Nepenthe (TMR FF) UNDER EDITING

Chapter 6

(WARNING: Spoilers)

I watched with sad eyes as Newt ran into the Maze, Minho by his side. Fry needed some help cooking today, so I had to stay behind. I usually wouldn't mind helping Fry out in the kitchen, but today was different. Newt didn't even say goodbye. It was strange. He's been acting weird for weeks now; barely talking. I can hardly get a smile out of him. Minho kept telling me that he just needed some time to sort some things out, and that he'd be better by the following week. It's been three weeks now, and he can barely look at me. I don't know what I did wrong. It wasn't Ethan fault, because him and Newt clicked straight away, and became really good friends. Then everything just went downhill. I can't help but think that it has something to do with me. But what did I do?

"Hey girlie, you alright?" Fry asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. I looked away from the entrance of the maze, turning so that I was focused on cooking the spaghetti. Newt's favourite. At least, it was. He hardly eats anymore. I smiled sadly at the keeper of the Cooks.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, although it wasn't as convincing as I would have hoped due to my voice breaking at the end. Fry just sighed and continued to cook his spaghetti, taking his hand away from my shoulder. Usually, as Fry and I were pretty close, I could tell him anything. He was usually the one I came to if I need to get something off of my chest, and Fry happily obliged as he absolutely loved Gossip. I just felt like this was something I couldn't talk about, because I felt stupid for even being upset in the first place. Maybe Minho was right and Newt just needed some space.

"He's gonna be okay, Emma. He's just going through a rough time right now. It's happened before." Fry tried to reassure me. I looked at him through the corner of my eye, realising what he was trying to say.

"How bad was he before I came?" I whispered. Fry froze, almost dropping the saucepan in his hand. I squeezed my eyes tightly, not liking his reaction at all. I'm guess that meant Bad. Really bad.

"He wasn't good, Emma. He had given up. But then you came, and he got better." He said. I smiled slightly, but the ounce of happiness I felt was wiped away, by my next thought.

"Then what's wrong?" I sniffed, turning away so he wouldn't see the tears that threatened to escape. Fry just sighed, not answering me. He was fine. He was doing good. I helped him. That's what everyone told me. They thanked me for helping him. Why was he bad again? What did I do?

I shook my head, my whole body starting to shake. Fry seemed to notice my inner battle and rushed over to me, forgetting completely about the spaghetti that was supposed to be ready In twenty minutes. Despite my efforts to keep it together, a sob echoed through the kitchen, just as Frypan wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I want him back Fry. I want my best friend back." I cried, grabbing fistfuls of his old shirt.

"I know, Emma. I know..."

~

I walked around like a zombie for the rest of the day. Ethan and Alby tried to cheer me up. Heck, even Gally tried. It didn't work though. I felt broken. Exhausted. Like nothing in my life was going right. I couldn't lose him. Not Newt. If he carried on like this forever, I don't think I'd be able to take it. I could barely handle his absence now.

"Hey, Em." Gally greeted, his voice soft and gentle. He knew that I was walking on thin ice. I looked up at the tall boy, not bothering to fake a smile. He wouldn't believe it anyway, so what's the point?

"Hey Gal." I quietly replied, letting out a breath that I didn't know I was holding. The dark haired boy walked beside me, not too far away, but not too close. I knew he just wanted to help, but I would have rather be alone.

"Newt's gonna be okay, you know?"

I groaned loudly, running a hand through my hair.

"Why does everyone keep telling me that? Why don't you tell him that! He's the one acting weird!" I yelled, not mad at Gally, but at myself. How could I be so reliable on a single person, so much that it hurt when he didn't talk to me?

Angry tears formed in my eyes, as I stomped my foot on the ground, much like a child would when throwing a fit. "It's not fair, Gally! How come it's so easy for him to forget about me, but when I try to forget about him, I feel empty? Do I really mean that little to him?"

I snapped. I was done. I shucking hated him. I hated the stupid shank so much that I wanted to cry. I hated him because he ignored me. I hated him because he steals my spaghetti. I hated him because he didn't come save me in the maze.

"I love him, Gally." I finally whispered. Gally didn't hug me like the others. He just nodded in understanding, as if it was something he had known for a really long time.

"We know."

And before I could reply, the shouting started.

"Guys, come help!" I quickly turned around, and my blood went cold. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't do anything. Right in the entrance of the maze, stood Minho, carrying a heavily bleeding Newt. A gasp left my lips as I went to run to them, but Gally quickly grabbed my arm, holding me back. I struggled in his grasp, kicking and screaming.

"Let me go! I need to see him, Gally! Let go!" I sobbed, thrashing around. Gally pulled me tightly to his chest, his grip too strong for me to break out of.

"Emma you can't. The Med-Jacks will help him. He'll be okay." That's when I broke.

"Stop shucking telling me that it's going to be okay. You're lying! You're all liars! He's bleeding to death, Gally. He's not shucking okay! He's never going to be okay!" I screamed, ripping myself out of his arms. Gally went to grab me again, but I was too fast. I was a runner. An endless stream of tears ran down my cheeks as I bolted towards Minho, my legs almost collapsing beneath me. Please let him be okay. Please let him be okay. He can't die.

"I'm so sorry, Emma." Minho croaked, looking at me with guilt in his eyes. I shook my head, wiping away my tears with the back of my sweater sleave.

"What happened, Minho?" I managed to stammer out. Minho avoided my eyes as the Med-Jacks came running towards us.

"I tried to stop him. He wouldn't listen. He climbed up the wall, Emma." He breathed, his voice filled with pain. Not the physical kind. I shook my head, not understanding.

"What do you mean? Did the Grievers attack? I thought they rarely come out during the day. Oh my god, we need to-"

"Emma! There were no Grievers!" He yelled, making me flinch back. I kept shaking my head, running a hand over my face.

"I don't understand." I muttered quietly, not trusting my voice. "How'd he get hurt?"

Minho but his lip, not meeting my eyes.

"He jumped, Emma." He finally admitted. I stopped breathing. In that moment, it was like my entire world had completely shattered.

"What?" I gasped out, struggling to find my breath. Minho just shook his head, his eyes filling up with tears.

"I tried to stop him, Emma. Believe me, I did. He wouldn't listen to me."

"You're lying! Stop lying!" I shouted, wrapping my arms around myself.

"I'm so sorry, Emma."

"No. You're wrong. He wouldn't leave me. I'm his best friend. He wouldn't do that to me." I tried to reassure myself. No. They're all wrong. They're lying to me. He must have fallen. He wouldn't jump. He couldn't have. I don't believe them.

"Emma. He told me to say sorry." Was the last thing I heard Minho say, before I ran.

"Emma, stop!" People called from all around me, but I didn't listen. I wouldn't listen. They're liars. I hate them. Why would they lie to me?

"Emma, what are you doing?" Gally shouted, but this time, I didn't look back. I ran straight into the maze, without a single ounce of regret seeping into my veins.