up already?" Brenda asked sarcastically, piling her plate up with toast. She really did have quite the appetite.

"I can see how you and my sister get along." Newt said, beginning to cut into his eggs. "Always so sassy."

"It's better than sitting silently in a corner in the whole time." A new voice said. Thomas turned around to see Sonya standing in the doorway with Harriet at her side. She came up to Thomas and smiled. "Nice to meet you, I'm Sonya but Newt probably told you that already. Sorry about crashing here, but I couldn't find Newt and I was definitely not sober enough to drive."

"It's fine," Thomas told them, his mouth half full of toast. "The more the merrier."

Brenda gave him a smug smile as if to say "See, I knew you wouldn't do anything." Thomas glared back at her but she ignored him as if he were a fly on the wall. "Have a seat," she said, looking up at the two girls and gesturing to the plates of toast and eggs. "I'm sure there's enough for everyone."

"And if there isn't, Newt will make us some more won't you Newt." Sonya said, giving her brother a sickly sweet smile. Newt rolled his eyes in response.

"Just sit down and eat the eggs, would ya."