╔═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

Heard you like Clint.

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

I pull away from Newt effective immediately, my heart thrumming in my ears, and not because of the height. It's the first time I've hugged anyone since being here, and I didn't realise how much I needed one until now. For the first time since being here, I felt completely and utterly safe in his arms, even though I was thirty feet in the air.

Newt insisted I go after him, just in case he could catch me if anything went wrong; everyone knows that getting up the tree is the easiest part — it's getting back down it that causes the most issues. However, I told him no, in part because I'm a little embarrassed but mostly because I feel like a stupid, scared, little girl. I'm not going to give the other Gladers any more reason to be misogynistic. I know my friends don't have those views, but a lot of the other Gladers do, and it infuriates me.

It only takes a few minutes before Newt and I are down from the tree, my mind spinning so much that I don't even realise how high I am away from the ground. Newt just helped me. Again. And how many times have I helped him? Zero. It's unfair — I need to try and find a way to make it up to him. He shouldn't have to deal with me in a mess, and though I know he'd do it without complaint, it's not fair on him.

"Are you okay?" Newt says, jumping off the tree and landing on the ground next to me. He's always thinking of other people that he neglects himself, a habit I've noticed he has from being here the past couple weeks.

"You tell anyone about that and I swear to god I'll feed you to the grievers," I warn him.

He just rolls his eyes and laughs — possibly more annoying than his unrequited kindness. "Okay, Scaredy-cat."

"You are not calling me that," I snap.

"I am," he says, his face breaking out into a grin. "You call me Frog-face."

"You secretly love it," I retort.

"And you'll learn to love Scaredy-cat."

I scoff and begin to walk away from him, "I doubt that highly."

Newt jolts forwards and before I can leap away, his hand taps my shoulder. I send him a glare. I'd almost forgotten we were playing Tag Edition. "Tagged you," he mocks. "In the pit you go."

"That's cheating!" I say, even though we both know it's not.

"You chucked me in the Slammer."

"Minho's idea."

He smiles at me, pushing me towards Homestead. "So quick to throw him under the bus, huh?"

I kick him playfully in the shin before walking as slow as I can towards the Slammer, my head hung. I do not like to lose. It's okay though, I'll get Newt back for that. My feet scuff against the grass, mud flying up my ankles, unearthing a few insects. I immediately stop when I see the commotion I've just caused, the insects scuttling around in panic. I stare at them for a moment, and then leap over them, a frown working it's way onto my face. That's how we must appear to grievers. Disposable. Not a threat.

But they're our biggest threat.

I hop into the Slammer, smirking at Jeff who's slumped over in the corner. Seems like he doesn't like to lose just as much as I don't. I take to the time to amuse myself, nudging him in the shoulder and waggling my eyebrows at him.

He sighs, "What?"

"Heard you like Clint," I tease.

Jeff's face immediately turns a beet red, making me chuckle. "No," he denies.

"Yes."

"Who told ya that?" he snaps.

"It's true!"

"It's not!"

"For how long?"

Jeff stares at the mud on the floor, drawing little patterns in the dirt with his finger, a sheepish smile on his face. His face flushes red ever so slightly, so subtle you wouldn't be able to pick it up unless you were really trying. He stares up out of the Slammer, looking to where Clint is hiding with Zart — it's a wonder they haven't been caught yet. They're round the back of Homestead, hiding just in reach that it seems like a stupid place to hide so close to the jail, yet it's such an idiotic place that no one would even consider someone hiding there. It's a smart hiding place, I'll give them that. It's much better than a person afraid of heights hiding up a tree and needing someone to help them down. I roll my eyes at my stupidity. That was really embarrassing.

"A couple months, I guess," Jeff says after a while. A couple of months? I don't know what to make of the idea of love or a relationship, and if I'm being completely honest, I haven't really thought about it. There are much more important things to worry about here.

"I think he likes you too," I say quietly, offering Jeff a small smile. I see the way Clint looks at Jeff, with more respect and love than I ever thought was possible, and though the two joke around and scold each other all the time — they never leave each other's sides. It's at this moment that I realise I wish someone would look at me the way they look at each other. They are completely in awe of one another.

"We're not ten years old," Jeff says, desperately trying to hide his smile with a scowl.

"You could have a ten year old with him if you want—"

"Shut up!" he snaps, grinning at me. Obviously Jeff and Clint can't have a child — unless the people who put us here have some weird voodoo they could perform, but it's still an amusing thought. Jeff grimaces and I chuckle at him.

I nudge him. "I'm only messing."

"D'ya really think he does?"

Jeff looks at me with such hope in his eyes at it makes my heart melt. Jeff and Clint appear unfeeling when they're together, but it's only when they're apart that you see how deeply they care for each other.

"Yeah. I do."

❀

Two rounds later and it's night time, and since we're all having a great time playing Hide and Seek: Tag Edition, we don't stop playing it. I'm now hiding in the hammocks again, nestled in the small space behind a rock, and it could barely fit another average sized person in there.

"Shuck it," someone curses.

I wince. I don't want anyone finding my hiding spot. The figure materialises from behind a tree, and I recognise him immediately. "I'm hiding here," I whisper.

"Nope," Newt says, squeezing in next to me and I roll my eyes. "We're hiding here."

I scoff. This is my hiding space, and if he thinks I'm letting him hide with me then he is seriously mistaken. "Not a chance, Frog-face. I found it first."

"And now I'm here too."

"No. No, you're not. Find your own space!"

"Gally was right behind me," he says, faking a pout, looking at me through his eyelashes. I roll my eyes again — that seems to be all I do when he's around. It's only then when I notice our bodies are so close that I can feel the heat radiate off of him, the only source of warmth in the otherwise cold gap in the rocks. A smirk appears on his face, "I knew ya'd give in."

"Slim it."

"Newt!" Gally's voice calls. I flick Newt on the head, making him scowl at me. If he makes me lose I will not be a happy Glader. "I heard ya come this way, I'm not stupid!"

"I beg to differ," I whisper.

Newt immediately hovers his finger over my lips, signalling me to be quiet. Electricity jolts through me as his finger slightly brushes against my lip. Our eyes lock. There's hardly any light, though just enough to make out the shimmer of the stars in his eyes and the outline of his face, the only thing I can see in the void. His finger doesn't move, and we stare at each other as though lost in some sort of trance, unaware that Gally's footsteps are getting closer or that so are our faces. His finger trails down to my chin, sending a shiver through me as he gently guides my face towards his; butterflies erupt in my stomach. My eyes flutter closed. Newt's going to kiss me.

And I don't find myself despising the idea of it. In fact, my heart is thumping so loud in my chest that I'm surprised Newt can't hear it.

"Found ya — what the shuck!" Gally cries.

Newt and I jump apart, and while Gally's shocked and standing there like a lemon, we bolt away from our hiding space and disappear into the trees, laughing with each other at the sheer look of horror on Gally's face.

"Go!" Newt shouts to me between his laughs.

Gally's voice is closer still, "Get back here!"

"Sorry Gally!"

Newt and I dash across the Glade, our childish giggles echoing around the walls as we rush into Deadheads. Our pace quickens as we dart through the trees, smirking at each other when we realise Gally's given up on finding us. We both slump against a tree, our shoulders touching and chests heaving. I sit on the ground, my back against the tree and Newt follows suit, our shoulders brushing once again. My mind whirrs as I stare at the sky. I'm glad it's dark, otherwise Newt would be able to see the blush on my face if he were to glance sideways at me.

We almost kissed.

My heart pounds even louder now as the realisation sets in, and it's a wonder that I didn't pick up on it beforehand. When I close my eyes, all I see is his face: the small array of freckles dotting his cheeks; his kind eyes smiling at me; his long eyelashes and... holy shit.

I like Newt.

My eyes flutter closed, exhaustion hitting me as my head falls back against the trunk. Next to me, I can hear Newt's steady breath, a calming pattern that pulls me into such a relaxed trance that I don't even think Minho screaming at me could break it. As I fall further and further to sleep, my head falls sideways, resting on Newt's shoulder. I can't be bothered to move. It's strange how well we fit together, my head nestled perfectly in the crook of his neck. A smile hints at my lips as he rests head on top of mine.

The last thing I hear before the darkness pulls me under is Newt's whisper, "Night, Scaredy-cat."

❀

"Got ya!" Gally shouts, jolting me awake as he kicks my leg.

"Really, Gally? I swear to—" Newt curses, standing up and offering me a hand. If it weren't for the fact that I'm still half asleep, the probability of strangling Gally would be very high, however I haven't even woken up properly; the world is still blurry. Groggily, I take it his hand as he helps me up, and Newt holds onto it longer than he probably should have before he lets go and paces towards Gally. I walk a couple steps behind the two of them, just enough to hear their conversation.

"You wake her up again I won't hesitate to chuck you in the Slammer," Newt grumbles.

"That a threat, Newt?"

"Yeah," he says simply. "It is. Don't wake her up again."

"Whatever."

My heart beats a little quicker as Newt slows and waits for me, giving me a lopsided smile that I can't help but return.

"I'm sorry he woke you up," Newt says softly as I reach his side. We continue to follow Gally, and I marvel at the fireflies that are flying around us, casting a light green glow onto Newt's soft features. How come I'd never noticed them beforehand? They're beautiful.

"It's okay," I say. "I was half asleep anyway."

"Liar."

"Am I that transparent?" I ask him with a smile on my face. Everyone's scattered across the Glade now — that was the last game of hide and seek for today. I'm not sure if we're going to play another game, but I hope we do. I've not had this much fun in ages.

"Come and sit down!" Minho calls to us from the fire all of our friends are sat around.

"We're playing truth or dare," Winston explains.

I inwardly groan. This will be interesting.

—

Thank you for your patience y'all! I hope you like the new chapter. I'm very excited for the next one — I love truth or dare.

If you have any feedback or constructive criticism don't hesitate to share them, I'd love to know what you think I can improve on  in my writing! Also, if you find any errors, feel free to tell me so I can correct them :)

As always, thank you for the continued support for this book. I feel so grateful for the amount of people who are enjoying it so far. You mean the world to me <3

~ sophie xx
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