Disclaimer: Of course I do not own anything off the Host, it's all owned by Stephenie Meyer. I'm just using her characters for my imagination :)
Chapter 10.
On the last night of the raid Melanie and Jared stay in our room to eat. Normally we just split up immediately as I get the keys to the rooms. When Jamie goes to take a shower, Melanie starts talking.
"We won't be in our room tonight. So if something happens and you need to leave, just go. Take the van. We'll get the jeep later."
"What? What do you mean you're leaving? Where are you going? Does this have something to do with all the trips the two of you have been taking the last few months."
"Yes, Ian, it does. But we can't tell you about it."
I feel slightly hurt at this comment. Ian apparently feels the same way.
"What do you mean you can't tell us? Don't you trust us?"
Melanie looks at Jared, who takes over.
"We do trust you, it's just better that less people know about this than more. It's got to do with the other humans. We really trust you, both of you. But there is a risk involved here. I'm sorry, we can't tell you."
"We just wanted you to know that we won't be there in case you'd come looking for us tonight. So don't worry. I doubt anything will happen, if everything goes right, we will just be back in the morning. Don't tell Jamie anything though. I don't want him to worry about us." Melanie looks at the bathroom door.
"We just wanted you to know in case we aren't back in the morning. It won't automatically mean we got caught, these meetings take time."
Jared adds: "Just leave at eight tomorrow morning, staying longer will draw attention to you."
I look Jared in the eyes. He just looks back at me, holding my gaze. I don't like this at all, I don't want to split up.
"You just make sure you're back here in the morning so we don't have to leave without you."
The shower stops. We can't talk anymore, Jamie will hear us. Jared and Melanie get up. Jamie comes out of the shower and they wish him goodnight. Mel looks at me one more time and they leave the room.
"Well, I want to watch a movie." Ian gets a bag of potato chips and sits down on the bed with Jamie. Curled up on the other bed I listen to them making fun of the movie. I'm really tired after another day of shopping, so I fall asleep easily. When I feel Ian getting in the bed with me I move over to give him some room. He just pulls me back to him.
"Wake up sweetheart, it's half past 7." I open my eyes to see Ian's face just inches away from mine. He kisses me deeply. Getting up is not one of my priorities right now. Unfortunately it is a priority to Ian. He backs up and looks into my eyes.
"We really need to get up. The others in the cave are waiting for fresh food."
"Yes, I know, I know, let's go wake up Jamie and get Mel and Jared."
Before I can get up out of bed there's a knock at the door. Ian pulls on some pants and opens it. Mel and Jared walk in, Melanie goes to Jamie to wake him up and Jared sits down on the only chair in the room.
"Aren't you getting up Wanda?" Jared asks me "It's almost time to leave." Jamie was fast at getting out of bed and putting clothes on, so Ian just opens the door again.
"Bye Jared, we'll see you at the parking lot." Melanie and Jared look at him, stunned. "Get out guys, Wanda needs to get dressed." Ian always understands me. When Jamie sleeps with us I just change clothes in the bathroom. Walking around in underwear and shirt doesn't bother me. Not with Jamie, not with Melanie. But Jared being in here… No, I am not getting out of this bed with him in the same room.
They take off and Ian and I get dressed. Out on the parking lot Ian and I take the van, the others get in the jeep.
Ian pulls me to him in the car. "Last store for this trip, then we're off to home."
"Yes. Home." I smile at him. It truly is my home now. I can't imagine living anywhere else. We pull over at the parking lot. Mel and Jamie stay in the van and Jared walks up to us.
"Ready for your last shopping spree today Wanda?"
"You are coming with me Jared?" Jared rarely comes into stores with me. He always says he's more comfortable being on the look out.
"Yeah, I'm kind off bored sitting around all day."
"Okay, let's go." I squeeze Ian's hand and get out of the jeep. Jared takes my hand and we walk into the store. It's the easiest way to get some privacy whilst shopping; appearing to be a couple.
"What do you want?" I ask Jared.
"What do you mean?"
"You only ever come into stores with me when you want to get something for yourself. And then you hide the item at the bottom of the bags. So what is it you want this time?" Jared's face goes from looking surprised to realizing he got caught. Then he smiles.
"I never figured you caught on to that, you never seemed to."
I shrug. "I was just happy that you took some things for yourself, you never ask for anything for yourself. I just want to see you happy, Jared." Jared looks a little uncomfortable at me. It can still lead to awkward situations, talking about the feelings I inherited from the time in Mel's body. I still love him. It has become more like a sister-brother-love, but those feelings of a deeper love are in there still. I know that Jared still feels some things too. He usually is very practical, what needs to be done, needs to be done, but sometimes when it comes to me, he becomes almost as overprotective like Ian.
"Jared…"
"I know what you mean Wanda." He flashes me a crooked smile. "But I didn't join you because I want to get something for myself this time. I just wanted to talk to you, I can never get you alone in the caves. I know you talk to Mel. I know that Ian takes very good care of you. But I just wanted to make sure that you are alright after everything that happened. I figured that maybe you need to talk to someone who hasn't shared your mind, thus knows most of your thoughts before you speak them aloud. And, someone who isn't your boyfriend. Like an outsider."
"You are hardly an outsider Jared."
"I know, but I still thought I'd offer." I'm touched by what he's telling me. We all struggled when I came into this new body. But I could talk about that with Ian and Mel. I never discussed it with Jared, the love I still feel for him, yet is so different from being in love with him. And he usually just treats me like a friend. Not distant, but not like close friends either. Underneath the words he is speaking now, he is telling me that he truly cares.
"Thank you Jared. It was hard. It still is, especially when I look at Jodi. But I really am alright." Jared squeezes my hand.
"Just know that you can always come to talk to me as well."
"I do, thank you." I realize we've stopped walking and are just standing here in the middle of the aisle. That is not normal Soul behaviour, we will draw attention like this. I clear my throat.
"Let's get this shopping over with."
Jared and I get fresh supplies; eggs, cheese, milk, some fruit and vegetables. Jared insists on carrying most of the supplies to the van, I just get to carry one bag. I hoped that my body would gain some more strength if I just made it do things, but if everyone keeps taking things from me, that isn't going to happen. We load everything up and take off again. We're going home.
Author's note: Short chapter sorry! I really wanted to get into the feelings left between Wanda and Jared.
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