Learning to Walk

5|| someone to talk to

// when i was still just a kid,
i learned the way that it is
the things that we can confess,
but some are better unsaid \\

three years before the maze

           Harper exhaled on her bed, her legs stretched out, her arm behind her head.  She closed her eyes briefly, not opening them when a knock came on her door.  "Good afternoon,"  Harper did not answer, merely continuing her simply existing on her bed.   The door creaked open without another announcement, "I brought you a friend.  Hopefully a better friend than your last- uh, socialization." Socialization, just like a test subject.  Harper sat up with a cocked eyebrow and a dark smirk, about to comment on her dislike of being social when she saw her guest.

    There was a boy in her room.  It was not Thomas again, unfortunately, but it was also- fortunately, not one of the girls.  "This is Newton.  Hopefully you two will have a little more in common."  The boy twitched the corner of his mouth up slightly, looking at the floor.  The nurse left without another word, closing the door behind her, leaving the only sound in the room the metalic click of the door. Harper nodded to the boy, already looking bored. "They told me you're difficult and mean," he had smirk on his face. The boy's voice surprised her- both because he spoke first and because the accent was thick and British. "I'm not mean, I just don't fall for lies of being rescued and false hope." The boy smirked at this, "I'm Newt..."

Harper smiled to herself, "So I've heard," she raised an eyebrow playfully, "Like the lizard?" Newt laughed, "More like Isaac Newton-" he shrugged, "I hope?" This made Harper smile, "I guess Isaac is too normal of a name, huh?" Newt laughed again, "Well I can't complain." He made himself comfortable at the very end of Harper's bed, "A boy in my room's called Sigmund." This made them both start laughing, though neither knew why. "We call him Siggy," Harper paused, "You have roommates?" Newt shrugged, "There's four of us.... And we occasionally get visits from other boys, though they aren't technically allowed." Harper frowned, "They must not want me talking with anyone here." Newt hummed, "Well I can see why, seeing as you haven't even told me your name?" "It's Harper, though I think test subject is more commonly used." Newt nodded, "That's a perfectly normal and nice name. Definitely no Gallileo or Sigmund or lizard." He looked at her playfully and managed a laugh from Harper.

The two sat quietly for a moment, both looking out the window, "They have my sister, too," Newt finally spoke, "Her name is L- Sonya," his voice sounded sad, "It was Lizzie- she is Lizzie." Harper's heart sank, not going to bring up their unsuccessful meeting yesterday, "My brother is here too," She looked at Newt sadly, "Thomas..." Newt shifted, "The Thomas that everyone is making a fuss about?" Harper shrugged, "Don't know, since you're my first interaction in over two years."  "Two years?" Harper just shrugged in response, "But why?  Why do they leave you in a room all alone?"  Harper had been wondering that too, but never let it show that she was lonely, "Well I see Thomas a few times a week..."  Newt nodded, though he couldn't help feeling bad for the girl, "Well.. The Doctors said if today went well I could see you more often.  And I think it's going okay, so I guess I'm your friend now."  Harper didn't say anything to this and tried to remember the last time she had had a friend.  "Okay, then,"  Harper smiled slightly, "Newt."   The door opened, revealing Doctor Paige, "You two seem to get along nicely!  How would you like it if he comes to see you more often?"  Harper was almost eleven now, but more than used to being spoken to as if she were a child- she didn't respond, but the pair was smiling to themselves.  Newt waved as he was led away, and Harper couldn't help but think how relieving it was to have a friend.