WCKD 57 → Newt [1]

17 → Welcome to the Party

"I'm okay. It's okay. She didn't do anything; I'm fine." Vera gasping, walking closer to the crowd.

"She did something. I saw. I heard." Newt said, stopping her.

Vera gritted her teeth in annoyance. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much." She spat.

"What did she tell you?"

"Nothing! She didn't do anything to me, okay?"

Damn. Bitch lowered her self-esteem.

"Vera, you don't have to hide anything. Please just trust me." Newt mumbled.

Vera did. She really did. And she couldn't explain it.

She let go of her bleeding arm and showed Newt.

"It's going to be infected, so don't bother trying to do anything. I've seen enough injuries to know when one's going to be infected." Vera said.

"Don't be so pessimistic." He told her as he took the scarf from his neck and wrapped it around Vera's arm.

I need to find a cure more than ever. Vera thought.

"There's nothing to be optimistic about, but I'll pretend." Vera finally said, looking up with what she hoped looked like a true smile. It was strange. She felt like she was warming up to him.

She wasn't used to smiling. In fact, she hadn't done it in ten years. All her smiles were fake, used only to intimidate.

The two of them walked closer to the building and Vera swore that she saw the bitch who scratched her hidden in the shadows.

"Hey, uh, you know a guy named Marcus?" Newt asked a short man holding two bottles of beer.

The man smiled and chuckled. "Yeah, he's here." He said, not elaborating.

"Great. Thanks for being so informative." Vera stepped forward to enter the building but was held back by a red-haired girl who shook her head.

She held up one of the bottles of beer and said, "Admission. C'mon. Drink up. I'm pretty sure you're not underage. And even if you were, my question is: What the hell are minors even doing here?" Redhead laughed a little as she poured the drink into two plastic cups.

"Sorry 'bout this." She handed them the cups.

Vera ignored her and brought the cup up to her lips when Newt said, "Wait."

Vera lowered the cup a little, looking at him.

"I don't think that's safe. And I don't think you should bloody drink it." He told her.

Vera frowned, peering into the liquid. "It's just a drink. Don't worry. Won't hurt you." She said, looking into his eyes.

She drank the liquid in two sips and placed it down. Vera stumbled back, a little dizzy from the strong taste.