Nine+Six Fanfiction

5

I play Xbox. It takes my mind off things. Usually I would invite Eight to join me. Not this time. I want to be alone. Just me against AI. Its about 5pm.
I take another slice of pizza from the box beside me, still holding the Xbox controller in my free hand. I've gotten good at multitasking. Pizza and Xbox. It doesn't get much better than this. Well, there's still something missing.
Six.
I want to see her. I wish she were here beside me, playing Xbox with me, battling against me like we do in the Lecture Hall. But she isn't. She's probably off flirting with the nerd. Whatever. I don't stand a chance.
I keep my eyes on the screen as I use my awesome Xbox skills to kill bad guys in Call of Duty 3. It seems real. The blood. The guns. The war. All of it seems real in the game. And it is real. For all of us. I'm distracted from my game when someone plops down on the couch next to me. It's Eight, and he steals the last slice of pizza.
"Seriously, dude," I whine, still concentrating on the screen. "Put it back."
When Eight doesn't reply, I glance st him. The pizza slice is already gone, already in his stomache. Damn, he's almost as fast as me.
"Wow," I say, in a bored tone.
"Sorry, bro," Eight laughs and pats me on the back. "You should talk to her, man. She likes you."
What? I pause my game. I know he means Six. But I ask anyway. "Who?"
Eight smirks. "Six is totally into you, man." He gestures at my game, the screen still paused. "Shut this shit off and go talk to her. Talk about . . .um, I dunno. Stuff. Good luck." And with that, he's gone, teleported into some other dimension. Who knows with him?
Loud grunts and pounding noises come from the Lecture Hall.
I turn off the Xbox console and leave my empty pizza box on the couch. I have something more important to do. I take deep breaths as I make my way to the Lecture Hall. Thats where she'll be, no doubt. I'm about to talk to her. I'm nervous. Now she'll definitely know I like her. Maybe I should just leave her alone. But deep down, I know that Eight is right. I can't keep my feelings for Six in the dark forever. I need to show her how I feel. Who knows? Maybe. . .
Maybe she feels the same way for me. But that sounds absolutely rediculous so I dismiss the thought. I reach the Lecture Hall. There's Six, beating up a Mogadorian dummy. Sandor made those dummies. For me. To help me so I would survive against the Mogadorians. And I have. So far.
Four is lecturing Sarah while she shoots at a target with a Mogadorian blaster. This whole training room we have is amazing. I've come to really appreciate it. Four and Sarah are at the very end of room, out of ear shot. Thank Lorien. There's no way I'd be doing this if Johnny were near. I glance around me to make sure no one else is around. Then I slowly and casually approach Six. Her black hair is up in a high ponytail and she's covered in sweat. She continue yes punching the dummy and takes no notice of me. I clear my throat, my hands awkwardly clasped behind my back. She takes a few more swings and then the dummy falls over. Six is breathing hard. She turns my way and smiles at me, clearly proud at her victory.
"Nice," I say.
"Yeah, thanks," she says.
I have no idea what the hell to say next. So I go with the flow. "One on one?"
"If you really think you can beat me, you're on." She replies, determined to take me out.
I snicker at that. "Let me remind you, the last time we did this, I won."
"Maybe it was because I was going easy on you. Someone might've cried If they'd lost. And we wouldn't want that." Six says, hands on hips.
"Only in your dreams." I answer as I take my ready position. Six does the same, her fists balled in front of her face.
"I'll go easy on you. Just like last time." Six says, smiling at me wickedly.
"ONE!"
Only then do I notice Johnny and Sarah standing off to the side. Sarah is counting off for us while John face-palms.
"TWO!"
"Why is everything a competition with you two?" John asks with a sigh.
"Because it has to be." Six and I say at the same time.
"THREE!"
I jab at Six's neck. She kicks at my knee. We land some gruesome blows. I'm not quick enough to block and Six punches me in the face. I hook my arm under her armpit and manage to pin her arms behind her back. She head-butts my nose and I immediately spew blood. I loosen my grip on her and she spins around to face me. She trips me with a kick while I'm distracted with my bleeding nose. I fall onto my back and she leaps on top of me. She pins my wrists above my head while I try and roll over. I can't seem to get up with her on me. Six slams her foot onto my wrists. She puts her face up in mine and smirks.
"Deja vu," she says. Only then do I realise, she's done to me exactly what I'd done to her in our last battle. She releases my wrists and gets off me. I struggle to my feet. I rip off my shirt and hold it to my nose. My blood covers the floor. I'm gonna have to clean this up. Six doesn't apologize for my nose and I'm proud of her. But I'm humiliated. Beaten by a girl. But even worse, beaten by my crush.
I look at Johnny who can't stop laughing. Sarah stares at the mess on the floor and sighs.
"Clean this up, Nine," she orders.
"Nine, she pummeled you!" Four says, howling with laughter.
"Shut up, Johnny, before I dangle you off the roof again."
He doesn't find that very funny and leaves with his girlfriend. Six and I are left alone. Surrounded by blood. She stands in front of me and holds out a hand.
"Good fight," she says, smiling.
"Yeah," I say, my balled up shirt still held to my nose. I shake her hand. "Good fight."
She looks at me with something close to pity. "You want Marina to heal that?"
"Hell, no!" I say. Is she serious? I can handle it!
"Okay," She laughs and turns to walk away. Before I know what I'm doing, I jerk forward and grab her wrist. She stares at me, with anticipation. She's waiting for it. For me to say it.
She's waiting for me to say I love you.
"Six. . . you're. . ." I stare into her eyes and mentally slap myself for making her wait. "You're a pretty awesome garde, a'ight. . ."
She smiles at me and gently pats my shoulder. "Clean yourself up, Nine." She says. "I'll see you at dinner."