"I'm sorry I'm not able to receive your call right now; but if you leave your name and number, I'll get back with you as soon as possible."
I hang up. I don't expect Lana to answer the phone for me. In fact, I called her phone with the intention of leaving a message. But I can't do it.
Clark hugs me to his side and squeezes my arm sympathetically. He offered to be with me when I tell her; but I declined, and then I made him promise to let me tell everyone that we're married.
"Clark! Chloe!"
I look up to see an angry Lois making her way towards us. Then, I take a step back so that I'm partially hidden behind Clark.
When Mrs. Kent said she'd send her new chief of staff to pick us up from the landing strip, she failed to mention she was sending Lois. I think she did that on purpose.
"Explain," Lois growls.
Clark looks down at me as I look up at him.
"Now!" she barks.
We both jump. Any other time, I'd laugh at the fact that Clark seems to be afraid of Lois despite the fact that she can't physically harm him. This isn't any other time.
"Well I uh," I stumble.
"I don't remember anything," Clark says quickly.
I glare at him. I have no idea why. He did exactly what I told him to.
Lois stands toe to toe with Clark and looks him straight in the eyes.
"You don't remember?" she asks condescendingly.
"No," he gulps.
"Well, start with what you do know," she pokes his chest in time to each syllable. That's seven pokes in all. Not that I was counting.
He glances down at me nervously. I shrug. Better him than me.
"And what the hell is this!" She exclaims. Then she roughly grabs my arm, yanks me towards her, and pushes my head to the side so that she can examine my neck.
"Clark did it," I say the first thing that comes to mind. It just happens to be the truth.
Clark rescues me from Lois's painful grasp shouting, "Careful Lois!". Then he pauses when he realizes what I've said and slowly turns around to face me.
'Oops'
"What? You did," I mouth.
"I suppose you don't know how that happened either!" she yells, dramatically placing her hands on her hips.
"Lois, I can explain."
We both sigh in relief when her phone chooses that moment to ring. As soon as she answers it, we begin to argue.
"What'd you tell her that for?"
"You don't think she already knew?" I whisper back fiercely.
"I...What if she didn't".
I roll my eyes at his answer.
"She knows Clark; she just doesn't know when and why."
We both look up when Lois honks her horn. Then we look at each other with raised eyebrows.
'When did she get in the car?'
Impatiently, she honks again.
'I'm not getting in there with her.'
Sensing my hesitation, Clark grabs my wrist and pulls me forward a little rougher than necessary. I almost fall, and glare up at him when he catches me. I'm sure he did it on purpose.
"Smallville!" Lois yells over at Clark.
Not once does she take her angry gaze off of him as he opens the passenger door for me. I just kinda stand there. I really don't want to sit anywhere within Lois's reach.
"I'm going; I'm going," I murmur when Clark gives me a little nudge.
'Why can't he sit up front?'
I glance over at Lois. She's watching Clark get in through the rear view mirror. Her eyes are narrowed; her teeth are clenched; and her knuckles have turned white due to her tight grip on the wheel. Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea for Clark to sit up front. Lois will start to wonder why she hurts herself every time she hits him.
I quickly put on my seat belt as she abruptly reverses out of her parking spot, nearly backing into an oncoming car.
"Watch where you're going!" she yells behind her and honks her horn. "Some people!" She exclaims.
I look out the window, knowing she's referring to me and Clark, rather than the person behind her.
"Uh, Lois."
I glare back at Clark. Doesn't he know how dangerous it is for us to talk to Lois right now?
I frown as he leans up in his seat and hesitantly reaches forward, before thinking better of whatever he was planning and snatching his hand back.
"Lois?" he repeats.
I look over at her and nearly faint. Lois is rummaging through her purse. With both hands! The steering wheel is cradled between her knees and she's not watching the road.
'We're gonna die.'
I look up ahead. The light is yellow. I hope we make it.
It turns red.
Clark leans forward and tries to grab the wheel. Lois slams on her breaks and faces him.
"Don't you dare lecture me right now Smallville! I deserve one after the hell you two put me through."
'Deserve one what?'
I notice for the first time Lois is holding a cigarette.
'Not good.'
"Do you, or do you not have my phone number?" She yells at Clark.
"I have-"
"Of course you do! So the next time you decide to take my little cousin on a road trip, call me!" She yells before taking a long drag from her cigarette. It's not lit. Lois quit smoking years ago.
The people in the next car over are staring at her. Some are laughing. Under any other circumstance, this might be funny to me too. But it's not. It's actually really scary. Obviously Clark thinks so too.
"I-I promise to call next time L-Lois," he stammers.
"Damn right you will," she says while poking him in the chest with the cigarette and throwing it back into her purse. There's no doubt in my mind that Lois wishes the cigarette was lit, if only to burn Clark when she poked him.
"That goes for you too missy!" she turns on me.
"I will," I quickly promise.
My phone starts vibrating then, and I'm tempted to ignore it. But it might be someone important.
And it is. It's a text message from Lana telling me to meet her at the diner.
"Lois," I sigh.
"What?" She's still in a grumpy mood.
"I need you to drop me off at the dorm."
"What! Why?" Clark panics.
I look back at him. I can understand why he doesn't want to be alone with Lois but...
"I have to meet Lana," I tell them.
"I can go with you," Clark offers selfishly. He just doesn't want to be left alone with Lois.
"No Kent, you're staying put," Lois scolds before turning her attention onto me. "But don't think I'm finished with you yet young lady."
I attempt a smile, but I'm suddenly really nervous. I can't wait 'til this part is over; and I hope that Lana doesn't kill me.
When Lois pulls up to the school, I take a deep breath and unbuckle my seat belt. She grabs me and hugs me fiercely to her for all of two minutes. Then she lets me go with a kiss on my cheek and a whispered "bye baby."
I feel like crap. I'm the only family she has right now. Her sister, Lucy, is on the run; her mother's dead; and her father's never really been there. I should have at least...Well, I couldn't have called. Kal left my phone. But I should have figured something out.
"Smallville, get up here!"
I turn around briefly to see Clark refusing to sit up front with Lois. I smile and keep walking. She's gonna get her way eventually.
And she does; but I wish it was a little later because I've left my car at the Kent farm.
'Looks like you're gonna be hoofing it Sullivan.'
It's a good thing the diner's just across the street. It doesn't take me more than five minutes to get there.
As I open the door, I quickly scan the booths for Lana. She's not here yet. This is good. I need more thinking time anyway.
I don't get any. I watch Lana open the door and make her way towards me a little less than a minute later.
My mouth goes dry as she gracefully sits in front of me and takes her shades off. She keeps her back ramrod straight.
I recognize this posture. I've seen her do it a million times when Clark's messed up and she's not planning on believing any of his excuses.
"You wanted to talk to me?"
Her voice is strong; intimidatingly so.
"I…" I freeze. The cover story I've come up with is good. Believable, plausible, nearly flawless; but I can't seem to remember any of it. It's not like I've never lied to her before. I've got nearly a year's worth of lying-to-Lana-about-Clark experience; but this is a little more intimate than usual.
"So?" She prompts impatiently.
I exhale slowly and begin.
"Lana I'm sorry about what you saw yesterday; but-"
"I'm not interested in your apology Chloe," she cuts me off.
I frown as she shrugs and leans back in her chair. "How long?" She asks; and I instinctively know she's asking me how long Clark and I have been seeing each other behind her back.
I sigh. I already told her that we haven't been; but my word probably means a little less than nothing after what she witnessed yesterday.
"Lana, I meant what I said yesterday. It wasn't what it looked like. There's nothing between me and Clark," I start off, knowing she's going to need more than that to convince her otherwise.
She raises a disbelieving eyebrow.
"So, what? you tripped and fell into his lap?"
"Lana-"
"Oh I know! You had a boo boo on your lips and he had to kiss it and make it better right?"
"I-"
"You what?"
"Will you just let me explain!" I yell.
She snaps her mouth shut and glares at me. I immediately feel guilty for snapping at her. From where she's standing, it does look as though there's something between me and her ex. I shouldn't have lost my patience with her. She has the right to be upset.
"Do you remember about three years ago when Pete and I were infected by the cave parasites?" I ask.
She doesn't say anything. Just stares at me.
"Do you remember how it affected us," I try again.
She just keeps looking at me. She's probably wondering where I'm going with this.
"Do you remember how it made me act?" I try one last time.
She does remember. I can see the wheels turning and dots connecting.
"So you're saying that you and Clark were infected by the parasites again?" She asks disbelievingly.
"Not me;" I explain hurriedly. "Just Clark. He came to see me and I noticed he was acting strange. It took me awhile; but I recognized the symptoms and tried to make him go to the hospital, but he wouldn't listen to me."
"Why didn't you call me?"
'Because you're slightly suicidal; because you cry whenever I mention his name; because you wouldn't have been able to help in any way; because what I'd just told you was a lie to begin with...'
"I did Lana, but he took my phone from me and accused me of trying to call the hospital," I make up on the spot.
She looks as if she wants to believe me; but then:
"I understand why he was kissing you; but why were you kissing him back?"
I look down at my lap. I really wish she hadn't asked me that.
"I wasn't exactly kissing him," I start off. I can feel her staring at me; waiting for me to explain; so I take a deep breath and look her in the eyes. "He told me the only way he'd go to the hospital was if I-"
"You kissed him," she finishes.
"No." I say simply.
She raises her eyebrows.
"He wanted to play a game." I continue while maintaining eye contact. I'd learned long ago that when lying to someone you're close to, it's best to stick as close to the truth as possible. It makes it easier to remember said lie later if asked about it. Otherwise I would've gone for the easier version; the one where Clark made me kiss him in order to get him to the hospital.
I take a deep breath before pressing on with my explanation. "He showed me a little pebble he'd stolen from Maddie's rock collection; put it in his mouth, and told me that if I could take it from him without using my hands, he'd go to the hospital. Lana," I say grabbing her hand when she looks away. "You have to believe me when I say I really didn't want to do it. I just..." I sigh deeply; not just for dramatic affects, but because I really do feel sorry for her. "He told me that Pete and I were going to jump the gorge when we were infected, and I remembered the way Travis jumped to his death at the party; and I just didn't want anything to happen to Clark. I was worried. I'm sorry," I sincerely apologize, but not for what she thinks I'm sorry for.
"Clark's always been good at hiding his feelings," She whispers while tugging her hand from my grasp and looking down at her lap.
I furrow my brows.
"Feelings?"
"He obviously has feelings for you if he came to see you..."
"And not you," I finish for her.
She shrugs meekly.
"Lana," I sigh, getting out of my seat and kneeling down beside her. "We share the same dorm room. What if he did come to see you?"
She looks at me hopefully; and even though it was a lie I made up to make my friend feel better, I can't help but wonder if it's true.
She gives me a small smile and I hug her tightly, vowing to do whatever it takes to get that divorce, because I don't have the heart to tell her what else I've done.