A/N: At the sound advice of another writer, I've changed the football part from last chapter to basketball and the date of the dance is Christmas instead of Valentine's.
Higher Callings II, When you lose your innocence.
"You came here in the middle of the night to tell me I'm beautiful?"
Clark's sharp ears didn't fail to detect the slight but telling tone of accusation in Lana's question. He thought his compliment would get them both to relax but he seemed even more nervous now. "No no no that's not-"
"Then what is it Clark?" she interrupted impatiently, raising her voice, "You don't think I'm beautiful or did you come here to say more?"
Damn it he thought, this was going from bad to worse. He tried to recuperate, "What? Of course I think you're beautiful, it was just the first thing I thought about when I saw you come out of the door."
"Okay, thanks. So?" she said sounding unconvinced.
"I have something that I need to tell you."
She tilted her head and looked at him with raised eyebrows, her quizzical look told him she wanted to listen to what he has to say. He exhaled.
"Lana, can you come with me? I have someplace I'd like to take you." he offered. She looked at him with a curious arch as she listed the reasons why that would not be a good idea. "Clark," she began, "it's late in the evening, and your place is an hour away, plus I have cheerleading practice tomorrow. Now's not a very good time."
"I know I know, but this is important, and I promise you'll be back here by eleven." He reasoned persuasively.
"How? It's almost ten."
Clark looked at her eyes intently and Lana felt the full impact of his beautiful blue orbs illuminated by the moon. "Lana, I need you to trust me, just this once. Please?" he implored with a soft voice.
She exhaled, she noticed that Clark had the look of someone who can't be denied. "Alright," she exasperated, "because you're my friend. Let me just get a coat."
"Oh that's not necessary." stated Clark.
"What do you mean?" she asked. Clark extended his arms out and gave an encouraging look at her. "Jump into my arms."
"Clark, no." she flatly refused with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"Just do it." he countered.
"Why?"
"I thought you agreed to trust me?"
"Yeah but-"
"Lana, come on, what's the worst that could happen?"
Lana seemed to contemplate for a second, there was no harm in it so she reluctantly agreed to be carried by Clark. He carefully cradled her in his arms as she wrapped hers around his neck and gripped them together at his nape. He could barely register her weight but Lana was feeling a strange heat coming off from Clark's surprisingly hard torso contrasting nicely against the cool air, he was only wearing a short-sleeved tee. Their bodies were snug against each other, but Clark could feel nothing.
Lana gulped and looked up at Clark, "What now?" she whispered. He gave her what he hoped was an enchanting smile, "Hold on tight. And close your eyes." his smile only compelled her to do what he said.
Clark started running on the driveway with Lana in her arms towards the street, Lana wondered what he was doing, but with every stride she felt he was running faster and faster, she opened her eyes and soon she saw the streetlights blur past her at a speed she only knew was possible if she was in a car, even the horses she rode in the weekends didn't run as fast as this. Her brown eyes opened full with surprised amazement, what the hell was happening? Clark was running faster than what she knew was humanly possible. She felt the chill of the wind against her face as he increased his speed, suddenly she was thankful for the conspicuous warmth that his body seemed to radiate. How is Clark doing this? She asked herself again, her mind started moving quickly at the possible explanations as to what on Earth is happening. The logical situation was that she was in a dream, and in the dream Clark was some sort of robot who can run really fast and felt really warm, but everything felt unsettlingly real.
Clark felt Lana's fragrant hair billowing in his neck due to the speed and looked down at her, he saw her bewildered expression and mentally began to prepare himself for the inevitable onslaught of questions she was bound to ask. Clark was careful to not run too fast, he kept the pace at around a hundred miles an hour and avoided any jerky movements because he knew the effects of sudden acceleration on a human body. But even at this leisurely pace, for him that is, they were at his barn door before she could open her mouth. To check if she was okay, he scanned her with his vision, her heart was pumping almost as fast as he ran, she was panting for air and her stomach looked like a cashew, but apart from that she was fine. He gave her a quick and faint burst of heat vision aimed at her hands and face since she was still in her pyjamas and it was cold out.
Lana noticed that he didn't even break a single sweat, even when she felt really warm for some reason.
He eased up and let her feet down on the ground, but he kept holding her close as she couldn't seem to stand upright. Lana was truly breathless, and albeit ruefully he felt proud of himself that he got that reaction out of her. His heart suddenly swelled with confidence.
"Are you alright?" he asked with concerned eyes, his voice was soft and beseeching.
She said between gasps "I, uh, yeah. I think. Oh my God!"
Clark offered a small smile and a shrug. Lana regained her composure, "Clark?! How did y-"
He cut her off by putting his finger on her lips, her eyebrows raised in surprise and her eyes showed wavering submission at Clark's sudden gesture, but she didn't resist. In the soft moonlight she noticed that he looked extremely handsome, wait where did that come from? Clark? Handsome? I have a boyfriend! But he was undeniably opulent, his shirt accentuated his broad shoulders and his shadowed but strong jawline. Both literally and figuratively she never perceived Clark in this markedly masculine way before. For the first time his presence was making her heart throb.
He tightened his jaw as he breathed, "I'll tell you anything you want to know, but we're not there yet. Follow me."
Clark offered his hand for Lana to take, she looked at his palm and bit her lower lip in uncertainty, it was this simple, unconscious mannerism that peppered Clark's skin with goosebumps, for she looked devastatingly kissable.
Unmeasurable seconds passed until a blushing Clark finally drew his hand back and started walking towards the barn, Lana watched him slide the door open and flick the light switch on.
He put his hand on the railing leading up the stairs and looked at Lana once more, "Are you coming?" he urged.
Lana nodded her head yes and followed him up the stairs to his loft. She stepped inside and took in the surroundings, everything was remarkably un-Clark, this loft was cosy and lovely, which were attributes she never viewed Clark with until tonight.
"You're the first person I've ever brought here." He pointed out. Clark then said the words he rehearsed before seeking Lana out. "Welcome to my humble abode, and make yourself comfortable."
"Uhm, okay." She replied as she sat down on the sofa. Clark went over to the music player and selected Clapton, soon the subtle and quiet acoustic music filled the air. Lana watched him move gracefully around the slightly cramped space of the loft. She couldn't take her eyes off him.
"So?" he prompted.
"Hmm?" she blankly muttered, staring at him. She was more than comfortable just sitting there not talking, as if in a musical trance.
Clark half-chuckled. "Do you have any questions you want to ask me?"
Lana remembered herself. "Oh, yes, how did you run so fast?" she hastily asked.
He grinned wryly. "Fast? That wasn't very fast," he paused "well not for me anyway."
Lana frowned at his playful boastfulness. "Clark, you know what I mean, what you just did-"
"Yes. I know. I can run much faster than any human," he said with a smile. "I'm pretty sure I'm faster than Whitney." His snide remark made Lana scoff. "I can also jump very high, and I'm extremely strong, see the water tower outside?" Clark pointed at the water tower and Lana nodded. "Watch this."
To prove his point, Clark blurred to the base of the water tower and effortlessly jumped to the top, he waved at Lana, and blurred back to the loft next to her.
"Wow, you'd be amazing at basketball." she observed dryly. Clark laughed. "So, how are you like this?" she questioned.
Clark's expression turned serious and he drew very close to Lana, and she once again felt that heat radiating off from him as his eyes bore into her.
His voice was soft, "Lana, do you believe that aliens exist?"
Lana choked, his question suggested that he wasn't a robot, but something much more fantastical. "Clark? What are you talking about?" she replied incredulously.
"I'm not from here Lana."
She crinkled her nose dubiously as she refused to acknowledge, "I don't believe you."
"Do you not?" he challenged.
"But, but, you look so-"
"Normal?" he interjected.
"Yeah." she softly conceded. "Surely you can't be-"
"Extra-terrestrial? Yep. I'm not a human." He stated. "I may look like one but I'm from another planet."
She looked at him sceptically and he turned his back to her and stood there with his hand in his pockets, staring out at the stars above them. Lana crinkled her nose and furrowed her eyebrows in disbelief, she looked at Clark with an incredulous expression and started shaking her head. Clark Kent, who was her mild-mannered, awkward, shy and frankly boring friend was telling her that he was an alien with superhuman abilities, and even when he provided very tangible proof of it she was still having a hard time accepting it. No way! Clark?! He can't be?!
He broke her out of reverie as he once again regarded her with a soul-piercing cerulean gaze,
"Do you want to leave?"
His tone and his eyes coerced her to be truthful,
"Yes." she confessed in a whisper before she could think. He once again turned to look at the night sky, waiting for her to get up and actually ask to leave herself, but she didn't move.
She had always regarded Clark as unassuming and meek, compared to the other guys he was unremarkably grey. But here he was, bringing her to a place that was clear to her was very close to his heart, and telling her a near-unbelievable report that made her blood rush around her brain faster than anyone who had previously turned her head with whatever they usually did, or said. The irony wasn't lost on her, because as of now the other team captains, social naturals, athletes and popular trendsetters she knew paled insignificantly in comparison to the humdrum and reserved farm boy/gorgeous super-powered alien.
She looked at him as he gazed at the dotted blackness from which he apparently came from. He was so handsome when he was deep in thought she noticed. She couldn't help but feel extremely attracted to him, she dismissed Clark as friend a long time ago, but seeing this new side of him…it was just so alluring, and the fact that he chose to tell and show her who he was made her feel special. It made her want him, and by the looks she saw in Clark's eyes earlier she had a feeling he felt something similar for her. The thought of her and Clark racked her with nervousness and doubt; Whitney, she didn't want to do anything that would hurt Whitney. But oh the temptation was there, and it was very hard to resist the urge do something about it.
She tried to remember the reasons why she relegated him as 'just a friend', and they evaporated.
"Clark?" she started breathlessly. Her heart was pounding. "Why are you telling me this? Why now? Why did you come in the middle of the night to my house and tell me about all this?"
His eyes were serious, and his voice was beseeching, "Do I scare you Lana?"
She can't seem to stop staring at his eyes, they pierced every layer of her thoughts. She nodded her head up and down.
Clark took a deep breath. "Lana, this is an important secret that only you and my parents know, but it's not what I wanted to tell you."
"What do you mean? I think this is the most shocking thing I've ever heard."
Clark half-smiled. "I understand, but I didn't come to your house to tell you that I can run really fast. I came to tell you something you'll find scarier."
"What is it then?" she questioned with a demanding tone.
Clark closed his eyes and swallowed.
"I'm in love with you Lana, I can't help it but I love you, and it's been like that for a long time." he admitted in a sincere whisper.
"Oh." she gasped, her stomach was in knots. The feelings of instantaneous attraction she was just starting to feel towards him seemed to blossom at his words. A minute ago she found him attractive because of the way he looked and his mysteriousness. But now, hearing him tell her that he sincerely loved her took that attraction to uncharted levels. She was genuinely becoming drawn to him, not for any reason other than who he is.
Hearing her reaction, he sustained, "I can't hold it in anymore, you're the person who can make me feel this way, you're very special to me."
She felt the same way.
Clark sat down next to her and once again concentrated his cerulean blue eyes as he reached to push a lock of brown hair behind her ear and then to cradle her reddened cheek. "I figured that if I show you who and what I really am first then it should come naturally for me to admit what I feel. All of it is true, I'm an alien and I'm in love with you, Lana Lang." His reverential tone was heartfelt, and she began to helplessly yield to what her feelings were stirring in her.
Clark placed his other hand on her lap and began to tentatively caress. The sensation she felt was electric. He drew closer to her.
He featherly skimmed her rosy, puckered lips with his thumb.
Her head spun and her spine shook at the jolting sensations his warm touch was giving her.
She closed her eyes as she took a breath. Sultry, seductively, she moaned.
"Please…Clark…"
He asked huskily, "Do I still scare you now?"
His baritone voice, his penetrating gaze, they were so irresistibly erotic. She couldn't help but nod and whimper yes.
She put an arm around his neck and she bit her lower lip as they looked into each other.
That was it, Clark could fight the mutual temptation no longer. He leaned in and planted a silky, emotional kiss on the corner of her beautiful lips, setting them on fire.
He gingerly pulled back. "You're more beautiful than I could ever imagine…"
Lana opened her eyes and looked into his, they were dark with desire and glowing slightly red in the irises but she couldn't ponder that now. Both of their hearts were pounding and hers was close to melting.
Clark couldn't stop at the helpless look in Lana's eyes, he leaned in again with intent to kiss her with fervour. Inches, centimetres, millimetres, he was tantalisingly close. One more split-second and he would get to do what he's wanted to for so long…
Lana abruptly turned her head and placed a restricting hand on Clark's chest, he froze in place.
She couldn't let him nor herself do it. Her heart was screaming out to give in and let him kiss her hard and reciprocate but she couldn't. Was it Whitney? Was it because she didn't want to ruin what she had with Clark? Was it because he made her so nervous? She didn't know, but she couldn't. It was a decision she had to make.
A tear rolled down on her cheek, "I'm sorry Clark, I can't, we've known each other for so long…" The lump in her throat expanded and she couldn't say any more.
Clark instinctively pulled his hands back and stood up to create distance between the two of them. His heart was dejectedly crushed. He was so close to having her but she couldn't do it. At first he was frustrated and confused but he began to understand why she couldn't let him. Replaying the night's events, he had randomly turned up at her house, confessed that he was an alien and that he loved her, then he kissed her when both of them knew she already had a boyfriend. It was greedy of him, he recognized he was being unfair, he had no right to put her in a spot like that and then take advantage of her vulnerability.
"Hey, it's okay," his soothed with a calm voice. His eyes were full of regret as he looked at her with an apologetic expression. "I was acting like a pretentious douche. I was really selfish. I'm really sorry."
"No Clark," she amended. "It's not you. It's-"
Clark cut her off and explained, "Lana, don't blame yourself. I had no right to do what I just did. You were right to stop. I was out of line."
Lana sniffled, "It's alright, really, we were both at fault."
"I'm sorry Lana, I shouldn't've pushed you." He assured.
Long moments of silence passed between them as both of them calmed down and gathered themselves, finally, Clark spoke up and reminded her, "I need to get you back. It's almost eleven."
"Oh, yes, I do need to get back." she agreed.
Clark once again extended her arms out for Lana and she obliged without saying anything or looking at him, this time on the ride back there wasn't the previous excitement and thrill, but instead stiff awkwardness and lingering arrived at Lana's house as quick as they left and Lana stepped out of Clark's arms and started for her front door. Clark was watching her. She turned her head back.
"Clark?"
"Yes?"
His friendship was really important to her, and he felt likewise. But the feelings of affection between the two of them were best left unsaid, even though they were still there. "Are we gonna be okay?" she asked sincerely. He felt his heart contract at her kindness and he could only respond in kind.
He resigned to look at the floor downcast. "That's up to you, I really wish I didn't screw things up too badly tonight."
Lana smiled pitifully, "I hope we're going to be alright Clark." she acquiesced. Clark smiled back at her. "I hope so too, thank you for listening to what I had to say, and for not hating me for what I did."
"It's alright, we can still be friends." she offered kindly, the quivering softness in her voice indicated to Clark that she was minutely uncomfortable with drawing the lines as just platonic. It gave him some hope but it didn't really matter much.
"So, are you going to the dance?" she asked wistfully, trying to change the subject.
Clark's eyes grew wide in recognition, the dance! He never had planned to go but it would be a great way to forget about what happened tonight and hopefully meet some new people at the same time. And after tonight's shenanigans he realised it was high time to break out of his shell.
"Yeah." he replied coolly.
"Cool, see you there, goodnight."
"Goodnight Lana." Before things got too awkward again he blurred back to his farm.
Lana sighed as she opened the door to her room and lied down on her bed. She can't help but think about him, his hands on her lips, his warmth, his gaze, the way he made her heart flutter like a hummingbird's wings. Clark. No-one made her feel as sensual and wanton as he did in that short space of time. And despite everything that had transpired between them on this night those intense feelings of fondness and desire she experienced when she was in his loft just wouldn't die down; she was still attracted to him. She hoped in her heart that things would still be the sociable norm between her and Clark, but she knew they can't just pretend nothing occurred, of course they could still be friends but after what happened and what nearly happened tonight it was going to be complicated being in the same room as him, and she feared that it would be like that for a long time.
When Clark arrived at his farm, he went back to his loft to contemplate the night's events. He kissed her but before they could do any more she refused him, but from the way Lana was looking at him how she responded towards his amorous touch he knew that Lana reciprocated his feelings in her own way and wanted to continue, despite the actual outcome. He felt the sting of rejection tug at his ego, but to his pleasant surprise he was not heartbroken, his emotions were wounded but they weren't dead. He knew it was going to take him a while to get over Lana but in the end he would, and his lips quirked upon the memory of when he kissed her, however short it was. When he did so, he felt confident, he felt wanted, he felt empowered, the fact that Lana wanted him imbued that warm feeling he had always craved but never had a chance to experience as an awkward wallflower, but now he knew he could change that.
The next day, Clark resolved to go into school with a new outlook, and a new outfit, he wanted to swap his normally baggy and unflattering attire with something a bit more modern; and since he had no such things he just pulled out his smaller clothes from when he was younger and put those on instead. He had to admit he looked quite fashionable. He wore a white long-sleeved collared shirt under a very form-fitting maroon sweater coupled with slim jeans and classic Converse. When he entered through the gates he did get a few double takes and from the whispers he heard everyone thought he was a new guy. Some who recognised him as the nerd were quite taken aback by the handsome, tall and well-built young man that they saw in his place. He walked with his chin held high and with his chest out, he exuded a silent confidence and for the first time he seemed to belong here, for the first time he finally stood out.
As he walked inside his first class he felt all the eyes in the room turn at him. He flashed dazzling smiles at no-one in particular making a lot of girls blush when he made eye contact with them. Clark's ego inflated at hearing the girls' quickened pulses when he brushed past them. This was it, this was the feeling of gratification and validation he had yearned for, it was shallow as a puddle but it sure as hell felt good. He smiled to himself, he couldn't help but feel happy and he couldn't believe he was already feeling better after Lana turned him down.
Lunchtime, and instead of sitting alone at the cafeteria he decided to eat the sandwich his mother made for him outside. It was December and it was cold, but the weather was clear, sunny and not windy so kids were out on the school yards. He saw the men's basketball team having an unofficial scrimmage on the outdoor court and he sat down at the bleacher amongst other people to observe them play, of course that wasn't the only thing he was observing, since the cheerleaders were also watching the basketball on the court. He surmised that it was great motivation to try hard if the cheer team watched them practice. He saw her and smiled.
Lana saw Clark sit down on the bleacher opposite the one she was on and she saw him smile at her, she smiled back. Both looked away instantly but then turned to look back at each other, smiling again briefly.
"And one!" a loud shout broke their little standoff, it was Whitney. He looked at Lana and saw her smiling at a point in space that was not at him. Whitney followed her gaze and saw a tall, attractive guy with dark hair at the end. Wait a minute? Is that the weird dude?
It was the weird dude, but now he looked like some sort of model. And by the way Lana, his supposed girlfriend, was smiling at him Whitney knew she thought he was attractive too. He himself was on the receiving end of those type of smiles after all. He felt jealous, he wrote the guy off as Lana's weird friend but now he felt intimidated. He could tell by the way other the cheerleaders were looking at him that he was getting a lot of attention. He couldn't even remember the guy's name.
"Fordman? You gonna check it?" Whitney snapped out of his annoyance and got back to the task at hand.
Clark sat there and just observed, but he couldn't stop himself from occasionally looking back at Lana, and when she looked back he would just abruptly turn his head, Whitney noticed their exchanges and he was getting quite irritated with this suspicious behaviour. Lana was his, and he wasn't about to let this guy come in here and shoot glancing smiles at her and get away with it. A smile crossed Whitney's lips, he gathered the players up for a team huddle and explained a plan he concocted meant to humiliate the guy in front of everyone, he broke the huddle and the squad dispersed for a water break. Whitney went to approach Clark.
A tap on Clark's back caught his stare from the object of his attention, who was incidentally the same at Whitney's.
"Hey what's up man?" Whitney greeted with a smile.
"Hey," Clark acknowledged. "You guys looked sharp out there."
"Thanks, what was your name again?"
"Uh, Clark. Clark Kent"
"Cool, say Clark? We noticed that you look pretty athletic, want to join us next game?"
Clark raised his eyebrows. "Me? Nah."
"Why not?"
"I'm not very good at basketball, and I don't work out."
"It's not like we're asking you to sign up for the team, and you look like you're probably stronger and taller than most of us. Just one game bro."
"I don't want to interfere with your practice." Clark offered weakly.
"We're not practicing dude, just having some fun. Kinda like a slow warm-up for tonight's game."
Clark thought about Whitney's invitation, it was just a friendly game of pick-up he reasoned, and what the worst that could happen? So in the spirit of trying something new Clark stood and took him up on his offer.
"Alright," Clark said, "but I don't have any shorts."
"Don't worry." Whitney replied confidently. "We've got practice uniforms here, you can use that."
He walked on the court and Whitney offered him a pair of spare shorts that he could use, and a reflective jersey to wear over his clothes to signify the side he was playing on. Clark accepted and went to the bathroom to change. He tuned his ears outside and heard Whitney and his teammates call over all the kids they can to sit down at the court and watch the game, Clark recognised it as suspect and readied himself for any pranks.
The stands were almost filled to capacity when Clark stepped out as all of the students in the immediate vicinity were assembled by Whitney to watch a simple pick-up game, or so everyone thought. Clark was tall, so he was assigned to guard one of the bigger guys on the opposite team. The game started and even though he's barely played basketball in his life he was holding his own; he tried not to show off too much but every now and then he would use his speed to run up the floor a little faster than everyone, getting faint oohs from the crowd. Eventually he relaxed and settled down. He was actually starting to enjoy himself.
The game went on and the score was tied at 20, with 21 being the winning basket. Whitney, who was on the team opposing Clark called out a typical play and everyone but Clark acknowledged it as the colluding signal for the plan to commence.
"23 screen!"
The guys on the court started moving around. Whitney passed the ball to a guy named Blake; who was known as the most athletically explosive player in the school and who was also known for his penchant of violent slam dunks. Clark's man purposely drew him under the basket to set him up and Blake dribbled to attack. Clark's teammates subtly parted to give Blake a clear path. Blake put the ball in two hands and took two steps ready to take off.
Clark was under the basket and saw Blake dribble towards him with intent to score. He grit his teeth. Blake soared and extended his arm high up in the air above his head, he was going to throw it down hard on Clark. Clark was went his options, he could move out of the way or he could show off a little…
Clark jumped straight up to meet him at the apex of his flight, and the hair on top of their heads cleared the ten-foot rim. Jaws were collectively open in anticipation of a Blake highlight. But instead the crowd saw Clark swing for the ball and smack it, ripping it out of Blake's hand with his own and palming it in mid-air. The crowd gasped and screamed, they expected to see Clark on the floor with Blake standing over him, but it was the other way round. Clark landed on two feet with the ball in his hand while Blake landed on his behind after losing his balance due to the block. Clark took advantage of everyone's shock and shot up the floor with a burst. He outran everyone and finished coast-to-coast with a thunderous dunk and the crowd erupted at what they just witnessed. Whitney, and all the other players were absolutely dumbfounded and stunned; the supposed outcome was supposed to be Clark's embarrassment but Clark completely flipped the script and won the game.
Clark looked over at Lana, and surprisingly she was cheering and smiling at him at the same time. Clark gave her a knowing wink. Whitney, already angered and confused at the failure of his plan took note of this and stormed off.
"Clark?" Martha called from upstairs.
"Yes Ma?"
"Can you come up here please?"
"Sure mom." replied Clark as he turned off the TV.
Clark entered his room and saw his parents standing next to his bed with a knowing smile on their faces. Clark's eyebrow quirked.
"What are you wearing to the dance Clark?" inquired Martha.
Clark told his parents of his plans to go the dance earlier. And they were happy for him, they saw their boy starting to take control of his life and mould himself into a stripling, confident young man.
"I don't know" he replied with a shrug, "I think I'll wear one of dad's old suits."
"You don't have to, look what we got for you."
Jonathan pulled out two hangers from Clark's closet and upon them hung a pristine and immaculate black-slate, pinstriped dinner jacket with matching grey trousers and a black tie. On the other hanger was a fetching dark maroon waistcoat and a faded yellow shirt. It was an eye-catching three-piece ensemble.
"Woah!" Clark exclaimed. Jon and Martha laughed at his reaction.
Clark took the hanger, "Where did you get this?"
"From a suit store." came Jon's dry reply.
Clark chuckled, "Which suit store?"
"A very nice suit store." Martha joined.
Clark frowned and gave them a questioning look. He looked at the tag on the jacket and saw the logo. The name sounded Italian, and expensive. "How much was this?" he hastily blurted.
"It was on clearance." Martha offered.
"We had enough." said Jon.
Clark pressed, "Dad, mom, how much did you spend on this?"
Jon and Martha didn't answer, which confirmed that the suit was most likely very valuable. Clark put the hangers down on his bed and sighed.
"Mom, Dad, you shouldn't have." Clark chided, "I don't want you to spend so much on me."
Clark's upbringing reared him to be humble and modest; he never asked for extravagant gifts and he never longed for material belongings so he was a little nervous of accepting such a well-tailored suit.
"Oh don't worry about it!" assured Martha.
Jon added, "Yeah, think of it as an early Christmas and birthday present."
Clark started, "Are you sure? I mean my birthday is not for another month and Christmas is like three weeks away…"
Martha cut him off, "Clark, this is the first time we know of that you're going to an event like this, and we want to make sure we do our part and make it as special as we can." she explained.
Clark smile at them and pulled them into a tight hug, "Thanks mom, thanks dad. I love you guys."
Jon said happily, "You're welcome."
Martha picked up the suit off the bed and gave it to Clark. "So, why don't you try it on?"
"Okay, give me a sec."
Martha and Jon walked out of the room to give Clark space to change and quite literally a second after they closed the door Clark was finished changing.
"Okay, done!"
Jon and Martha laughed as they went back inside, when they stepped in they saw a very fine man in a suit that seemed to highlight and accentuate all of his features and his figure.
"Oh my goodness!" Martha gasped.
"Wow, Clark, you're going to break hearts tonight!" Jon added.
Clark asked with a twinkle in his eye, "So how do I look?"
"Majestic." Martha answered simply. Clark's shoulders and chest were broad and powerful.
"Yeah, good thing I picked out that suit instead of the other one your mother was looking at."
Martha elbowed Jon, "Shut up dear. It was the other way round Clark; your dad wanted to pick out another and I suggested this one instead. Of course I was correct." she said, proud of the way her son looked in the suit she selected.
Jon rolled his eyes, "Course you were honey." Clark laughed, his parents' thoughtfulness made him feel so warm inside.
It was the night of the dance, and Jon dropped off Clark at the school. Clark took a moment to look at his reflection through a window; straightening his tie and combing his wavy and slightly curly jet black hair with his fingers. He had to admit that the suit his parents bought him was excellent and very tasteful, he took another second to appreciate his appearance and turned to walk to the dance.
He signed his name at the register at the door, then he walked inside the gym that was the venue for the dance. He entered and immediately he noticed the ballroom atmosphere that has been set for the seniors' Christmas dance. The lights were dimmed, there was an illuminated stage and a large disco ball upon which hung a giant mistletoe. Clark smiled, that detail was very clever. He wondered how many people were going to be kissing under the giant plant tonight, certainly not him though he thought to himself.
He arrived about ten minutes after the official start of the event and the place was already packed with students, all dressed in a rainbow smorgasbord of suits, gowns and dresses. He could see that everyone made an effort to look the part tonight, and he thanked his parents again for buying him a great suit himself. He walked to the drinks bar, they were only serving non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails but he didn't mind. He took a cherry-tinted cocktail and sipped it; it was nice, sweet and he liked the taste. He looked over his glass as he took another sip, and he could see that some of the people were looking at him and whispering among themselves. With a sigh, he tuned his ears to listen in on some of the conversations.
"Is that him?"
"Yeah, that's him. The guy that embarrassed Blake Griffiths."
"Oh yeah? Were you there? Everyone's been talking about it, apparently it was amazing."
"Yeah I was there, dude it was awesome."
He listened to another conversation, this time between two girls whose names he barely knew.
"Is that Clark Kent?"
The girl she was speaking to didn't turn to look. "Clark Kent is here?"
The other girl giggled, "Yeah, and he looks hot."
"What?"
"Look at him!"
"Wow, he does look really cute."
"I wonder where he got that suit."
"Screw the suit, I want to see what's underneath it!"
Clark chuckled softly to himself, his mother's fashion compass was impeccable. And his ego was once again inflating at the attention he's being paid. But it quickly deflated back to earth when he saw her. She was wearing a stunning silver-white dress that clung tightly around her upper body and flared out at her hips. But the dress was trifling compared to her, for she looked wonderful tonight. Her smile, her hair, her eyes and her dimples were nothing short of captivating. Clark sighed, Whitney's arm was wrapped around her as they walked to socialise with many of their friends. Whoops and catcalls rang out when Lana and Whitney appeared before everyone; they looked like the classical and perfect teenage couple.
Clark picked up another drink and started for the back of the venue, he met her eyes for a split-second as he walked away.
Lana was conversing happily with her friends when she saw him, he was wearing a very fit suit and he was probably the most attractive male in the room; her apparent boyfriend included. It was impossible for a man to look as good as Clark did.
The navigation computer pinpoints the location of Kal-El's ship on Earth and sets a terminal course as Kara Zor-El's ship passes the moon.
Clark walks back to the front of the venue near the dance floor in order to grab another fruity cocktail. The motown-themed band was in full swing and the floor was buzzing with lively movement. He looked lover at the dance floor and saw her dancing with him.
Lana saw Clark staring at her as she looked over Whitney's shoulder after a twirl. Both their hearts skip a beat as she returned his intent gaze. His eyes were as enthralling as ever.
Whitney, oblivious to Clark's presence caught sight of Clark as he turned Lana for a spin. His blood began to boil. He very much remembers when Clark made his entire team look like rookies and embarrassed them all. In addition, the way he and Lana were looking at each other on the court gave him an injection of jealousy.
"Hey babe." Whitney said as he pushed Lana close to him. That farm-boy asshole will know who Lana belongs to.
Lana quickly recovered and looked at Whitney. "Hmm?"
"You look so hot tonight." he whispered seductively.
"Thanks Whitney, again."
Whitney gave her a mischievous look and brought his head down for a bruising kiss. Wolf-whistles and cheers rang out in the background. Lana's eyes opened wide in surprise at first but she returned the kiss anyway.
However, when Whitney's mouth was on hers she was acutely aware that deep down in her heart there was only one guy in the room she wanted to do this with.
Whitney pulled back and gave her a predatory grin. Then without warning he again pulls her to him and kisses her hard once more. Lana, taken aback by his aggressiveness stops the kiss before he gets carried away,
"Whitney! Stop it!" she hissed.
Whitney looked annoyed, "Why? I can't help myself babe!" he tried to pull back her back to him but she resists.
"Whitney, I'm serious, you can't keep on doing that in front of everyone!" she admonished with a glare. The fact that she said you instead of us hinted to Whitney that she wasn't giving her all when they kissed.
"Why not?"
"Because we're supposed to be dancing!"
"Fine!" he relented. "But that mistletoe is still there." he added.
"Thank you." she sighed as they continued their slow dancing.
Clark's felt his heart fall when he saw Whitney claim Lana's lips; he could still remember how they felt. The moment he and Lana shared in his loft seemed an eternity away now. He thought it would be a good idea coming here but now he was regretting it seeing the girl he loved with another guy. He kept on watching the pair as they danced and every now and then Lana would glance over at him and they'd lock eyes again.
A possessive Whitney at this point was getting heated, he noticed that over and over again Clark would be looking at Lana and she would be wistfully looking at him back. He decided to confront Lana about it. "Lana?" Whitney asked.
"Yes?"
Whitney face was unreadable, "What's your relationship with Clark?"
Lana face fell heavy and she felt her stomach shrink, "Which Clark?" she absently replied, trying to deflect his curiosity.
"You know, that Clark?"
"Whitney, there are a quite a few Clarks in this school, and I get along with everyone, you know that I'm-"
Whitney scoffed, "You know who I'm talking about. What's he to you?"
Lana began to inwardly panic. She tried to continue feigning her innocence, "Babe, I don't know who you're talking about. I know many Clarks." she calmly said.
"Well then," Whitney began as he held Lana's arm in a tight grip, "it would be the Clark you were looking at all fucking night." he stated with a chilling tone.
Lana gasped. "Clark Kent? He's, he's a close friend." she offered weakly.
"Reeaally?" Whitney replied sardonically. "Just how close are you two huh?"
Lana's heart started thudding, "We're pretty close." she explained.
"So that means you could look at each other the way you were looking at all night?!" he retorted with a raised voice as he tightened his grip on Lana.
"We haven't seen each other in a while and he is my friend!" Lana cried defensively.
Whitney let out a disturbingly dry laugh, "Don't give me that shit Lana, I saw the way you were looking at him yesterday let alone tonight. What's going on between you two?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" he repeated.
"Yes."
"Okay, then tell me the reason why you were looking at him!"
Lana was getting exasperated, "I can't look at anyone without you questioning me? You don't own me Whitney, we only started seeing each other barely two weeks ago."
"Answer the question Lana." he pressed through gritted teeth.
Lana Lang was an honest person who never told a lie as long as she could help it, she wasn't going to stop now.
She answered him with a stoic demeanour. "Because I have feelings for him. There. You happy?"
"Ecstatic. Stay away from me." Whitney bluntly let go of her and stormed off. Lana sighed in irritation and left the gym too.
Kara Zor-El's ship started the final approach to Earth. The artificial meteorites were deployed and the cloaking systems were activated. However, the gravity sensor, which was damaged on the egress out of Krypton was having difficulties in calibrating to Earth's pull.
The ship breached the atmosphere and the outer skin began heating up, the gravity sensor had completely malfunctioned and the thrusters had not engaged properly to ease the craft's descent. The ship started plummeting way too fast towards the location of Kal-El's ship. It sent a distress signal to warn the other ship's computer of its imminent arrival.
Clark saw Whitney and then Lana leave the gym with displeasure panned across their faces. He didn't listen to their conversation but he knew things had gone sour between them. He put down his glass and turned to follow Lana, he found her in one of the corridors sitting down on a bench with her head buried in her hands.
"Lana?"
Lana looked up and saw Clark standing over her with a concerned expression, she sighed.
"Hey Clark, nice suit."
Clark chuckled, "Thanks, my mother picked it. I was going to wear one of my dad's old suits but they thought it would be better if I got to wear a real one."
Lana smiled, "Well it does look very nice on you."
"Yeah, if I may say so you look very nice too."
"So I've heard everyone say." she dismissed.
"Well it must be true then if everyone's saying it."
"Thanks Clark." she said quietly while looking away.
"Is everything okay? I saw you and Whitney and you looked quite angry at each other."
"Yeah," she groaned. "Everything's fine, he's not my boyfriend anymore."
"Oh." Clark was quite surprised at this, he thought that Lana must've had strong feelings for Whitney. "Care to explain why?"
"He asked me about my relationship with you."
Clark couldn't help but feel sorry for Lana if it was because of him that they ended. "Ah, what did you say?"
"The truth." she replied.
"Oh." Clark pondered what the 'truth' was, and he had to ask Lana if his idea of the truth was the same as hers. "But we're just friends Lana."
Lana scoffed lightly at his words. "No, Clark. You should know that since that night we're more than friends."
"Yes, I know." he admitted ruefully. "But it was you that decided otherwise wasn't it?"
"You don't get it Clark…" she started with a sigh.
"I don't get what?"
"Clark, do you know the reason I was attracted to Whitney?"
"Tell me." Clark already had an idea of why.
"It was because of his status, he was the captain of the team and he was a good looking, popular guy-"
"All admirable qualities in a guy." Clark interrupted.
Lana snickered, "Shut up and let me finish." Clark grinned sheepishly but straightened up immediately. Lana continued, "Well, I was attracted to him because of his image, of what other people thought of him, I wanted to be seen with him. I didn't have that burning desire to just be with him. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Perfectly." Clark assured, he understood Lana's reasons for why she was attracted to Whitney. He himself was trying to be the one of the guys girls were attracted to because of their status. He didn't realise until now just how empty that attraction was. He assumed that was just the way things worked.
Lana smiled at him. "Then you come along, for all of the time I knew you I just regarded you as kinda boring you know? But then you turn up at my house, you carry me in your arms then you tell me who you are." she looked at him longingly and he urged her with his eyes to continue, "You tell me you love me, and for the first time I felt things that I have never felt with anyone else. I didn't feel a mere attraction Clark, I felt desire, I felt passion. Not because of how many friends you have or what you do, but because I wanted to be with you the way you were."
In the barn, Kal-El's ship started emitting an ultrasonic signal indicating the arrival of a malfunctioning ship. The signal's frequency was so high that only a Kryptonian could possibly hear it.
Clark reached for hand and caressed it. "Do you still feel that way?"
"Yes, I do." she answered breathlessly as Clark pulled her for a kiss. She returned it with the passion she had longed to do since that night in the loft. Clark revelled in her as she parted her soft lips and allowed access for his tongue. She moaned heartily as Clark began caressing her back while at the same time he tenderly explored inside her mouth. Their eyes were closed and their breathing grew heavy as the kiss grew became more and more desperate. Clark could hear a faint screech in the background but he tuned it out. He disregarded it as instrument feedback coming from the band. His lips curved as he heard the song they were playing at this instant: Earth Angel.
Martha and Jon were sleeping peacefully in their bed. They were disturbed with a wailing, whistling sound coming from above them. They barely had time to get up and look out of the window as Kara's ship careened into the side of their house with a violent explosion. The impact of the crash created a smouldering crater where the Kent farmhouse and the barn used to be.
Clark was getting lost in Lana as they continued kissing, his senses were blocking out everything except for the feathery feel and the taste of her delicious lips. But he kept hearing a piercing screech that persisted in his eardrums despite his best efforts to tune it out. It irked him but he kept his attention on Lana. He heard another thing in the distance; a loud whistle akin to a falling bomb and then a resultant boom. Suddenly an ominous cloud began to hover over him. The explosion came from the direction of his home.
He hastily ended the kiss and pushed Lana away with an expression of distress, "Lana, I have to go."
Lana looked at him as if he had grown two heads, a second ago they were passionately making out and now he wanted to stop. "Clark? What ar-" She was interrupted by a gust of wind and a black blur where Clark used to be.
Clark arrived at his farm at record speed, the suit his parents had so lovingly gifted him was burnt and torn beyond recognition due to the friction when he ran so hard. It was tattered, ripped, singed and completely destroyed on his frame. But he didn't care about his goddamn suit. When he arrived at the farm his worst fears were brutally realised. The place he had grown up with, the place that contained everything and everyone he knew and loved were reduced to ashes before his eyes in a huge cloud of smoke and seething debris. The farmhouse was gone, the barn was gone, the water tower had collapsed and it the epicentre he saw a matte silver capsule with a familiar insignia on it.
As he got closer the ultrasonic screech he heard grew more intense, he registered it as coming from the basement of the destroyed barn. His heart stopped beating and tears started falling uncontrollably from his eyes as he realised what the sound was for. It was an early warning system; a warning system that he had failed to heed due to his own whimsical desires. Now he will pay the price. An iron hand crushed the remnants of his constitution and he fell to the floor in howling pain.
Nothing mattered to him now; not his love for Lana, not himself, not his superficial craving for attention, not his new outgoing change in life, not his stupid loft. All the trifling things he valued melted away into the sea like castles made of sand. His parents, who loved him more than they did themselves and nurtured and cared for him in their beautiful home had perished. He knew and believed it was because of him and he had nothing left.
