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That was unusually short. And cold.

SKYLAR99: You’re mad, aren’t you? I’m really sorry. My parents forced me to spend the day with them. I never should have told them the truth.

CAMERONX: Oh yeah? Have you been honest with me?

SKYLAR99: Yes!

About most things, but now wasn’t the time to explain that he was only fourteen.

SKYLAR99: Anyway, when I told my mom that we had plans, she flipped. Not because of the gay thing. She’s always made me promise not to meet anyone from the computer.

CAMERONX: It’s good advice. You never know who you’re actually dealing with on this thing.

SKYLAR99: Yeah. Were you waiting long? I wish I could have called to let you know I wouldn’t be there.

CAMERONX: Except your parents won’t let you give out your phone number, right?

SKYLAR99: Right.

They’d talked about that before. He had to know it was the truth.

SKYLAR99: How can I make it up to you?

CAMERONX: By being completely honest with me. Just once.

SKYLAR99: Okay.

CAMERONX: Do you promise?

SKYLAR99: Yes! I swear. Whatever you ask, I’ll tell the truth.

His name, his age, anything!

CAMERONX: Do you go to Pride High?

Ricky stared at the screen. How could he possibly know that? Although therewerecertain methods… Ricky’s father was a phreak. As in the kind that could pick up a phone and type the same codes technicians used when performing maintenance on a line. Ken wouldn’t teach him how it was done, since it could lead to serious legal trouble. Ricky had once begged him for weeks just to get a simple demonstration. So it was possible that Cameron had employed similar techniques, or hacked the BBS to find out what town he lived in. And once he had, there was only one high school in Pride.

CAMERONX: Still thinking about the answer? Didn’t seem like a hard question to me.

SKYLAR99: Yes. I go to Pride High.

CAMERONX: That’s what I thought.

CAMERONX: I have to go now. Maybe we’ll talk again. I don’t know. I need to think.

SKYLAR99: Wait!

Too late. Cameron had left the chat room, and when Ricky navigated to the screen that showed the current active users, it was only him and people he didn’t care about, so he hung up. He understood why Cameron would be upset. Ricky had stood him up, despite not intending to. He felt terrible. But what was the rest about? Why had Cameron made a point of proving that he knew where Ricky went to school? Was it a threat? Probably not. He had always seemed so nice. But he’d also pointed out that you never really knew who was on the other side of the screen. Ricky had thought that comment was directed at him. But maybe it applied to them both.

— ——

“Congratulations on surviving your first month back at school!” Mr. Finnegan declared from the front of the classroom.

Grumbles were the only response. Anthony made sure to add his own to the chorus.

“Perhaps this will lift your spirits,” Mr. Finnegan said, perching on the edge of his desk. He picked up a thin newspaper and waved it at them. “The next issue ofThe Lion’s Pride Postwill be coming out this month, and while you won’t be helping to lay it out just yet, some of the articles you wrote will be included. A record-breaking number in fact.”

This coaxed some excited murmurs out of them. Anthony even sat up a little straighter. He rarely felt like he had a voice. Getting published would change that.