~~~~
As I step into the room that the guys were staying in, I don't see anybody - until Winston emerges form behind one of the bunk beds. "Where is everyone?" I ask immediately.
"Uh..." He rubs the back of his neck. I get the vibe right away that they're off doing something without me.
"Winston, seriously?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.
He shrugs. "They knew you'd be pissed."
"Yeah, and they were right." I shake my head with a scowl. "Where are they?"
"You know that new weird kid, right?" He asks. "Aris?"
"Yeah, the one messing with the orange at lunch." I nod. "What about him?"
"Well, turns out that he's been here longer than we have, and he knows some secret passageways that we didn't know about. You know, through vents and stuff." He pauses.
"And?"
"They went with the kid, because he knew of this storage room."
"Who went with him?" I ask with a tired sigh.
"Well, Thomas, because he had the guard's pass, Minho, because Thomas was going, Jeff, and a couple other guys...andNewt." He mumbles the last part.
"Newt?" I ask.
"Yeah." He places his hands in front of him slightly, as if expecting a furious outburst.
"I'm not that pissed right now, Wins, ease up."
"I know that you're going to go after them, and I've been asked to make sure that you stay here."
The anger simmers up again, but he seems to be standing his guard. I won't get past him that easy, so I decide to go for a last-ditch resort: "So you're following their orders now?"
One of his eyebrows arches. "Come on. I'm your best friend here, don't pull that shit with me."
I scowl. "I hate you."
"You totally love me," he shrugs.
"I'd sell you to the Cranks for a sandwich."
"Sure."
***
I pace the narrow path between the bunk beds, and Winston sighs, lifting his head from his knees. "You're going to wear a track into the floor."
"I don't care, they should be back by now." I respond.
"And your pacing is going to speed them up...how?" He asks.
As if on cue, the latch on the outside of the door wiggles for a moment, and then it stops. I almost lunge towards the door to open it, but Winston stands abruptly, extending an arm across so that I didn't reach. Just as I turn to glare at him, he brings a finger to his lips, then mouths 4 words.
Shut up, and wait.
I scowl, crossing my arms as he looks at his watch. On cue, there is a series of knocks: first three, then four, then two. Winston nods, moving his arm away. I move past him, opening the door. Thomas bursts in, throwing the guard's key onto his bed before sitting down on it, covering his face with his hands. Minho follows, mumbling expletives and standing at the sink. Jeff is close behind, flanked by two of the other boys before I finally see Newt, closing my eyes for a moment in quiet relief.
He doesn't look at me, instead walks straight past and into the bathroom. I look over to Thomas. "What the hell happened out there?" I ask, bewildered.
