Flicker ~ newt

3. Settled... for the moment.

Elaine
Two days I had been in the maze for two days yesterday I went and tested out jobs I wasn't much good at any of them except gardening.
I found it therapeutic.
Even the hard work we did like chopping down old tree stumps and clearing weeds was enjoyable for me.
I felt the satisfaction of proving myself to these boys, proving that I wasn't a free loader and I wasn't a damsel in destress. That I was tuff and I worked hard.

"El? Earth the Elaine?" Minho chucked a piece of bread at me.
That was another thing that happened. The morning after I arrived in the glade I couldn't sleep.
I rose early the sun was peaking above the maze walls and I was walking calm letting the cool breeze push my hair away from my face.
All of a sudden I was walked into knocking me clean over like I was a toddlers play toy.
The boy apologised profusely telling me his name was Minho he asked if I was okay then introduced me to the blonde boy next to him Ben his name was they both smiled at me and then told me they had to go.
I asked them where they told me that every morning they would run the maze and try to find a way out.
So far no luck.
We sat together at dinner that night with newt chuck and some other kids from the glade .
They talked a lot I mostly just sat and listened enjoying the sound wash over me feeling somehow content...

"ELAINE!" Minho shock my shoulders from across the table and I broke away from my thoughts.

"What sorry?" I raised my eye brow to look at him he has spiky black hair and dark eyes a kind face that had immediately made me trust him.

"Are you okay?" I hear a soft voice in the ear, I turn to newt he was close to mine. Curiosity and something else that I couldn't quite understand.

"Yeah I'm sorry I was just thinking." I chuckle picking up my spoon and starting to eat again. "What where you saying Minho?" I ask looking back at him

"Ben has been acting strangely ever since we got back from running the maze today, tomorrow is his day of could you keep an eye on him for me?" I instantly nodded

"Of course minmin" I yawn today was long and I didn't sleep well. The table went silent.

"Hey greenie!" Called Gally from a table down.

"It's Elaine but whatever" I say quietly

"tell Bary that it definitely wasn't you crying in the bush today it was just someone who looked like you, you know a girl.." he let the sentence dangle. My heart drops.
Damn it I didn't think anyone heard that. It wasn't anything bad my hip was just hurting a lot and I needed to get away, so I sat in the bushes and cried for a minute there isn't anything wrong with that.

I turn away from him and whisper yell to the room "who is going to tell him that every time he gets angry I get scared his eyebrows and going to fly right off his head and into the sky like a great and magnificent eagle?!" Everyone laughs. Because everyone heard me.
Including Gally. I feel my shoulder being grabbed turning me around Gally grabbed me my feet weren't even touching the ground he pushed me hard against a bear in the middle of the room.
I gasp in pain as a nail digs painfully into my back.

"You listen hear shuck face! Never speak to me like that again! You hear me?!" He yelled at me I wipe flecks of spit on my face.

"Gally you need you should probably know something about me. You try and embarrass me to make yourself feel better that's fine but keep in mind." I lean close to his ear "if you stoop low. I will stoop lower." I looked into his eyes shock in them as he was definitely not expecting that.
He drops me and my feet are on the floor again I turn to see what was digging into my back as the room erupts in whispers. 

"I have never seen anyone face up to Gally and win." It was a British accent one that seems completely familiar to me now even tho I have known him for less than a week, he stood behind me, not close enough to crowd but close enough that I could feel his presence.

"He needed to know that I'm not a damsel in destress." My eyes found the thing that was digging into my back. A long think nail with blood coating it. "Oh oops." I say feeling a little blood drip down my back.

"Elaine?" He spoke then his eyes fell on the nail his hand grabbing my shoulder as he looked on the back for wear the nail has cut me he found it. "I'll take you to Jeff he can clean it for you." He said I could feel his breath on my neck.
We were surrounded by people talking and laughing none of their attention on us it felt strange to say but this moment felt tender and intimate.

"Oh no don't worry it doesn't even hurt." I say honestly it stung a little but it wasn't real pain.

"Your really stubborn you know that." He said voice reproachful.
I turn to him mischievously.

"You'll just have to learn to like that about me." He smiled a genuine smile, A smile so beautiful and soft and shy and kind that I wanted to stare at it forever.

"What?" He asked me as I stared at him.

"You just have a really pretty smile.." I look up at him from my hight disadvantage and he looked down at me.

shit I think I like him no I can't possibly like him like him we have talked like six times (seven and a half but anyway I'm not obsessing over it or anything)

"Thankyou. You have a really pretty... face?" I burst out laughing holding my sides as they fought for air.
He took a second but once he started laughing my hole world stopped.
My heart beat out of my chest and I for some reason wanted to reach out to touch his hair his face anything but I don't the smile still on my face.

I'm in so much trouble...