Stephenie Meyer owns The Host.
Hope you enjoy this short little one-shot. It popped into my head while I was writing Blurring The Lines and I just started wondering "What was Lily thinking?" so I wrote it. Let me know what you think :)
I was sprawled on the dirt floor, panting. It felt like I'd run for miles. I needed to practice more often. I was good at soccer, but my stamina was lacking.
Maybe that's something Wes could help me with, I thought, smiling to myself.
Wes. He was so sweet. Younger than me, sure, but it's not like that mattered anymore. He'd survived on his own out there, that was enough to make him feel twice his age. And I wasn't that old, I was only thirty-five. I mean, yes, compared to nineteen year old Wes, I'm practically ancient, but thirty-five is not that old.
The age thing did get to me sometimes, but Wes made me feel young again. Younger, I corrected myself.
Wes and I had just finished a game of soccer with Ian and Wanda. They demolished us. Of course Ian did, he was really good, but I didn't expect Wanda to be as good as she was. She was an alien, after all. Not that that mattered to me or anything. I liked her, we were friends.
It actually surprised me how much I liked her. I never thought I'd be able to become friends with one of the souls, but Wanda was so sweet. She'd never do anything to hurt us, I could tell.
Most everyone in the caves liked her now, although in the beginning that wasn't the case. Kyle, Ian, and even Jared tried to hurt her. Kyle almost succeeded, but he seemed to be coming along now. At least he hadn't made another attempt on her life.
I sat there watching Ian and Wanda playing.
Ian was letting her win. He was so cute with her. That was another thing that surprised me. Ian really liked Wanda. Everyone knew it. He was constantly with her—even when she didn't need protecting—and he had recently started holding her hand and putting his arm around her.
It was nice, he seemed so happy. Ian deserved to be happy. He was always so nice and caring towards everyone around him, he needed someone to care for him too. That was the only thing. I thought Wanda cared about him too, but there were... complications.
Wanda was always staring at him, staring into his eyes. His eyes were his best feature. I mean, Ian was attractive, he really was, but his eyes were so... vivid. There was a time when I was slightly attracted to him myself, but we were never anything more than friends.
Wanda didn't seem to mind him touching her, but she didn't ever hug him, or grab his hand when they walked from a room. It was always Ian who initiated things.
Then there was also Jared to consider. Melanie, the girl that Wanda was implanted in, was Jared's girlfriend. Jared didn't appear too fond of Ian and Wanda's relationship. And Ian was pretty jealous of Jared. He was very unhappy that Wanda was sharing a room with Jared and Jamie. He tried to hide it from Wanda, but he wasn't doing a very good job. Everyone in the caves knew he hated it, or at least I had noticed.
"Come on, Ian. Play," Wanda whined.
"I am," Ian muttered.
"Playing like a girl," Wanda teased.
Ian laughed, but let her score another goal on him. Wanda seemed fed up with it. She took the ball and put it back at center field.
"You win and you can sleep in my room while they're gone," she wagered.
That surprised me. Wanda wasn't normally so bold. It looked like Ian liked the bet, because he kicked the ball through her goal so hard it bounced back to them.
"Was that wide?" Wanda asked me.
"Looked dead center to me," I told her.
They played for a few more minutes. Ian whooped her. Guess he was... motivated.
"Ten–four, I win," Ian told her.
"Good game," Wanda said, breathing heavily.
"Tired?" Ian teased. He stretched. "I think I'm ready for bed myself."
He was joking, but I didn't think Wanda understood. She cringed.
"Aw, Mel, you know I'm joking. Be nice," Ian said.
What? Mel? As in Melanie? Ian was... talking to Melanie. My eyebrows pulled back and I knew I must've looked confused, because both Wanda and Ian looked at me.
"Jared's Melanie objects to me." He winked.
She objects to him?
Oh. As in, she's still in there and she doesn't like him. I had forgotten all about Melanie. She was still in there and she loved Jared, so she probably hated Ian.
He was always touching Wanda and holding her hand. Melanie must have hated that. If I was in her position... Well, I wouldn't want anyone to touch me but Wes.
And even then, I wouldn't want that because there would be someone else controlling my body. I wouldn't want Wes to touch me if there was someone else experiencing it too.
Oh, that's confusing. It puts a whole new spin on jealousy. Technically, you'd be jealous of your own body. How strange.
I couldn't imagine what Melanie must have been going through. Being in love with someone you could see but not touch. Having someone you don't love flirting and hanging around. Having another consciousness controlling your body, making your decisions for you. She was just an audience to her life, unable to participate.
I'm sure Wanda and Ian would never do anything... inappropriate with Melanie there. Ian was not that kind of guy. I knew him well enough to know that that was not the reason he liked Wanda. Of course, he's only human. Everyone has those kind of thoughts, but to... Against the will of another person! Not Ian.
And Wanda, she was an alien, but she was in a human body, so she must've had... feelings on the subject. But I knew, for certain Wanda wouldn't do that kind of thing. She was too good a person.
That was... A horrible situation to be in for everyone involved? Yes. It was awful. It was like a love triangle, except with four people. But there were only three bodies. Jared loves Melanie. Ian loves Wanda. Melanie and Wanda are the same person. It was like a story out of some crazy made-for-TV movie.
"That's... interesting," I muttered, not sure what else to say. It wasn't really any of my business, but it sure was some juicy gossip in the making.
"I wonder what's taking Wes so long?" Ian said, ignoring me. "Should we go find out? I could use some water."
"Me, too," Wanda agreed.
"Bring some back," I mumbled from my position on the floor.
Then they left, and I was all alone in the gameroom. Only the sound of my breathing to keep me company as I waited for Wes to get back.