Count On Me ➵ Newt [1]

SIXTEEN | bonfire night

▬It was bonfire night. Gally went around passing out his secret recipe drink as usual, chatting and making jokes with his buddies. Though he seemed mostly at ease, I noticed that he kept shooting looks of loathing at the new kid. What was that about?

I went to the Homestead to retrieve my ukulele - ever since the Gladers found out I could play the instrument and sing, they requested for me to perform at every bonfire night we had, and I never refused once; it gradually became a tradition.

With my ukulele in hand, I went over to the bonfire in the middle of the Glade and spotted Newt talking to the Greenie by the side, both of them leaning against a log. I watched as Newt offered him Gally's drink and he spat it out on the first sip, making me smirk.

Chuck broke away from the crowd and ran to me, the flames casting dancing silhouettes in his warm, brown eyes.

"Hey, Rose!" He said, looking excited. "You're gonna perform again like last time?"

"No, I walked all the way to the Homestead and back just so I can whack y'all over the head with my ukulele."

Chuck rolled his eyes at me. "Oh, shut up. Which song are you gonna play this time?"

I smiled. "You'll see."

"Yo, Rosa!" Jeff called out, waving me over to him.

"For the last time, don't call me Rosa!" I said in a huff, rolling my eyes at him.

"Whatever! You gon' play that wooden thing of yours again?"

"The 'wooden thing' has a name, ya know! And to answer your question, yes, I am. Just give me a few minutes."

Jeff grinned widely and started nudging the other Gladers, informing them to sit around the fire to listen in about ten minutes or so. I went over to Newt and the new kid, my shoes crunching the grass beneath the soles, and peered between their shoulders.

"Hey," I said. 

Newt jumped, nearly spilling the drink in his hand.

"Oh, bloody hell, Rose, you scared the klunk out of me!" He exclaimed, and I laughed.

"Good that," I smirked. "So what're you two shanks talking about?"

"I'm just filling him in on all the stuff about Keepers and Grievers," Newt replied. "He's a curious one, this slinthead."

"Says you," I retorted, and snatched up the glass from his hands and took a big gulp of it. Impulsive, I know, considering the drink usually had after-effects, especially in the morning, but I wanted to let loose and have a little fun for a while. It was bonfire night, after all.

"Hey, give that back." Newt took the glass back and sipped from it again, a goofy grin playing along his lips.

"Are you drunk?" I raised my eyebrows at him in disbelief, for I had never seen him this giggly before, especially when he was talking to newbies.

"No," he muttered, looking quite bashful as he pressed his lips to the edge of the glass. "Anyway, I think that's enough questions for one night, Greenie."

He started to get up, pulling the new kid by the arm. "Come on, you're supposed to be the guest of honour."

"Oh, no, no..." The Greenie started to protest, shaking his head but Newt wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Come on," he said, heaving him up.

"No, no, really..."

But Newt pulled again and the Greenie had no choice but to get up. We strolled around the Glade, watching the others chat and lay around. A group of Gladers formed a ring around two wrestling figures, one of them Gally. We watched as he shoved the other kid and he fell to the floor with a crash, kicking up sand and dust. The ring of Gladers cheered, their voice cutting through the air in excitement as some of them clapped.