Right In Front Of You
Chapter 10
Chloe looked through the peep hole and smiled brightly before swinging the door open quickly.
"Hey Clark," she said moving so he could enter the apartment.
"Hey Chlo,"
"What's up? Did Hurricane Lois threaten to fire the wedding planner again?" she asked walking into the living room and sitting down on the couch.
"Um… no," he said looking down at the ground and rubbing the back of his neck, "I'm actually here just to… say hi," he said weakly.
"Right. You know Clark for someone who spends his life hiding the truth about himself from the world you are an unbelievably bad liar." she teased.
"Only with you and Lois," he replied smiling at her.
"I don't know about that, you kept the both of us in the dark for a good amount of time, don't you think?" she asked smiling.
"Yeah well things change, I guess."
"Very true. So are you going to tell me what you're really doing here or am I gonna have to guess?"
He walked over and sat down beside her, "okay fine I'm here about Oliver."
She felt her stomach clench, 'low blow Lane' she thought already making a mental note to call Lois and yell at her for actually bringing Clark into this crazy scheme she had to get her together with Ollie.
"Oh let me guess, Lois sent you?"
"No it was my own idea to come here and talk to you." he told her defensively.
She looked at him not believing a word he said but kept her mouth shut and gestured for him to continue.
"Lois told me that you and Jimmy aren't seeing each other anymore."
"No he's a great guy just not…"
"The right guy."
"Exactly."
"Right, so back to the reason I'm here. When are you gonna call Oliver?"
"I'm not." she said simply.
"Why not?"
"Because I need to distance myself from him for awhile."
"No you don't Chloe, you need to talk to him."
"Clark…"
"No just hear me out, all right?" he told her taking a deep breath and collecting him thoughts, "I know what I did to you in high school and I know it hurt you, and made you question how amazing you are, but I was stupid and thoughtless putting you in the through all that and while I do think everything turned out the way it was supposed to, it doesn't mean that I don't feel horrible for what it seemed to do to you."
"Clark," she said with a small chuckle, "That was like a million years ago. I got over my insecurities about that a long time ago." she told him placing her hand gently on his arm, "So stop feeling guilty."
"Then why won't you believe that Oliver has feelings for you?" He asked pointedly.
"Clark, I meant what I said, you have nothing to do with the issues I have with Oliver." she said with a shaky voice standing and walking toward the nearest window
"Chloe, you know how you can tell when I'm not being honest, well that goes both ways."
"Fine Clark maybe that has a little something to do with it, but that's not all there is. I mean how do I know that if I try with him he won't lose these feelings he now has for me as quickly as he developed them?" she asked feeling the tears start to fall down her face.
Clark reached for her and pulled her into a warm embrace and rested his chin on the top of her head, "I can't tell you that I know one hundred percent that this Oliver thing is gonna work, but I can tell you that I really truly believe, that it will." He pulled back moving his hands to his shoulders and looking into her eyes. "Chlo, you and I have been best friends for years now. I would never tell you to go for something that I thought might cause you pain."
"I know that." she replied wiping the wetness from her face.
"Then promise me that you will at least rethink this whole Oliver thing."
She looked at Clark, "all right I promise."
"Lois how in the hell do you figure that this is going to work?"
"It's simple Ollie, Chloe fell in love with you just being yourself right?"
"So I've been told."
"All right so you go over there, and just be Ollie, and ask to take her to dinner, but try not to pick up any tramps and start feeling them up in the corner."
"What?"
"My engagement party." she told him narrowing her eyes.
"Right, man how does Chloe not hate me?"
"Simple. She loves you."
"Okay, what makes you think that when I go over there she's not gonna just slam the door in my face?"
"You didn't think it was just me helping you did you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Lets just say that as we speak Chloe has some company."
"Clark."
"That's right Ollie, we're all in your corner on this just don't screw up and make us regret it." she warned him, "you do know how protective Clark is of Chloe."
"Yes I do, but to be honest you're much scarier when it comes to this then he is."
"Glad to hear it." she said smiling brightly then glancing at her watch, "well Clark should be done talking with her by now so I'm gonna go. I think you have somewhere to be." she picked up her purse and headed toward the elevator.
"What now?"
"Hey you know what they say Ollie, no time like the present, now get you leather clad ass over there."
Oliver knocked lightly on the door reminding himself over and over what Lois had said to him, 'Chloe fell in love with you just being yourself ' so he knocked a second time this time harder. He watched as Chloe made shadows under the door and smiled . He knew her better then anyone so he knew what she was doing. She was on the other side of the door having some great Sullivan internal battle. He chuckled lightly picturing the expression he knew was on her face right now. Part annoyance, Part contemplative, all Chloe.
"All right Chlo, I know you're in there. Open up." he shouted playfully thru the door.
He watched as the door opened slowly.
"You know I expected to see you after my little visitor today, but not this soon."
"Hey I had nothing to do with that." he told her unable to keep from smiling at the fact that Lois and Clark had so much faith that he would never hurt Chloe again that they had created this plan to help him win her over.
"Then what are you doing here?" she asked him suspiciously.
"Simple, I'm taking you to dinner. Grab your stuff and lets go. He said giving her his best smile.
A/N Next chapter soon. Please review they helps motivate me! =)