TMR Gally - hate him love him

the pond

Athena's POV

With my hand on the stone of the wall, I keep walking towards the place Chuck told me to find. how hard can it be to find a corner of two huge walls towering over me every second of the day?

Then I stepped into a clearing, with a pond in the corner of the walls. this must be where the stream flows off too. I almost jumped when two hands covered my eyes, someone standing behind me. "Guess who." the accent thick as ever. I giggle "Thomas is that you?" I hear Newt scoff behind me, shoving me a bit further into the clearing. I turned around to look at him, grinning. He's playing hurt "Oh Greenie, that's just mean. Don't you have a heart? Spending to much time with Gally can have that effect." I start laughing. "I guess you're right, he's a real piece of work. Always getting angry about things I do. Or don't do. Or say." Newt smiles, walking over to the pond. "Let's just say he's always angry. And he doesn't like swimming. I wonder if he's human..." I sit down in the grass, looking at the sunlight reflecting on the surface of the pond. "How can you not want to swim when it's burning like hell?"  He's taking of his boots and socks. "Like I said, I don't know..."  but then he looks over at me, a sheepish look on his face. "Do you mind if I..." I was trying to unlace my own boot when I saw him with his hands on the edge of his pants. "Uhm yeah sure, why not. Can't swim with pants on, right?" I chuckle, feeling a bit nervous. He drops his pants and stands up, his boxer briefs black. does everyone only get black underwear here? I undo the zip of my own pants, looking everywhere but at Newt and fold them neatly, placing them next to my boots in the grass. Newt must have seen me hesitate. "It's alright, just leave your shirt on." I smile at him, feeling my cheeks starting to turn red and walk over to the edge of the pond. oh it's nice and cold... until Newt arms wrap around me, lifting me up by my waist and throw me over his shoulder. "Sorry Greenie, I don't have time to wait for you." and he jumps in. 

"NEWT! stop it, what if I don't know how to swim?" He trying to get me let go of the edge of the pond, by pulling at my ankle, paddling to stay above the surface. He laughs softly "I'm not going to let you drown. One way to find out, let go and swim to me." I look over my shoulder and see him floating on the water, like he's laying in a hammock. If I have to die, might as well do it in a pond. Slowly I push myself away from the stones, using my arms and legs to keep my head above the water. Then I feel my body turning, using my arms and legs to move in Newt's direction. I can swim. I know how to swim. Newt is not even looking, his eyes closed as he's enjoying the peace and quit, in the cold water, his ankle probably doesn't hurt, just like my throat. I won't let you drown, yeah right. Right when he notices me swimming close to him, I splash as much water as I can in his face. Imitating his accent " 'I won't let you drown.' You weren't even looking you shank!" He's still coughing and rubbing water from his eyes, laughing. "I just knew that you could swim. We all can. Some not as elegantly as you, but no one drowns." he looks me in the eyes, still smiling. elegantly. My hands accidentally brush over his stomach, making me realize how close we were swimming. I blush, trying to paddle backwards. But he just follows. "Greenie... Athena..." he's not smiling anymore, just staring at me. I feel the cold stones of the edge against my back. Newt following. "What are you doing Newt?" I keep watching him as he places a hand on my cheek, cupping my face. focus, Athena, don't freeze, keep paddling or drown. "Athena I can't... you're so... I wish I..." He leans in, but stops when our noses touch. "I've never felt this way before..." He speaks softly. It feels like my insides are in a knot and I forgot how to breath. Then I hear it, leaves crunching, branches snapping. Someone is coming this way. I push Newt away from me.

"Oh. It's you." Gally reaches in the pond to grab my arm and effortlessly pulls me up, out of the water. Looking furious. Newt had pushed himself up on the edge, walking over to where he left his pants. Do all the Gladers have sixpacks? "What the shuck do you think you're doing?" Gally steps in front of me, blocking my view of Newt. dammit, he's going to kill me. "It's hot, we went for a swim. I can swim." I start off to get my pants, but Newt already hands them to me. Staying at a safe distance from Gally, who is standing to close to me. I can feel his breath on the back of my neck. "Thanks. I'll handle this, safe me spot at lunch?" Newt looks at me unsure, as if he really doesn't want to leave me here with Gally. I smile at him and nod. "I'll be fine. don't worry." I glare at Gally "He's got nothing on me." So Newt walks away, still limping but not as bad as before. Gally really is furious. "I got nothing on you?! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't throw you in the Pit right now!" I look at him, trying really hard not to grin at him "Because I kept my shirt on?". The silence is almost deafening, but I can see a little bit of movement in the corners of his lips. he's trying not to laugh. I let myself smile a little, yanking up my pants and closing the buckle of my belt. "Speaking of my shirt, I'm gonna need you to turn around for a second." he looks at me confused. "Why?" I smirk "Because I'm going to take it off." 

"Put me down Shuck-Face!" I kept banging my fists against his bare back. "Nope." "Gally you shank!! aargh let go of me" He just keeps walking towards the hut. "No. You don't want a wet shirt, let's get you a dry one." I try to kick him, but when he lift his arm for a few seconds, I feel myself falling down. face-first to the ground. "AAAH GALLY STOP IT! I'm gonna murder you, you hear me, murder!" He chuckles. "Sure thing, little girl. Try all you want." Some Gladers pass us by, but they only stop and stare, no one is trying to get me out of Gally's grip. Idiots. As we reach the hut, he walks in while holding me, but doesn't bend his knees deep enough so that my butt hits the doorframe. "Aaw!" he laughs softly. he did that on purpose. the dirty bastard. I was muttering all kinds of curses as he lets me fall onto the bed. "Right, a shirt. ah here we go. put this on." He throws a faint red shirt at me. "This is one of your shirts, idiot. That's way to big on me!" I throw it back, hitting him in the face. I take off the wet one I was wearing and start wringing the water out. "Hey don't do that inside, you'll make a mess..." he yanks it out of my hands and shoves the red shirt back in them. "Wear it." "No" "yes" "No!" "Yes!". I glare at him, just as he glares at me. "Newt would never make me wear this." I saw the look on his face. He was hurt, angry but then, something else. "There are a few other things Newt would never make you do." What is that supposed to mean?