How I survived in an all boys glade

Chapter Sixty-five

- "Just kiss her already!" -

I stand there, soaked to the bone, feeling the chill of the water seep into my clothes. I wipe the water from my face, still trying to catch my breath from chasing Theo around the Glade after he poured half a bucket of water over me. My attempt to catch him fails, of course—he's too fast, and now I'm left wet and frustrated.

"Hey, Love?" Newt's voice pulls me from my thoughts. I stop running and glance up to see him standing near a chopped-down tree, a confused expression on his face.

I pant, still trying to recover from the sprint. "Hi..." I manage to say, catching my breath. I glance around at Zart, Thomas, Chuck, and Newt, who all watch me with the same confused expression.

"What happened?" Newt asks, his voice filled with concern as he steps closer.

"Ha—have you seen Theo run by here?" I ask, still trying to shake off the water that's making my clothes cling to my skin. "God! I am not made for running," I mutter, looking down at my feet."I think he went for the woods," Thomas replies, looking up from where he sits, casually hitting the roots of the tree with a knife.

Suddenly, a cold wind blows, and I shiver as dark clouds roll across the sky, signaling a change in weather. Without much of a word, we all move toward a nearby hut, hoping to find some shelter from the rain.

When we arrive, Theo's already standing there, a mischievous smirk on his face. I can't help but roll my eyes at him.

We all stand together in silence for a while, watching the rain fall, the cool wind pushing against us. After some time, Thomas speaks up, looking out toward the maze. "They should be back by now," he says, his voice heavy with concern. "What happens if they don't make it?"

Newt doesn't even look at him, his answer immediate and firm. "They're gonna make it."But Thomas presses on, walking up behind Newt, his voice quiet but insistent. "And what happens if they don't?"

"They're gonna make it," Newt repeats, though his tone is softer this time, more resigned.

I'm starting to get restless, annoyed at the waiting, at the uncertainty. I glance around at everyone's moody faces and feel the tension building. "Alright, enough chitchatting," I say, pushing past the growing frustration. "I wanna do something." I look around at their faces, searching for a way to break the tension.

"Like what?" Thomas asks, his tone curious but skeptical.

"Like, go dance in the rain," I say, a mischievous grin tugging at my lips as I turn to face Theo.Theo immediately steps back, shaking his head in mock horror. "Oh, no. No. No. No... I do not want to get sick from getting soaked in water," he says, raising his hands in surrender.

"Says you," I shoot back, glancing down at my own soaked clothes from earlier.

Still, Theo stands firm, his arms crossed over his chest. "Still not doing it."

Then, a smirk crosses his face, and he looks over at Newt. "But you could always try asking Newt," he suggests with a grin, and I quickly turn to Newt, who's caught between looking at me and looking at Theo.

"I-I..." Newt stammers, his face flushing slightly as he looks back and forth between us. He's clearly uncomfortable, and I feel my heart race a little at the thought of asking him.

After a long pause, I finally manage to coax Newt into dancing with me, and we step into the rain, twirling and splashing through the puddles. It's ridiculous, it's messy, and it's so much fun. But as Newt spins me around, I slip in some mud, almost losing my balance. He quickly catches me, pulling me back up, his hands warm against my back and mine pressed against his chest.

We stand there for a moment, faces inches apart, our eyes locked. My heart is pounding in my chest, and I can see Newt's gaze flicker down to my lips before looking back into my eyes. The air between us is charged, electric, and I feel the tension rise.

Just then, I hear Theo yell from the hut, his voice teasing, "Just kiss her already!"

I freeze, my face flushing bright red, and I look over at the others, all of them watching us with wide grins and knowing looks. I glance back at Newt, and I can see his face flush too, but there's something different in his eyes now.

"Well..." Newt starts, his voice shaking slightly, glancing down at my lips again before meeting my gaze. "I guess we should give them what they want, hmm?"

I barely have time to respond before his lips are on mine, soft at first, then deepening as his hands tighten around my waist. I can hear the others behind us cheering, and I can't help but smile into the kiss, feeling light and free.

Pulling back, I rest my forehead against his, my heart still racing. "Well, that was not long we could keep that a secret," I laugh, still catching my breath.

Before I can say anything else, Newt leans in again, kissing me more passionately this time. I hear Theo yell again, his voice carrying over the rain. "I said kiss! Not make out with her!"

We both pull away, laughing, our faces flushed with the rain and the moment.

Newt takes my hand, a soft smile on his face as he leads me back toward the others. "Come on," he says, his voice warm and comforting. "Let's go get changed before we catch a cold."

We all head in different directions, and I make my way back to my hut, my heart still racing, my smile lingering on my lips.