Chapter 1: "so, did you meet any pretty girls?"
John was leaving the Red Valley's high school after his first day. He didn't want to be here he wanted to be back in Nebraska with Charlie but his mom had made them leave for reasons that only made sense to her. So here he was, in this nowhere hick town where he stuck out like a sore thumb.
He was walking towards the exit with his eyes downcast lost in his thoughts and trying to draw as little attention as he could to himself when he heard someone call out to him.
"John, wait a minute"
He stopped and turned to see that girl from Mr. Ferguson's class walking toward him. As she reached him he said "Cameron, right?"
"yes." She answered with a small smile. "I was wondering if you might reconsider helping me with the homework for our computer class. I really have no clue what I'm doing. Computers just aren't my thing."
Damn his mom and her paranoia, even if it was justified, John thought. "I can't. My mom, like I said earlier."
"Oh, right… well I guess I'll see you tomorrow then" she replied as her smile collapsed. She walked away.
John felt bad and a little confused. He turned around and walked out the school. On his way home he decided that he would ask his mom if he could stay a little late tomorrow. He figured she would say yes because she would be glad he was making friends.
Sarah turned to look as John came through the front door. "How was your first day here?"
John set his back pack down in its spot next to the door. "It was fine." He said as he made for his room.
Typical teenager, Sarah thought but she wasn't going to let him get away with it, not on the first day. She followed him up to his room. "John, everything alright?"
"I said it was fine mom."
"John just talk to me it was your first day, I want to hear about it."
"I don't really know what to tell you, I went to school. It's pretty much the same everywhere."
"What do you think of Red Valley?" She asked
"This is a hick town, mom."
"We've been in worse places. But what do you mean?"
"Well, my clothes are all wrong. I need, like, some different shirts. You know, here everyone wears boots? Like, cowboy boots. I hate cowboy boots." He said laying back on his bed.
She smiled slightly, "I'll see what I can do. How is the school itself?"
"The teachers are alright but their computers are like, from the frigging '50s or something."
"There're computers? I thought we agreed..." Her smile was replaced with stern and worried look.
"No, no. It... It wasn't my fault they switched my class."
"The last thing I need is you getting caught hacking."
"I'm not hacking, Mom. God, I know the rules. They're, like, written on the inside of my eyeballs, all right?" He said angrily.
Sarah let it go and changed the subject. "Hey. You meet any pretty girls?"
"No, I'm telling you, it's a hick town." He said but couldn't totally suppress a small smile.
"What?" Sarah asked beginning to grin a little. "Come on John you can tell me."
"Well there is this one girl who has been really nice. Her name is Cameron." He looked a little uncomfortable. "and yeah, she is pretty"
Sarah leaned forward and ruffled his hair "I'm glad you had a good day."
John quickly put his hair back the way he liked it. "Mom, don't do that" he complained but he didn't sound too annoyed.
Sarah left the room and went back downstairs to start dinner.
Later after dinner, which turned out to be pizza because his mom had nearly burned the house down trying to make fried chicken, John looked up at his mom. He hesitated a little.
"John what is it?" She asked looking a little concerned.
"Well I was wondering if it would be alright if I was a little late getting home tomorrow." He said.
"Why?" Sarah asked "What are you going to do?"
He blushed "Well. Cameron asked me to help her with her homework for her computer class."
Sarah laughed, "She must be pretty to get you to stay late at school. Just behave yourself. And don't stay too late. I want you home by 5 o'clock." I'm glad he's found a potential friend already. He's been alone too much the last few years.
John was highly confused by this reaction. He had expected his mom to protest, to tell him not to draw attention to himself. But he was happy about it.
"What? Really? Uh… thanks mom!"
"You're welcome"
"I'm gonna go do my home work and get some sleep." He hurried up the stairs to his room.
"Good night John." Sarah called after him. She received a somewhat muffled reply from upstairs.
Sarah sat back down at the kitchen table thinking about her son. She was glad to see him trying to make friends. It made her nervous too but she didn't want him to be a loner for the rest of his life. She wanted him to be happy it was just hard to break old habits. She tried to remember the last time John had been close to someone. It took her a minute but then she thought of the protector John had sent back for himself the last time Skynet tried to kill him. It bothered her a bit that her sons last best friend and even father figure had been a terminator. It made sense and she had even been sad to see him destroyed. They were wanted by the FBI for several crimes committed during those couple days, that was true but at least they didn't have to worry about Skynet or Terminators any more not since they destroyed Cyberdyne.
John woke the next morning feeling good. He got ready for school taking just a little longer than usual picking his clothes for the day. Realizing he was running a little late he hurried downstairs to get quick bowl of cereal before school.
"You're in a hurry." Sarah said as she entered the room in her waitress uniform.
"I just don't want be late and get a detention or something." He said between spoonfuls.
"Well don't eat too fast. I'd rather you got detention then have you choke to death on your corn flakes" She said teasingly.
"Right like you wouldn't kill me for getting in trouble." He replied in the same tone. He picked up his empty bowl and put it in the sink. "Well, I'm off." He said as he picked up his back pack and opened the door.
"Alright, see you at five." She called after him.
As it turned out John was almost late anyway but Mr. Ferguson was not there yet so he sat down in the only empty seat which was next to Cameron. He had been thinking and had decided that if they might be friends then he should probably tell her the truth about his dad. Well not the whole truth because that just sounded crazy aside from being dangerous to him and his mom.
"Cameron."
"What? Oh hey John" She said looking over at him.
"I lied to you yesterday. My dad doesn't sell insurance. He's dead. He was a soldier. He was killed on a mission." He hadn't meant to just say it like that but he was a little nervous and it just came out.
"I'm sorry."
"It's all right. My mom was pregnant with me when it happened. I never even knew him. So it's all right... My mom, she... she... she's kind of uptight. Actually, no, she's really uptight. She likes me to come home straight after school and hang out with her and that kind of thing, you know? I'm all she's got."
"Thank you for explaining. It'll be our secret." She said smiling at him.
Just then the door opened and Mr. Ferguson walked in. "Alright, everyone settle down." The class slowly fell silent John and Cameron turned to face the front or the room.
While Mr. Ferguson began to take attendance John leaned slightly towards Cameron and whispered "Hey, um, I-"
"Mr. Reese, What did I tell you about not talking during class? Now quiet down." Mr. Ferguson cut him off.
"Sorry Mr. Ferguson." John said quickly blushing a little at being made the center of attention.
"Good. Now let's see. Oh yes, Wayne Parker?"
"I'll tell you later." John whispered to Cameron as Wayne said "Here"
"Cameron Phillips"
"Here"
"Mr. Reese has already made his presence known, so now let's get down to business. It's time for a quiz on last night's reading."
The class let out a collective sigh and began digging for paper and pencils.
At break John went to his locker to put away the books he didn't need and to get the ones he did for his next class. He closed his locker and turned around to find Cameron standing right behind him. John let out a small yelp of surprise and jumped back.
"I'm sorry." She said with a look somewhere between concern and amusement.
"It's ok. Just try not to sneak up on me like that."
"So, what were you trying to say in Mr. Ferguson's class?"
"I was going to ask you if you still want some help with that computer stuff."
"Yeah I would but I thought have to go home right after school."
"Well, I usually do but I asked my mom if I could stay to help you and she said yes." John explained quickly.
"Great, I'll call my parents at lunch to let them know that I'll be late."
They stood there for a moment then the bell rang.
"See ya later." John said as he began to walk towards his next class.
John spent that class, English his least favorite class and the only one he didn't have with Cameron, thinking about her. Well not exactly, he was thinking about spending time with her later and realized that he had no idea what they were going to talk about. Helping with the assignment was great but it wouldn't be much to talk about for over an hour.
By the time lunch came around John had made himself nervous and a little jittery. He got the lunch his mom packed him from his locker and found an empty table in the cafeteria. He was eating his lunch when Cameron seemed to appear out of nowhere in front of him. Much to his surprise he managed not to jump this time.
"Is this seat taken?" She asked indicating the spot across from him.
"No, uh it's all yours."
"Thanks." She sat down. "I just called my parents and they said to take as long as I need."
"That's nice of them, but we'll have to get done quick so I can be home by five."
"Your mom sure likes to keep tabs on where you are and what you're doing doesn't she?" Cameron asked with a half smile.
"Yeah." John sighed.
"We seem to have a lot of classes together." She said changing the subject.
"I noticed that. Kinda weird isn't it?" I would have arranged that but it turned out I didn't need to. "Well I should get going." He added quickly and gathered up his things.
"Okay then, see you later."
John glanced back to see her looking slightly crestfallen. He didn't really know what to make of that but he put it out of his mind.
After school John made his way to the computer lab where he found Cameron waiting for him.
"Well, let's get started." John said as he sat down next to her and switched the computer on. While it was booting up he racked his brain for something to say. "It's pretty nice of your parents to let you stay late with such short notice."
"I think they're trying to win me over."
John gave her a puzzled look. "Why would they do that?"
"Oh, didn't I tell you they're not my real parents. They're my foster parents."
"Ok now it makes sense. I know what that's like."
"Were you in foster care?" She asked looking confused.
"Yeah I was." He said quietly. The computer was up now and he turned to it.
"I don't understand. I thought you lived with your mom."
"I do, but I was in foster homes for a few years because…she…sort of had a mental breakdown and was institutionalized." He was bright red. "She's better now though."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's alright, it's just a little embarrassing is all." He paused for a moment. "So, um what happened with your parents?"
"I'd rather not talk about it right now. It's a long story." She said looking a little worried.
"I understand, maybe some other time." He said gently and she gave him a relieved smile.
"Should we get to work?" She asked looking over at the computer.
"Huh..oh, um yeah." He said distractedly.
They worked on the homework project for the next forty minutes or so. John knew what he was doing and Cameron seemed to be a fast learner.
"You seem to be getting the hang of it." I hope I haven't done my job too well.
"Yeah but I'm sure I'll need more help. I still don't understand everything."
"Wow! Its quarter to five I've gotta get going." John said after checking the clock. "Here's what we've got so far." He handed her a floppy with the files saved on it. They quickly grabbed their bags and left for the parking lot.
John and Cameron were walking through the parking lot. "I'll see you tomorrow John. Bye" Cameron said as she turned towards her truck.
"Ok bye. Oh by the way I like your truck." He said feeling lame but it was true.
"Thanks." She said smiling. "Where is yours"
"I don't have a car, yet."
"Oh… Would you like a ride home? I don't mind."
John hesitated for a moment. He knew he wasn't supposed to bring people home his mom hated that. It was one of her rules. But he did want a ride. Aside from the fact that he'd have to run the whole way to get home in time, he wasn't in a hurry to get away from her. Just when her smile was faltering at his hesitation he said, "Yeah I'd like that." And climbed in.
Most of the drive was filled with John giving her directions to his place. She drove a little fast but he figured she just didn't want him to get in trouble for being late and she didn't seem to have any trouble controlling the truck anyway.
"There it is." John pointed to the driveway of the house. Cameron pulled in.. "Thanks for the ride." John climbed out of the truck and was about to close the door when he made a spur of the moment decision. "Cameron…"
"What?"
John's pulse shot up out of nervousness. For all his training to be the brave, cool, calm leader of humanity he was sure feeling nervous when it came to girls. "I…I was wondering. Would you like to go out some time?" He could feel the blood flood his face.
She took a moment to respond. He thought he saw an odd blue glint in her eye but was distracted by the sound of the front door crashing open. He saw his mom standing in the doorway.
"John. Dinner is almost ready." Sarah called to him in a voice he knew meant (You're in trouble but I don't want everyone to know)
"Yes." Cameron replied quietly.
John turned back to Cameron, "Great!" He gave her a huge grin. "But we'll have to work out the details later. You should probably go. It looks like I'm about catch it for something."
"Good luck?... Bye" She said as she put the truck in gear and drove off.