Bittersweet → TMR, Newt

( viii ) COLD SHOULDER

        

VICTORIA STOOD BESIDE FRYPAN AS THEY DISHED UP BREAKFAST, handing the food out to the half asleep Gladers. "Morning!" A voice chirped up, and the brunette was faced with Newt, who wore a bright smile. Opening her mouth, her eyes diverted back to somebody else glaring at her a few boys behind. Carl.

Deciding to keep her mouth shut, she held out a plate to Newt, their fingers brushing lightly during the exchange, "Are you okay?" He noticed the dark bags hanging beneath her eyes, and her vanished smile. The truth was, she hadn't slept a wink all night.

"I'm fine," She clipped quickly, giving him the hint that other people were waiting. Moving out of the way, the boy frowned at the cold shoulder she gave him. They had shared a nice afternoon together yesterday, hence why he was smiling the whole night, but she was the complete opposite.

Finishing her job, Victoria lifted her own plate and glanced around the many tables, "Vicky, over here!" Minho waved from his seat, where he was also accompanied by Newt, Adrian and Chuck. Hearing a whistle in the other direction, Carl signalled for her to sit with him and his friends.

Huffing to herself, Victoria reluctantly turned her back on her friends and chose to sit with Carl, "Good girl," He whispered to her whilst her friends shared looks of confusion over on their table.

Picking at her breakfast, Victoria didn't speak another word to anyone. Carl and his buddies acted as if she wasn't even there and all she wanted to do was be honest with Newt. "Hey," Carl placed his hand on her thigh, squeezing it tightly, "Lighten up, or else."

Brushing off the nauseating feeling swirling around in her stomach, Victoria plastered the fakest smile on her face she possibly could. Hearing footsteps, the sandy blonde appeared at their table with his arms folded, "Victoria, can I have a word?"

"Actually—"

"Now," His tone hardened and she did as requested. Following him, they ended up in the Homestead and he spun around to face her with raised eyebrows, "What's going on?"

"I was having my breakfast. . ." She trailed off, shaking her head.

"You were barely touching it, and since when did you hang around with Carl?"

"Why do you care?" The girl exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air with exaggeration. She didn't want to act this way, Newt was the one person she cared about the most and she was neglecting their friendship. Yet it was for his safety.

"Because I bloody care about you, Tori!" He yelled, "I care about you so shucking much it— it confuses me. I feel like I've known you my whole life, and you're acting like you never even felt the same."

Tears gathered in the corners of Victoria's eyes and she knew her next response would break not only him, but herself. "Stay away from him, Vic. Or I won't hesitate to show him who you really belong to." Carl's words echoed in her head in a continuous loop.

"Yeah, well. . . Maybe I don't," She forced the sentence past her lips, withholding a stone cold expression. The colour drained from Newt's face and he swiped his tongue across his lip.

"You don't mean that."

"I'm sorry, but I do. You were an easy target, and I needed someone to have my back whilst I settled in," Her voice never faltered, not once. "Just. . . Just stay away from me, Newt."

"I can't," Desperation and heartbreak danced in his eyes, "Tori, we need each other."

"You don't need me, Newt," She laughed heartlessly, "And I certainly do not need you."

▃▃▃▃

FOLLOWING THE SOUND OF SNIFFLING, Gally peeked behind a large tree where he found the girl with her legs up against her chest, tears soaking into her sleeves. Upon seeing his broad figure in the corner of her vision, Victoria hurried to wipe away the dampness across her rosy cheeks.

"Vic?" He bunched his eyebrows together, kneeling to the side of her, "Are you all right?"

"I'm— I'm fine, Gally," She hiccuped, not wanting to bother him, never mind the fact that she couldn't exactly tell him why she was upset.

"Well clearly you're not," He pursed his lips together, wanting to say something useful but he didn't know what. He didn't know how to approach somebody who was upset, especially a girl. He had always been labeled the asshole of the Glade, so his reputation didn't benefit him one bit, "Do you wanna tell me what's wrong?"

"I can't," Her response was barely audible, but he managed to catch it. She sounded so broken and whatever was bothering her, had her stuck between thoughts. Flickering his gaze down, Gally automatically noticed the blotches of blue and purple surrounding her wrist.

"Who the hell did that?" He spoke on impulse, catching her off guard and she yanked her sleeve down roughly.

"N-Nobody, it's nothing."

"It's not nothing, Vic. Your wrist is completely bruised!"

"Keep your voice down! Please," She whimpered, fearing somebody would hear their conversation. Clamping her eyes shut, her fingers rubbed circles into her temples. Now she really was in a mess, "P-Please, you can't tell anyone."

"Why not?"

Blowing the air out of her puffy cheeks, she proceeded to explain everything to Gally, minus the part where she could do things with her mind. She didn't quite trust him that much. "Wait, so Carl is threatening you?" He asked, wanting extra confirmation. Victoria nodded and scanned his questioning expression, "I don't understand, he's always seemed like a decent guy."

"Believe me, he isn't all he makes out to be. You do believe me, right, Gally?"

The boy somehow automatically knew she wasn't lying. He felt more honesty in her than he'd ever felt from the blonde boy, "Yeah. Of course I believe you."

"I. . . I completely broke Newt's heart earlier. God, he must hate me now," Her face crumbled as a fresh round of tears pricked her eyes.

"You should tell him the truth," Gally advised, boring his thoughtful stare into the grass.

"I can't, Gally. If I do, he could get seriously hurt. I know it's hard for you to understand, but I just— I just can't, okay?" The girl grunted with frustration, wishing she could click her fingers and make all of it disappear.

"All right. Well, whatever you decide, I've got your back. You're not on your own," He placed his hand on her shoulder, earning a weak smile of appreciation.

"Thanks, Gally."

[ Short, I do apologise. But it all kicks off next chapter 😛
also HAPPY VALENTINES DAY FROM NEWT, VIC AND I 💗 ]