Sorry it's been a while, but I think you guys will like this one. Please review, I love hearing your feedback.
Newt POV
We barely made it back. Sam thought it was because of her but I insisted it was my fault for getting distracted. By what, I sincerely hoped she didn't realize. We were next to last, just in front of Andrew and his partner George. I'd brought her into the Map room, debriefed her on the mapping process, and now we were all heading to dinner. I was starving, all of us were. Sam as well. I expect she finally understood why everyone else got thirds.
It was just after dinner. Sam, sitting across from me, had been staring off into space for the past few minutes. I frowned.
"Dude." Minho, from my right, held up his watch until it was about an inch away from my nose. My eyes nearly crossed trying to look at it. "Three and half minutes. I think she's dead." I pushed his wrist away from my face and looked back at Sam. Maybe she was upset.
I still can't believe no one thought of the notebooks we give the Runners, that I didn't think of it. I'd wanted to talk to her so much, I'd only focused on actual speech. I like it when she signs, but honestly she was mad enough that she was signing too fast and I missed a few words.
Most of us have got some ability to read sign language, but for some reason, I'm the best at reading it. I only miss a few words here and there, but they're typically either not used in regular conversation or they're curse words. Mainly curse words. You'd think that'd be the first thing you learn, but apparently it's not and I hate telling Sam I've missed something.
She doesn't think I notice, but she always looks a little sad when people don't understand her. Mostly when it happens I just use context clues. Besides, I don't think she'd like it if I told her to stop cursing.
"Four." Minho whispered, raising his arm towards my face again. I pushed him away, then reached out and put my hand on her shoulder.
"Sam, are you alright?" I asked, worried. Sam blinked at the sound of her name, coming out of her thoughts. She glanced at my hand, then nodded. She hadn't...spoken...much since we got back. Either she was deeply traumatized by the Maze, or she was still mad at all of us. Perfectly within reason, to be honest. I dropped my arm.
"You're not still mad about earlier, are you?" I asked carefully. She rolled her eyes.
"It's fine."
"I'll still get you one, you should have one." I assured her. Minho frowned, confused.
"What's she mad about?" He asked. I sighed.
"Runners have all got a notebook and a pen or something." I said. He nodded.
"Yeah, so?" Minho shrugged.
"Not one of us had the brilliant idea to give her a set." I informed him. "She could've been talking ages ago." His eyes widened.
"Damn, I didn't even think about that." He said. He looked at Sam. "That sucks, Princess." Sam scowled at him.
"S-a-m" She spelled. Minho shook his head.
"Nope." He grinned, popping the p. "You're stuck with it. Sorry, Princess." She sighed, exasperated. Then looked up at something behind us.
"Newt." I turned. Alby. He nodded towards the door and headed out. I followed him. We stopped just outside the door.
"How'd she do?" Alby asked.
"What, Sam?" I asked. He nodded. "Fine. Good. She's fast, focused-are you sure that she should be a Runner? I mean, she hasn't-"
"Did something happen?" Alby raised an eyebrow. I paused.
"No, it's just..." I sighed. "No, nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." I nodded. "Nothing." Alby snorted.
"It'd better be nothing." He smirked.
"What?"
"Nothing." Alby repeated. "If you say she's good, she's good. I'll see what Nick thinks, maybe we can get her started tomorrow."
"Good that." I nodded briskly.
"And Newt?"
"Yeah?" Alby looked at me suspiciously.
"I see something I don't like, Greenie's getting a new roommate. You got me?" Alby finished.
"What? I don't-I don't know what you-"
Alby chuckled.
"Just go finish your damn dinner, shank." He told me, clapping me on the shoulder.
"Alby!" I protested. Alby left, probably to talk with Nick. I pursed my lips. I need to find less observant friends. Immediately.
I stood there for a while, considering my options, before heading back to dinner. Nick was talking to Sam and Minho.
"...tomorrow. You up for it, Greenie?" Nick finished. Sam nodded, chewing one of her carrots. I grinned.
"Good that." Minho grinned. Nick walked off as I sat down next to Sam.
"He told you?" I asked, looking at Sam. Minho nodded.
"Oh yeah." He grinned. "You're looking at the newest Runner, my man."
He reached out to Sam for a fist bump. She raised an eyebrow.
"Fist bump, shank. Like this." He grabbed her hand and curled it into a fist, then tapped it against his other hand.
"This is basic knowledge, Princess. You gotta know these things." He let go of her hand. I frowned.
"Hey, you okay?" Sam asked me. "You were outside for a while."
"Yeah, brilliant." I nodded.
"What did A-l-b-y want?"
"Um...just to see how you did, is all." I managed, looking away. Sam frowned.
"Hey, you gonna eat that?" Minho reached towards her plate. Sam shook her head. He grabbed the rest of her carrots, defying logic and fitting all of them in his mouth at once. Sam cringed. So did I. I'm honestly afraid that eventually Minho could swallow his own hand by mistake.
"What?" He managed. Once he'd finally finished chewing, that is. Well, mostly.
"Big day tomorrow. I'm storing energy." He defended. Sam raised an eyebrow.
"You're right, I need more protein than this. Are you done with your steak?" He asked. Sam rolled her eyes and pushed her plate towards him.
"I'm going to bed." She decided, standing up from the table. "Good night."
"Night." I called after her. Sam headed out. I frowned at Minho.
"You've got to stop that, man." I said. Minho frowned.
"Stop what? Eating?" He scoffed. He stood and moved to the other side of the table, sitting down across from me. Taking what remained of Sam's dinner with him. I rolled my eyes.
"Eating everyone else's food, yes. God knows Sam eats half what we do without you helping her. Not to mention you've eaten practically an entire cow already." I reasoned.
"Two steaks is not-"
"Three." I pointed to the rest of Sam's dinner.
"I'm a growing boy, I need meat." He protested. "You're just mad cause I'm keeping you from that weird kink you have."
"What?" I asked, incredulous. "I do not have any weird...whatever."
"First of all, you're wrong. I saw how you were looking at her, you think it's cute when she eats, don't you? If that's not a-"
"It's not a bloody kink, is what is. I haven't got one. And you haven't seen her eat sandwiches, it's adorable. I just think you should save food for people who haven't gotten sevenths."
"It was one time and I didn't eat lunch!"
"That doesn't warrant nine bowls of soup! It's not even an actual food and you just-"
"It is an actual food because it was chili, and it was eight! So stop changing the subject and just admit you like-"
"I'm not changing the subject, we should still be on my subject! And I don-"
"Shut up, would ya!" Gally yelled. We stopped. "Some of us are trying to eat here." I scowled at him, but we quieted down. At any rate, I'd forgotten what we were talking about. Miraculously, Minho managed to stay quiet for about three seconds before he continued. Albeit slightly quieter.
"Yes, you do." He said.
"I do what?" I asked, knowing full well what he was asking. Minho rolled his eyes.
"You're crushing on Sam, you shank." He stated. "You're super nice to her-"
"I'm nice to everybody." I replied. Minho rolled his eyes again. I was beginning to feel like that was practically the only expression he was capable of.
"Yeah, sure, whatever." He went on. "You're nice to her, you talk to her all the time, you stare at her, and-your words, you brought this on yourself-you think it's adorable when she eats sandwiches. That's weird, man. I mean, the rest of it's like normal crush stuff, but you gotta calm down with your sandwich kink because-"
"It's not a kink, stop saying that." I whispered harshly. Minho sighed.
"The point is, you have a crush on her. And I'd bet my breakfast you're not the only one. You gotta get in there." He insisted, trying to convince me. I sighed.
"Well if you're betting food, then this is quite a grave situation." I muttered, smiling slightly. He snorted. Then he tried to get back to looking serious.
"You're her best friend, Newt. And I know she likes you, she has to. I mean, why else would she be hanging around your ugly mug so much?" He nudged me playfully. I sighed.
"She's the only girl, Minho, why would she want me when she could have any guy she wants...except maybe Ben, but-"
"What, you think Ben's out of her league or something?" Minho raised an eyebrow, confused. I rolled my eyes.
"No one's out of her league." I replied. "If anything, she's out of everyone else's. And no, I think he's gay. But I'm telling you. She doesn't like me, she can't. I won't risk our friendship just by-"
"Dude. I'm telling you she does. But even if she doesn't, she won't push you away. You're besties, remember? Just...trust me, would you?" Minho finished his argument. Finally, I nodded. If only to get him off my case.
"Fine." I muttered. "Whatever. Goodnight."
Minho grinned. I stood, dropped my dishes off in the kitchen, then headed upstairs.