Newt's Girl the Sequel

Chapter 36

Note: In this story, Aris doesn't look how he looks in the movies. He's an average looking teenager in this and is slightly older. So he's cuter, but not as cute as Newt obviously.

I wake with a start, feeling as though somethings missing. Something besides Thomas.

I'm lying on top of newt in a circle around the dying fire. The rest of the gladers sound asleep beside us. I look over their sleeping faces, memorizing them. I recognize one of the boys who gave me a knife to save newt. And another one who I bandaged often in the glade. I felt something as I stared at these boys and I realized that I cared about them too, more than I previously realized.

But then why did I have this feeling? I recount the group, gasping when I find there's only 11 of us.

Aris is gone.

I look down at newt patting his face lightly but he doesn't even falter, so I slide off of him, grateful that he didn't trap me in his death grip this night.

I tip toe to the only place he could have gone; up.

I listen for sounds of nature but there's nothing in this dead world. Not even the sound of wind although I can feel it, making goosebumps rise to the surface of my skin.

That's when I see him, crouching behind a burnt tree, nothing but the dried up bark to identify it.

"Aris?" I whisper in the dark night, afraid of how close we might be to the approaching girls.

"What the-did you follow me?" He asks in shock, standing up and looking behind me in worry.

"Don't worry I came alone. Newts passed out." I smile to myself at that. He doesn't need to be drugged to be knocked out for hours, even if the sun is shining in his face.

"Why?" He looks astonished, especially as I take a seat on the hard rock beckoning him to join me. He does as I say but he's still tense.

I shrug my shoulders. "You left."

"News flash Carly, usually when people leave they want to be alone." His voice has a hint of annoyance in it.

"I don't think you left to be alone, I think you left to be with Group B." He doesn't say anything as he looks down at his hands, "Am I right?"

"I might have been considering it." He mumbles.

I sigh, "I don't blame you."

"Why are you even talking to me right now Carly. I thought you hated me?" He shakes his head in disbelief.

I raise my eyebrows at him, "I don't hate anyone. Not even Teresa although she annoys the hell at of me." I roll my eyes at the mention of her.

"They're aren't all bad you know. They're good people."

"Yeah who kidnapped my brother and were willing to kill us because a Psychopath told them to on a whim."

He chuckles, running a hand through his hair, "Okay maybe they're are a little, but they're still family."

I nod my head looking forward again.

"Besides" he sighs, "it's not like any of you guys ever gave me a chance. I don't deserve one from you or newt now. But even before then."

"Can you blame us?"

"No I guess not." He leans back, getting more comfortable with the situation, "Newts gonna be so pissed at you if he finds out you're with me."

I smile, looking up at the starless sky, "He'll come around. He always does."

"Jeez you really are stubborn."