The Runner - A Newt FanFic

Celebration

"Aida?"

I let out a scream of monsters and tumble out of my hammock like prey, covered in sweat and tears.

"Are you ok?". Hands start to lift me up and I punch them away, like shooing away a bug.

"Get your fucking hands off me!" I yell before managing to escape the person's tight grip. I turn around and see Newt's very worried face.

"Geez, you alright?", he asks, taking a few steps back. 

"DO I LOOK FUCKING OK TO YOU?!". I could feel my blood boiling, my face hot and my hair sticking all over my body. I felt disgusting and sick and I bet I looked like that too... also a bit insane.

"Just calm down ok?... Shuck, you gave me a panic attack. Heard you all the way from the Gardens". Newt sits down on one of the hammocks and started staring at me again.

'What happened?", he asks eventually.

"None of your business", I respond, walking around in circles to calm myself.

"Alright then".

We're in silence for a while, before I say, "Why did you come?".

"To see if you were ok...and that the celebration for you is starting".

"Oh, right". I really didn't want to go out to a crowd of people at the moment; but I also didn't want to be alone.

"Aida?"

I look up into Newt's eyes. Dark brown, almost black; a dark story behind them, trapped in his soul. He's such a beautiful creature and he doesn't even know it.

"Yes Newt".

"What do you remember?"

I think for a while. Should I tell him about my nightmare? No, not yet. I don't even know if it's real.

"I remember my name and... being terrified".

"Nothing else?"

"Nothing", I respond and quickly look away. Well, I'm obviously a terrible liar.

"Alright then". Newt sits up from the hammock and looks down at me sitting in the dirt.

"Ready to go?", he asks, holding out his hand. I hesitantly take it and we start walking together, hand in hand, to the large open space where all the Gladers are.

"There's the new Greenie!" someone shouts out and is followed by loud cheers. I grab Newt's arm and slowly curl myself towards him, not enjoying the attention.

"Hey Newt, share her around, will ya?" someone says as we get closer. It's too dark to see who said it but I think I know who; Luke.

"Slim it Luke", Newt says through grinding teeth. I was right. I let go of him but still stay close by his side. I don't trust any of these boys. Do they treat all the girls like this?

"I'll see you later", and Newt starts jogging over to the group. No! What are you doing? Don't leave me here with these shitheads! I take my time walking over to them, hugging myself and trying to stay invisible. But it's not working. Every single person is looking this way.I can't see any girls. Was the Asian boy telling the truth? Was I the only girl in the Glade?

I try looking for Newt, and when I do find him, I see with Ably, holding large sticks lit with fire and chucking it in to a whole pile of sticks. Bomb fire. The pile is engulfed with flames and everyone cheers.

Newt sees me and runs over.

"Hey".

"Hey".

"You good?"

"Yeah".

"I'll take you to get some food". We start walking over to a small hut where a large line is forming. When I walk over they start staring at me. For fucks sake. As we get closer I see a boy with dark skin and a leather apron, sweating his ass off as he runs around the hut, spattering food onto the plates and handing it to someone in the line.

When we reach the front, the frantic boy hands Newt his plate first then me. "Thank you" I say.

"No prob-". He stops. And stares.

"Oh my God, it's a girl. Teeties and everything, how fascinating". I snatch my plate and walk away.

"What was that all about?", Newt says, running to catch up to me.

"Fuck off!".

"Hey, don't talk like that!", Newt commands me.

"Or what? You're going to tell big scary Alby?" I look around and again everyone is staring. Fuck my life.

I walk away casually from the group and over to log facing the large walls and sit in front of it, scoffing my food down because 1. I am mad and 2. I am so hungry I completely forgot that I was hungry in the first place.

Newt joins me and awkwardly sits down.

"What did I just say? Fuck. Off", I hiss at him.

"And what did I just say? Don't. Talk. Like. That". He's got some nerve. But he shuts me up. We stay quite for some time which lets me think about today. I've really been a bitch; getting annoyed at everyone for looking at me like I'm the only girl in the Glade... but didn't that boy say I was? I look over at Newt who's looking out to the large stone walls.

"Hey, Newt", I whisper softly.

He turns to me, as though he was in deep thought. I stare into his eyes for a while; those gorgeous captivating eyes before asking my question.

"Someone told me that I'm the only girl they've seen in the Glade. Am I the only girl the Glade?"

Newt sighs then continues looking at the walls. "Yes".

No. God no. I close my eyes and lie my head on the log. I think of Luke and the way he looked at me; looked at my body as though I was a prize to be won. It's not safe here.

"Hey". I open my eyes and see Newt looking over at me. "I'm not going to let anybody hurt you".

I smile. "And why is that?".

Newt smirks and continues eating. I feel a kind of warmth inside of me and start looking out to the walls just like Newt is.

I hear cheers from behind me and turn around.

"What happened?", I ask Newt.

"Gally's most likely won another round of wrestling".

"I'm gonna go check it out". Newt tries to stop me, but I've already left.

This is what I see: one boy crawling on the ground; another standing over him, testing his power. He must be Gally.

"Alright, alright. Who's up next?" Gally shouts. One boy is shoved into the open space where Gally stands. Most likely by his friends pushed him in. The area around them is formed into a circle. Wonder if it means anything?

"1. 2....3!", Gally attacks him from the top, locking his hands under the underarms and swinging the boy out of the circle. There are cheers and I can tell Gally has won again. The same thing happens over and over. He either swings his opponent out of the circle or swings his opponent to the floor, asking for more or the opponent puts up more of a fight. Either way Gally wins every time.

"Anyone else?"

I know the rules. I know his tactics.

"I will".