The Boys With Numbers As Names (Nine x OC)

The Year After

A year had passed. I never once stopped thinking about what happened that day, to Nine and Twelve. It was hard to forget, since every time I closed my eyes I dreamt about them. I kept replaying the bomb exploding in the sky in my mind, but every time I thought of that I thought of Nine, and it led me to tears.

It was even harder when I had to explain my story to reporters and news outlets everywhere.

I wasn't the only one. Lisa was being hounded as well, since we were both present for pretty much the entire thing.

No one ever believed my story, they only believed that I was a hostage. They didn't want to think that I had been involved since the very beginning, when they first stole that bomb.

My chest aches when I think about it, but I still visit the graves. Lisa and I stuck together, because since what happened with Nine and Twelve we didn't really have any one else.

There were so many interviews, so many different radio stations and news stations, but they all always asked the same question. It was still one show after the next.

"What was their goal?"

"They were never given the chance to live. Five, she told me to do something for her that she could never do. Before she died she told me to live. Nine and Twelve, they wanted me to live for them. They weren't given lives, they were always used as pawns, and they wanted to show that to everyone"

I never answered directly, I'd find a way around the truth and give them something to think about. I'm sure it's what they would've wanted. To make the people think wether they were actually sane or just insane.

"How did it feel when you knew they were dead? Were you relieved?"

"I was devastated. This is going to make me sound like the bad guy, but it's the truth. What they were doing, their purpose was clear. They never wanted to hurt anyone, they never thought of hurting me or Lisa. They just wanted to show the truth"

"How were you involved?"

My mouth shut firmly, my jaw tensing up. I hadn't been asked that question before, never, not in the entire year I had been asking questions.

"Tell us how you think you were involved," she repeated.

"Uh... I've never been asked that question before, it might take a minute for me to figure out my answer"

The crowd laughed, so did the host, and I forced myself to smile. It was the truth, but it wasn't something to laugh about. I didn't know the answer they wanted to hear.

"What do you want me to say?"

"Not what I want you to say. I want you to say whatever you want, keeping the swearing to a minimum, about how you were involved"

I looked down at my hands, deciding what to do. I could tell the truth, and have them all think I'm lying, or tell a lie, and have them all think I'm telling the truth. I went with the truth.

"I used to be a ballerina, we all remember, before I quit. Before my lesson I ran into a boy, he called me Five. I didn't understand, I thought he was rating my appearance but he thought I was someone else. Then I ran into another boy, he was the first boy's friend. He told me their names were Nine and Twelve. That's how it all started"

"... well, c'mon, we wanna hear how it ended too. Tell us the whole story. Tell us what you've never told anyone before"

"You want the story I told to the cops? The one I wrote in my book? The one no one believes?"

She nodded. "I want to hear it from your point of view"

"First we stole the bomb from the plant, that was the first bit of freedom I felt in a while. Then we acted as transfer students, to go on the field trip to the MGPO, then we planted bombs all around. We never wanted anyone to die, but in the end Nine and Twelve were the ones who died"

I looked down at my hands, taking a deep breath as I prepared to continue the story I didn't want to tell.

"That's when we first saw Lisa. After that, I thought they didn't need me. I would always be sent away when they were going to set up for the next plan, but they wanted me hidden. The next bomb, at that police station, I ended up in the hospital because they wouldn't tell me anything about it. I was there with my mom, and I fell off the roof"

"You're lucky to still be alive"

"Yeah. I am. I was in the hospital for a bit, they continued without me. There was the thing with the train, Nine saved a woman that couldn't hear about there being a bomb. He risked his life to save her. After this Five came into the picture. Then the airport. Before I had the chance to do anything Five found me"

I felt my cheeks grow hot, remembering the first time Nine kissed me, when I saved us from those shooting at us.

"Nine and I nearly got shot, but we made it out. They managed to stop the bomb and save Lisa, who had been put on the plane the bomb was on. We became closer after that. Then, when Twelve left to save Lisa, Nine and I finished the plan. We watched the bomb explode, then we went to the place he grew up. It was beautiful and peaceful, until I watched Twelve and then Nine die right in front of me"

"What did you think of him? Nine?"

"I loved him"

"What was he like?"

"He cared. It didn't seem like he did, but he cared. He didn't want anyone to die, he didn't want Twelve to die, he didn't want me to die"

"What would you say to him if he was still here?"

"I can't live unless you're here with me"