••••

Chapter Ten

----------------

I'm Sorry, What?

••••

The rest of the weekend found Clark being distracted by Lois and Chloe so much that his pain over what Lana had done to him wasn't immediately felt. He knew that once the weekend was over and he returned to school and having to see Lana would bring the pain back but for now he was going to enjoy it. They were in his kitchen now with his mom trying to teach Lois how to make a pie. They were on their tenth pie attempt he thought, he didn't really know he had stopped counting after she had burnt the first five. His mom and dad had taken instantly to Lois and got a kick out how she kept Clark on his toes. He was sitting on the couch with his dad watching the news when they heard shouts and loud laughter coming from the kitchen. He and his dad looked at each other and decided to go see what was going on.

The stopped short and burst out laughing when they saw both Lois and Mrs. Kent covered in flour. Chloe stood off to the side holding her stomach and laughing so hard she was tearing up. Lois and Mrs. Kent glared at Chloe and shook themselves to get some of the flour off. Lois then grabbed a bowl of flour and advanced on Chloe who squealed and ran for cover behind Clark and Mr. Kent. Before Lois could stop herself she had released the flour just as Chloe hid and the flour ended up hitting mostly Clark but also got onto Mr. Kent. They sputtered as the flour got into their noses and mouths. Lois's mouth fell open and Mrs. Kent gasped as Chloe continued laughing as she came out from behind them.

Clark and Mr. Kent both turned to Chloe and stared as she laughed.

"Oh man," Chloe said in between breaths. "You should see yourselves."

Chloe didn't notice how Clark had taken the bowl from Lois. There was still some flour in it. Chloe was too busy pointing and laughing at everyone to notice how Clark held the bowl over her head and didn't glance up until she heard Lois chuckling. She looked up and the flour landed right in her face covering her everywhere. She sputtered as she wiped flour from her eyes and mouth.

"So not fair." Chloe coughed out.

"You are the one that started it." Lois told her as she walked back into the kitchen to stand by Mrs. Kent. "All because Mrs. Kent said my pie filling tasted better than yours."

"You switched our bowls." Chloe said as she wiped her face. "I saw you."

"I would never." Lois said innocently and then confessed. "Okay, I did."

"Lois," Mrs. Kent said laughing. "The one I thought was Chloe's was just as good. I didn't want you to feel bad so I told you that yours was the better one."

Lois just laughed and hugged her. This caused a flour cloud to form around them and they coughed.

"I think we need to clean up this mess and then clean ourselves." Mr. Kent said clapping his son his shoulders.

Clark went to get the broom as Lois and Chloe told Mrs. Kent that they would take care of cleaning the kitchen and she should go get cleaned up. She thanked them and headed up the stairs with her husband.

"You two are terrible." Clark told them shaking with laughter as he began sweeping up the mess.

The three of them cleaned up the mess in the kitchen and finished just as the Kent's came down the stairs. They invited Lois and Chloe to stay for dinner.

"We'd love to," Lois said. "But I think we should go on home to clean up."

The girls said their goodbyes to Clark and the Kent's and went out the door. Clark watched as they walked to Chloe's car and argued about who was going to drive. Chloe won this round and Clark chuckled as Lois stomped to the passenger side and plopped herself into the seat. Turning around he found both his parents smiling at him.

"What?" He asked at the expression on their faces.

"You know, I like Lois." His mom said walking into the kitchen.

"Me too." His father said. "She knows how to liven things up doesn't she?"

"You should have seen her put Lex in his place." Clark told them walking to the fridge and taking out the juice and drinking straight from the carton.

"Clark!" His mom admonished. "What were you raised in a barn?"

"Uh, kind of." Clark said laughing. "Besides dad does it too."

Mrs. Kent turned to see her husband shaking his head at their son. He stopped and gave her a small smile. His mom just shook her head at the both of them.

"So about Lois," His mom went back to the topic they had been discussing before. "Don't you think she is pretty?"

Clark stared at his mom and then looked at his dad who was hiding a smile behind his hand.

"I'm sorry, what?" Clark coughed out. Clark thought Lois was not only pretty but beautiful.

"Don't you think she is pretty?" His mom asked again.

"She's beautiful." Clark blurted out and mentally slapped himself at the smile that spread on his mom face.

"Isn't she." His mom told him with a smile.

"She's a great friend." Clark interjected. "She was there for me with the whole Lana thing and I appreciate that."

"Do you think she could be more?" Mrs. Kent asked excitedly.

Clark just shook his head. It's not that he wasn't attracted to Lois it's just it was too soon after Lana for him to be thinking of anyone that way.

"I'm not looking for that type of relationship right now." Clark told his mom. "Besides even if I was Lois doesn't see me that way."

"But if you were ready for a relationship you think you'd like to have one with Lois?" His mom asked clearly not giving up.

Her question actually made Clark think more about it; could he and Lois ever become more than friends. Shaking his head to clear those thoughts he looked at his mom as she waited for his answer.

"I don't think Lois will ever allow us to become more than just friends." Clark said with a hint of sadness. "And I'm fine with that."

Mrs. Kent caught the sad tone and knew that there was definitely something more when it came to Lois. She smiled to herself. It was going to be fun watching as the two of them realized that.

••••