Invitation
Slight knocks on the door. Lana took a deep breath and took a tighter hold of her purse.
"Lois?" she called. "Are you in here?"
Lana heard the sound of steps coming towards the door. It opened, and a tall woman stood there, looking at her.
"Hey, Lana!" greeted Lois Lane, sounding surprised. "Come on in!" She moved out of the way so Lana could enter, and closed the door afterwards. Lana walked into her old apartment, looking around.
"You know, I kinda miss this place." she said. "It brings back a lot of memories."
"Yeah, it's nice here." Lois answered, following Lana and looking around as well. "If you remove, of course, the eventual papers on the floor, the clothes spread all over the apartment and the dirty dishes on the sink."
Lana chuckled, noticing there really were clothes on the couch, a few papers on the floor and a few dishes waiting to be washed.
"A little mess is always healthy." she said. Lois shook her head.
"I thought I was messy. But let me tell you: when a certain cousin of mine moved in, I found out what real disorder is." she said. "Seriously. I'm messy. I really am. But real chaos answers to the name of hurricane Sullivan." Lana laughed again. "Oh, Chloe's not here, by the way." Lana stared at her. She didn't know Lois really well, but she could tell that, not considering the sarcasm, she wasn't normal. She seemed a little jumpy. It probably had something – or everything – to do with the recent developments involving her crashing Lana's engagement party. "I think she's still at the Planet," Lois continued. She looked down at her watch, jittery. "It's early, after all."
"Yeah, it is. But…" Lana started, smiling a little bit and looking at Lois. "Actually, I didn't come here to talk to Chloe. I came here to talk to you."
"You did?" she asked. Then, Lana watched her puzzled expression turn into a nervous one. "Is this about your engagement party? If it is, Lana, I swear I'm sorry about everything, I wasn't myself, I wouldn't even have gone if Clark hadn't dragged me, I mean, probably that's what he did, 'cause I have... no clue about what I did, but still, I have this crappy feeling that I need to keep apologizing to everyone, and I just---"
"Lois, easy," said Lana, chuckling a little bit. "I'm not mad. Well, not at you. I know you were under the effect of that lipstick." Lois let her shoulders relax a little. At first, Lana had just thought she was moving on from Oliver. But then, well Chloe had told her what had happened to Lois, and why she had started acting like she was head over heels in love with Clark.
"Yeah, I just… I don't know what I did, so I kind of… have the feeling I need to say 'I'm sorry' to everyone." Lois said, shaking her head. "Most of all, to myself. I can't believe I dressed like that."
Lana laughed again.
"We've all been there," she said, remembering a particular time, in her first year of High School. "But hey, I didn't come here looking for an apology." Then, after a moment, she frowned. "You said you wouldn't have gone if Clark hadn't dragged you." started Lana. Lois looked at her. "Why?"
She leaned against the counter of her kitchen.
"Well…" she started, uneasily. "The invitation was meant to be for me and Oliver, so…"
"Oh." Lana said, understanding.
"Well, let's just say I wasn't in the mood for a party." said Lois. "Specially one I was supposed to go with him."
"I'm sorry, Lois." said Lana, sympathetically. "I know how hard those things are." Lana sighed. "Trust me, I know what is like to have a broken heart."
"Yeah. It sucks." Lois said. Lana laughed a little bit. She watched Lois look fixedly at the floor for a while. Then, she looked up at Lana again. "Hey, Lana? While I was on my, uh… wild condition… I didn't… say anything to you, did I?"
"No," Lana answered. "Clark did." Lois nodded, seeming a little relieved. Why would she say something to her? Lana frowned, but decided to let it go. Sort of. "You did say something to Clark, though, while he was dragging me out."
"I did?" She seemed suddenly worried. "What?"
"Well, you stood in front of him and uh…" Lana bit her lip. "Kind of told him I was his past, and you are his future."
"I did?" she repeated, incredulous. After a few seconds while she stared at the floor again, she added "God, wasn't I just out of my mind…"
"I don't know about you being the future part…" Lana started, biting back a smile when Lois made a face. "But…" Her smile faded away. "I believe I am his past."
"I'm sorry." said Lois.
"Don't be. I'm moving on. I'll marry Lex."
"Yeah. You will."
Lana noticed Lois wanted to say something else about the wedding. But she didn't. And Lana was thankful for it. God knew she wouldn't take another person telling her what a mistake she was about to do, and Lois seemed to realize it.
Lana smiled again, gratefully.
"About the wedding, by the way…" started Lana, opening her purse and taking a golden envelope out of it. She handed Lois, smiling. "That's what I came here for. I'd really like you to come."
"Oh. Wow… thanks, Lana, I…" Lois said, staring at the envelope, frowning a little. She looked up. "After the whole Clark and I crashing your party thing I guess I just wasn't expecting it…"
"Don't say that, Lois, I know it wasn't your fault, and… as angry as I am with Clark right now, I know he wasn't acting like himself either." Lana said. She really was angry. Angry at him for crashing her engagement party, angry at him for telling everyone about her baby… for throwing Lex into that champagne fountain… angry at him for kidnapping her… for kissing her… for trying to strangle Lex…
For never telling her a pointy, stiff, metal object could hit him and be twisted as if it had hit a wall made of steel.
She shook her head, sending the thoughts away.
"Yeah, well," said Lois, bending down to pick some of the papers that were on the floor. "I guess it's all past now."
Lois was wearing a yellow tank top. And when she was straightening herself, Lana saw something that truly made her gasp.
Lois stared at her oddly.
"You okay there?"
With her eyes widened, Lana looked from her cleavage to her face. Lois frowned for a moment then seemed to realize what Lana was looking at, and the reason of her gasp.
"I swear I did that when I was still with that freakin' lipstick on." said Lois, in what was supposed to be an explanation.
Lana didn't know if she laughed or… or whatever else she would do.
Lois & Clark Forever.
That's what was written on the tattoo.
That's right. A tattoo. On Lois's left breast.
It was a red heart hit with an arrow, with a white ribbon wrapped around it, where the sentence was written.
"The ink is a little bit faded." said Lana, not being able to think about anything else to say. "I can only assume it's… temporary?"
"I already freaked out when I saw it. And I already tried to remove it, but the ink lasts at least a week." Lois said, resignedly. She looked down at the tattoo and outlined it with her index finger. "If it was permanent, I swear I'd have it surgically removed."
Lana laughed.
"Well, you don't have to worry." she started. "We've all been through some kind of… craziness-slash-memory-wipe thing during our time here in Smallville." She smiled a little.
"Yeah, that's pretty much what Chloe told me a couple of days ago." Lois answered. "But still… it's scary, not knowing what exactly I did, I mean, can you imagine my face when I arrived here after the party and found a distressingly ripped blue tank top lying on my bed?" She laughed nervously and, when Lana raised her eyebrows, Lois seemed to think she had said too much.
Well, that was… a little too much. The tattoo… A ripped tank top…
A ripped tank top.
Someone had ripped it. And it was pretty obvious who it had been.
Lana tried hard not to think of both of them like that, but considering Lois's face… it was not easy.
"So, you two…" Lana started, not sure if she really wanted to know.
"No!" Lois exclaimed, a little too high-pitched. "I mean, I can't remember one single thing, but Clark doesn't think that we… you know."
"Oh, so you already talked to him?" asked Lana, curiously.
"Yeah." Lois answered, mortified. "The most awkward moment of my life." She shook her head, and Lana couldn't help but notice a blush taking over her cheeks. "Anyway," she continued, turning around for a tick to hide the blush. "I know it was nothing, but it's just kind of frustrating, you know, you kiss the guy and you don't even remember."
Lana smiled a little bit. "Well, he's always there if you want to find out."
"Geez, Lana! What are you saying?!" Lois exclaimed. Lana laughed at her horrified expression. "That's just… God, I would never do such a thing!" Then, she seemed to think better. "Unless I'm using a lipstick made with aphrodisiac oils, apparently."
Her revolted expression was funny. But Lana couldn't help but wonder why she seemed so terrified at the perspective.
It was extremely easy to fall for Clark, if not unavoidable. He was charming, handsome and incredibly good-hearted. It seemed almost natural to have feelings for him.
Lana frowned.
Why do you fight it so much, Lois?
He already had a relationship with all the girls he had met so far, as short as it might have been.
That Kyla girl, Alicia, Chloe… Lana herself… every girl in his life had already had some kind of romantic involvement with him. Every girl.
Except for Lois.
Lana's frown turned into a small smile.
Until now.
"Listen, uh…" said Lois, breaking Lana's thoughts. "Thanks for the invitation."
"Will you go?" she asked.
"I…" Lois seemed to consider the idea for a moment. She looked at Lana, seriously. "I don't know, Lana. It's just… Lex is not very fond of me …"
"Well, I am." said Lana. She meant it. Lois was annoying sometimes, but she was a good friend. "Just… promise you'll think about it."
"I will." Lois answered.
Their smile exchanges were interrupted by a well-known male voice.
"Hey, Lois, I… Lana?"
Both women watched Clark Kent raise his eyebrows, surprised to see the two of them together, there. Lana couldn't help but notice he looked from her to Lois with the strangest expression on his face.
He really knew how to take the expression a nickel for your thoughts to a whole new level.
"Smallville, don't you ever knock?" said Lois, annoyed and edgy at the same time. "I swear one of these days you're going to catch me naked."
Clark looked at her and gave her an uncomfortable smile. Lana raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes. Lois looked at her.
"Long story." she explained. Clark looked at Lana as well, agreeing with his head.
"I can imagine. Hi, Clark." she said, every sign of amusement gone. Every time he was around, every hint of a smile seemed to fade away from her. How had things gone so wrong?
"Hey." he said, awkwardly. Knowing he had some sort of powers, now, Lana couldn't take her piercing gaze off him.
The three of them stood in an almost unbearable silence for almost five minutes.
"So!" said Lois, a little shrilly, plastering an exaggeratedly wide smile on her face. "Do you guys want some coffee? 'Cause I can go downstairs and---"
When she moved towards the door to walk down to the first floor, Lana interrupted her.
"No, it's okay, thank you." she said. "I've got to go." She gave her a little smile. "It was good talking to you, Lois."
Grabbing her purse, Lana left, closing the door behind her. She stood still there, in front of the apartment that used to be hers, with her back turned to the door.
He had always been hiding something.
Lana remembered how many times she had wondered if he really was as normal as he claimed to be. And well, it turned out he wasn't.
She still had the piece of metal Lex had tried to hurt Clark with. Completely wrinkled.
She shook her head. She didn't know if she could ever forgive him for not telling her.
Surprisingly, she wanted to.
But even so, even if she knew now that he had indeed some sort of powers… she had a feeling that wasn't all Chloe and Clark were hiding. Yes, it was more. And Lana was willing to find it all out.
"Please tell me you two weren't talking about me." She heard Clark's voice saying, from inside Lois's apartment.
"Don't think so highly of yourself, Smallville, you're not the most interesting topic to talk about." Lois's answer came quickly and annoyingly, but Lana could practically hear the smile on her face. "Unless, of course, the conversation is about plaid or barns."
"You're not the most interesting topic to talk about either." Clark retorted. "Oh, unless, of course, the conversation is about bright red lipsticks, really short skirts and openly hitting on me."
A few seconds of silence followed it, and Lana had the sudden conviction that Clark was the only one absolutely able to leave Lois Lane tongue-tied.
"Low play." The annoyed answer came, last but not least.
"You started it." Clark replied, sardonically.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Lois asked, and Lana heard her walking through the apartment.
"Oh, I, uh..." Clark's mocking tone was suddenly gone. "I found these." He seemed to be taking something out of his pocket. "I thought you might… want to have it."
"Oh." said Lois, and Lana knew that, whatever it was, it distressed her even more. "Um. Thanks, I guess."
Lois now seemed to be taking whatever Clark was giving her, and Lana was dying to open the door and see what it was.
"Yeah, um, you better get that tank top of yours fixed anyway, so..."
"You know, I'll probably just throw it all on the trash, so I don't have to think about the ideaof you and me… uh… going at it. Or almost, for that matter."
"Wow." said Clark. Lana noticed he was trying to sound hurt, but, by his voice, he was definitely smiling."Was I that bad?"
"I don't know," Lois replied, apparently between her teeth. "I don't remember." She sighed. "Look, Smallville, I'm just trying to erase every possible visual picture of you and me, so you can just… keep the buttons, if you want to."
Buttons. The buttons from the tank top Clark had most likely ripped.
Lana didn't know if she frowned or if she laughed.
"Hey, who said I want it?" Clark was saying. "You do whatever you want with them, they're yours."
"Yeah, but you ripped them out."
"You let me."
Something on Clark's voice made Lana really frown, this time. He wasn't sounding like Lois, confused and unsure. Oh, of course, from sentence to sentence he sounded just as tense as she seemed to be. But his tone was a little different. As if he knew something she didn't.
Lana widened her eyes.
As if he remembered.
"Does the idea of you and me cause you so much repugnance?" Clark asked, and Lana realized that, no matter how joking he might sound, his voice had a very clear hint of significance on it.
"Not repugnance," Lois answered. "It's just… something a little too much unusual for us to handle."
Lana took the awkward silence that followed her sentence as her cue to go.
Wanting to leave Clark and Lois alone with their clumsiness, the argument and whatever else that was happening between the two of them, Lana started to silently walk downstairs, thoughtfully.
Lois was different from her old school girl friends; she was different from Chloe, and particularly different from Lana herself.
She didn't question her reasons or asked anything; she didn't even try to give some advice.
She was different.
Lana remembered, months ago, when she had just started the relationship with Lex, Lois and her had met right there, at the coffee shop, and Lois had offered her friendship and her ears, even knowing she wasn't exactly the first choice to girl talk.
No matter how self-sufficient, feisty and loud-mouthed she seemed to be, Lois knew very well how to just sit down and listen when the occasion demanded it. She also knew exactly when to reply and when to stay quiet.
Lana would never be able to get over her honesty issues. She would always question, even in times people didn't need to be questioned. But Lois wasn't like that. She always seemed to give people their own space – probably silently asking for the same thing.
And who knew? Maybe that was just what Clark needed.
She sighed, entering at her car and turning the engines on.
Her awkwardness with Clark was different from his awkwardness with Lois.
When Lana was in the same room with Clark, there was a bad break-up kind of tension. But when he was in the same room with Lois… well, there was usually that friendly, teasingly (and sometimes even flirty) atmosphere. But now, after all that had happened, there was a different vibe in the air. Something appealing. Fascinating.
Almost like an invitation.
She smiled sadly.
Lana didn't quite know what that invitation was for, exactly. But it showed an unbelievable potential. It really did.