Infinite (Newt fanfiction)

Chapter 4

After Gally explained that they were trapped by a Maze that they'd been searching in for three years, Isabelle found it hard to look at the walls that enclosed them. A maze? How hadn't they found the way out already? Could a maze be so big that it could take years to explore?

Isabelle shook her head and tried not to think about it to stop her head from exploding. There was too much about this place to learn and she needed time to take it all in.

Instead she looked around her at the other Gladers whose faces she didn't have a name for yet. Her eyes found Newts and he quickly looked away and started to fiddle with his fingernails.

He wasn't eating.

Isabelle huffed. For being starved, he wasn't eating much. He was sitting with one other boy, Winston, who left to return his plate to Frypan. Isabelle saw her opportunity and started towards him.

She slid herself in at the opposite end of the table and stared at him, waiting for him to make eye contact. He didn't look up from where he was tracing the grain of wood on the table.

"Newt."

He sighed and looked up at her. "What?"

"What's going on with you? All day you didn't say a word to me and you've been avoiding me. Don't deny it." She finished speaking and sat back in her chair, waiting for a response.

"Well, we're not exactly friends, now are we? I'm just trying to get my work done and survive in this bloody place and I don't need you getting in my way." Newt stood and looked at her eyes for a moment.

"So you're just going to ignore me for possibly the rest of our lives? Great plan, Newt! Maybe next you can even try to pretend I don't exist."

Isabelle stood too, fire burning in her eyes. The rest of the boys had gone quiet and all eyes were on them.

"That's what I intend," Newt muttered. Isabelle wasn't sure if she was meant to hear that or not, but it still hurt. She stared back at him fiercely and nodded.

"Okay," she whispered. She nearly knocked over her chair as she stormed away and made her way over to Zart, the Keeper of the Gardens. It was where she and Newt would work next.

The Gladers muttered to one another of Newt and Isabelle's confrontation. Newt sat back down and folded his arms, deep in thought. He didn't want to hurt her and he felt bad for doing it, but maybe it was the only way.

Zart was already hard at work and he had no problem using help from the new Greenies. Isabelle muttered things under her breath, like "shuck-face" and "Slinthead". Both words she'd picked up from the large group of boys. Zart refrained laughter at her angry ranting as he dug weeds. Newt soon joined them about ten minutes later.

Isabelle could feel the tension between them like it was burning her. Zart must've felt it too, because he kept finding excuses to leave.

The day couldn't end soon enough. The faster she could be alone the better. Newt was getting on her nerves and she hated it. She had much more important things to worry about than a stupid boy who hurt her feelings. She kept reminding herself she wasn't a child anymore and she could take care of herself.

She pushed all emotion from the day back as she made her way up he steps to her room. Isabelle swung the door open and was surprised that it didn't squeak. She smiled at the fact that Gally cared enough about her to take care of a noisy door. At least she had some friends here.

She laid back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling in the dark.

Stupid boys, stupid Glade, stupid Newt. It wasn't her fault he didn't want to talk to her, it couldn't have been. She hadn't done anything wrong! Isabelle groaned and turned over, burring her face in the pillow and drowning out whatever thoughts came to her.

A knock came at the door and Isabelle sat up, disoriented. To her surprise, it was morning. Somehow last night she'd fallen asleep and didn't realize it. She shook her head and stepped to the door.

It was Chuck again and Isabelle have a sigh of relief. Did she actually believe Newt would bother knocking on her door?

Chuck was there to give Isabelle more clothes, even though they were meant for the boys. He apologized that they would probably fit weird on her but she was grateful anyways. He left and she ruffled through the clothes until she found some that would do nicely.

She slipped on a different pair of jeans and then pulled her shirt over her head. Just as she was about to put on a red shirt, she stopped and stared at something she didn't notice until now.

What was this?