"Harder!" he ordered.

"I can't! I'll break my knuckles!"

"You can't break knuckles!"'

"You can break every bone in your body!"

"You can?"

"Duh!"

"Can't you two stop this? Younglings are more mature than you two!" They both turned to Newt who sat on the ground, stretching and exercising with an annoyed look.

"No one told you to do this here," Minho argued. Newt paid him no attention, returning to his own task.

"Did he even teach you anything? And I mean bloody anything?"

"We haven't been doing this for long, but I do feel stronger," Vivienne admitted., looking at her arms and palms.

"Show me," he raised himself from the ground with, limping lightly.

"Um… I'm not sure it's a good idea." Her gaze went from him to Minho and back to Newt.

"Why? Because I'm a cripple?" he snickered

"Alright, you said that not me!" she chuckled half-nervously.

"C'mon, Vi. Unless you're scared." He raised an eyebrow cockily.

"That doesn't work on me."

"Really?"

"Shuck, just get it over with! I don't have a whole evening to waste!" Minho scolded them, folding his arms like a mad child. Vivienne sighed still thinking the fight was not the greatest of their ideas but agreed anyway.

"Fine," she lamented, "You sure about this?" she asked as Newt got in front of her.

"Don't threat," he laughed, showing off his slightly greyish teeth, "I ain't gonna hurt ya." She disliked his attitude and with a 'what the hell?' thought her fist collided with his stomach, searching for the abdominal aortic part as Minho had taught her. She missed, and her hand hurt from the muscles she hit. Wasn't Newt supposed to be lanky?

He used her shock against her and quickly grabbed her hand to spin her around. Her back hit his torso, and she wriggled against his grip. Hearing him chuckle, she used his own distraction and elbowed him.

Newt let go of her. She spun around, aiming for his face, but he recovered quicker than she assumed he would and caught her wrist, wrenching it.

"Ouch!" she couldn't help but squeak.

"Sorry." He let her go.

"You know." She massaged her wrist. "I could have kicked you."

"But you didn't."

"I wanted to be nice."

"And how did that work out for you?"

"Ugh!"

It wasn't long before they parted ways. Sun has already disappeared behind the maze's walls, and if she still wanted any warm water, she had to run to the showers. It took water a few minutes to suddenly turn from lukewarm to cold, making her jump out with a yell. In haste, she looked for the towel she had brought with her only to slip and land on her elbow.

She silently cried out in pain, hoping not to gain any attention. Getting onto her feet, she caught a glimpse of herself in a small mirror and held back a grizzle. It was a while since she last saw her reflection - perhaps the first time since she was shown the mirror after her arrival.

Back then she might have even considered herself pretty - her hair was tinselly honey waves, her eyes were piercing cornflower color, her complexion though light matched her pinkish lips.

Now she looked nothing like her old self. Her hair was wirier with every day; her eyes were outshone by the bags under her eyes. She gained a few freckles on her nose - those she did not mind as they were barely visible if you stood a foot away. Her lips were swollen and chapped.

If she were to be honest with herself, she would have to admit the sight made her quite sad. So, instead of gazing at herself all night she found her towel, dried herself and put on her clothes.

On the way to her hut she was wondering how to make herself look like before. Perhaps, cutting hair a bit wouldn't be such a terrible idea? Maybe going to bed early would help with the bags?

"And here I thought you weren't going to come." Ben sat on her bed with a smirk. She stood in her own doorway with lips parted in shock. She didn't think of running or of screaming as she should have. Instead, she thought why her? Why now? "What happened to your elbow?" She was surprised he could see the bruise in the dim light.

"I-I um..." she stuttered as he got up and walked toward her. "It's nothing," she gulped." I don't think you should be here," she added in a whisper.

"But you won't tell anyone." His smirk told her so. He took her forearm in his palm and when she tried to withdraw it, tightened his grip. Ben bent down and before she knew it his mouth was on her injured elbow. She choked on a sob as his tongue swirled around the bone.

"Get some rest." He parted from her, but she was still not rid of him.

Ben put his huge palm on her cheek, his callousness refused to notice that she looked away from him or that her eyes were watery. He kissed the corner of her mouth and left.

She cried herself to sleep that night, bags under her eyes long forgotten.

She barely found it in herself to get up the next morning. Even though, her stomach was rumbling so loud it could probably drown out the sound of maze opening she couldn't bring herself to even look at food - or maybe Ben. So she went straight to work.

"Hey!" Ryker greeted her enthusiastically, but as he took a closer look at her his expression turned to terrified. "Are you alright?"

"'M fine," she muttered, not sparing him another glance. She wanted to just do her work and hide. If she was lucky, she would finish before Ben came back from the maze.

"Hey, guys!" She internally rolled her eyes at the sound of Peter's voice. "You won't believe what happened yesterday! So me and Adrien-"

"Jesus, can't not yackety-yack for at least a minute?!" She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. Sure Peter was annoying - always blabbering about the same thing or yapping for the sake of yapping - but he didn't deserve such an outburst. "I'm sorry," she sighed an apology.

"Vi, are you okay?" Ryker dared to ask again.

"I... Yeah. Just tired, is all..." And though she doubted they believed her neither of them picked up the conversation again.

Vivienne remained trepidatious for the rest of the day, watching her back not to stumble upon Ben or really anyone who would ask her questions.

"Hey, Vivienne!" Newt ran up to her, missing his usual grin.

"Hi," she murmured and kept on going, leaving him to chase after her.

"I haven't seen you at breakfast," he said, putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"I wasn't hungry." She shrugged.

"What about lunch?" She repeated her answer. "You won't bloody eat at all?" She wondered if he was irritated because she refused to answer him or because she did not feel like eating.

He stopped her, lightly gripping her elbow, but it was enough to make her hiss. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She wanted to walk away, but he kept her in place. He, even though she tried to stop him, rolled up her sleeve and found the bruise she managed to hide.

"Did I do it?" he asked, but didn't wait for her response, "I'm so sorry, Vi, I-"

"Newt, it wasn't you," she interrupted his jabber. "It wasn't you," she added in a murmur.

"Who did it?" His gaze was fixed on her face, desperately searching her eyes.

"I slipped. I'm sloppy and tired, and I just need to be by myself for a while." She was surprised when he nodded curtly and let her go. She couldn't help but stare at him for a few seconds, waiting to be questioned. When he didn't add anything, she finally walked off. She pretended to go toward her hut but instead took a longer trip to the homestead by the deadheads. When she was sure no one was around she entered the building to bump into Minho.

"Hey, babe! Ready for-"

"Letmestaywithyoutonight."

"What?"

"Please!" she cried. Minho took a step back watching her intensely.

"A-alright. After training?"

"Now. Where's your room?" She felt like a scared rabbit, running from a wolf. Seeing her tense he put an arm on her back and led her.