Memories (Newt X Reader)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

227.07.23 / 7:12 a.m.

You awoke to the sound of clanging. Tools against hard metal. Yelling. Not unusual sounds to hear so early, but disgruntling all the same.

You rolled over and glanced at your clock, 7:12 it read. One of your roommates, Harriet was still sound asleep directly below you, snoring softly after getting in late the night before. She was usually still passed out when you got up in the morning, sometimes not stirring until almost noon (that was normally just on your days off, though).

     You shut your eyes again and tried to go back to sleep, but you knew there was no chance. You were wide awake. You felt jittery for the day ahead, and eventually climbed down the ladder and out of bed and headed to the bathroom, creeping through rows of sleeping girls, some long empty. You showered quickly, and dressed as quietly as you could, before snatching your WICKED ID badge off your desk and tiptoeing from the room. As soon as the door shut, you took off at a brisk walk, heading towards the breakfast hall.

     Breakfast started about seven, so by the time you got there, there were only about four or five people milling around the tables. You tucked your badge under your collar and moved to grab a plate, piling on it some eggs, fruit, sausage. One of the best things about working for WICKED, you thought, was how good the food was. They had access to most of the food banks worldwide, so there was hardly any shortage.

You had only just sat down at an empty table when someone pulled out a chair next to you.

"Hey, can I sit here?"

     The dark haired boy who stood above you plopped down without waiting for a response, smirking over his plate of food.

    "Sure, Minho, go ahead," you sighed, moving your water glass over to make room. "How come you're up so early anyway?"

    "Thought I'd hit the gym before my first class. Sitting at those desks all day makes my muscles real stiff." He unsubtly flexed his arm, grinning widely. You rolled your eyes, suppressing a smile. It wasn't unlike him to be bragging nonstop, but you and everyone else had just learned to roll with it eventually, and after a while, it stopped being so obnoxious.

    "Right, tough guy."

    Minho took a large bite of his scrambled eggs. "So, ew ave an ewly class?" he asked, mouth still full. You grimaced as a piece of chewed egg flew out of his mouth and nodded, scooting away.

    "Um, yeah, for the next week or so. Eight o'clock sharp. They keep telling us it's special and stuff... but I think that's a load of crap."

    "Always the favorite," Minho muttered once he'd swallowed. "Just because of your father-"

    At this, you shot him a hardened glare, and he shut up.

    "I haven't seen him in three years, Minho. I didn't choose to move here."

    A wave of silence passed over you, as you both scarfed down your food; you had to be up in the lab in the next ten minutes, or you'd get your third late mark that month. You suspected they were just a little more lenient because you were so diligent with your work -- normally, you would've been downgraded at this point.

    "If you keep eating that fast" Minho said, "you're gonna make yourself sick."

    You stuffed the last bite of melon in your mouth and pushed your plate away, ignoring him completely.

    "Don't you ever feel bad?" he asked suddenly, meeting your eyes. You scrunched your eyebrows and shook your head to indicate you didn't understand what he was trying to say. Minho clarified, "About all those people? The people who eat like, two meals a week. I mean, we're eating like kings every day, but they have to fight for their food. Shouldn't we be.... I don't know, trying to help more?"