Injured Feet & Rickety Hearts {Book 1 Completed}

//Chapter 16//

Newt smiling and having fun with Malaya

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I smiled at Newt as Minho gathered himself to his feet, Minho gave me a sympathetic smile before he walked off. Newt walking over and slumping next to me in Minho's place. Our shoulders were touching and I gave a weak smile as he turned his head to look at me.

"You alright?"

He asked and I sighed, my eyebrows furrowing as laid my head on his shoulder, fiddling with my fingers in my lap.

"yeah, just worried about being out in the maze"

I said blankly before falling into silence, I was enjoying having him close, his smell filling my nose as leaned against him, he was so much taller than I was, I would think I was younger if it wasn't for my body shape.

Newt sighed as well before resting his bad leg out, leaving his other arched like he normally did when he sat on the ground. Newt didn't even think about it as he grabbed my hand, resting the back of it on his resting leg to allow him to trace lines on my palm. I didn't mind, it was a distraction for me to focus on.

"Can I tell you a story?"

He asked and I nodded, leaning against him further, getting ready to listen to what he was going to say. I was curious about what he wanted to say. He started with a heavy sigh, still tracing the lines on my hands which sent a calming haze over my mind.

"Do you want to know how I got my Limp?"

I nodded

"well, I was once a runner."

I tried to act surprised, I know that he didn't know that I knew. Minho told me and I managed to keep my gob shut and not say anything luckily. Newt seemed to buy it and continued on with his story.

"I hated the job just as much as you hate the idea of it. I don't do it anymore because of my leg. When I first got here I was a mess, felt like everyone hated me and I dreaded every day. I hated it in here. I hated it so much. One day it got too much. I climbed half way up those bloody walls... I jumped off. I tried to kill myself in the maze because I hated this place so much. Alby found me and brought me back of course, my legs never been the same. A constant reminder of how much I hate it here. What I'm getting at is that fear made me do that. I was scared. I don't want you to be as stupid as me. I would never go back to the job but I never would have taken back the days I was out there, each day, each map a step closer to being free. To get out of this bloody place"

I was hooked on every word, my stomach twisting as I heard the dark story about his leg. It hurt more than being a runner, I cared about Newt so much, he was my best friend, hearing that he was that sad made me want to be able to get him out of here. It gave a slight amount of courage, that maybe I could save everyone by helping be a runner.

I didn't know if Newt wanted me to respond but I didn't know what to say, he hated it here so much, yet he didn't show just how much with his face. He seemed awfully down now, resting his head on top of my as he stopped tracing lines, his hands stilling against mine as we stared off into nothing.

"Promise me one thing?"

He asked gently as he fixed the position his head was in on top of mine, sending a tingle shooting down my spine. I felt so safe being this close to Newt, he was a refuge, especially after what I've been put into. I was so grateful to have Newt as a friend.

I nodded to him before swapping, now having his hand with mine, tracing lines around his knuckles as he watched, following the lines I drew like a bug drawn to light.