For the next 2 weeks I slowly begin to fit in with the gladers. I felt like I had been here all my life. We never found out who was behind beating me but no one else was hurt. As for a job as a cook. Well. That didn't go so well. I was still mad at newt. He had refused once again to let me try out for runner. So when he came into the hut I just so happened to have a frying pan in my hand. Which I chucked at him. Needless to say frypan wouldn't let me back in his kitchens after.
I slip into the seat opposite newt and next to Teresa "so what is it today" I ask
"Slicer" newt replies
I scrunch my face up in disgust.
"Don't look like that. You have to try them all. And so far you've not exactly had much luck with the other jobs" he says. It was true. When I worked as a cook I ended up burning the food. When I was a builder I wasn't up to all the heavy lifting. And when I was a med jack. Well. I don't think anyone needed to hear that story again.
"Then when can I try out for runner" I ask
"Your not" he says his face darkening slightly.
"But you just said I had to try them all out" I reply my anger rising slightly. He had done nothing but refuse to let me try out since I got here.
"I said no mia. End of discussion" he snaps
"No newt. That isn't it. You don't get to decide everything for me." I snap my voice rising as I speak. "I'm not incapable of making my own decisions. Which you seem to think I am"
"Mia" Minho warns
"I said no mia" newt yells
"And why not newt" I yell right back" tell me newt. Why the bloody hell won't you let me try out for a runner rather than making me a do a job I'm no good at and will probably end up messing up"
"Because I bloody love you mia. And your just too blind to notice it" he yells before storming off.
The whole dining area stares at our table in surprise. Me meanwhile I stare after newt who was storming off towards the garden's I just stare bewildered after him.
"I should um go apologise" I whisper going to get up.
"Leave him a while." Teresa says grabbing my arm pulling me back to my seat. "You have to go with the slicer keeper" she states.
Winston is standing outside the farm by the time I get there.
"Your here" he says grumpily "we're starting with taking care of the animals"
For the whole day the gladers treat me with a cold shoulder. Not that I really noticed. Or cared. My mind kept wandering to newt.
By the end of the day I have to go for a shower and get a change of clothes before dinner because I'm still covered in blood from tonight's dinner.
Newt doesn't sit at our table at dinner. Neither does Minho. Thomas and Teresa do and so does chuck. Although I think that just because he doesn't really have many other friends. Everyone liked him but he was just sort of like the annoying little brother.
I sit in silence avoiding eating the meat only eating the salad and potatoes. Thomas and Teresa try to engage me in conversation but I answer in one word answers or nods.
That night I notice newt slip away from the conversation that was going on with the keeper's. I excuse myself from the group and follow him.
I easily catch up to him.
"Mia. I'm not in the mood" he mutters.
"I came to apologise" I state. "For yelling earlier"
He doesn't say anything but he stops walking. We were by the edge of the woods.
"About what you said earlier" I start
"I didn't mean it" he says quickly
"Oh" I mutter and I can't help but feel slightly disappointed. "Well I do"
"What?" he asks
"I don't care if this makes it awkward and you don't want to talk to me after this but I have to say it. I love you. And you can hate me all you want after this but...." I'm cut off as he kisses me. I just stare in surprise no idea what to do. Finally I just go with my instincts and it's like fireworks.
"That answer your question" he says quietly.
I nod dumbfounded.
He sits down and I sit beside him.
"I haven't told you the story of how I got this limp did I?" he asks
"No" I reply.
"I was a runner when I first got here" he says "I hated the place. I climbed halfway up one of those bloody walls and jumped right off. Alby found me and dragged me back to the Glade right before the Doors closed. I hated it here. I hated every second of every day."
"Newt I didn't know" I mutter
"It wasn't that long before you got here actually" he continues. "I was considering trying again. Maybe getting into the runners store. But I knew they would never let me in. not after the last time. They noticed. So when you got here. Alby put me in charge of you. And you slowly began to heal me. I know how cheesy that sounds but it's true. Everything you did. Your smile. Your laugh. Whenever you made me mad. It took a while. But I realised something. I couldn't leave. Not when your still here"
I don't know what to say to that. What could you say?
"So mia. That's why I don't want you to be a runner" he says "because I don't want you to try the same thing I did"
"That's stupid" I mutter "because no matter what. If your still here. I still have something to live for"
I pull him into a tight hug refusing to let go.
"I'll talk to Minho." he says quietly "he should let you trial tomorrow"
"Thank you newt" I say quietly
"Oy. Love birds. If mia's going to try out for runner tomorrow she needs to get to sleep" Minho yells causing us both to blush bright red.
