Chapter 3
[Kent Barn-Loft]
Clark stood at the loft door, staring out at the prairie dejectedly. I wonder where the nearest meteor rock is so I can fall on it? He moped, shaking his head. Bad enough to deal with the stuff at school, but Mom's scene at the Talon really takes the cake. I know she means well, but couldn't she have left well enough alone? At that moment, he heard a creaking noise coming from the stairs. "Who?"
"Hey, Clark, chill out," Chloe advised defensively. "It's just Lex and me."
"You both really want to hang out with the town reject tonight?" the sad teenager wondered.
Lex shook his head. Man, Lana did get to him. If these were any other people, I'd tell them to get a life and move on. But, these aren't any other people. "If you're looking for sympathy, Clark, we can stop at the library and help you find it in the dictionary."
"I'm not looking for sympathy! I just want to be left alone, okay? I have some things to think about!"
She chuckled darkly. He's always thinking...that's his problem. Thinking of ways to avoid telling us, that is. "Such as?"
"Things," Clark asserted, wanting to tell them but not being able to.
Something's eating at him too. "Look, Clark..."
"If you're going to give me the trust speech, skip it, Lex. I heard it from Lana. All right?"
"Apparently, it needs reinforcing, then," the businessman continued grimly. "No man is an island. We're here to help you. We want to help you. One way or another, we all owe you our lives. The least we can do is listen."
"Not this time," Clark asserted, folding his arms.
"Now I can see what Lana was talking about," she interjected angrily. "Why is it that you're so special, Clark? We share everything with you! Yet, when it's time to return the favor, you can't do it! Why not?"
He shook his head furiously. "And Lex does? You do? Yeah right!"
She banged her fist against the wooden rail and yelled, "Who the Hell do you think you are, Clark? Do you know how much you're hurting all of us?"
"Tell Lana. She started it," he muttered.
"No. You did!" The blonde spitfire glared into his eyes with hazel fury. "We're here because we care about you! And we care about Lana too! Look, Clark, it's not like you fell from outer space! Whatever it is, we can deal with it."
If only she knew. I wish I could take her up on that. Dad, Mom, I...This really isn't fair.
Chloe trembled, her eyes tearing up and her lower lip pouting.
Lex stepped in. "Okay, enough-both of you. Clark, let's go."
"Go where?"
"The mansion. We all need to unwind. I promise, no more probing questions for tonight. Okay?" the businessman noted.
"Chloe?" Clark insisted.
"Oh all right!" she relented unwillingly. Just for tonight, Clark. After that, I'll be on your case again, Farm Boy.
"All right then," Lex indicated. "Let's go."
Clark reluctantly followed them down the stairs and got into the backseat of Lex's Ferrari.
Lex gunned the motor and took off into the night. Whatever you have planned, Mrs. Kent, I sure hope it works.
[Kent Barn-Loft]
Clark stood at the loft door, staring out at the prairie dejectedly. I wonder where the nearest meteor rock is so I can fall on it? He moped, shaking his head. Bad enough to deal with the stuff at school, but Mom's scene at the Talon really takes the cake. I know she means well, but couldn't she have left well enough alone? At that moment, he heard a creaking noise coming from the stairs. "Who?"
"Hey, Clark, chill out," Chloe advised defensively. "It's just Lex and me."
"You both really want to hang out with the town reject tonight?" the sad teenager wondered.
Lex shook his head. Man, Lana did get to him. If these were any other people, I'd tell them to get a life and move on. But, these aren't any other people. "If you're looking for sympathy, Clark, we can stop at the library and help you find it in the dictionary."
"I'm not looking for sympathy! I just want to be left alone, okay? I have some things to think about!"
She chuckled darkly. He's always thinking...that's his problem. Thinking of ways to avoid telling us, that is. "Such as?"
"Things," Clark asserted, wanting to tell them but not being able to.
Something's eating at him too. "Look, Clark..."
"If you're going to give me the trust speech, skip it, Lex. I heard it from Lana. All right?"
"Apparently, it needs reinforcing, then," the businessman continued grimly. "No man is an island. We're here to help you. We want to help you. One way or another, we all owe you our lives. The least we can do is listen."
"Not this time," Clark asserted, folding his arms.
"Now I can see what Lana was talking about," she interjected angrily. "Why is it that you're so special, Clark? We share everything with you! Yet, when it's time to return the favor, you can't do it! Why not?"
He shook his head furiously. "And Lex does? You do? Yeah right!"
She banged her fist against the wooden rail and yelled, "Who the Hell do you think you are, Clark? Do you know how much you're hurting all of us?"
"Tell Lana. She started it," he muttered.
"No. You did!" The blonde spitfire glared into his eyes with hazel fury. "We're here because we care about you! And we care about Lana too! Look, Clark, it's not like you fell from outer space! Whatever it is, we can deal with it."
If only she knew. I wish I could take her up on that. Dad, Mom, I...This really isn't fair.
Chloe trembled, her eyes tearing up and her lower lip pouting.
Lex stepped in. "Okay, enough-both of you. Clark, let's go."
"Go where?"
"The mansion. We all need to unwind. I promise, no more probing questions for tonight. Okay?" the businessman noted.
"Chloe?" Clark insisted.
"Oh all right!" she relented unwillingly. Just for tonight, Clark. After that, I'll be on your case again, Farm Boy.
"All right then," Lex indicated. "Let's go."
Clark reluctantly followed them down the stairs and got into the backseat of Lex's Ferrari.
Lex gunned the motor and took off into the night. Whatever you have planned, Mrs. Kent, I sure hope it works.