Prologue

Lana Lang walked home from the Talon, holding a delicate red rose. She stared blankly at the door a moment before opening it and going inside. She found Chloe Sullivan, her friend and "room mate" in the living room.
"A rose?" Chloe asked. "Who's it from?" Lana smiled ironically.
"Clark called it his 'pathetic attempt at apologising,' " she said. Chloe looked at her with a sudden understanding. Lana had told her that Clark had been kissing another girl when he was supposed to be with her. What Chloe didnt know was that the girl was her. Lana planned to keep it that way. She walked up to her room and closed the door, falling onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling, Lana absently fingered the rose, clutching it tightly. Realizing what she was doing, she shook her head. Just like I hold to Clark, she thought. Lana felt the tears welling up again, the pain of betrayal tearing at her heart. How could he? Clark had always been there for her, protecting her. Then he had turned around and...stabbed her in the back. Curling into a ball, Lana cried herself to sleep; the rose did not once slip from her delicate fingers.