Disclaimer: I own nothing except my storyline and OC(s).

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CHAPTER EIGHT

Eleanor pov

I woke to the sound of nearing footsteps. Someone was heading my way. Rubbing my eyes, I looked in the direction they're coming from. Before I had a chance to do anything the person got to the clearing where I sat a few feet away. I blinked the light out of my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was Newt.

"Hey," he said, sitting down beside me and leaning against the tree.

"Hi." I replied, closing my eyes.

"Thought I'd find you here," he mused, "Gally thought he saw you enter the trees." He added as an afterthought.

"It's pretty." I murmured in reply, wishing I could drift off again. I was enjoying the peacefulness of sleeping in the woods. Newt chuckled when he looked my way.

"Don't go falling asleep now." He said lightly.

"But whyyy." I groaned jokingly, rolling onto my side to look at him. He laughed again.

"Fry's about to serve dinner." At that statement my eyes snapped open and I sat up, smiling. He laughed again, moving a hand to cover his mouth.

"Well come on then," I said, standing up, "What are we waiting for?" I looked down at Newt as he chuckled and couldn't help a smile start to creep across my face. He looked up at me and I blushed. Brushing a strand of hair out of my face, I put my hands on my hips and faked a stern look. My stomach grumbled and he got the message.

I noticed that Newt got up a little awkwardly, putting more weight on one leg than the other and almost tipping over. I brushed it aside, not deeming it important at the moment.

We walked side by side through the trees, heading towards the edge of the…deadheads? Is that what Newt called it?

I was about to ask about the name when a more important question came into my mind, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought about it before.

As soon as the thought entered my mind, I stopped dead. Newt continued walking a couple of steps before looking back me.

"What's wrong?" he inquired, seeming worried.

"Umm…Newt…is there a bathroom around here?" I asked, not sure why I was feeling awkward. Looking up at Newt, I saw him blush.

"Shuck," he muttered, "We hadn't thought about that." That statement got me worried.

"What do you mean?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. Newt stammered.

"Well, you see…" He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, "We don't really have…private bathrooms." My eyes widened.

"Shuck." I said under my breath, before realising that I was already using their slang. It sounded weird coming out of my mouth and I hoped Newt hadn't heard. If he had he didn't say anything, still thinking about the bathroom situation.

I was starting to get desperate, I needed to go.

"Newt." I said urgently. He looked at me and motioned for me to follow. He led past the dinner tables and towards a wooden shack. He looked back at me, coming to a stop and gesturing towards the open door. I stepped forward and immediately gagged.

The smell was horrendous. I covered my nose with my hand and stepped back, looking at Newt in horror.

"Ugh, that is disgusting!" I choked out. He chuckled, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that Eleanor. We'll figure something else out soon." He grimaced at me.

I sucked in a deep breath of fresh air and slowly entered. Inside was a small wooden bucket which, luckily, was empty. Someone must have cleaned it recently. I almost breathed a sigh of relief before realising where I was. I tentatively closed the door, with Newt standing guard outside, and looked down at the pot. This was going to suck.

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After I finished, as quickly as possible so I could escape the awful cubicle, Newt and I headed to dinner. We walked over to Frypan and collected our plates. He had made, what looked like, some sort of stew. I sniffed at it as I walked over to an empty table and sat down. It smelled good so I tucked in hungrily. I hadn't eaten all day.

After a few moments I noticed that Newt was no longer with me. Looking around the glade, I spotted him talking to Frypan. He caught my eye and waved slightly, gesturing that he would only be a minute.

I sighed, resting my head on my hands and continuing to eat. I could sense the other boys were looking my way but none of them approached me. I wasn't sure whether I wanted them to or not.

I spotted Minho making his towards the tables and sat up a little straighter, giving him a friendly smile. He grinned back and told me he would be back, before jogging off to collect his food.

Feeling lonely, I sat by myself. I thought about everything that had happened that day. Lenny accusing Newt, me yelling at him, punching Lenny, the gathering and then the tour. It had been a long day.

As I was sitting there, I realised something that made my stomach clench. While thinking back on the morning the thing that unnerved me most wasn't the lie Lenny had told me, but rather how easily and quickly I had believed him.

No matter how much I told myself that I did, I didn't trust these boys. Any of them. I told myself that I was being silly, this was only my second day here, but I still couldn't shake the pit of unease from my stomach. Would I ever be able to trust them? Would I ever find my place in the glade? I doubted it, I would always be an outsider. I was the only girl.

I sat there for what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes, thinking over things. Nit picking at all my thoughts, trying to find loopholes. Only when I heard laughing coming from the table next to me did I shake myself out of my thoughts.

Looking around, I took in everyone. They all seemed so happy, laughing and telling jokes, having conversations with friends, a few were even arm wrestling. They were all comfortable with each other just like one big family.

I could sense myself about to go into another pit of despair and I tried to block out the nasty thoughts. I would find my place here, even if I had to carve it out myself.

With that determination in mind, I looked around again. Newt and Minho were just leaving Frypan and I hoped they would come sit with me. I didn't know many people but I didn't feel like being alone.

I was looking over my left shoulder, when a voice sounded to my right. I swivelled around quickly, seeing Lenny standing a few feet away.

"Hey." He said, smirking, "Mind if I take this seat?" He gestured to the spot on the bench next me and walked right up to it, swinging one leg over and about to sit down. I opened my mouth to tell him to get lost but someone else beat me to it.

A hand shoved his frame to the side and he stumbled back and fell over.

"Stay the bloody hell away from her, shuck face." The voice sounded angry. I could tell it was Newt without even turning around. He slid into the seat next to me as Lenny scowled.

"Oh come on Newt," he cried whilst standing up, "You know how to share right?" He made his way to the other side of me, and again I was about to stand up for myself when someone else got there first.

Minho darted around the boy and slid onto the bench.

"Sorry seats taken." He smirked. Lenny scowled, narrowing his eyes, and stalked off. I couldn't help myself but grin at the two boys as they tucked in.

Frypan joined us soon after and all three boys hungrily gobbled down their food. I chuckled at them and calmly continued eating.

"So," Minho said looking at me through a mouthful of food, "How was your first proper day?"

"Minho!" Newt cried indignantly, putting his arm behind me and shoving Minho in the chest.

"What?" Minho asked, annoyed, "I was just asking a question!"

Frypan and I just laughed at the two boys. Newt glared at him, rolling his eyes.

"How do you bloody think her day was Minho?" Newt replied. Minho looked confused for a second before his eyes widened in realisation. He looked at me, and turned back to his food and started shovelling it in.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

"Its fine Minho." I told him, before looking back at Newt. He was staring at me, eyebrows raised.

"Its fine," I told him. He furrowed his eyebrows and I raised mine, smiling slightly. Newt nodded and turned back to his food.

After the awkward moment passed the rest of dinner went well. Frypan, Newt, Minho and I talked and laughed for the rest of the meal. It was a lot of fun actually and I found myself enjoying it. Some of the others also joined us after a while.

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After about an hour I felt myself getting tired. My eyelids were drooping and I kept rubbing them, trying to stay awake. Newt noticed after a while.

"Hey, you tired?" he asked, leaning down to whisper in my ear. I nodded my head, not looking up.

"Very." I whispered.

"You want me to walk you back?" He asked. I looked up, surprised, although then wondering why I would be. Newt smiled at me slightly, raising his eyebrows.

I nodded.

"Yes please." I said. He nodded and stood up, picking up both our plates.

"Oh you don't have to-" I started, but Newt interrupted me saying that it was no problem. He left to go put them away.

"Leaving already?" Minho said quietly into my ear. I nodded and smiled at him.

Minho was about to say something else when Newt came back. He nudged me and I looked up.

"Oh hey." I said standing up.

"Night Minho, Frypan." I nodded at the two boys and then followed Newt towards the homestead.

We were half way there when I remembered something important. I stopped in my tracks and Newt looked back.

"Uhm…Newt?" I asked.

"Mm?" He prompted.

"Is there anywhere I can have a shower around here?" He looked back at me, his lips forming an O. After a moment he seemed to shake himself out of his stupor and walked back towards me.

"Uh, yeah. We have a shower." He gestured for me to follow him and we walked into the homestead. I confusedly wondered if the shower was somewhere in here, I hadn't seen it before. Instead, we walked up to his room and he showed me a box in the corner. Newt handed me the box and then turned away.

"Just take what you need and then I'll show you the shower." He walked out without looking at me and I almost chuckled at how awkward he felt about my supplies, especially considering the very little amount of privacy the boys had with each other.

Inside the box was a few spare changes of clothes and underwear, tampons and pads, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, a razor, a hairbrush, some hairbands, a toothbrush, toothpaste and a couple of towels, some bigger than the others.

I grabbed what I needed and put the box back in the corner, before exiting the room. Newt was standing just outside, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He looked at me and nodded down the stairs, gesturing for me to follow him. We walked out and away from the homestead.

I spotted a longer wooden building just a bit away from the toilet that I had used earlier and guessed that was where we were going.

When we arrived, Newt stopped and looked back at me.

"Here it is." Upon seeing my unsure look, he continued, "Uh, it's not much but it works." He rubbed his neck.

"Right." I said, scrunching up my nose.

"Umm…is anyone in there?" I asked cautiously. His eyes widened and he gave me an awkward small gesture indicating that he would check before poking his head inside.

"Nope. No ones in here." He told me. I nodded and mustered up the courage to step inside. I walked in and saw a long, thin single stall with multiple taps situated high enough to shower underneath.

"Ok, um, I'll see you back in the homestead." Newt called from outside.

"Wait!" I called back, rushing out, "Newt!" He stopped walking and turned around.

"Yes?" he asked looking confused. I stammered, wondering if he would agree to what I was going to ask. I realised that I needed to ask anyway.

"Um, can you…stay?" I asked, he looked shocked.

"What?" He asked, blushing furiously.

"I mean, to stand guard." I clarified quickly, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh right." He nodded, "Sure. I can do that. Make sure no creeps get in." He smiled awkwardly and I reciprocated it.

"Thanks." I nodded at him before going back in and closing the door, "I'll try be quick." I assured him. Newt didn't reply but I heard him walk closer and saw his feet appear under the gap, facing away from me. I smiled in relief, thankful.

Quickly, I pulled off my clothes, turned on the tap and stepped under the water. I yelped and jumped out.

"Cold!" I screamed quietly and heard Newt chuckle from outside. I grumbled, sucked in a breath and stepped back under, forcing my body to get used to the temperature. After a while it wasn't so bad, it got to a lukewarm, and I washed off with the body wash I had brought, ignoring the bar of soap that was placed in a dent in the wall. I tried not to think about where that had been. I ran my hair under the water as well, and cleaned it with the conditioner and shampoo. After I was done, I dried off, changed into clean clothes and then brushed my teeth. I could hear voices from outside and I wondered what was going on.

Newt

As I stood outside the shower I tried not to listen to or think about what was happening inside.

I could see some of the boys glancing over so I crossed my arms, trying to look intimidating. A few of the boys came closer but I glared at them and most of them shucked off.

About 15 minutes later some of the boys started getting more reckless. A few of them came up to the door and tried to enter but I pushed them all away. No one was getting in here.

I saw Ben coming towards me and I sighed exasperatedly.

"Hey Newt," he said with a sly smile.

"Ben." I greeted, glaring at him.

"So, uh, how come the showers are being guarded by you now?" He asked, "I'm feeling dirty I think I might take one." He went to step around me and push the door open but I stopped him with a hand on his chest and shoved him back.

"Back off, shuckface!" I told him firmly, "You know exactly who's in there, and no one's getting in until she's out."

Ben grumbled but got the message and backed off. I felt satisfied. Just then, the door opened and Eleanor came out.

She was wearing a new set of clothes and had her wet hair tied in a plait. I tried not to stare.

Eleanor

I stepped out of the shower cubicle, feeling fresh and clean. Newt was standing there and I smiled at him. He gave me a small smile back and gestured towards the homestead.

"Tired?" he asked, half teasingly. I nodded and we walked back to Newts room. Once we got there, Newt motioned me towards the bed and I slipped under the covers.

It was only once I was comfortable that I realised that Newt was lying down to sleep on the bench again. I was about to offer him the bed when sleep overtook me and my eyes closed. I slipped into a deep sleep, feeling content.

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A/N:

Sorry this update took a while. I'm back at school now so updates will be less frequent.

Any comments, questions, reviews? Let me know!

Also, I was thinking about eventually leading into the movies or books, but not sure which one (as a lot of you guys know both have some different elements.) Any thoughts on which I should? If any?