Unexpected Discoveries Chapter 5, a host fanfic

My longest chapter yet. Dedicated to twilight-shelly. Thanks for always reviewing. This chapter is extra long for you. Hope you like it!

Chapter 5:

WPOV

I inhaled the sweet aroma of the coffee sitting in front of me. Though, it didn't calm my nerves the way I hoped it would, or rather the way Melanie hoped it would. I quite enjoyed the strange emotions that filled me. But it made Melanie uncomfortable to feel like this about someone who was not Jared. The feeling made her hate Ian more than I could possibly imagine.

I looked up at the surprisingly familiar blue eyes that were staring back at me. The intensity of his gaze was similar to when he stared at me in class earlier. Suddenly the look in his eyes grew soft as he opened his mouth to speak. He closed it just as quickly unsure what to say. I decided to make it easier for him by asking him what he wanted to ask me about the See Weeds' planet. I opened my mouth to ask but closed it immediately as I realized I didn't want to talk about planets. I wanted to know more about him. Before I could ask anything, he threw a question at me.

"So, you didn't like any of the other planets enough to stay?"

I wasn't prepared for this question though it was asked of me frequently by other souls I have conversed with. I thought carefully about how I should answer. Naturally, the common response that I usually replied with filled my mind. The vague reply that I often use was that although I liked the planets I did not feel an attachment to them. However, with Ian, I felt that I needed to tell him everything and had no desire to leave anything out.

"Well, although I certainly liked the planets and the kind nature of the beings there, I never felt like I belonged. I never had many friends and those that I had were not really a big part of my life." I looked down at my coffee ashamed at my distant nature before continuing softly. "As souls, you know how we are supposed to be naturally social. I am not a very social soul and have never met anyone who wanted to make me stay. It never felt right. Who knows if I'll ever find a partner."

Suddenly I hid my head in my hands as I realized what I had just admitted. I just admitted that there was something wrong with me and I was abnormal. I said it before thinking about what he would think. He is going to act like anyone else. He will be slightly uncomfortable and have a sympathetic look in his perfect blue eyes and tell me that it's ok but perhaps I should see a Comforter.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean—I mean I know there must be something wrong with me the way. It's obvious because I'm so different than other souls." My voice was muffled as I spoke through my hands. "I didn't mean to tell you and make you uncomfortable. I—"

I gasped as his hands softly but firmly gripped my wrists and pulled them away from my face. When he brought my arms to the table, he slid his coarse hands into mine and looked into my eyes. "There's nothing wrong with you. If there is, then something's wrong with me as well. I've never been out with a soul before. You're my first. Most make me kind of uncomfortable even if they are nice. Who knows if I will ever find a partner."

I looked at him in disbelief. Ian. The most perfect being I've ever seen sitting in front of me. How is it possible that Ian has never been out with anyone before? How is it possible that he would choose me to go out with? Well, actually it couldn't be called a date. I must seem incredibly stupid acting like this when it's supposed to be a student-teacher meeting. Yet I couldn't bring myself to stray from the topic onto a more appropriate one.

"How is that possible? You are practically perfect. Just look at you. Haven't you ever felt any physical attraction to anyone? I'm sure you would find no difficulty finding someone who would want to date you."

I once again looked down with embarrassment as I realized I once again blurted my thoughts without thinking about the consequences of my words. I was surprised to feel my cheeks heat up a bit as I watched my coffee intently. When I looked back up I saw him looking at me with a strange look on his face that I could not identify.

"I am far from perfect. And if you are surprised that someone with my appearance should have not yet found an…um…a partner, than I should die of shock that you haven't. Do you not realize how beautiful you are and how unbelievable it is that you are still available? I hadn't really found anyone I wanted to be with before."

"Before? Oh. So you finally found someone?" I tried to control my voice but could not stop the obvious disappointment in my words.

"Yes. Though I know I shouldn't want to be with her for a couple of reasons, I can't help how much I'm beginning to like her."

"So you haven't asked her yet?" I stirred the coffee that was now cold.

"I don't know if I should."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, am I allowed to ask a teacher out?"

I looked up quickly at him surprised. There was slight humor in his voice but his eyes held such seriousness. I didn't know how to reply.

"Will you go out with me on Friday night?" He asked with the same serious look. But this time he appeared to be a bit nervous.

I looked away for a minute to think. Melanie took this opportunity to suddenly to give her opinion on the subject.

You can't go out with him!

Oh yeah. Why not?

Because you can't! I belong with Jared!

Well I'm not you. I replied to her calmly. Whether you like it or not, this body now belongs to me. I can date whom I please.

He's your freaking student! You can't date your student.

Almost as though he heard Melanie's argument, Ian shyly tried to convince me to consider his offer.

"You know, I'm kind of not really your student. I mean, I attend your class but it's more like a lecture hall telling about other planets. And it's the only class I have there. That is, if you're worried about the student-teacher thing. But if it's just that you don't want to—"

"Ian, I would love to go out with you." I looked up at him in time to see him register what I said. I watched the worry and embarrassment on his face change to happiness and excitement.

"Really? You don't have to if—"

"No. I really want to."

His smile grew more pronounced as he looked at me and realized the sincerity of my words. He looked down at his watch to see the time. What he saw must have surprised him because he jumped up.

"I'm so sorry. But I have to go. I didn't realize what time it was. I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. I'll see you in class." I was surprised by my sudden disappointment at him leaving. I was even more stunned at how much I missed his hands in mine.

He looked at me once more before leaving.

"Goodbye," he said almost sadly.

"Bye."

As I exited the coffee shop, I thought about how I wished today was not Wednesday but Friday instead. Melanie, however, sulked at the idea of seeing Ian again. But even her indifference could not wipe my euphoria away.

IPOV

I looked down at the coffee sitting in front of me as I thought about what I should ask. I didn't remember most of her lecture because I was too busy thinking about her expressions, her movement, the sound of her voice. I know that most of the things I could ask her would probably be something she already discussed. I gave up and looked at her. I wondered what she could possibly be thinking about that put a slight frown on her flawless face. She suddenly looked up at me and locked her hazel eyes with my blue ones.

I decided to ask more about the planet's source of nutrition for the beings figuring that if I asked her to expand on a subject it would sound like a more convincing question. I opened my mouth but closed it just as fast. I didn't want to talk about a stupid planet that I would never see. I wanted to learn everything about her. She opened her mouth as though she was going to say something but closed it like I did.

I asked the first question that came to mind. "So, you didn't like any of the other planets enough to stay?"

She was slightly taken aback but quickly recovered as she prepared her answer. She thought about it for a moment before responding.

She looked down at her coffee before continuing quietly. "As souls, you know how we are supposed to be naturally social. I am not a very social soul and have never met anyone who wanted to make me stay. It never felt right. Who knows if I'll ever find a partner."

She hid her face in her hands as she finished her explanation. How is it that someone so beautiful could feel like an outsider and feel like she would never belong?

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean—I mean I know there must be something wrong with me the way. It's obvious because I'm so different than other souls. I didn't mean to tell you and make you uncomfortable. I—"

I softly took her wrists in my hands and pulled them away from her face. I heard her gasp at my actions but it didn't stop me from what I was doing. I was just surprised as her as I took her hands in mine and looked at her. I carefully thought about what I would say.

"There's nothing wrong with you. If there is, then something's wrong with me as well. I've never been out with a soul before. You're my first. Most make me kind of uncomfortable even if they are nice. Who knows if I will ever find a partner."

I was telling her the complete truth. I have never found anyone I've wanted to be with. Even before the parasites took over I couldn't find a girl who I actually wanted to be with in a way more than friends. I had to endure Kyle's relentless teasing for never going out. And she was the only soul I had ever been with alone. The others scared me and made me feel awkward. But there was something about Wanderer that made me feel completely comfortable.

I looked at the disbelief on her face before she responded to my confession.

She once again hid her face but could not completely hide the blush on her cheeks. I was surprised that she found me perfect and was so astonished at my being single. I looked at her and realized how much I cared about what she thought. What killed me most was the thought that somewhere in there could be the girl who belonged with Jared. How could I start to fall for a parasite in not just any body but this one. I'm the probably the worst friend. I don't deserve the girl that sits in front of me.

"Before? Oh. So you finally found someone?" I grinned at the disappointment in her voice.

"Yes. Though I know I shouldn't want to be with her for a couple of reasons, I can't help how much I'm beginning to like her." For more reasons than she knows.

"So you haven't asked her yet?" I looked down at our entwined hands smiling. I was surprised that she hadn't realized that I was talking about her. I smiled at her as she stirred her drink.

"I don't know if I should." I shouldn't.

"What do you mean?" I'm being a terrible friend. But…

"Well, am I allowed to ask a teacher out?"

She looked up surprised at my question.

"Will you go out with me on Friday night?" I asked. The humor was gone from my voice and was filled with nervousness.

I looked at her and noticed that she must be going through an internal battle as she decided whether she should say yes or no.

Perhaps she doesn't know how to tell me no without hurting my feelings. Then it would be a bit awkward for her to see me in class everyday. Class! Maybe she's concerned because she thinks I'm a student.

"Ian, I would love to go out with you."

I looked at her suddenly feeling a surge of happiness. Excitement flowed through my veins. The feeling somewhat alien to me after having so little to be excited about. Although I was ecstatic about her answer. I tried to assure her she wasn't obligated.

"Really? You don't have to if—"

"No. I really want to."

My smile couldn't have been bigger. I looked down my watch and realized I had been here with her for two hours. Jared. He probably didn't expect me to stay out so long with her. I jumped up. I realized that I missed her hands in mine.

"I'm so sorry. But I have to go. I didn't realize what time it was. I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. I'll see you in class." I was filled with joy as I realized she was disappointed. I looked down at her.

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

I tried to prepare myself for Jared's interrogation but couldn't get Wanderer off my mind as I walked home. Melanie was a beautiful girl who first drew me in. But it was Wanderer's personality and her company that is making me fall in love.