WICKED Is Weird (The Fever Code)

8

After a moment, his eyes shot across the room to a table which held 3 of the 10-year-olds: Carlos, Max and Steven.

They all started laughing about something, and I saw a fond smile form on Newt's face.

It took me a second to make the connection, but once I did there was no hope for my poor Substitute-Brother.

I nudged his arm with my elbow and whispered "Which one're you staring at?"

"'M not starin'," He lied, quickly looking back down at his lunch to try to hide the slight redness in his cheeks.

It would've worked too, if the back of his neck weren't now very visible and turning the same colour.

"Fine, which one're you looking at?" I rephrased.

"Not lookin' either, now eat your sandwich before it gets soggy and I have to hear ya complain all day."

If I hadn't been sure of it before, I definitely was after that response; his accent always got stronger when he was annoyed or lying.

I shut up either way, though. Couldn't let him get too defensive, or I'd never figure anything out.

I started eating my sandwich (ham and cheese, he was right about the possibility of sogginess), and changed the topic for a while, instead babbling on about a book I'd read the other day.

The perfect amount of something to throw off suspicion, but just tedious enough to bore him, even if he was too nice to say so.

After a few minutes his eyes returned to the table, and I watched both him and the 3 boys carefully as I went on.

Max's hair fell into his eyes (it was always doing that, he really needed a haircut), and after a few unsuccessful attempts to blow it away, he gave up and just pushed it back with his fingers.

With the gesture, Newt's smile was back.

"It's Max!" I concluded in a whisper-yell, shocking him out of it again.

"What?" He asked, not entirely sure that he'd heard me right.

"You like Max!" I said, just a smile on my face instead of a smirk this time. "That's adorable!"

"I do not!" He shot back, but his cheeks and neck were flushed again.

"Liar."

"I'm not lyin'!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Drop it, May."

I paused at that.

He was being way more serious than I thought the situation warranted, a mix of embarrassment, irritation and even a bit of anxiety in his eyes.

My smile fell.

"Sorry." I mumbled, turning back to my lunch and grabbing my milk carton, struggling to open it.

After letting me suffer for a minute or so, Newt sighed and took it, opening it for me.

"You're useless, y'know that?" He asked as he held the carton back out to me, giving me a small smile. I smiled back thankfully as I took it.

"At least I'm not useless over another person." I jabbed, and though he rolled his eyes, his smile didn't leave.

"I'm not useless over him," He argued, bumping my shoulder with his. "I just... notice him."

"If that makes you feel better," I shrugged, struggling to hold my laughter in as I took a sip of my milk. Now it was Newt's turn to smirk as he stole one of my apple slices, having finished his already.