pretty eyes ~ newt

chapter 12: argument

"oh i guess, that's just the way things go"
the way things go, beabadoobee
—

I wake up to a strangled scream. I rub my eyes blearily, blinking in the harsh sunlight of the desert. What the hell...?

"Shh... Minho you shank, you're gonna wake them up!" I hear someone hiss. Is that Fry?

"Wait, I think Isa's waking up now—" I hear another voice cut in. Aris. I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

I roll over wearily and try to sit up, but there's something stopping me from doing so. Something warm. Or...someone?

A warm arm seems to be trapping me in my spot, and I blink in confusion. I hear a familiar voice mumble at me to go back to sleep, and all of a sudden the memories from last night come rushing back.

The nightmares. The talk with Newt. And...falling asleep in his arms.

I feel my cheeks blush red when I connect the dots, realizing that Newt is the one with his arm draped around me. I remove his arm from its spot over my body with some difficulty, sitting up fully and blinking around at the faces staring back at me.

Minho, Fry, and Aris all gawk at the two of us with various levels of incredulity, Minho predictably being the most dramatic and Aris being the least.

I sigh, using my palm to shield my face from the sun tiredly.

"Morning," I yawn. The others just gape back at me, and my lips curve into a slight smirk of exasperation at their evident surprise.

"Isa...did you guys sleep together?" Minho is the first to speak, expression the most serious I've seen.

I blush again immediately at his question. "What—no! Oh my god no. Like, we slept in the same bed, but not—you know."

Fry and Minho burst out laughing at my stuttering.

"I know, you shank." Minho gasps, still out of breath from laughing. "Just messing with you. Newt doesn't have the guts for that, anyways."

I choke as Fry only laughs harder.

"Guts for what?" I hear a disgruntled voice mumble from next to me. "Bloody hell, what time is it?"

My eyes meet his, cheeks still pink from their teasing. Newt's hair is a tangled mess, his voice still rough from sleep—but there's a certain charm to his disheveled state, I decide. His brown eyes blink at me in confusion as I stare back in embarrassment.

"You don't wanna know Newt, trust me." I hear Aris mutter, rolling his eyes in exasperation. I nod hastily in agreement, averting my eyes quickly.

He squints up at Aris, before huffing a sigh and looking down at the covers in resignation. I see him pause when he sees our legs tangled together, whipping his head at me quickly.

I see Newt's eyes widen when he realizes our little situation, cheeks blooming red as Minho bursts out laughing again at his face.

I shake my head at his raucous laughter, climbing my way out of the bundle of blankets and pillows. I hop to my feet and fix my tangled hair self-consciously, as Newt follows suit. He rubs his eyes blearily, standing to his feet.

"Alright you shanks, clear the shuck out," he mutters, crossing his arms irritably. The three of them obey hurriedly, Minho and Fry still stifling their giggles. I sigh in exasperation, adjusting my clothes subconsciously.

"I need better friends," Newt mumbles to me, and I chuckle quietly at his comment. The two of us step out of the tent to join the others, who are already gathered around the campfire eating breakfast. I see Minho whispering something to Thomas and Teresa, and I watch as the two of them stare at us in horror.