Every Heart a Maze | Newt & Thomas

Chapter 19

   When Newt entered Frypan's hut the next morning, Chuck and Tommy were already there, sitting at a big table inside. As he grabbed a quick breakfast, he looked over at the two boys who were deep in conversation and hadn't noticed him yet.

"That first night, when you were bragging about being a Runner and all that klunk, –shuck it, I was laughing inside so hard. I kept telling myself, this sucker's in for a rude awakening," Chuck just said, chewing at some bacon, "Well, you proved me wrong, huh?"

"I just did what everyone else would've done. It's not my fault Minho and Newt want me to be a Runner."

"Yeah, right. Quit being modest."

Thomas bit his lower lip and examined the slice of bread in his hands. "I guess I'm a little excited."

"We'll see how you feel after running your guts out. Anyway, as long as you know I'm proud of you."

Tommy smiled at Chuck's enthusiasm and the sight made Newt feel all warm inside. Without realizing it, a grin had spread on his own face, and when the other boy looked up and their eyes met, Tommy's smile even seemed to grow.

"Mornin'," Newt said, approaching the pair and settling into the chair next to Thomas.

"Hi Newt, slept well?" the boy greeted him.

"Probably better than you did, shank," Newt replied, eyeing Tommy who actually looked very rested for someone who had spent the night outside against a bloody wall.

"I'm good, uhm, thanks for letting me sleep. And for the blankets. That was- eh, very kind of you."

"Sure." Newt looked down, hoping Thomas wouldn't notice the blush that inevitably rose on his cheeks. He felt like a bloody teenager, which, well, he sort of was, only the circumstances in which they lived in made him forget that all too easily.

Newt went about his breakfast, but no sooner had he generously buttered his bread than the hut's door opened and Minho entered; Gally close behind, the tension between the two of them almost palpable.

"No, Minho! I said we'll do it right now!"

"And I said, I shall have breakfast first."

"If you wanna have breakfast, you might want to get up earlier, Slinthead. Some of us actually do-"

Minho had stopped so abruptly that Gally ran into him. He flailed his arms to regain his balance and backed up a few steps when Minho turned on him and jabbed his finger in his chest.

"Shut it, shank. You better think carefully about what you say next, remember that it is you who wants something from me, not the other way around."

"It's not that I want anything, but I'm entitled to get that information."

"You're entitled to suck my dick, now fuck off."

Gally's head turned crimson and Newt wasn't sure whether it was with anger or shame. Whatever it was, it couldn't mean anything good. Minho turned to get breakfast and Gally snapped.

"Listen here, Shank," the boy visibly fumed. "I'm so sick of your shuck attitude, big mad Minho, who's above things, who thinks he's better just because he's a shuck Runner. Come down, you're not worth any more than those other shanks around. Perhaps even less, considering how little your Runners are of actual use."

"Oh, no," Newt said under his breath, preparing to intervene if necessary. Gally had crossed a line and Newt knew Minho too well; it was unlike that he'd put up with a humiliation of such.

"Gally," Minho began in a calm voice, even more menacing than if he would have screamed, "you're nothing but a sissy who has never, not once, asked to be a Runner or tried out for it. You don't have the right to talk about things you don't understand. So shut your mouth."