Disclaimer: The Host does not belong to me but to Stephenie Meyer.
The Lost Host
9. Exposed
I brought myself from under water and took a deep breath. My heart was beating like a drum by the time I pulled myself out of the water and wrapped the towel around me.
Different.
But why did it have to be that way? Why was I so different from them?
I set my hand on the pile of clothes Wanda had loan me, a pair of dark blue jeans, a white v-neck shirt and a red hoodie sweater. Under that were some under clothing with tags still on them. On the ground next to the floor was a pair of red sneakers and white socks. I couldn't help but smile. Wanda was really thoughtful. Of course, I couldn't keep running around this place barefooted with dirty clothes like some barbarian. And some of these things were even new. I really had to thank her.
Once I was fully dressed I sat back down on the rock. Everything fit fine. The jeans fit well- skinny, just how I liked them. The shirt was just a little bit loose. The sweater was fine except the zipper was broken. And the sneakers were about a size bigger than my own but that didn't matter.
I sighed as those hateful eyes made their way back in to my mind.
His cold words, "Just keep her away from the other campers. We don't want mass panic on our hands."
But they weren't the only things.
Wanda's words as well, "Sophie, you're just like them."
And Jared's, "She's human, Wanda. She's not going anywhere!"
It was all so much to take in as their voices bounced around in my head and I buried my hands and like I had done so much in the last few days- I cried. I cried because I was frustrated. I cried because I was angry. I cried because I was tired of being condemned for being different, for a crime I did not commit.
When my silent sobs calmed Wanda poked in to the room, "Sophie, you done?"
I sniffled and wiped the tears away with the sleeve of the red sweater, "Yeah."
"Can I come in?"
"Ahuh." I sniffled again and Wanda stepped in stopping in front of me, "Sophie, what's the matter?"
I looked away, "Nothing. I'm fine."
"Sophie. You're crying. Something has to be wrong." She brought my face to hers with her small thin fingers. "Now tell me what's wrong."
I took in a deep breath and looked down to my lap, "Wanda. I lied."
Wanda frowned kneeling down in front of me, "Lied about what?"
I tried to look away completely ashamed of myself. "Sophie." Wanda brought my glance back at her, "What did you lie about?"
I didn't want to lie to Wanda. I couldn't.
"The Seekers." I answered.
The word Seekers made her frown deeper, "What about the Seekers?"
I looked in to her eyes. Silver, that beautiful silver I adored so much. The one I wished I had. The one I didn't obtain. "The last time I went camping with my parents, about a year ago, three Seekers came up to us." I remembered it as if it were just yesterday, " My mother became very worried and my father turned serious. I was out by the lake shore when they arrived. They spoke to my parents for a while until my mother asked me to come over. So I did. This one Seeker- a man- asked me if I was Sophia Stark. I told him I was. Then before they left he turned to look at me again with these eyes filled with hate and complete disgust. He told my parents to keep me away from the other campers because they didn't want any problems. Then they left."
Wanda placed her hand on mine, "Oh Sophie."
I could feel a lump form in my throat, "It was like that everywhere we went to. Every new town. The Seekers would always talk to my parents and it was always about me. After countless times we just stopped leaving the small town where we lived. The Seekers didn't bother us there."
"It must have been hard…" Wanda's voice trailed off as she gave me a warm hug, "Don't worry Sophie, things are going to be different this time." I felt my arms wrap around her small frame. "Thank you, Wanda."
She giggled softly, "I see the clothes fit you just fine." She pulled back and I stood along with her. "Yeah, they fit well. Thanks for the clothes too, for everything."
Wanda's smile spread a mile, "Anytime."
I smiled too.
And the next thing I knew Wanda was dragging me like a small child by the hand down the dark halls. Ian was following behind us in case I ran or something. I got the feeling they still didn't trust me completely. Wanda did- but the guys didn't. "Don't worry Sophie. It's going to be fine." Wanda looked back at me and smiled.
"I really don't know about this." I glanced back at Ian. "Don't worry Soph, it'll be fine." He assured me too. I groaned and looked back in front of me and tripped. "Whoa!" Ian caught me by my shoulders and stood me straight up. "Thanks." I said shyly.
"No prob."
Shockingly, I wasn't as startled by Ian's touch as I should have been. Wanda was a Soul and he loved her. So he was a good guy in my book. But I still couldn't understand how that was possible. Maybe he wasn't much of a monster as I thought him to be- like most humans anyhow.
Then a dim light and a variety of voices hit me and I froze. "Wanda, I can't do this."
She turned to me, "Yes you can. There's nothing to it."
"There's a lot to it. What- what if-"
Wanda raised a brow, "What if what?"
I looked down a little embarrassed, "What if they don't like me? What if they get mad?"
"They won't get mad."
"And if they do, " Ian chimed in, "I'll be there to settle them straight." He smiled with a little laughter.
And honestly, his words made me feel better. A smiled a little and turned back to Wanda, "Okay."
Wanda smiled ear to ear, "Let's do this." And she took my hand once more- wasting no time- and leading me to the kitchen.
It didn't take long for us to reach the large kitchen room. There were benches made out of rock and people sat on them eating their dinner talking happily amongst themselves. At the far end was a small bar where food was being served. Immediately I felt my stomach churn. It was like being in the Wolf's den.
As we stepped in the whole room stopped and looked in our direction. I took a whole step back and crashed against Ian's chest. He set his hands on my shoulders, "Don't worry, you can do this. Remember, Wanda and I are here."
I looked from Ian to Wanda and from her to the rest of the room. I gulped. I could do this.
Oh goodness, I was going to pass out first...
Just then Jeb appeared, "Ah, look who joined the party!" he laughed and walked over to us. "Seems the food's gonna get cold." He looked back at all the other people and they quickly looked away and began their eating and their conversations. However, just a few took their time in returning to their own business.
"It's nice to see you out and about." Jeb clapped his old hands once. I nodded.
"Yeah, isn't it Ian?" Wanda glanced up at Ian who smiled and agreed.
"Well enjoy your dinner. Remember, kid, people skills." He waved a finger at me and walked off.
I frowned lightly but brushed it off when I realized we were moving again.
I swear I felt like every pair of eyes in the room was on me.
"She thinks she's a Soul." A woman at a near by table whispered but I caught it and looked down with red hot ears and flushing cheeks.
"They probably brainwashed her. Poor thing."
"She's still so young but still too old to be intact." Said another.
"Good thing they got to her before it was too late."
I closed my eyes for a slight moment trying to ignore all the whispers. But it was too late. I was already exposed.
Wanda and Ian had also heard because Ian send people a look and Wanda tightened her small grip on my hand. They were keeping their word that they'd be here for me. That they'd protect me.
We soon arrived at one of the tables where Melanie, a boy and sadly- Jared sat. Melanie grinned, "Sophie. You're up. How are you feeling?"
I felt Wanda give me a little nudge. She was right, enough of the silence.
"I'm feeling better. Thanks."
"Good." She smiled and looked at the boy sitting across from her, "Right, Sophie this is my little brother Jamie."
My eyes made their way up to Jamie's face. I was a little surprised. Jamie was about 17; he had bronzed skin and green eyes. His hair was dark and messy. He was what a person would call, handsome.
"Hi Sophie." He gave me a shy little smile.
"Hi." Was all I managed to say.
"Sit." Wanda ordered and sat me down next to Melanie and then took a seat next to me. Ian sat across from us and next to Jamie.
Just then the man that looked a lot like Ian showed up with a girl by his side. It was the man everyone called Kyle.
"So dinner's served." He said with a ring of amusement in his voice. The young girl- actually the young woman- clung to him like a small child.
"Right," Ian shot up, "Soph, this is my older brother Kyle- sadly. And that's his lovely girlfriend Sunny."
I glanced at them. Kyle was just as big as Jared and Ian. Not in the overly muscled body builder way. More in the healthy young man kind of way. No matter what way I looked at it they were still stronger than I. "Guys, this is Sophie."
"Hey there-" Kyle was about to say more when Ian sent him a look and Kyle just smiled, "Welcome to the group."
"It's very nice to meet you." Sunny said happily and just then my jaw dropped at least ten stories low when I looked in to Sunny's eyes. She was also a Soul. Wanda most have noticed because she smiled, "Yep, her too."
Suddenly, I didn't feel as alone anymore. Of course, when I met Wanda and figured out she was a Soul I was completely relieved and blessed but now there was another Soul among us. Things were looking up a bit more. But the question lingered in my mind, why were they here? And I noticed that Sunny was tightly clinging to Kyle as if he was her life support. When she looked at him there was this special sweetness in her eyes. No doubt, she was hooked. Was there something about the O'Shea brothers that made female Souls fall in love with them? Or where they actually more human than monsters?
Maybe I would never know…
"Sophie." Wanda snapped me out of my mind babble, "Here's your dinner." She placed a tray in front of me. It was soup with a piece of bread and a bottle of water. When I glanced up everyone had a meal in front of them and eating away while conversing. "Aren't you going to eat?" Wanda asked a little worriedly. I looked down at my meal and nodded. She gave me a small smile, "Sophie, take your time. Don't rush."
I knew she wasn't talking about my dinner just sitting in front of me.
"So." Kyle spoke raising his head from his plate, "I hear Sophie's crashing with you little bro."
Ian looked at him, "Yeah and what?"
Kyle laughed and I jumped a little at his sudden outburst. "Didn't know the honeymooners minded a little company." He glanced at me.
I didn't say anything, not wanting to be caught in the conversation even though it was about me.
Ian glared at his brother but then he smiled, "You know, I could always crash with you and Sunny. Family's always there for each other, right?"
This cleaned the smirk on Kyle's face right off.
"Alright, enough of that." Melanie said to them and then turned to me, "It's Sophie's first time at the table," then back to them, "Make it a nice one."
Ian nodded but Kyle just brushed things off.
It didn't matter if they made this a nice first dinner. They could fight and quarrel all they wanted to as long as they left me out of it. I glanced up to notice people still starring at me with their spoons half way in the air. I hated being watched. It made me uncomfortable.
Nervously I glanced back down at my cold soup. I could almost see my reflection in its orange mush. And it rippled as my breath hit it. I wasn't really that hungry anyway. And that dream made it's way back in to my mind. Why hadn't I chosen to go with my parents? Why did every single step I took they got farther? It didn't make any sense.
"What's the matter kid, you don't like tomato soup or what?" I was snapped out of my mind trance and I shot up to see. It was Ian. He sat across from me with a spoon halfway in the air.
"Oh," I looked down at my plate to realize it was still untouched. "I don't know, I'm not very hungry." I admitted to him. Ian set his spoon down and looked around, "Don't worry about these people, kid, you go ahead and eat."
I looked around and still saw some of them starring. I felt my stomach churn and I groaned lightly. Ian chuckled, "C'mon now. It'll be fine. Trust me." I'm not sure why but I believed him when he said it would be okay. Like I had said before, there was something about Ian O'Shea that wasn't so bad. I took a hold of the plastic spoon and dipped it in the soup. I took a sip and then another and by the time I realized it I had finished the last drop.
"See you were hungry." Wanda mused resting her head on her fist as she looked at me. I nodded not wanting to draw any attention to myself by speaking. Slowly the stares turned in to whispers and my shoulders hunched. I wanted to leave.
I turned to Wanda, "Thank you..."
She smiled at me, "You don't need to."
"So, little Sophie, where ya from?" Kyle asked as he set his spoon down on the table and all eyes were on me again. I began to panic inside. I didn't want any attention what so ever. Ian frowned at his brother, "I hardly believe that's any of your business."
"Hey, I'm just asking a simple question here."
"We got her in California." Jared butted in and as his voice hit the air I flinched.
"Oh," Kyle looked my way, "A Cali girl, nice."
"And how was it there?" Sunny asked with much enthusiasm. Sunny, a soul, okay. "Um, I really loved it there. It was a nice place." my eyes darted to Jared with accusation of stealing me away from my home.
"That place was a ticking time bomb." he spat pushing his plate away.
"Jared." Melanie frowned at him and shook her head.
"I lived happily there, thank you." I said curtly.
Wanda placed her hand on mine and gave me an encouraging smile, "It was a nice place."
"Wow, so you lived there with your parents too?" Jamie asked bringing himself in to the conversation.
I nodded, "Yeah. My parents..." How I missed them.
Everyone looked at each other and Melanie raised a brow at Jamie who felt guilty for bringing it up. I opened my mouth to say something- anything but nothing came out.
Alright then. I updated this as fast as I could, like I promised, and hey some reviews couldn't hurt. I've been pretty consistent with this story haven't I? I deserve some reviews, haha c'mon now, don't be so stingy. Let me know what you think :)
-AutumnSkyy
