The following day, I did all my the rest of my training, and now it's time for my Runner training. I came up to meet Minho near the entrance of the Maze, he waved at me signaling me to walk faster, so I did.
"How was your day, Atlee?" He smiled at me while he stretched.
"Tiring, as usual." To be honest, today has been quiet. I couldn't find Newt anywhere, but it would be suspicious to ask his whereabouts now.
"Ready for your training?"
"Can I ask you one question though?" I asked Minho, after he nodded, I asked again, "Are we going into the maze?"
He shrugged, "Well, most Greenies preferred to stay out of it, but you would probably won't be interested."
"If I perform well inside the maze, would you make me a Runner?"
My words seems to shock him, "Are you serious?"
"Why not?" I shrugged, "I would love to enter the Maze, as long as we are coming back outside again before dark."
"Good that, then." He ran towards the maze but then stopped just before he could get in, his eyes turned to look at me, slighty left behind, "Coming, Greenie?"
I catched up with him, "I have a name"
"Yeah, I know" He turned his head back again and winked at me, while I just replied him with an eye roll.
On our run in the maze, I showed up everything I'm up for. I need to be a runner, I have to gain Minho's trust, and I have to gain everyone else's trust. I studied every path even though I have all of them remembered before, but I didn't mind. He showed me almost every part of it, since it would be impossible for us to run the whole maze in like, 4 hours.
Apparently, Minho showed me to never step inside the Maze 2 hours before it gets dark until you're a pro-Runner, and he also told me to run as if you klunking life depends on it.
But something seemed a bit off when he realized that I ran around the maze swiftly, "You seem to have no problem running."
I looked at him, now what should I say? I thought, so I just bit my lip and then spoke, "I just guessed around."
But he just nodded, and I knew that he didn't believe me for a second.
After that, we arrived back in to the Glade, Minho's breath was heavy and rapid, "Not bad, Greenie, not bad" He shook his head in disbelief, "Oh, and the meeting for your chosen job would be tonight it will be held just a couple hours after the Maze closes, someone will come and get you just before dinner"
I nodded, "See you there then?" I started to walk away in another direction after I saw him do the same, he might be walking to the Mapping Room to draw the paths that he ran through today or maybe to do something else, but I was hoping he didn't end up being over suspicious about me.
…
After I cleaned myself up, I walked to my bedroom but as I stepped in, someone was already inside. And then as I instantly saw dirty blonde hair, I knew it was Newt, I just couldn't greet him, so instead I just stood there, not saying anything until he turns his back revealing the food he was setting up on the bedside table, and he looked quite startled by me standing here.
"Bloody hell, you shocked my knucks!"
I laughed, "Sorry, didn't mean to." I tilted my head to get a better view of the food he was setting up, "What's that all for?" I pointed at the food.
"I thought you might be hungry." He shrugged, trying to look calm.
"It's not poisoned, right?" I laughed, "You do realize that I could just go get them by myself right?"
"First, it's is not poisoned, and second, I think you deserve lunch-in-bed, you must be tired, aren't you, Greenie?" He winked at me.
"You're kidding" I laughed again, "I have a bloody name" I tried to mock his accent, again.
"You don't like me very much, do you?"
"You have no idea" Because he truly doesn't have any idea how much I like him, "I heard the meeting for the job I'm going to be signed for is tonight, should I really attend?"
"Alby insisted." He shrugged, ignoring my previous words.
I took a deep breath, "Minho said I'm being a burden to everyone, everyone seemed to be constantly busy after my arrival"
Newt gave me a smile, "Believe me, you are not anyone's burden, love."
"Okay." I tried to hide my blush by letting my hair curtain all over my face as I walked forward past him to sit on the bed, but his eyes darted and followed me until I sat down on the bed.
"So uhm—"
I lifted my chin so I can see a better view of him, "Uhm?"
"The fact that I knew your name spontaneously is trying to bug me." He rubbed the back of his neck.
I smiled at him, "Yeah, me too."
"Do you think we could be related?"
"As in, brothers and sisters? Or as in—"
"Brothers and sisters, of course."
That thought never came into my mind before, what if we are brothers and sisters? This thing that we are having could have turned out to be incest. "How old do I look like?" But to be honest, I know exactly how old I am, I'm still 17, but Newt is around a year older.
"17?" He furrowed his eyebrows, and then again his guess is right.
I shrugged, "Maybe."
"What if we are brothers and sisters?"
"It couldn't be, we have different hair colors" I pointed at my hair, "Mine's red." And then my hand moved to ruffle his, "And yours is blonde."
He laughed, "Yeah, but there are brothers and sisters that have different hair color."
I know we are not brothers and sisters, I know we aren't. I shook my head in disbelief, "You know what? If you are my big brother, or whether if you aren't my big brother or so, let's just act as if you are."
"Made sense" He started to sat on the bed next to me, his closeness started to bother me.
I turned my head to the side so it is exactly facing his now, "So, what do you think? We could have been best friends in previous life, or maybe in medieval times, you could have been a soldier, or I could have been a princess—"
"Hold on" He started to laugh a bit, "You believe in that kind of things?"
"Not really, but really, I don't even know what or who to believe."
He looked at me and took a deep breath, "I don't know what's gotten into me but the more I see you, the more I feel like I should trust you, somehow."
My face grew hot, I didn't know why. Maybe, we are meant to be here, or maybe we are meant to trust each other.
"Really?" I smiled at him.
He nodded, "Yeah, do you trust me?"
With all my heart, I thought, but I paused for a while, not answering his question, which made him repeat it again.
"Yes" My eyes locked directly to his, "I trust you."
He was starting to get closer.
Oh no.
But then, I sneezed.
Not, at him though. I turned my head around to sneeze the other way, it couldn't get any weirder than this, what a mood breaker. "I'm sorry" I laughed, holding my nose.
"It's okay" He laughed and kept his distance again, "Are you okay?"
I feel weird, I couldn't be sick. "Not really, I don't feel well." I chuckled, "But I'll survive."
"Okay, so uhm—" He stood up, my heart is screaming for him not to leave, but I can't shout that out to him, "I have to go somewhere right now, I'll just—" He started to walk backwards to the door, and as he was about to step out, he spoke again "I'll get you when the meeting starts."
I nodded, and then I watched him step out of my room. I let out a sigh of relief, and then I lie down on the bed, "That was close" I whispered to myself, and then my eyes darted around the room, to the food and water on the bedside table.
I think I'm going to faint.
So, I just ate the whole food and drank up the whole water, afterwards I felt so full and fell asleep.
…
Someone shook me awake, a little too carelessly, and then the sound of Chuck got inside my ears, "Wake up!" He shook me harder again, and then I jolted awake.
Why didn't Newt come to get me? He said he would.
"What time is it?"
"It doesn't matter, but the meeting is starting."
I struggled to get up and then followed Chuck downstairs and then we went off the Council House, or Council Room, they don't look different anyways, so there we are, Chuck and I standing in front of the door, he was insisting me to go inside first, but I refused.
"You go first." Chuck told me.
"No, you go." I had a bit of anxiety, I could make a huge entrance right now.
"No, please you go."
"Are you really that nervous?" I chuckled at him.
"Pretty much"
"Why?"
"Just, never mind—Just, go first, please." Chuck pleaded.
I sighed, "Fine." I walked forward to the door and pushed it open, it creaked open, the sound of it opening seemed like forever, but then the whole room was on my view.
I could see 13 seats, and all of them are seated, I bet those seats are for the keepers and the leaders, and there's 1 empty seat, oh well, "That must be the seat for the shank in trouble, isn't it?" I whispered to Chuck who is now beside me, Chuck just nodded and gestured for me to move forward, and which I did.
Everyone's eyes are on me, I could see Zart, he's smiling at me, which made me smile back at him, and then, I search the crowd for anyone else I would have known, I see Frypan, and then my eyes darted forward, Siggy is on the keeper's chair, of course.
Newt, he's there, so I just speeded up the walk so I could really get this over with.
I gulped and then walked forward to the empty seat, but then Gally interrupted me, "Who said you could seat here?"
My face is boiling with embarrassment and anger, this boy is really pushing me to the bloody limit. Oh hey, I just sounded like Newt.
"Honestly, now. I could just guess this freaking chair is for the shucking shank in trouble, so if it is not me, than who is this freaking chair for?" I almost yelled at this point but my anger is still hiding behind my bones.
And then I just took the seat.
"Okay, we are here to decide the best job there is for this Greenbean, or, as known as She-Bean"
I let out a heavy sigh, "I have a shucking name!"
"That sounded cute when it comes out of your mouth!" Someone from the crowd said, and then it was followed with a lot of cheers.
I am starting to get sick with this, they just interrupted my nap for this? "Honestly, just get this over with."
"We have decided, that you are going to be a—"
"Wait, we from the Track-Hoes, also think she is suitable for a Track-Hoe"
"No, she should be a Med-Jack"
"She's a good cook, too!"
Then the arguments flew, but Alby's and Newt's are the loudest, "Here out first you bloody shucks!" Newt's voice, he's really intimidating sometimes, isn't he?
"Most of us, really thinks she could be a Runner."
And then most of the boys cheered, but some from the Track-Hoes booed, but I could see Newt is startled, he whispered to Alby, which is quite loud enough for me to hear, "You didn't tell me she would be a bloody Runner."
"She has the gift, Minho never lies." Alby shrugged, "And, I trust his judgements. And, this girl, she seems really really different."
I smiled at the thought, but slightly horrified why Newt looked shocked and angry, so I decided to just avoid him.
After some debates, and then everyone eventually agreed, so I am dismissed, and I am allowed to go back to the Homestead now.
As I was just about leave, Minho came up to me and then suddenly he whispered to me, "I know your secret." And then laughed and jogged away from me, "Meet me at the entrance of the Maze, tomorrow morning." He said to me from a distance.
I was startled, my eyes jolted wide, This can't be possible.
…
I didn't went up to my room, I just sat outside by the sleeping bags, I didn't know who might have slept here, or who might going to sleep here, but I didn't care, am I really that sloppy and readable?
I let out a sigh, I might as well be dead tomorrow.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Newt's voice ringed into my ears like a good night lullaby, he started to walk closer.
"What are you doing here, Newt?" I didn't look at him though, but I could see him from the sides of my view.
"Uhm, you are currently sitting on my sleeping bag."
"Really?" I said shocked and the scooted away, "I'm sorry."
I am such an embarrassment.
"It's okay" He said, and then he sat on the sleeping bag. "This is the best place to sleep, the stars are always pretty, but not as pretty as tonight though" He looked up and then automatically I looked up as well.
I was captivated by the view, "Yeah, they are aren't they?"
It felt like I have never seen stars, I couldn't remember seeing them this beautiful, or have I ever seen them?
"How could you deny a view this beautiful?" Newt's voice came out as a whisper.
I nodded, "Yeah, but my neck hurts" I stopped tilting my head and looked down to rub my neck.
"Just lie down then." Newt gestured to the sleeping bag.
No, I am not lying down with Newt, even if he's not lying down, I will not lie down, I thought.
"Hello?" He waved his arm in front of my eyes.
"Yeah?" I looked at him again now.
Newt's lying down now, "Just lie down then." He patted on the spot next to him."
I gulped, I really want to lie down but I really shouldn't, but aren't my actions stupid? "Okay" I lied down with him.
I looked to the stars, this is a lot relaxing than sleeping inside, I wish it could always be like this, no troubles, no worries, no harm, just calm. Just looking at the stars.. With, Newt.
"Hey?"
"Hmm?" I answered, my mind is already caught up on something else.
"Why do you think they put us here?"
I was startled, "It's all a test, I think" I sighed.
"It's no bloody test, it's torture."
Great, now I feel guilty. "Newt, I—"
"I know you can't take it, no one else could possibly take this for the rest of their lives, anyway."
"Newt, listen I—"
"I think you are sent here for a reason, I don't know if you believe that, but I do."
That shuts me up perfectly, "I'm sorry, Newt."
"Why would you be?" His head turned to face mine, but my face isn't facing his, yet.
"I don't know." I shook my head, biting my lip hard. I must tell him someday, right?
He smiled at me, I can see his lips forming a beautiful smile. "I just wish it would all stop, you know? Just pause button for life."
"I just thought of that" I chuckled.
"If there is, I would pause this moment right now."
I turned my head to look at him, he was still looking at me, "You're a real charmer aren't you?" I laughed and pushed his shoulders playfully, trying to hide the smile that was going to form.
He laughed, "You think I'm a charmer?" He laughed.
"Oh, you sure act like one."
"Really?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah" I nodded at him.
He just chuckled and then continued to look up to the sky, "What do you think is out there, you know? What's beyond the Maze?"
Oh, just WICKED's headquarters. Oh, you know just my workspace, Oh, you know, the place where I made this bloody maze.
I didn't reply him, I suppose he wasn't expecting an answer, but to be honest, I didn't know what was outside WICKED, I was held there, they gave me food there, I had my own room there, and all that. Everything seems like a blur.
For almost a half hour, we looked at the stars, not saying anything, but then as I looked to the side, Newt was already asleep. I couldn't possibly bother him, and I really don't want rumors to spread, so I just ruffled his head softly, not trying to wake him up, "Good night, Newt" I smiled as I headed upstairs to my own room without making a noise.
