Nepenthe (TMR FF) UNDER EDITING

Chapter 14

"Shut up! I'm not your property! You can't tell me what to do!" I screamed, glaring at my boyfriend. The anger was clear in Newt's eyes when he stepped towards me, his jaw clenched.

"You're not going back out there, Emma! It's dangerous!" He shouted back, his voice cold. I wanted to scream and cry and rip my hair out. I wanted to set the little shank on fire.

"Just because one of the other Runners got stung, doesn't mean I should just quit!" I was furious. Newt was being an overprotective idiot. This morning, which was conveniently my day off, one of the Runners who took over my section of the Maze got stung. It was in broad daylight, and I didn't even know his name, but it happened, and now he was going through the changing. Newt kind of went a bit mad then.

"I'm not losing you, Emma! It could have been you who was stung!" His voice had started breaking, and his emotions that he had fought so hard to control, had started to show. I wanted to hug him and punch him in the face at the same time. He looked so hopeless, but he was being an idiot, and I was mad at him.

"Who said anything about you losing me? Even if I did get stung, I'd be able to take the Grief serum! Why are you acting like this is the end of the world?"

"Because you are my world!" Okay, I really want to kiss him. No Emma. You're angry at him. Stop.

"Really? Because I clearly remember you trying to leave 'your world' when you tried to kill yourself." I spat, my eyes widening when I realised what I had just said. I couldn't stop though, despite Newt's eyes flashing. "What if you weren't here, Newt? It wouldn't make a difference whether I went into the Maze or not."

"Well I guess we'll never know, because I am here, Emma!"

"I bet that just sucks for you, then!"

"Yeah, it kind of does!"

"Then leave! Why are you still here, Newt?" I screamed, hot tears now streaming down my pale cheeks. A sob came out of my throat when I watched his face fall, and his own eyes water. I wanted to apologise. I wanted to hug him, and to tell him that I was sorry. I didn't mean it. But I know he did. He meant every word. He didn't really want to be here.

"Emma, I think you need to calm down." A voice said, and I automatically recognised it to be Gally. I continued to stare at Newt, who was frozen in his spot, his hands shaking. Gally watched us cautiously, like wild animals who would attack each other at any moment. He had his hands up in a 'calm down' kind of gesture, but I ignored it. I

"I'm here because of you." Newt finally whispered, his head hanging low. "I can't lose you, Emma."

I watched him, my bottom lip trembling.

"You already did, Newt."

And then he finally broke, collapsing to the ground in a fit of tears and sobs. I bit my lip, taking a step towards him, but Gally grabbed my arm.

"C'mon Em. I think he needs some time alone." Gally muttered, looking at the crying boy in pity. I shook my head, sniffling.

"N-no, I need to say sorry. I didn't mean it." I muttered, ripping my arm away from him. Gally just sighed, his shoulders dropping.

"Emma, if you say something else like that, he might not be able to handle it." He admitted, gesturing to the broken boy. I furrowed my eyebrows, shaking my head. Without another moment of hesitation, I walked over and sat beside him, not muttering another word. I noticed how he tensed up when he heard me sit down, but he continued to cry. I felt like the biggest shank in the world. I was a shuck-face. I was a slinthead. I was a piece of klunk.