In the last few weeks, everything had changed a little in the Glade.

Newt was busier than ever. Maps, meetings with the Runners, new shifts… there was always something to review or someone who needed to talk to him. Before, when she appeared, he would find a way to take a break.

Now it almost never happened.

She had started noticing it in small details: shorter conversations, fewer jokes, fewer moments when they would just linger and talk. It wasn't a fight or anything obvious. It was more of a distance that had been slowly growing.

That night the Glade was full of noise. Some were eating dinner, others were discussing the day's routes.

She saw Newt on the other side of the main area, leaning over a wooden table with several papers and a spread-out map. He was talking to two Runners, pointing out routes with his finger.

Before, he would have noticed her immediately when she arrived.

Not this time.

She watched for a few seconds before approaching. "Hey."

Newt barely looked up. "Hi."

He gave her a quick glance and then returned to the map almost immediately.

You waited a few seconds. "Are you busy?"

"A little," he replied, not sounding annoyed, just focused.

She slowly climbed up. "Sure."

The other two boys finished listening to Newt's instructions and left. For a moment, the space between them was silent.

She thought that maybe now they would talk like before. But Newt kept reviewing the papers, slightly shifting the map.

"Did you need something?" he finally asked.

The question sounded more formal than she expected.

She hesitated.

Before, she hadn't needed a reason to approach him. "No… I just wanted to see how you were."

Newt approached her distractedly. "Fine. Just trying to sort this out before tomorrow."

She looked at the map. "You look tired."

"A little," he admitted.

The silence returned again, heavier than before.

She crossed her arms, looking around the Glade. "It's been a while since we really talked."

Newt looked up for a moment, as if just processing what she'd said. "We'll talk now."

But it wasn't the same, and they both knew it.

She let out a small breath. "Yeah… I guess."

Newt went back to the map. "Things have been busy lately."

"I know."

Another pause.

She stood there for a few more seconds, waiting for him to add something, anything that would make the conversation feel like it used to.

But nothing happened.

So she finally took a small step back. "Well… I'll let you get back to work."

Newt didn't think twice.

"Thanks."

She waited a second, as if part of her wanted him to look up again.

But he didn't.

So she simply turned around and started walking toward the other side of the Glade.

Newt continued to study the map for a few more moments.

Then something in his head seemed to click.

Look up.

You were already far away, blending into the crowd.