Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville.
Chapter ten:
Chloe smiled politely as she listened to Lana recount Whitney's surprise return and how he had marched through Smallville high to meet her. "Sounds pretty romantic; Could Ms. Lang be having feelings for the man in uniform?" She teased, secretly hoping that it was so. It would certainly remove another complication.
"I don't know." Lana hedged nervously, shifting on the spot. "It's just that ever since Whitney got back he's been so different, so... Carefree. It's refreshing." The brunette confessed, turning her eyes away from Chloe to watch the Talon crowd and therefore missing the sympathetic look that she now sported.
"Well," The blonde started, quirking her lips in thought. "Maybe that's just what you need."
Before she could continue speaking said male wondered over, speaking with an excited Pete. "To tell the truth, I haven't really been that interested with football recently." He turned and fixed his blue eyes upon Lana's face, smiling. "I've realized that there's more important things out there and I want to focus on them."
Chloe could practically see Lana melt into a puddle of goo at the romantic words and shook her head in resignation. It wouldn't work out, that much she knew; however the other girl would at least enjoy it while it lasted, and that was something at least. The blonde turned away from them for a brief moment and lit up when she spotted a certain familiar farmboy. "Clark!" She yelled, waving for him to join them.
The massive youth grinned when he saw her bright face and made his way over. "Chloe, Pete, Lana... Whitney." He nodded at the other tall blonde, seeming unsure what to make of him.
"Kent." The former quarterback nodded in recognition, clenching his jaw when he saw the look that the tiny brunette sent toward the other teen. "Would you excuse me for a moment?" He smiled charmingly, making his way over to the bathroom.
Clark looked around at the others for a moment before quirking his lips awkwardly and making to follow the other boy. "I'll be right back."
Chloe squinted after him and turned to her other two friends, a curious expression on her face. "Okay, am I the only one that can feel the tension between those two?" She queried, pointing after them in emphasis.
"Nah, something's seriously got Whitney annoyed at Clark." Pete frowned. "Wonder what?"
"Who knows, maybe he said something logical and Whitney couldn't understand it." She jabbed as she did at all the jocks, former or current.
"Lay off," Lana started defensively, glaring at the two of them as though they were conspiring to murder. "Whitney has been through a lot. You can't judge him for being a little angry. Maybe Clark said something to bring back memories of the battlefield." She chided.
The other two teens exchanged looks and quickly nodded. "You're right, Lana. I'm sorry I was so insensitive." Chloe apologized with a confused frown. "I'll try to be more... Sensitive."
"Thank you." The brunette nodded at her words, leaving the two of them to stare after her retreating form.
"Okay..." Chloe trailed off. "Did I do something to make her mad, because she's been short with me lately, like, a LOT!"
"I don't know." Pete stared after the tiny girl and then both turned their gazes toward the bathroom as they heard a loud crash. "The hell was that?"
The two watched an angry Whitney leave the bathroom, followed shortly by a wide-eyed Clark. Lana walked over to him and they and the few people now remaining in the Talon watched as the girl started shouting at him. Both heard the words "Broke" "Bathroom" and "Whitney". "What the hell?"
"Chloe!" Said girl turned and spotted Clark making his way toward her. She and Pete had been forced to leave before they could speak to him due to him being berated by Lana and had parted ways after leaving; as such they had yet to talk to him about what happened in the bathroom.
"Hey!" She greeted nonchalantly, smiling like one would to a child that had just said something particularly stupid. "So, what happened in there with Whitney?"
Clark turned to her with his brow furrowed, as though he were still confused by what had occurred himself. "I walked into the bathroom and Whitney tore one of the stall's doors right off it's hinges."
Chloe blinked and raised an eyebrow. "O-kaaaay." She drawled. "That's definitely not normal behaviour. Did Lana blame you?" She asked with a frown.
"Yeah!" She leaned back slightly at his sudden exclamation. "And she called me a liar and told me that I should be ashamed at myself!"
"Whoa." Chloe grimaced and connected the dots in her head. "So Whitney's dangerous and capable of tearing a door off it's hinges. What are we thinking, meteor rocks? Ooh, government experiments!" She clapped excitedly, pausing as she took in the look he was giving her. "What?"
"Nothing." He tried to suppress his smile and shook his head. "I'm not sure. Maybe there's another exclamation."
"Like... PTSD?" She queried.
"PTSD?" He repeated, puzzled by the unfamiliar term.
"Post traumatic stress disorder, come on Clark, a fair few of the older people who live in Smallville served during Vietnam, and even WWII, you should know this." She huffed, looking up at him expectantly.
"Right." He agreed, embarrassed. "So you think Whitney might be traumatized?"
"Well... Yeah. His entire platoon was bombed, remember? That's gotta leave some after-affects." She chided.
"Right." He said once more. He scratched his head absently and regarded her with a look. "Well, I'm going to see Lex. I'll talk to you later."
"Trouble in paradise?" She cooed nonchalantly, subtly trying to coax a story out of him.
"Off the record?" He eyed her suspiciously.
The petite blonde pouted but nonetheless agreed to his stipulation. "Off the record." She repeated reluctantly.
He smiled and looked around before leaning in. "Apparently Lex and Helen are having relationship issues."
"Really?" She queried, surprised. "What happened?"
Clark frowned and pursed his lips in contemplation. "I'm not sure, apparently he thinks that she's been spying on him for his father. But he's afraid that he might have drove her away with a false accusation."
"Maybe he did, maybe he didn't." She shrugged at his puzzled look. "How much do we really know about Helen? She's a doctor, sure. But other than that? Not so much."
"But we don't know that she's a bad person. This could all just be one big misunderstanding." Clark insisted.
"I guess you're right." She relented, tilting her head. "But, still... Well... I suppose it's better to give her the benefit of the doubt."
"Exactly." Clark grinned victoriously, not noticing the light red hue that grazed the other teen's cheeks at his expression.
"Still, be careful Clark. Lionel Luthor's a snake and Lex, despite all that he may say, is still his father's son." She tsk'd, giving him an expression of sympathy.
"Chloe!" Clark stared at her, shocked.
"I'm not saying he's not a good guy!" She hurried to assure him. "But Lionel Luthor... He's a corruptive influence if ever there was one, Clark."
Clark paused and stared at her for a moment, frowning. "Chloe, I get what you're saying, really I do. But Lex loves Helen and I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding." He said decisively.
"Alright, Clark. Just be careful and don't put your trust in Helen." She warned. "Something about her just seems... Off."
"Chloe, I understand that you're just trying to watch out for me, but Helen's a professional and I don't think she'd accept bribes from Lionel Luthor. Lex is just being a little paranoid because of his father." Clark assured her.
"I get that, Clark. Really I do. But as a doctor Helen can do a lot with money like Lionel Luthor totes around. Maybe she does love Lex, but as a person in the medical profession she can help a lot of people with that kind of moolah. And as a human being... Well, people are corruptible."
Clark hastened to deny her once more, but she could tell that something about her words had rattled him. "Chloe, I'll talk to you later." He waved her off, walking toward his faded red pick-up.
"Oh, Clark! Before you go." She jogged to catch up with him and meet his long-legged strides. "Could I catch a ride? I need to get to the Torch and print the latest issue before the after school activities end." She pleaded.
"Smallville high's in the other direction." He pointed out, grimacing at the extra distance that was added onto his journey.
"Please?" She pouted, laying a hand on his shirt and looking up at him with wide green eyes.
The Kryptonian froze as he looked down at her and the blonde smiled triumphantly at the resignation in his eyes. "Alright, I'll take you there. But we'll be going fast." He warned her.
"I'm pretty quick myself." She quipped, stalking ahead of him and waving back at his perplexed form. "Thanks, Clark!"
"It's fine." He murmured, distracted by the sway of her hips as she marched toward his means of transportation and heaved herself into the already open door.
"Come on Clark,I thought you said you were quick?" She teased from her place in the passenger seat.
He huffed and made to follow.