Her || The Maze Runner

Thirty One

Newt took Mara by the hands and led her down the stairs. The Homestead was empty bar one or two busy Gladers who too occupied with what they were doing to notice them. Mara followed Newt out of the Homestead and, by the look of the sun's shadow, it was nearly time for the Doors to close.

Mara 's eyes scanned  the Glade; seeing all of the boys peacefully working brought a smile to her face. She noticed Adam standing near the crops, his eyes latched onto hers. A confused expression passed through his face, before relief. He tapped another boy on the back and pointed to Mara, the boy was in awe. 

One by one, each Glader turned to Mara, watching her with wide eyes. Chuck had spotted them and waddled over with a large smile. Newt scuffled the young boy's hair and returned his smile, Mara did the same thing, turning to Chuck.

"Hey kid." She smiled. "How ya been?"

"That's something I should be asking you." Chuck told her with a smile across his face.

"Mara?" A booming, harmonious voice echoed through the Glade; now every Glader was looking at her. "Just in time. I was starting to miss my favourite British girl."

"And I was starting to miss my favourite Asian." Mara chuckled, raising her voice so the boy could hear every word she said from where he stood near the Door. Minho jogged towards them with a smile on his face. Mara turned to the other Gladers. "Hey, ain't you ever seen a undead girl before? It's rude to stare."

"You heard the girl." Newt joined in. "Get back to work." And so they did, with one last look at Mara.

"Nice to see you again shuckface. Thought you were a goner." Minho said, with his usual unemotional voice. Even so, he pulled Mara into a hug. It was the most emotional Minho had been and Mara couldn't help but smile. "Newt made you a Runner yet?"

"Not yet..."

"You're injured, no point in sendin' you out if you're not all good and healed." Newt told her, shaking his head. 

"It doesn't hurt Newt. I'm fine, really." Mara pouted, but Newt didn't seem very keen on the idea.  "Help me out here Minho." She urged Minho to join her side and he stepped forward, clearing his throat before speaking.

"Should've seen the shank, swinging from ivy to ivy with two shuck Grievers chasin' her." Minho said, nodding to Mara before stepping back.

"I'll think about it." Newt turned away, facing the Homestead.

"Neeeeewwt." Mara pleaded, grabbing him by the hands. She softened her eyes and stared into Newt's. Mara pouted her lips. "Please. I'll be a good girl and listen to Minho." The blond boy sighed, running his hand through his hair. 

"If you're going out there I'm bloody comin' with you." Newt told her, he was determined to be there with her. But what about his leg? He still had his limp and he struggled to walk, let alone run. How would he manage in the Maze?

"So... You're saying I can be a Runner?" 

"I'm saying I'll run it by the Council. Call another Gathering or somethin'." He warned her, at least he was going to try and get her the job as a Runner. Even if he did have to ask the Council.

"What's the shuck point? They Made Thomas a Runner, no need to call a Gathering. It's not like many of those shanks' opinions matter anyway, they'd never survive the Maze. Just klunk themselves in a corner with the Grievers laughin' at them."

"I'll see what I can so. You really want this, M?" Newt asked.

"Yeah, I really want this Newt." Mara replied with a nod and a smile. Newt nodded back and squeezed Mara's hands before his concentration lingered to something else. Mara was glad that Newt had agreed to help. She finally might get to be a Runner.

"Hey, Chuck." Newt said, addressing the boy standing nearby talking to another Glader. He had wandered off after getting bored of their conversation. Mara turned to look at the boy Chuck was talking to; Adam. Chuck turned to Newt. "I think Thomas just got back. Looks like he needs someone to talk to."

Chuck trotted towards Thomas, who was running into the Deadheads. The Doors of the Glade began to shut, but Mara was used to the sound. 

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." Minho smirked. "Gotta sort out the shuck maps anyhow." He saluted before turning on his feel and jogging over to the Map Room, where other Runners were already exiting.

"Come on love, best get an early night. You need to rest." Newt instructed, wrapping his arm around Mara. She spotted Adam who was still standing around the Homestead. Mara stopped and turned to Newt.

"I'll be up in a minute." 

Newt nodded and unraveled himself from Mara, leaving her alone to talk to the boy she hadn't talked to since their petty argument.

"Hey." Mara greeted Adam, who looked up to her.

"Hi." The boy replied, twiddling his thumbs. He didn't seem interested in Mara at all, he was more interested in watching his thumbs.

"Are you actually going to look at me? You know, I thought I'd be greeted a little differently considering I was dead and missing for a few days." Mara scowled. She didn't want to be selfish, but he could have said something, at least. Instead he just looked up and rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"If you don't want to talk to me, why are you talking to me?" He asked with a shake of his head.

"Wh- Because you're my friend? Maybe its because I haven't been social for days and I want to talk to one of my friends? Is that really so much to ask?" Mara returned his question with many more, hoping he would answer at least one of them. When she had first met him, he had been kind and encouraging, but talking to him now was like trying to get blood out of a stone; impossible. "What's up with you anyway? What have I done to you to make you treat me like this?"

"Everything." He stated. "But you don't remember, do you slinthead? There's some things you learn in the Changing and they ain't exactly shuck perfect. More like a shuckin' nightmare."

"Tell me." Mara demanded softly, trying not to push the short-tempered boy. "Tell me what you saw."

Adam scoffed. "No way. Here's an idea, go talk to your boyfriend, maybe he'll want to talk to you. I certainly don't. Your voice is annoying." He pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against and made his way across the Glade. Why was he being so rude? Mara didn't know what she had done to cause his wrath.

Mara stomped into the Homestead and flinged the door open to her room. Newt jumped from where he sat, looking up to see Mara slam the door shut.

"What's got your tail in a knot, love?" Newt asked turning onto his side as he lay in bed. Mara huffed and reached into the box under her bed, pulling out her hairbrush and a bobble.

"Adam." She scowled, running her brush through her hair. "He said I do everything wrong, said something about the Changing but he wouldn't tell me what. Why do you boys have to be so bloody confusing?"

"It's in our nature." Newt shrugged.

Mara threw her hair up into a loose bun and put her hairbrush back into her box, pushing it under her bed. She jumped up and swung her body onto Newt's bed, tucking herself under his bed covers.

"Sleeping with me tonight, are you?" He chuckled, running his hand across Mara's cheek.

"Yeah, I am." Mara bluntly replied, a small smile starting on her face. She wanted to be happy, but Adam had really annoyed her. Why wouldn't he tell her anything? What had he meant when he said she had done everything wrong? All Mara wanted was answers, and they were the one thing no one wanted to give her. 

"Try not to think about it. The more you think, the more it'll get on your liver." 

"Get on my liver? Since when has that been a thing?" Mara chuckled. She could see Newt's eyes drooping as he thought about his reply. "You know what, never mind. Just hold me in your arms and settle down to sleep."

"As you wish." Newt winked, taking Mara in his arms and resting his chin on her head. Mara snuggled into his chest, listening to the sound of his heart beating as she slowly drifted into a deep sleep, something she found too familiar.