THIRTEEN.

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Newt came outside the next day.

Minho and I had been sitting outside when he did, in our little exclusive spot with the wooden chairs just outside of the Homestead. When the door creaked open and Newt took a step into the sunlight, Minho choked on the apple he had just bitten into and dropped it. The half-eaten fruit fell to the grass. Minho hardly seemed to notice.

"Newt!" he exclaimed with a shocked expression lighting up his face.

"Hey," Newt replied uneasily. There were dark circles beneath his eyelids, making his face look haunted and papery thin. He was definitely more pale than before - not that he'd ever been deeply tanned anyway - but the contrast was so startling in broad daylight that I couldn't help but fidget.

Minho stood and clapped a hand around his friend's shoulder with a grin. Newt somewhat lifted his lips in return, squinting from the sunlight he wasn't used to.

"Nice to have you back, ya shank," Minho said jokingly. I noted that he had taken my advice in treating Newt normally and let a smile light up my face. "We've all been worried about you."

"Yeah, well, it's all thanks to Nadia," Newt brushed Minho's words off, taking his arm out of the Runner's and turning to look at me. "If it wasn't for her heroic speech, I don't think I would ever have seen daylight again."

I could see it in his haunted brown eyes that he was completely serious. The realization faltered my smile to a halfhearted grin.

Newt took a step forward and winced, barely able to walk without a heavy limp. I watched his bad leg with a gulp. He would forever have the pain, forever unable to move like he used to.

"I can't run anymore," Newt announced to nobody in particular. His gaze was somewhere else as the breeze blew his tousled hair around his face. "Clint already told me that long ago. Leg's too messed up."

Minho heaved a sigh, his demeanor almost deflating. "Nad, we might have to make Alex a Runner after all. I don't think we'll have a choice."

"No," I protested so firmly that his head tilted in surprise. I clenched my fists at my sides and looked out into the corridors beyond the West Door. "No. There's still time. And besides, I have the final vote. He disrespected me- I don't let that slide anymore."

Newt was still trapped in his own realm, so Minho was the only one to respond. A proud smile stretched across his face. "That's my buttercup."

I ducked away so he wouldn't see the flush turning my cheeks my favorite color. My buttercup.

Minho assumed Newt was hungry, leading the taller blond toward the Kitchens with a hand still across his shoulders. I could tell by the queasy expression twisting Newt's face that food was the last thing he wanted to think about, but since he was letting it slide, I decided I would, too. Old habits die hard.

I followed behind the two best friends with a small smile lifting my lips. It pleased me to see such a big grin on Minho's face once again, and I didn't miss the warming of my heart when his eyes flickered to me. His expression brightened even further.

"C'mon, slowpoke!" he exclaimed happily, waving me closer. "Maybe Fry will let us have some food."

I knew that was a stretch because the Cook was careful about who he gave food to and when, especially between meals. We couldn't risk running out of animals or goods before the next supply box came up.

"Got a Greenie today," Newt remarked almost as an afterthought.

Minho's brow furrowed in thought. "Do we? Huh, I must've forgotten with all the crap happening."

Even from behind, I could sense the unease that was filling his body. His shoulders hunched slightly and his arms tensed so the hard muscle tightened. I found myself trailing my eyes across his biceps on the arm around Newt before I snapped out of it. A lump formed in my throat as the warm feeling inside of me intensified.

Oh, shuck me. I couldn't be developing feelings. Not now, not with everything that was going on.

I shoved down the feeling of warmth and refused to let it rise again, not even when Minho held the door open for both of us and I smiled at him in thanks. I sat down at the Keepers' table while Frypan prepared some leftover chicken for Newt. My hands were folded and my I twiddled my thumbs while I waited.

Newt slid into the seat across from me and started picking at his meat and vegetables with a fork. His hand was clenched around the cutlery so that his bones showed through his thin skin. He seemed disinterested in eating, but managed to swallow a bite or two for Minho as he joined us at the table.

"I'm still not used to eating here," Minho confessed as a way to change the subject from Newt. He was looking right into my eyes as he spoke. "It holds so much importance. I feel like a king."

I chuckle. "It's a table."

"It's the table," he corrected, spreading his arms so he almost hit an unmoving Newt in the face with his hand. "So many decisions were made. I choked on meat here. Legendary."

My eyes drifted to Newt and my expression dropped. He was staring with unblinking eyes at something around my neck, still gripping onto the fork with more force than before. His jaw was set.

I looked down and touched the circular locket hanging from the chain at the base of my throat. His locket. The metal was cold against my calloused fingers. Something so pretty didn't belong on me, and yet it had become a part of me over the last few weeks. It was something I never took off- almost a part of my body.

"Do you want it back?" I questioned quickly, hastily reaching behind my neck to undo the clasp. Guilt was spreading over me; I couldn't believe I hadn't thought to return it sooner. "Because I can--"

Newt shook his head and blinked. "No, keep it. It looks better on you than me."

Minho touched his arm with a gentle hand. "You sure, man?"

"Yeah." Newt nodded and forced a smile for my sake. "I'm sure."

He went back to poking at his meal as a signal he didn't want to talk anymore. The locket now felt heavy with a newfound weight that didn't exist before. It reminded me that it wasn't mine, that I had been given it because Newt thought he was going to die. I suppose he didn't want to remember that night as much as I did.

I tucked the locket beneath the collar of my shirt to obscure it from his view. Many aspects of Newt were gone since the bonfire, and the necklace was one of them.

-:-

The Greenie alarm blared a half an hour later, hitting my eardrums with force at the shrieking sound. Like always, it stabbed at my brain and made me wince. Newt jumped up and immediately started limping toward the door. Minho stared at his friend's barely-touched food with a crestfallen expression.

My heart swelled with sympathy. I stood and walked toward the other side of the table where he stood, immobile except for the movement of his chest as he breathed. I softly reached out and folded my fingers through his. He turned to look at me at my touch, noticed the expression of encouragement I was trying to give him, and squeezed my hand.

We went to the Box together, moving slowly compared to how others were running toward it. It was usually exciting to have a new addition to our group every month. I would wait in anticipation, hoping for another girl. Now, however, I felt only a twisting sensation in my gut that only increased its amount of discomfort when I saw Alex standing with Luke near the Box.

When we made it to the front, the Box had already ended its one-way trip to the Glade. Minho squeezed my hand once again before going to help heave it open like he did every month. Gally, Nick, and Alby aided him in pulling the doors. At least that hadn't changed.

Minho returned to my side once he was finished, a little more winded than he had been before. He crossed his arms over his chest and whispered, "You ready?"

"Yeah," I replied in a wavering tone. A lie.

I grit my teeth together in anxiety as Nick peered into the Box. His shoulders relaxed a little bit, which was calming. If Nick was no longer on edge, it was a good sign.

"Hey, shank," he greeted with a million-watt grin. A large hand brushed the blond locks out of his eyes. "How are you?"

I stepped closer toward the square in order to catch a glimpse of the newcomer. He looked to be about fifteen, with a young face and smooth, dark skin that was coated in a thin layer of sweat. A hand was blocking his eyes from the sun while the other scratched his short, barely curly hair.

"Um--" Was all he could muster. A snicker was the only sound. I looked up from the boy to see Alex with his hand over his mouth and poking Luke, who was laughing with him. My stomach churned.

Nick sent a warning look toward the two that shut them up immediately. "I know you're scared, but don't worry. Everything will be just fine."

The Greenie scooted further away from Nick until he was backed into the corner. His eyes were wide in terror, jaw trembling. It was such a sharp contrast to how Alex had acted that I felt relieved in spite of myself.

Nick didn't seem fazed, though his grin did falter a bit. Greenies sometimes did that- cowering away from everyone for a little while. It was no big deal. He'd just have to talk to them and they'd be willing to come up in no time.

"Gally, lower the rope," Nick commanded lowly. The Keeper of the Builders did as he was told and allowed the leader to stick his foot into the loop before slowly and steadily lowering him into the Box. Once he was inside, he waved his hand as a signal for us to go away.

"He looks like a goon," Alex whispered to Luke loudly enough for us to hear- including Nick. He narrowed his eyes at the younger boy before approaching the Newbie with slow and cautious movements.

"I swear, it's almost like he's asking for his face to be pounded in," Minho muttered distastefully while sending a glare of daggers at an unfazed Alex. "He's starting to act like a know-it-all in the Maze- won't let me say a thing without replying, 'I know.' Like, dude, no you don't. You've been here for a month. Get off your high horse."

"Someone needs to cut down his ego," I agreed. "But we can't let him know we're onto him, remember?"

A defeated sigh puffed out Minho's cheeks. "Yeah, I know. It's just...one look at him and I want to beat him into tomorrow. And next week. And next year. Maybe into the afterlife if I'm really feeling it."

"That's a little violent."

"I am a violent person."

That, I couldn't disagree with, so I shook my head and started heading away from the Box. Most of the Gladers had disbanded to do whatever it was they did on Off Day, which usually consisted of nothing. Off Day used to be a fun day for me, but now every day was Off Day, and I didn't have anything to do.

Minho noticed the expression of boredom on my face and immediately started thinking of things to do. "Want to, um, organize supplies? You could teach me how to draw, that'd be fun."

The image of Minho trying to draw was enough to make me laugh until I was nearly doubled over. He could only do so well on the Maps because he did them every day, but everything else was dismal. He had once drawn ivy to "spruce the Map up" and it had only ended up looking like sticks hanging on the walls.

"Hey!" Minho cried in defense of himself. "I'm not that bad!"

I nodded. "Yes you are."

Minho huffed, clearly offended, and rolled his eyes at me. I slid the notebook out of my pocket and gave the worn cover a soft pat. "I guess I could teach you."

He lifted his arms over his head in a victory cheer. I couldn't bring myself to roll my own eyes at him with how excited he looked.

-:-

"So this is shading?"

Minho pointed to his circle on the paper in front of him. We were lying on our stomachs on the floor of my bedroom, pieces of paper from the Map Room spread out around us. Countless pencils littered our workspace.

Minho had done pretty much what I'd told him to. There was a darker end of the circle where the pencil lead was covering it completely, and then it gradually lightened the further up he went. It wasn't half bad for a first try.

"Yeah, except..." I trailed off and pointed to a spot on his shading that didn't blend well with the rest. "Even this out."

Minho nodded and went to work. I watched him carefully as he drew, his tongue slightly poking out of his lips as he concentrated. The sun was hitting him at an angle where the light turned the ends of his black hair a lighter brown. It made him look angelic. My heart started to flutter in my chest, so I quickly looked away.

"All done!" Minho stated proudly and beamed at his work. His expression alone was enough to make me smile.

"Good job," I praised. "You're an amateur at shading."

Minho scoffed and looked offended. "Amateur? I am amazing at everything."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Minho's ego was inflated, that was for sure, but I knew him well enough by then to understand that most of his comments were jokes. Once Upon a Time, he had intimidated me. Now I laughed at that fact.

"Hey-- woah!"

My elbow slipped on a piece of paper when I had lifted it to scoot closer to Minho. His hand shot out to grab my wrist, stopping me from crashing into him. My widened eyes met with his to see he wore a similar bewildered expression. I became acutely aware of our close proximity and the fact that he was still holding my arm. His breath felt warm against my collarbone, making me shudder and close my eyes.

"Has anyone told you you're beautiful?"

My eyelids shot back open at his words. A blush warmed my cheeks once again, turning them a flushing red. "No."

A small smile crossed his face. "You're beautiful, Nadia."

"Thank you."

He nodded and gently let me go so I was steady. My eyes drifted away from him until they landed on my sketchbook that was laying a few feet away. My skin tingled as I remembered the way I had felt when my eyes had closed- like I was home, right where I was meant to be.

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aw nadia and minho are so cute!!

-kristyn