Part One: Electronic Light
Chapter One: Meeting Up
It was the first day of the school year, and Cameron Lucian marveled as he walked down the street. * For once, I'm actually on time to school instead of late as usual! I guess Mom really was serious when she said there was no way I was going to be late today. * He stuck his hands inside his jacket pockets and continued on, eventually breaking into a light jog. He was about two blocks away from the school when he saw a figure with short black hair and glasses that stood across the street from him. With a wave, the boy called over to Cameron, speaking familiarly. "Cam! How's it goin'?"
"Hey, Nate!" Cameron crossed the street, and when he got there, he and the other boy began to exchange stories of their summers. "I've been cool. The vacation was fun, though I think my folks could have let me stay home. I'm in no rush to be back in school!" Both boys laughed at this as they began walking again. "What about you? Hacked any networks lately?" Cameron asked as he grinned at Nathan, who usually went by Nate.
"Ha hah, very funny," Nathan replied. "You know as well as I do that I only hack into the school system when you're failing a class so I can fix your report card!" The look of wicked mischief that was in his gray eyes shone as they both laughed again. "Really, though, I've been pretty good. Not a lot went on this summer, except for my parents trying to get me to take those extra classes I told you about."
Cameron shook his head. "Man, am I glad my parents aren't like that! I have enough school during the school year. Your folks are never gonna give up on that, are they?"
"Not in my lifetime," Nathan answered with a shrug. "They're determined to get me to be high school valedictorian. I keep reminding them that I'm only in the eighth grade, but I don't think they really get it yet." Then he pointed up ahead. "Speaking of school, look where we are." Both looked ahead to see the tan bricks of their school in view down the street.
"We're not on school grounds yet, right?" Cameron asked.
"Nope, not as far as I know." Then Nathan looked over at the other boy. "Oh, no. What are you planning this time, Cam?"
"Nothing!" The next thing Nathan knew, his friend was running down the street, headed right for the building. Though he was annoyed, he couldn't help but laugh. That was the typical Cameron that he knew, he thought as he began to run as well. Of course, he also knew he wouldn't win, but it was the race that counted, not the outcome.
Having slowed down to a walk again, the two boys entered the school, which was full of other students between the sixth and eight grades that were all milling the hallways. People caught up with friends, found their classes, and relearned their locker combinations during those ten minutes before school began in earnest.
Cameron worked busily at the latter time consuming exercise, getting nowhere except for aggravated. "Grrr!" he said below his breath as he yanked on his lock. With a frown, he tried the numbers, pulled on the lock, and had it stay closed for about the millionth time that morning. As he began to start over, a laugh sounded from just behind him. He turned around, about to say something that his mom would call "smart". Instead, he stopped as he saw who had laughed.
A girl wearing jeans and a T-shirt, her wavy ponytail of black hair visible, stood leaning against the locker next to his. Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she smiled. "You just don't have a good relationship with lockers, do you, Cam?" she said playfully. She then pushed him out of the way, entered the numbers to his lock, and popped it open. "There you go!" While he rummaged around in his locker and stuffed his jacket inside, she stood there, whistling as she watched him.
Eventually, aware of her eyes on him, Cameron turned his head and looked at her. "Thanks, Marissa," he said at last.
The girl laughed brightly. "No problem-o, Cam. I'm used to doing this for you by now."
"I can see that," he noted, "since you know my combination. Just don't get a big head because you bailed me out again, all right?"
She simply smiled and did not comment. Then, as if she had just thought of it, she asked, "So, how did your summer treat you?" So that school year began with Cameron telling his friend Marissa about his summer, and hearing the various stories she had to tell. "Well," she said a little later, "I've gotta go to my class now, or I'll be late like you always are!" She laughed again at the look on his face. "See ya!" With that, she hurried off down the hall, leaving Cameron to make his way to his first class of the day.
Chapter One: Meeting Up
It was the first day of the school year, and Cameron Lucian marveled as he walked down the street. * For once, I'm actually on time to school instead of late as usual! I guess Mom really was serious when she said there was no way I was going to be late today. * He stuck his hands inside his jacket pockets and continued on, eventually breaking into a light jog. He was about two blocks away from the school when he saw a figure with short black hair and glasses that stood across the street from him. With a wave, the boy called over to Cameron, speaking familiarly. "Cam! How's it goin'?"
"Hey, Nate!" Cameron crossed the street, and when he got there, he and the other boy began to exchange stories of their summers. "I've been cool. The vacation was fun, though I think my folks could have let me stay home. I'm in no rush to be back in school!" Both boys laughed at this as they began walking again. "What about you? Hacked any networks lately?" Cameron asked as he grinned at Nathan, who usually went by Nate.
"Ha hah, very funny," Nathan replied. "You know as well as I do that I only hack into the school system when you're failing a class so I can fix your report card!" The look of wicked mischief that was in his gray eyes shone as they both laughed again. "Really, though, I've been pretty good. Not a lot went on this summer, except for my parents trying to get me to take those extra classes I told you about."
Cameron shook his head. "Man, am I glad my parents aren't like that! I have enough school during the school year. Your folks are never gonna give up on that, are they?"
"Not in my lifetime," Nathan answered with a shrug. "They're determined to get me to be high school valedictorian. I keep reminding them that I'm only in the eighth grade, but I don't think they really get it yet." Then he pointed up ahead. "Speaking of school, look where we are." Both looked ahead to see the tan bricks of their school in view down the street.
"We're not on school grounds yet, right?" Cameron asked.
"Nope, not as far as I know." Then Nathan looked over at the other boy. "Oh, no. What are you planning this time, Cam?"
"Nothing!" The next thing Nathan knew, his friend was running down the street, headed right for the building. Though he was annoyed, he couldn't help but laugh. That was the typical Cameron that he knew, he thought as he began to run as well. Of course, he also knew he wouldn't win, but it was the race that counted, not the outcome.
Having slowed down to a walk again, the two boys entered the school, which was full of other students between the sixth and eight grades that were all milling the hallways. People caught up with friends, found their classes, and relearned their locker combinations during those ten minutes before school began in earnest.
Cameron worked busily at the latter time consuming exercise, getting nowhere except for aggravated. "Grrr!" he said below his breath as he yanked on his lock. With a frown, he tried the numbers, pulled on the lock, and had it stay closed for about the millionth time that morning. As he began to start over, a laugh sounded from just behind him. He turned around, about to say something that his mom would call "smart". Instead, he stopped as he saw who had laughed.
A girl wearing jeans and a T-shirt, her wavy ponytail of black hair visible, stood leaning against the locker next to his. Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she smiled. "You just don't have a good relationship with lockers, do you, Cam?" she said playfully. She then pushed him out of the way, entered the numbers to his lock, and popped it open. "There you go!" While he rummaged around in his locker and stuffed his jacket inside, she stood there, whistling as she watched him.
Eventually, aware of her eyes on him, Cameron turned his head and looked at her. "Thanks, Marissa," he said at last.
The girl laughed brightly. "No problem-o, Cam. I'm used to doing this for you by now."
"I can see that," he noted, "since you know my combination. Just don't get a big head because you bailed me out again, all right?"
She simply smiled and did not comment. Then, as if she had just thought of it, she asked, "So, how did your summer treat you?" So that school year began with Cameron telling his friend Marissa about his summer, and hearing the various stories she had to tell. "Well," she said a little later, "I've gotta go to my class now, or I'll be late like you always are!" She laughed again at the look on his face. "See ya!" With that, she hurried off down the hall, leaving Cameron to make his way to his first class of the day.