Another cloudy day in the Glade, after the rainy season, it felt like I barely saw the sun. After work, I was ready to go to my hut when I saw Stan, he was picking up the dishes to clean. Alby had made him a Slopper which was a good call, he was too clumsy to do much else. I should go talk to him... I was kind of rough last time.

I stepped in front of him as he was leaving the dining area.

"Hey."

He almost dropped the dishes, but caught them in time. "Oh.. uh, h-hi..."

"Stan, I just wanted to apologize..."

"W-what for?"

"The other day... I didn't mean to be so harsh. Glade life... it's not so bad."

"Oh... yeah. I-It's okay," he glanced around,unable to really look me in the eye.

"I'm sorry, again."

"It's okay," he shuffled his feet, obviously wanting to leave.

"I'll see you around," I step away and he scurried off to clean the dishes.

"Scaring the new kid?"

I turn and see Gally grinning.

"No," I scoffed. "More like making amends."

"Scare him earlier?"

"I guess you could say that."

"I should report you," Gally came closer.

Report me?

"Oh... I'm really scared," I said sarcastically.

"I'm kidding."

"I know," I crossed my arms

"Or maybe I'm not?"

"Then do it."

"I'm not going to report you," Gally sighed, distressed I wasn't playing along with his teasing.

"Ben and Mihno will probably find a way out of the maze before you get a chance."

Gally snorted," As if."

"You don't think they will?"

"Who knows they might, but who knows what's out there."

"What do you think is out there?"

I had been asking people a lot about outside the Glade. Ben was right, I can't live in the delusion of this being a dream, there's no way this isn't real.

"Bad things. I think the Glade keeps us protected. For all we know it's just a world of Grievers."

"It can't all be bad. Don't you have hope."

"I've seen things, being stung and all... it's not all good out there..."

Before I could ask what that meant he continued.

"Off for the day, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Must be nice," he looked down to the ground.

What they hell does that even mean!? I bit my tongue, no need to snap on everyone today.

"It is."

"Maybe one of these days I'll take a half day, then you can show me what causal afternoon life is like."

"Yeah, sure?"

Wait, what does that even mean.

He grinned again," Sounds great."

"Yeah... sure. Well, let me know when that happens."

"I will and when I do, we'll ha-..."

"Hey guys," Newt joined the circle and Gally smile fell and he scowled.

"Hi," I felt a blush rise in my cheeks.

"Hey," Gally said coldly.

"Gally, Alby wants to talk to you more about making more tables."

Gally gruffed unhappily," Where is he?"

"Should still be over by the showers."

Gally looked at me one more time but he didn't say anything before leaving. Newt turned his attention towards me and I held my breath, when am I going to let this crush go? Just forget about Newt... Maybe it would be easier if we didn't live in a box together...

"Hey," he smiled.

"Hi," I repeated, blushing again. "Wow...,' I looked him up and down.

"I know, I'm a bloody mess."

New was covered in mud and dirt, I could barely see the fabric of his clothes.

"How did you even do that?"

"It's planting season," he shrugged.

"Remind to steer clear of the garden," I chuckled.

"No, don't do that. Actually...," he paused. "You should come and see, the garden is looking better than ever."

"Oh... really?"

"Yeah, Zart is reorganizing and expanding, it's great."

"I'll take you word."

"No, you'll have to see. Come on," he beckoned me to the garden. "We got some new seeds, Zart says there a new fruit, which is actually really exciting, we don't get fruit seeds often, mostly vegetables and they just send the fruit. But now we have enough fruits to make it their own sections and..."

I just smiled as Newt rambled on about the garden as we approached, you could hear his passion for the work and the excitement in his tone.

"I'm surprised you're not a Track Hoe with how much you seem to love this work."

Newt chuckled," Well, They'll only let me switch jobs once," he joked.

That's right. Newt used to be a Runner.

"Hey Zart."

"Well, hello there little chef," he smiled. "Breakfast was good."

"Siggy told you?"

"Of course. He loves to brag about you. What are you doing down here?"

"She is here to help," Newt said.

Help? I was just here to see!

"Well, we can always use the extra hands. Don't mind the mud. Watch out for that! I just planted something there, don't step on it."

I carefully moved around the freshly turned soil, Zart instructed me to started pulling up the corn stalk, but to be careful not to break the roots, I would have to basically dig them out. I didn't fight the assignment, it was actually nice to have something to do and not just sit around all afternoon. I really got into the work too, I didn't even notice Newt watching me.

"You're a natural."

I jumped," NEWT! You can't just scare me like that."

"Sorry", he chuckled, obviously not sorry. "Forgot how jumpy you are. How's it going?"

"Only a few left," I leaned back on my legs where I was kneeling over the dirt.

"Let me help," he knelt down beside me, working on the stalk to the left.

I didn't oppose, but now I felt like we were really close, his arm brushing against mine as we worked. Don't look over. Just don't. Keep your eyes on the roots. I carefully unearthed the stalk and placed it in the pile with the others.

"That was quick," Newt commented.

"Like you said, I'm a natural."

"Who would have known," he smiled up at me.

"Definitely not me," I knelt down on the other side of him, working on the next stalk in line.

I dug my hand into the soft dirt, digging around the roots quickly.

"Woah, woah," Newt held up his dirty hand. "Kind of rough, don't you think?"

"Uhhh, no, I don't think."

"Look," he pointed at the soil. "That's part of the root, you broke it off."

"Oh...no," I glanced behind me hoping Zart had not hear that.

"Here, let me show you," he smoothing and gently, ran his hand over the dirt, carefully applying pressure and mapping out the roots. "Like that."

I tried to copy him and he chuckled," Don't use your fingertips," he guided my hand through the motions.

His touch was warm and unexpected, my hand went limp in his, making it easier for him. I tried to focus on the motions, but I couldn't help but look to Newt. He turned to me too and our eyes locked for a second, he was truly gorgeous. He looked back at our hands and then pulled his away quickly and looked back to his own stalk, without another word.

It felt like whiplash, one second he was kind and sweet, the next distant and quiet. I didn't say anything and copied his technique to get the root out safely.

"You guys about done? Time to eat!," Zart called.

"Yeah, almost," Newt answered.

"Can't be too long. Got to replant tonight. Coming?"

"I'll finish this and catch up."

"Greenie?"

"I'm... not really hungry," I admit.

"Suit yourself, I hear Fry is making some pork tonight," Zart exclaims excitedly before turning and leaving the garden, following the other Track-Hoes.

Damn, I look around realizing it's now just Newt and I, alone in the garden.

"Aren't you hungry?," I ask hoping to lure him into going with Zart.

He shrugged," I want to finish this first."

Damn.

"So, you made that breakfast the yesterday?," Newt broke the silence.

"Yeah, but it wasn't hard, just rice."

"It was good. Interesting."

"Interesting?"

Newt smiled," I don't think I've ever had rice for breakfast before."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, but I liked it, kept me full."

"Well, glad to see a satisfied customer," I joked.

"So tell me, how does one become such an accomplished chef?"

"Time and patience."

"You have patience?"

"No, not really," I laughed. "I'm working on it."

Newt was concentrated on digging out a thicker part of the root, he was focused completely on his task. I watched him, only for a few seconds, so he wouldn't catch me, but I really admired his dedication. If anyone had patience, it was Newt, way more than I ever would have. He unburried it successfully and resumed our conversation.

"You can learn a lot in the Glade."

I wiped my hands on my pants," but it's not really a choice," I muttered.

"What?"

Did he hear that?

"Nothing. I didn't say anything."

"The Glade is tough, don't get me wrong... but I try to see the lighter side," he finished pulling the stalk and placed it on the ground.

"You have to say that. You're the second-in-command."

"That's true, but you have to admit, it could be a lot worse. There could be no water, no garden, no showers, no fire, no animals, no-..."

"I get it," I stopped him. "It could be worse... but it could be a lot better."

"If you have any suggestions, I love to hear them," Newt said sincerely.

"We could find a way out," I looked him in the eye.

Newt didn't look away," You're right. That would be a huge improvement."

"I... I honestly don't know how you've done it for so long, lived here, I mean."

Newt sat on the ground comfortably and crossed his legs," Time passes faster if you keep yourself occupied."

"Yeah, but you should be occupied on achieving the main goal."

"If we all were Runners then the whole system would fall apart. No meals, no order, it would be chaos."

I sighed and turned to the large wall a few hundred feet away," I guess you're right."

"We'll find the way out."

I sighed again, everyone says that... but... but when? I look back to Newt but he is now looking towards the wall and I feel compelled once more to ask a similar question.

"Newt?"

"Yeah," he turned back to me.

"What do you think is beyond the Glade?"

He turns back to the wall," My freedom."

Freedom? We're all free here, basically, besides the wall...

"Freedom?"

"Not being caged in. Not being trapped. Having the freedom to go where I want when I want. Answers, like why were here and who put us here. Because this isn't real life, people have to be sending us this supplies. Someone put us here and I want to know who the bloody Slintheads are."

I nodded, Answers... that's what I want too I looked all the way up to the top of the wall, it was high. It felt near impossible that anyone could find the way out of this maze. They had been here over two years now and nothing, at least nothing I knew about.

"I want answers too," I said softly, pulling the ends of my hair.

"And we'll get them," Newt said without a doubt.