Chapter 4 – The Tour

"Right Greenie, let's get one thing straight: you may be a girl, and you may be weak, but you will still commit and you will still do the same amount of work as everyone else in this shucked place. You got it?" Alby calls over his shoulder to me. I nod and trail behind him.

Alby was the other guy who was running with Newt, and so far I've discovered that Alby has the real authority. He is the leader. He's been here longer than anyone else apparently.

Alby took me around the Glade; showing me the in's and out's. I followed him aimlessly, attempting to make a mental note of every piece of information he threw at me.

"So you got the Slicers, the Track-hoes, the Baggers, the Sloppers, the Med-jacks, the Cooks, the Builders and the Runners." Alby was saying to me, gesturing to different areas of the Glade. "Over there is where the Med-jacks patched you up, over there is the Homestead, the Gardens, the Deadheads, the Kitchen, and over there is the Bloodhouse and the Pit." Alby stopped talking to glance over at me with tiredness. "You get all that Greenie?"

"Um, yep sure did." I say with what I hope is an honest tone. Alby rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of things 'round here pretty quick." He said. I smile sheepishly and take in the Glade. All of the boys were hard at work in different areas; structuring shacks, harvesting plants and collecting rubbish.

I scan the Track-hoes area and perform a double take as I spot Newt yielding some crops. The heat had clearly began to bother him, as his shirt was off and tied around his waist. His abdominal muscles were carved to perfection and sweat glistened off his chest as he hacked at the crops. He swung the tool that he was using once more before straightening and wiping sweat from his brow.

One of the other boys appeared to have been joking around with him, as Newt turned around to face the boy and flexed his arm muscles dramatically as a response. The boy replied by lifting his shirt and clenching his abs, which caused Newt to crack up with angelic laughter. Um, wow. Talk about amazing. Deer? Headlights? Hi, I'm Sable. I continued to gaze at him in a trance until Alby started clicking his fingers in front of my face.

"Hey, snap out of it shuck-face." I blinked and quickly turned back to Alby before he noticed that I had been staring dreamily at Newt. Too late.

Alby's eyes roamed around to where my gaze had previously been. He halted when he spotted Newt. He flicked his gaze back to me and sighed.

"First day and you've already fallen. Geez I knew girls were weird, but you meet a guy one day and all of a sudden he's your one-and-only?" Alby rolled his eyes for the second time that day.

"What are you talking about? I don't like him." I sputter. Alby rolled his eyes yet again.

"Yep, keep talking slinthead. You got it bad."

"Do not."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't!"

"Do."

"DON'T!" I yell.

"What's going on here?" I thick accent says. I spin around clumsily and fumble around for an excuse.

"Um…"

Alby glanced up at Newt and smirked. Alby actually smirked. Newt eyed him warily and cocked an eyebrow in question.

"Oh, Greenie here was just telling me how much she adores–"

"Trees!" I intervene. Newt glances at me in surprise, then smiles as his eyes ripen with amusement.

"Trees?" He repeats. I can feel myself blushing furiously but continue anyway.

"Yeah, um, trees. You know they're just so green, and barky, and leafy, and green. And you know, green." I stumble out.

Newt covers his mouth with his hand, and I can see that he's trying to hold in a laugh. A quick look at Alby proves that he is doing the same. I dart my gaze around, looking at anything but them.

Newt finally clears his throat and composes himself.

"Well love, you and I have that in common." He says jokingly. "Because, you know, they're just so green." He lets out a small laugh and then winks at me. My heart flutters slightly.

"Well, I'm gonna head back. Those slintheads are lost without me." Newt says as he rolls his eyes.

"I need to run through the rules with the Greenie, and then she needs to take a shower." Alby looks over at me. "No offense Greenbean, but you smell like complete klunk." Both Alby and Newt let out hearty laughs, and I feel embarrassed even though I don't know what 'klunk' is.

"Um, okay then. But, I do have a name you know." I say quietly. Both stop laughing and look at me.

They gaze at me expectantly.

"Well then, what is it?" Alby asks.

"Sable." I reply. Alby looks displeased.

"Sable? What kind of a name is – Ow!" Alby exclaims as Newt elbows him in the gut.

Newt gives him a pointed stare and Alby appears to understand.

"I think Sable is a lovely name." States Newt. I turn my gaze downward shyly and shuffle my feet.

"Thank you." I say softly. Alby rolls his eyes at us. It must be a habit of his.

I turn my gaze back to Newt, and am slightly surprised to see him already staring at me. He looks me up and down, and I drop my gaze again awkwardly.

"Yeah, Sable suits you." He says as if in thought. I look up at him again and give him a small smile in gratitude. A light pink colours his cheeks, but it's probably just from the heat. Newt clears his throat again and speaks.

"Right, well, I'll be off then." He gives us a lanky sort of salute and runs back to the Gardens. I tilt my head and watch him head off, staring at his back delightfully.

"Yep, I knew it." Alby interrupts.

I look over at him.

"Knew what?" I ask curiously.

"He's got it just as bad as you do."

"Okay Sable we got 3 rules, and 3 rules only." Alby informs me. He holds up a finger.

"One: Everyone does their part. No slackers allowed here." I nod.

He continues and holds up a second finger.

"Two: Don't hurt another Glader. We have to trust each other if life is to function orderly."

He holds up a third and final finger.

"Three: Never, ever venture out into the Maze. Ever." He emphasised. "You understand?"

"Yes." I say. Alby nods satisfactorily.

"Good. Now go get yourself cleaned up. You look and smell like klunk. I'll leave some fresh clothes outside the showers for you to change into." He's about to walk away, but I stop him.

"Alby." He turns and looks back.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For helping me." His eyes widen in surprise and he fumbles around for a response.

"Um, you're welcome Sable." He ultimately settles on.

I smile kindly and he runs off. And I can't be sure, but I think a slight blush was staining his cheeks.

Author's Note: Hey! So Sable is already falling for Newt! Nable 4ever. Even I found that scene adorable and I'm the one who freaking wrote it XD. Thank you for following the story, it really means a lot and you liking my story motivates me! Please, please, please review or comment so I know what you guys are thinking about my story! Comment on what you think is going to happen, or just what you think of the story. Thanks!

~GladerGirl621 xx