Chapter 25
Hot water felt incredible against Julia's wounded and dirty skin. She had no idea how long she just stood in the shower enjoying the feeling. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she took a shower.
She grabbed a shampoo and shower gel out of a box before she entered the bathroom along with a towel that now laid on a small cabinet patently waiting for her. She slowly poured some of the gel on her hand and rubbed it gently onto her body. She giggled, when she noticed the bubbles it created. They quickly turned grey and then something between brown and black. She tried to clean up the mess that gathered underneath her nails, and at first failed miserably.
She let the water wash off the gel and then she took the shampoo and slowly massaged the liquid in between her hair. She sighed at the feeling, when an idea came to her. She noticed a small mirror on the wall and she walked towards it. Using her reflection for help she put the her up making it look like a tower.
"So that's how it feels to be Minho." She murmured with a grin. She was profoundly surprised by her own childishness.
She stepped into the shower again to finish up the cleaning. After all Teresa also wanted to take a shower and she couldn't deny her that.
She sat on her bed fidgeting, waiting for someone to come get her. Her hair wetted her shirt, but she didn't mind it. She was listening to the water running from the bathroom, when someone knocked on the door. She stood up and opened the door, which revealed Newt.
"Hey, love." He was leaning on a door frame with a grin. His hair was probably as wet as hers and he smelled of soap. He looked up from the floor the moment he heard the door open and they eyes met. She would never get tired of the way he was looking at her. He leaned in and pecked her on the lips. She allowed him in with a cheerful smile.
"When is dinner going to be ready?" She asked as they both sat on her bed. It turned out they would not have to wait for too long. Even though, Jorge gave her some food, before they'd left the facility, she'd already felt hungry.
"Probably soon." He shrugged looking at their hands. He intertwined their fingers gently and looked up with a small frown. "What had they done to you at WICKED?"
"They um… They noticed something about my blood, I guess, because they were taking samples of it. Lots of them, too many times… that's what Jorge meant, when he said I should be dead. WICKED must have given me some medicine to keep me alive. It probably worked, while I was in coma and not in a dessert." She sighed an explanation.
"I'm sorry." He took her by surprise.
"What? Why?"
"I should have kept you safe." He exhaled; regret was clear in his eyes, when he looked down again. Her heart broke at the sight. Julia put her other hand on his cheek caressing it slowly, making him look at her again.
"And you have, Newt. You got me out of WICKED's hands. Newt, you found me just like I had asked you to. That's all that matters." She reassured him with a soft smile. "I have you back and that's all I want. You're all I want." Newt was smiling. It was a half-broken smile, but it was there.
"You're all I want, too, love." He put his free hand on her neck and brought their faces closer. She felt his breath on her skin, but for some odd reason he didn't kiss her. Her gaze left his lips and met his eyes as if she was asking him what was holding him back. But his eyes were full of admiration, full of love and he looked at her like he was trying to memories every part of her face. And she suddenly couldn't breathe. He always had this kind of effect, but there was something about this moment.
It was the first time since they were at peace. They had beds, and clean clothes, and they didn't stink, and there was food outside waiting for them. There was something so familiar about that moment… And suddenly it hit her. It was just like as if they were once again in their shared room in the Glade.
He must have decided he'd memorised all of her, because his chocolate-brown eyes met hers and his lips tenderly kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her cheek, and then the corner of her mouth.
Tease. She thought, but her breath hitched in her throat, when he pulled away slightly and looked up as if asking for permission. And she loved how gentle and careful he was with her, but he needed to get over himself or he was going to kill her. With slightly open mouth she brought his lips to hers. And he stopped being hesitant.
He parted their hands and to put his on her hip. In return hers clanged his shirt; the other one travelled from his cheek to his damp hair and massaged his head. She bit his lips daintily and he groaned at the feeling. Her head was spinning and with her grip on his shirt she pushed him with her down on the bed.
"And that's why Jorge wanted you separated." The voice startled them both and they pushed away from each other to look at the intruder.
"Slim it, Minho." Newt sat on the bed and held his hand out for Julia to help her up. "Why are you here anyway?"
Julia would much rather prefer if Teresa caught them, when she was done showering. Yes, her awkwardness would have been a bliss comparing to Minho's waspishness.
"The dinner's ready, but take your time. I shucking wanna witness Jorge's burst out at ya, slintheads." He winked and left, before they could have said anything.
"Go. I'll wait for Teresa." She smiled trying to fight the urge to throw herself at him. Her lips were lightly swollen after the kiss, but she could still feel the taste of him.
"Okay, I'll see you there." He leaned in for a kiss. This one was much slower and more delicate. She had barely parted her lips, when he moved away. "Gotta get a bloody rain-check."
"Good that."
Julia was fidgeting, when Teresa came out of bathroom in clean clothes and hair wrapped in a cocoon. She looked absolutely ridiculous and Julia had to suppress a chuckle.
"Dinner is ready." Julia announced and few minutes later they made it to the living room.
"Well, hello ladies." Jorge greeted them with a smirk. Apparently everyone was waiting for them. Iib response Julia awkwardly smiled and stuttered hi.
Newt moved a chair next to him letting Julia sit on it. She didn't know how in their situation he still remembered about manners.
"Thanks." She whispered to him and they began to eat. Though, the food was nothing fancy they all cleaned their plates with an unbelievable speed.
At first everyone seemed uneasy and the room was painfully quiet, but then Jorge began explaining plans for the next day and throughout everyone relaxed now that they knew they actually had a plan. Besides they were getting their friends back.
"I wanna talk to him." Newt whispered to Julia making sure no-one could hear them. She followed his gaze and her eyes fixed on Jorge. "But I can walk you back first." He offered.
"It's alright. I think I should talk to Minho, anyway."
"Are you sure? Last time-" His eyes found hers, concern written all over them. "What did you two even talk about?"
"I... Well, it's not a talk for now, at least not in here. But I should explain to him why I freaked out then." After Minho got struck by lightning she wanted to tell him the truth. He deserved to know and so did Newt. She was going out of her mind in fear they'd hate her. Yet, it was the right thing to do.
"But you'll tell me later, won't you?"
She faked a smile. "I will."
"I'll help Jorge." Newt announced getting up and gathering plates. "Ya, shanks, go get some rest." Gladers, or what was left of them, looked questionably at one another.
"Alright." Julia stood up and pecked Newt on the lips. She tried for it to seem naturally and she must have succeeded because everyone started nodding. "Sleep tight."
She walked away with guys following closely behind. They all bid Newt and Jorge a goodnight before entering their rooms.
"I'll join you soon." Julia told Teresa. "I'm just gonna have a quick chat with Minho." Teresa answered with a nod, probably too tired to ask or even care. On the other hand, Minho gave her a worried look. "Don't worry; I ain't gonna shucking bite ya." She tried to joke.
"What is it?" Minho asked after he'd closed the door behind them.
"I'm really sorry-" Julia started. "For the way I reacted the other night." She was already fidgeting her fingers. "If you really want to know about Nicole, I'll tell you, but you got to know that…" She looked away and took a deep breath. "This story doesn't have a happy ending."
"Nicole, she was-" Past tense, Minho resented using it and hoped for Julia to correct him, but instead she finished for him.
"Newt's sister, but you and her… She cared about you deeply." She told him. "Are you sure you want to-"
"Just shucking tell me." There was no anger in his voice, just exhaustions and need. So she told him everything. The very reason why she escaped the maze that day, and what happened after. She told him how WICKED locked her up with David and how scared she was. She told him of how she worked for WICKED and how she and Nicole had been keeping an eye for all the Gladers. She told him how she had witnessed Newt jumping of the shucking wall. She told him of the rebellion and how it ended.
At the end she was out of breath, but she was terrified of what would happen, when she'd stop. The question if Minho would tell Newt lingered in her mind, but wasn't the most important one. Would he speak to her ever again? Would he hate her? Were the scariest ones.
But Minho said nothing and unbearable silence filled the room.
"Why did you stay?" Jorge asked Newt, while they were washing the dishes.
"What do you mean?" Newt tried to look puzzled, but Jorge saw right through him.
"C'mon, hermano. Stop acting like I'm dumb and I'll do the same. Deal?" When Newt didn't reply he continued. "So what was your reason?" Newt exhaled and put a plate down in the sink. His hands were wrinkly from the water, he noticed as he brushed them against his pants to dry them.
"Why did you help her?" When Newt looked at him Jorge hold his glare.
"What do you mean, hermano?"
"C'mon, hermano. Stop acting like I'm dumb and I'll do the same. Deal?" Newt quoted him. "So why?"
"You're my pass to the Right Arm."
"But you didn't need to safe Julia for that. Some of us would have agreed to go with you even if she died, and you know it. So why?" A sigh escaped Jorge's lips and put his plate down, too.
"Brenda isn't mine." Newt raised an eyebrow, but did not interrupt him. "I found her, when she was five alone, cold, hungry and dressed in rags."
"My boys and I were looking for shelter. We had nothing, but neither did she. And I couldn't leave an innocent child like this in a city that was falling apart. It had taken her some time, but eventually she told me her story. One day WICKED had barged into her house and taken her and her brother, but when they found out she wasn't immune they threw her out like a piece of trash." He sighed once again. "WICKED acts like they're the good guys, they're trying to find the cure after all, but their methods… You, kids, are special, but that doesn't give them the right to treat you like guinea pigs. That's why I helped her. You deserve better than what WICKED gave you, so when I could have given her a chance I had."
Newt stayed quiet patiently absorbing every word. In the end he nodded and a small, hopeful smile formed on his lips. "She'll be alright." He told Jorge.
"Of course, she will be. She's a fighter." He scoffed.
"Thank you," That caught Jorge's attention once again. His eyes caught Newt's intensive stare. "For saving Julia. And for helping us." Then Newt went back to washing the place, but Jorge let himself study the boy a little while longer.
"Please, say something." She cried out. His silence was the biggest torture she had to endure. And the fact his stare wouldn't leave the floor for a mere second. "Yell, scream, punch me if you wish. Just please do something."
"What do you shucking want me to say?" Minho whispered. He slowly looked up at her, but it did not help her read him.
"What you feel. I know I messed up-"
"Messed up?" He squeaked. "Julia, shuck,…" He brushed his face with his hand, while the other one stayed on his hip.
"Minho, I know you hate me and if you want-" He interrupted her quickly with shock written all over his face.
"Whoa, you know I hate you?" She gulped. Now he did sound angry. "I… Julia, I'd never hate you. Like, I don't know what to shucking think, but I don't hate you!" He walked up to her and put his hands on her arms. "What you just told me… It's insane. To think you'd believe that rebellion would work and Thomas part is just ugh… And Nicole…" He sighed, but brought her closer tightly embracing her. "I'm shucking confused, but I understand why you did what you did." He confessed and she sobbed into his chest.
"But Nicole-" She pushed herself away from him lightly to face him again.
"She did what she thought was right. In all honesty, Julia, I'd do the same." He whipped her tears away. "I wish I could be there to help you guys out or to tell you how shucking insane this idea was, but what we did to escape the maze might seem even more stupid now."
"I can't blame you and I never will."
"Oh, Minho." She hugged him again and sobbed in his chest in guilt but also relieve.
"Does Newt know?" He murmured into her ear and sighed, when she shook her head. "You gotta tell him."
"I know. I'm just so scared." She explained.
"I know. But I also know Newt. And that shank would never be mad at ya." He reassured her and she desperately wanted to believe him. "But for now… Can you tell me something about Nicole?" He felt her nod against his chest and they parted. As they sat on his bed she told him everything she could remember about Nicole, from the way she looked to the way she acted. She even tried to fake her laugher once.
"Hi." Thomas's world was spinning, but he would recognise her voice everywhere. "We have to stop meeting like this." Why would you quote Gally. He could still remember how hard the boy ahd pushed him.
He opened his eyes, and couldn't help a small smile at the sight of Teresa's face. She, too, was happy to see him; at least that was what her eyes suggested.
"Welcome back, you ugly shank." Minho leaned over Teresa's shoulder with a playful smile plastered on his lips. He seemed excited yet troubled, and Thomas couldn't help, but wonder why.
Thomas sat up and looked around. Brenda was sitting in a huge, partially ripped armchair. He was facing Julia's back, while she was looking out the window. Newt was no-where to be seen, but he noticed two other teenagers had joined them. A girl was biting her fingernails, while looking back and forth from Julia to the door to him. Meanwhile, Jorge was beating up the guy who let them in the club.
"Where's Newt?" Thomas asked. Minho shared a worried glance with Teresa before he answered.
"You missed quite a lot, Thomas." He swore the last time he had been so puzzled was when he first arrived in the box. Is Newt…