Chloe and Clark were walking together after the Crows game. They had won, 34 to 31, on the last second. Literally. But that was not what was bothering Clark.
Chloe had drank a love potion, and went absolutely crazy – devoted – about him, causing a lot of awkward moments.
Like this one, for example.
She was already out of the 'delirious-stage', but the awkward silence between the two friends was almost insufferable.
"Wow. So... 60-yard pass to win the big game at the last second." He was glad when she broke the silence. "You're gonna be like some superhero around here. I just might have to do an article on you."
"Does that mean you're back at the Torch?" he asked. She had been so crazy she had even quit from The Torch.
"Yeah." she answered. Another awkward pause. Damn, he hated those things. "Since I'm not very good at ignoring 500-pound elephants, I am really sorry that I made things so ridiculously awkward between us."
"You know, I thought you made a great cheerleader." said Clark, smiling guilty. He was relieved when he saw Chloe laughed.
"Yeah, let's never talk about that again, okay?" She stopped and faced him. Something was coming, he could tell. "Look, Clark, as much as I'd like to blame the pom-pom juice for this, I obviously still have those feelings in me somewhere."
Chloe looked at Clark hopefully. Clark felt sad all of a sudden.
"Chloe..." he started, as softly as he could. "I wish I felt the same way, but I don't. At least not right now."
She made a bad attempt of a smile.
"I know that. And I accept it. I just hope that we can keep our friendship." she said, meaning it. "Except now you're gonna be, like, big man on campus." She laughed again, a bit nervously.
"Well, I'm hoping my new editor will keep me in line." Chloe looked at him surprised. "I'm gonna make time for the Torch."
She smiled. "Wow. Superhero and journalist. What are the odds?"
Clark smiled too and gave Chloe a friendly kiss on the cheek. He was disappointed, however, when he saw her eyes filled with tears.
"Thanks." she said, teary. "I'll see you tomorrow."
She smiled forcingly and walked away, quickly.
He felt immensely guilty, even though he knew it wasn't his fault. He just didn't feel the same way, there was nothing he could do about it. He almost wished he did feel the same way, so the things wouldn't be so awkward between them. But he tried to date her once without actually having true feelings for her. It didn't work, and she just got hurt. And now, she was hurt again.
He sighed sadly and switched his bag from one shoulder to another, tired.
Suddenly, he felt a hand patting his back.
"If you break her heart, I'll come back and I'll break your legs." said a woman's voice.
Lois. He analyzed her sentence. It wouldn't be possible that Lex had done it in such a short time...
"What do you mean come back?" he asked, to be sure.
"Apparently the dean got a call from a very prominent benefactor with the initials L.L." Yeah, Lex had done it. "They did the white man power dance and shazam. I'm officially a freshman."
"Wow, that's great!" said Clark, a bit forcingly.
"Don't pretend you had nothing to do with it." she said, sceptical. "Why would Lex call out of the blue on my behalf?"
Clark tried to change the subject. The lands were getting dangerous. "Look, the important thing is you got in and you're leaving." He stopped walking, realizing what he had just said. That was rude, Kent..., he thought to himself. He saw Lois looking at him strangely. He tried to fix it. "Because that's what you wanted... right?"
After seeing the look on her face, he wasn't so sure anymore. The walls were around her again.
"Yeah, yeah, don't get all broken up about it." Clark swallowed. Lex had done it. She was really leaving. "You know, if I could describe my time here in one word, it would be 'weird'." Clark faced her. "I look forward to the relative normalcy of the big city." He smiled and nodded. He didn't know how Lois survived at Smallville. "But don't worry." she added. "I'll visit."
He would have to nag her for one last time.
He just couldn't help. He smiled teasingly and said "Is that a promise or a threat?"
He hoped her to nag him too, but she just looked up at him, amazed, and smiled. Clark didn't know exactly why, but he couldn't help but smile back.
Lois punched him on the arm, teasing. Clark smiled.
"See you around... Smallville..." she said, looking at him intensely. Then, she smiled once more and turned around.
Clark watched her walk away, with a strange feeling of loss on his heart. He frowned.
He looked at the sun shining on her hair, far away from him, now, and of all the questions he could be asking himself right now, the only one he could think of was when he was going to see her again.
He had another feeling that it wouldn't be the last time.
And for his complete surprise, he wasn't upset about that.