Memories (Newt X Reader)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

229.02.10 / 7:28 p.m.

Every part of you was saying it wasn't a good idea, wasn't that what you had said to Thomas only days ago? Paige would find out and turn you into just another Variable for Newt to make his life more miserable... so why was it becoming so hard to ignore?

Every time you talked, and he'd take your hand and rub his thumb in circles on the back and you'd notice how warm and dry his palms were. Every time he half-smiled down at you while you were walking or eating. Hell, just his name gave you butterflies, which you knew was ridiculous.

And it was getting harder and harder every day that insertion drew closer.

You'd tell yourself you'd only have to hold out a few more months before he'd be in the maze and you could safely watch him from the outside, but this almost hurt more.

You'd taken to avoiding him, which you knew couldn't be a permanent solution, but you also couldn't bear the thought of his face while you stand idly by and watch him get taken away to the maze.

When you wouldn't talk to Newt, Thomas would update you on how he was doing, which always made you feel a little better, even though the news was hardly uplifting.

Or there were situations like the one you were in now, all gathered together at the dinner table, chatting and laughing and doing your best to forget where everyone would be in a few months. You'd taken care to sit away from Newt, between Thomas and Minho, who were currently debating the availability of the guard standing at the door on the far side of the room.

"Dude, she's probably like, thirty," Thomas was saying.

Minho gave an exaggerated eye-roll. "You have no way of knowing that, man! WICKED employed us when we were, like, five! How do you know she's not our age?"

"She has a Launcher strapped to her back."

"Yes, she does." Minho wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Thomas punched his shoulder, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"Okay, Minho," Alby piped up. "Go over there then, and flirt with a WICKED guard, just don't come crying back to us with your tail between your legs when she rejects you, sedates you, electrocutes you, and you wake up in a bathtub the next morning with a kidney missing."

You snickered and risked a glance at Newt, who was sort of staring blankly at the three guys, then at you. When he saw you were looking he quickly averted his gaze.

You knew it was ridiculous, acting like school children, but somehow even the empty look he'd given you stung even more.

His pride at stake, Minho puffed out his chest, stood up, and strode over to the guard, leaning against the wall with one arm. Everyone turned to watch curiously, but you huffed and turned back to your food. Newt was currently picking at his salad and fidgeting with his hands, avoiding all eye-contact.

"He's gonna get rejected so hard," Thomas laughed, nudging you. This seemed to bristle Newt further. You smiled a little and nodded in agreement.

"Why doesn't he go for one the group B girls?" you asked.

"I think he's secretly intimidated by them," Thomas whispered, leaning in as if Minho could hear him. "He'd rather die than admit it, though."

"You don't bloody know that!" Newt snapped. You and Thomas looked up at him in confusion at the outburst.

"What?" Thomas asked.

"Unless the guy told you that himself, how do you know? And whose business is it if he likes that guard? Maybe those kind of guts are harder to come by than you think! Why don't you bloody try it yourself sometime before dumping on him!"