A/N: A little one-shot that I thought of after seeing The Host. I hope you all like it and I'm warning you, it is completely movie-verse. I have yet to read The Host so I am simply stating that ahead of time. Enjoy!
Haylan Valberg sat in her room staring blankly at the wall that lay in front of her bed. Her body couldn't do anything as her mind was running crazy. Ever since Wanda had come to her new home, things had changed for her at a rapid rate.
At the beginning, she had been more than suspicious of Wanda like everyone; after all, they had all lost someone to the parasitic creatures. Slowly, the thing occupying Melanie began to show positive signs, but it was just trying to survive, right? That isn't what the others saw, or at least not the people she cared about. Lately, she had been seeing less and less of him, the one guy always on her mind. He had gotten to the point where he was protecting her and she could not stand it. The reason that she was ready to burst though was dinner that night. Melanie's boyfriend, the male who was in love with her, was ready to kill her and the one who had defended Melanie or Wanda was her best friend; Ian.
Best friend for him at any rate, for her, he meant so much more. Over the past four years that they had been in hiding, they had grown closer than conjoined twins. The two were constantly seen over the little colony laughing, working, trying to have fun in the reality they had come into. Whenever one was found, the other was not too far behind. During this, Haylan had begun to realize her feelings toward Ian. She wanted more than to laugh and joke together; she wanted to be held, kissed, and loved. That night though, her dream had been shattered.
She was broken out of her reverie by a knock on the wall of her room. The blonde brought herself back to reality and looked up to see the person in question; Ian. He poked his head in the room and she could see in his eyes that he was concerned. He asked, "Are you okay Hay? You rushed out of that room pretty fast."
Attempting to put on her façade, she looked away for a moment then came back with a smile and returned, "I'm fine. It just got a little too intense for me."
"Are you sure? You know that you can tell me anything at all, I'd never judge," he assured. He walked over with a smile on his face and sat next to her on the bed. The young woman looked at him carefully, her chocolate eyes beginning to glaze over. "I know."
He hugged her, a sign of comfort to most, but she could only wonder if he could hear how fast her heart was beating. She closed her eyes so as to stop the building of tears as he pulled away. He then asked, "Hey, can I tell you something?"
"Is that even a question?" she responded. The smile was barely sticking on her face and it was obviously forced, yet he seemed to not notice.
He swallowed harshly and his intense gaze put her in a trance. He quietly spoke up, "I think I might like Wanda."
Those words, it only took a few words to kill her and he nailed it. She could not stop herself as her entire face dropped. Her mouth gaped, her eyes bored into his own, even her shoulders had fallen. Ian, noticing the tension, punched her lightly in the shoulder. "Psyche, you should have seen your face. Well, I better go though, I'll see you."
Laughing his way out, she could see through him like a shard of glass. He was growing to love the new thing, he only joked because of her reaction. She wanted to rewind time; take it all back. Her heart had finally broken in two and what made it worse was she couldn't do her one job. All she was there for was to be his friend, to support him no matter what, and she had let her own feelings show instead of helping him.
Haylan got off her bed and ran after him, she had to do what was right, boost him up and be there for him. She finally reached him and put her small hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, I'll support you no matter who you fall for, but if she messes you up, count on a girl-fight."
The taller blonde hugged her tightly, pulling her to his chest and she reached her breaking point. She pulled away, looking in the distance so as to not catch his gaze. She let out a curt, "I need to wash up."
He merely smiled at her quickly moving figure, "Thanks Hay!" He went on walking in the other direction, whistling. He was elated that it was off his chest, that he could let at least one person know. Ms. Valberg on the other hand, was not doing too well.
Tears streamed down her face from the moment she turned around and she ran off in the wash-room direction only to stay by the rapids of the river. She sat on the ground, staring at the water and trying to keep her sobs quiet so as to not attract attention.
Thinking that someone had no feelings for you and knowing for fact were two completely different things. One hurt; the other literally shreds you into pieces. She felt as if she could not go on, it was her first real heartbreak. She had gone out with other guys, but she had never felt this way towards anyone and she could attest to the fact that love sucks. She had no strength to do anything, not even move as she heard footsteps.
"Excuse me, are you okay Miss Haylan?" a soft voice called. The human turned around to see the creature that had indirectly broke her heart. More tears streamed down as the creature came towards her.
Haylan called up, "No, I am completely not fine, thanks for asking." Her voice sounded bitterer than she had intended, the parasite had showed no malice to her at this point. She muttered, "What is so special about you?"
Wanda looked back at the obviously miserable girl and asked, "Pardon? I did not catch that."
The blonde spoke up, "What is so special about you? What makes you so fantastic? You aren't the one who has been here through thick and thin. You haven't seen him at his lowest point, you haven't given up everything just to help him and be with him. All you are is a freak and nothing but trouble. You made him realize that I'm not good enough, I'm just his best friend, someone he looks to like a little sister. No, it is you that he wants to hold, to adore, to love more than the world itself. Not me, not the silly little blonde girl who is too naïve, too normal, not what he wants. You don't even know him and yet he is in love with everything about you! Every little detail, down to the very eyes that make you so different from the rest of us. I am not the girl he is in love with, it's you. But why? I have sacrificed everything for him, always putting his feelings first. What makes you so special to deserve his love?"
She ran out of the room, more tears streaming down her tanned face as the auburn haired girl sharing two minds stood there confused and disheartened.
That night, Haylan did not get a wink of sleep. She laid in her bed all night, writhing in misery, agony, a pain that she had never felt before.
-One Year Later-
Their colony had just gained several new members and life was as bright and vivid as ever. Ever since Melanie, Jared, Wanda, and Ian had gone out that one night, many others had come. There was now a meeting held once a month or so where heads of each colony got together.
Haylan herself had decided to live with another colony for a month, wanting a change of scenery. She had come to accept Ian's feelings and they were now close, but it was different. They weren't as close, but friends nonetheless. Still, she needed a break from them.
That is how she found herself quickly falling for Burns, another from some distant planet that had decided humans weren't too bad. She was now walking around the abandoned hotel they lived in with him, hand in hand. He noted, "I am so glad I found Earth."
She shot a smile up at the much taller man, her figure made even more petite by his bulk. She responded, "I'm glad too. You've opened my eyes quite a bit you know."
A light chuckle escaped his lips and he questioned, "Really now? How so?"
Her thoughts wandered back to months ago, the break down she had experienced. The pain she had felt after her first heartbreak and how unstable she was for weeks after. All of it caused by one little white creature. Yet, the species was growing on her; perhaps she was beginning to see they weren't all bad.
"You have made me realize how special your species is, what makes you so fantastic." Wanda had quickly forgiven her once realizing her feelings on the matter, but she still felt bad about letting it all loose on her. She continued, "You also taught me how to love again."
He kissed her on the lips and she could only return in gently, before they walked off in the direction of the sun, smiling. She could finally see what Ian had seen, past their silver eyes.