𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓷 - [EDITING]

Chapter Four - Newt

As I leave Addy with Zart, my mind whirls. Everything seems to be spiraling out of control. After years of a consistent string of guys, we get a girl out of the blue and she's got notes, clues about the past. No one has ever come with a single clue about their old lives save for their name and then here she comes, throwing away all the order and routine we'd found in this buggin' place.

That girl is already getting in my head. She's pretty, there's no denying it, but ever since her arrival, I haven't known quite what to do. That's what bothering me most. The not knowing. When she first arrived in the Box, I'd assumed that like the boys, being kind and welcoming would be best, but she didn't seem to appreciate it. I rub my face subconsciously across the bruise as I walk towards the Homestead. I gave her my room all to herself and slept on the floor of Minho's room. That was probably the right choice for her, but definitely not for me. Who needs an alarm clock when you've got that shank's snores waking you up every three seconds? Even now, I'm not sure it was right to let her have what is, in my opinion the best job, right off. Then again, the poor thing has already had quite a bit of unpleasantries and could do without the added torture of the Bloodhouse. She seems more sensitive than the rest of the shanks here. Or maybe I just care about her feelings more than I usually would.

I approach the Gathering room and my thoughts zip back to Alby. Should I tell him about the message the Greenie sent herself? The question unnerves me more than I'd like. In just about any other circumstance, my answer would be yes. In fact, there probably wouldn't be time to make a decision because I'd already have told him, but it's different this time. She asked me not to, but my biggest regard is that Alby wasn't included on the list of names. I worry that he might be offended or upset, especially since Minho was included. I try to convince myself that that's the reason I'm not telling him, but I'm kidding myself. Why wasn't he included? Addy mentioned that the names must be people she trusted, so why didn't she trust Alby? Could there be another reason?

"Got a lot on your mind?" Alby meets me just outside the Gathering room and shoves himself off the door he was leaning on. I shrug off my doubts, I don't want to question my faith in my friend. I know him. I trust him. It doesn't matter what Addy may or may not think. She doesn't remember, I convince myself.

I nod and push past him, seating myself at the nearest chair. It's usually not too bad, but my leg is killing me today.

Alby sighs and plops down as well. The room is eerily empty without all the Keepers, but, even though the boys are like family, I don't entirely trust them to come to a good consensus when it comes to a girl.

"You alright?" Alby asks me. I glance up and realize I'm sporting a deep frown. It's not too out of the ordinary, but for Alby's sake, I pull my lips into a forced smile.

"Fine, just..." I sigh, shaking my head. "What the klunk is going on? I'm so bloody confused."

Alby scoffs and drily says, "Looks like the girl got to your head in more ways than one." He smiles a little and gestures to the scratches on my face with his eyebrows. Or maybe he's referring to the heat filling my cheeks. I don't like her. Not like that. It's just hormones. She's the only girl I've seen in who knows how long.

"Ain't you buggin' hilarious?" I shrug his comment off. "What are we gonna do 'bout her?"

"I know what Gally and plenty of the others would advise. She is the first girl so maybe whoever the shuck put us here is sending us a message that we might be staying for a while."

"No." I veto immediately. "Already told the Builders to work on a quick hut for her. Besides that, I think we should treat her as the rest of us."

Alby nods. "Yeah, you're probably right. She seems to be adjusting pretty well, 'specially considering the grand entrance yesterday."

"Good that. I was worried she might try running in the night."

Alby raises a dark eyebrow. "Ta go where?"

I shake my blond mop slowly. "Fair point. Still, there's something different about her. I know it. We gotta keep an eye on her."

"Ain't that the truth," Alby says while pushing the door open and signaling the end of the discussion, even though we hardly got anywhere. "Better send lil' Chuckie to hang out with her. The boys'll be less likely to try something with him nearby." His brown eyes are trained on the small collection of suitors Addy has inadvertently gathered around her.

My chest twinges in protectiveness. I've only known the girl for about a day and I've already grown defensive towards her. The other Gladers would tease me, but it's not like that. I'd been nicknamed "the Glade Mother" by some boy a while back. That's where the protectiveness was coming from, I reason.

But I linger in the doorway and watch her for a moment more than I ought.