Author's note:

Thanks for reading and reviewing so far! Time for a Cameron-chapter! :D I like to jump around from character to character and tell the story form different perspectives. Sort of like in "Mr. Ferguson is Ill Today."

Oh, and there is some cursing in this chapter, but I felt it was appropriate. And one of them is a shoutout to the original terminator movie (a.k.a. the greatest story ever told!)

-~= C'mon, it's Christmas =~-

Chapter 3

Cameron sat by herself at a table in the lunchroom, waiting for John to go through the lunch line and come sit with her. She set a perfectly folded brown paper bag on the table and opened it. She withdrew a can of tuna. A note was in the bag. She unfolded it and read it.

I know you don't actually need to eat,

But pretend to eat this anyway.

The other kids will think you're anorexic

Or something if you never eat.

-Sarah

Cameron turned the can over and looked at the expiration date: MAR 12, 2003. She crinkled her nose in disgust. She'd have to turn off her taste receptors to eat this. She pushed her finger through the top of the can, and peeled the metal lid back. A passing boy saw her ripping the can open with her bare hands and stopped to stare.

Realizing she'd just done something to attract unwanted attention, she weighed her optional responses:

HELLO

GOODBYE

STOP STARING AT ME

I REALLY LOVE TUNA

FUCK YOU ASSHOLE

GO AWAY

She decided to combine several of them. The boy backed away slowly and never bothered her again.

She began pulling clumps of rotten tuna out of the can and eating them. Several other kids gave her weird looks as they passed by. This was the last time she'd let Sarah pack her lunch. It would be better to accompany John through the lunch-line anyway, incase there is trouble. She threw the can of tuna back into the paper bag, balled it up, and threw it in a calculated arc across the lunchroom to the garbage 50 feet away. Her aim was slightly off. Instead of falling directly into the center of the garbage can, it struck the head of a senior wearing a letter jacket sitting at a table near the can. She would have to adjust her arm pistons later that night.

She ignored the yelp and resulting commotion that came from the other side of the lunchroom and watched the lunch line again. John was finally through, and heading to her table. She smiled at him and raised her hand. As he approached, she saw that someone was walking directly behind him. It was that girl from the other night! Melissa Dayton. She was smiling and joking with John, who was in turn grinning and flirting. This was unacceptable.

John and Melissa sat down next to each other at Cameron's table. "Hey Cameron, you remember Mel from last night, right?"

Mel? He already had a nickname for her? "I never forget. Though I am surprised she hasn't killed herself with her car yet."

Melissa's face turned red and she looked down at her tray. She fidgeted with a french-fry and said, "I'm still so embarrassed about that. Normally I'm a good driver, I swear. It's just...we got all this snow, and I've never driven in snow before, and..."

"It's all right," John comforted. "We all make mistakes."

Melissa smiled as John looked into her eyes. They held each other's gaze for a much longer time than was necessary. However, their stare was broken when a large man approached then from behind. "Hey!" he shouted. It was the same guy she'd hit with her tuna can.

"Which one of you little sophomore PUNKS just hit me with this?" He held up a dripping brown ball of paper.

"Hey, don't look at me," John said. "I just sat down."

The big guy turned to Cameron and said, "It was you, wasn't it?"

Cameron considered lying, but she thought that telling him the truth would end the mystery, and he would leave sooner. "Yes, I did it. You can leave now."

The big guy angrily picked up Melissa's slushy and threw it in Cameron's face. "You're lucky you're a girl, or I'd kick your sorry ass!"

Cameron sat there, unmoving with cold red slush falling off her head in small clumps. Her urge to kill was rising, but killing him would cause legal problems, and they would have to move again. John would be mad at her.

"Hey!" John yelled. He stood up and faced the varsity football player. "What the hell do you think you're doing, douchebag?"

"Suck it, new kid." He shoved John.

John regained his balance and attacked him. The other guy may have had 70 pounds on John, but John had an entire childhood of military hand-to-hand combat training. Seconds later the bigger kid was on the ground, face down, whimpering as John twisted his arm behind his back. "Now, say you're sorry to my sister." When there was no response, John twisted harder and shouted, "Say it!"

"Ooow! I'm Sorry! Stop it! Ooow!"

John let go and stood up. Cameron smiled faintly at John. He cares about me, she thought. Before she could thank him, Melissa stood up with her hand over her mouth in shock. Her eyes were wide and she hugged John with excitement. "Oh my God, John! That was awesome! Holy crap! You went all Chuck Norris on his ass!"

Cameron's minute smile faded when she saw John hug Melissa back. She would have to research this "Chuck Norris" later on the internet. He sounded impressive. Perhaps if she acted like Chuck Norris, John would become giddy and hug her.

Author's note:

So much for getting this story done by Christmas... maybe I meant Christmas-2011, hehe.