Chapter 11: Assault With a Cue Stick
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Chloe studied Lex's face for a reaction, but he seemed nonchalant to the fact that Phil was a professional pool player. The confidence etched in his face didn't seem to waver in the slightest. Chloe smiled, maybe Lex had a few tricks up his sleeve... or down his swimming trunks *ugh, naughty thoughts*
Lex met Phil's challenging gaze. Captain of the Metropolis pool team, huh? What were the chances of that happening?
"So are you in or not?" Phil probed. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you..."
"That won't be necessary," Lex said with a somewhat gracious smile. He was going to loose. He was going to get his ass kicked by some eighteen-year- old poster boy and worst of all, it was going to be done in front of Chloe.
Chloe lounged in one of the poolside chairs. She was pretty certain she could follow the game... and if not, she'd still get a great view of Lex's Nike trunks. As the game began, Chloe's mind soon wandered. It wasn't that it wasn't exciting enough, she just had other things on her mind. She watched Lex's eyes intensify with concentration as he swiftly pocketed the balls. The way he prowled around the table studying each of his options and deftly making decisions... the way he'd look up at her now and again at her and smile. Phil was pretty good too.
Lex figured Chloe was deeply focused on the game. If she was, then she'd know that the chances of him winning were about the same as his father becoming a cocktail waitress. He had to try harder though, he had a burning need to impress her and he didn't handle defeat very well.
The minutes ticked by and Chloe brain started to formulate an epiphany. Lately all she could think about was Lex. Even while watching the Simpsons... and she *always* tuned out to the world when she watched the Simpsons... did that mean something? Was Homer loosing his humor or was she falling for Lex?
"No offence, Lex, but I think you need to brush up on your pool playing skills..." Phil stated sympatheticaly.
Lex raised an eyebrow, determined to hold his head high. "I guess I've been out of the game for too long." he said with an even tone.
"Out of the game? Were you ever *in* the game?" Phil laughed.
"I apologize if my life goes beyond the boundries of highschool and pool games... I happen to have other priorities," Lex said through gritted teeth. Priorities like becoming the Metropolis Pool Team's new sponsor and forcing the players to wear pink spandex uniforms with the LuthorCorp logo on the front...
"I bet Chloe could take this shot for me, and I'd *still* win!" Phil boasted, "Come here, Chloe." he said motioning to her.
"Huh? What?" she asked, waking from her fantasies... er... poderings about Lex. The last thing she felt like doing was playing pool.
"Come here and make this shot..." Phil ordered.
"If I do, will you two stop playing?" Chloe grinned, getting up and taking the cue stick from Phil.
"Of course! The game will end, I'll be the winner, then maybe you and I can go get a cup of tea...?"
Chloe almost laughed. She never trusted a guy who drank tea, "I don't think so... It's kinda late anyway."
Lex breathed a sigh of relief. Just the thought of Chloe and that sleaze bag drinking tea together made his skin crawl.
"Oh, come on," Phil pleaded, moving closer to her, "We could talk about journalism and current affairs... it'll be fun."
"She said no," Lex said, clenching his jaw.
Chloe was a little surprised by Lex's tone, she didn't really understand why he was so worked up. She turned back to Phil, "Current affairs, huh? So what do you think of LuthorCorp's latest rival? I think they're called... Sleaze Industries?"
Lex cracked a smile at Chloe's trick question, but Phil wouldn't fall for that, nobody was that stup-
"Sleaze Industries! I know all about them... I actually did an article on them last week," Phil lied.
"Oh really?" Chloe asked seriously, "Mr Luthor, what do you think about them?"
"Sleaze Industries has always been a primary competetor for LuthorCorp, but we can handle them any day of the week and twice on Sundays," he replied, deepening the trap Chloe had set for Phil.
"Enough about that." Phil stated, grabbing Chloe by the waist. "Lean over and make the shot, keep your eye on the ball and don't focus on anything else."
Chloe stiffened against Phill's touch; the guy was wet and smelled strongly of chlorine. She squirmed slightly as he leaned over her back, with his arms on either side of hers. Noticing Lex in the corner of her eye, she glanced at him. For the first time she actually saw his controlled expression falter... why?
Lex clenched his jaw as he saw Chloe and Phil leaned over together. It become so clear to him. Why wouldn't Chloe be attracted to the eighteen year old pool-playing roporter. The two had so much in common, Phil *wasn't* a somewhat arrogant millionaire with childhood scars and love- issues.
"Now make sure you know where you want the ball to go," Phil whispered into Chloe's ear. His hand moved further down her waist... suddenly Chloe jumped, jerking the cue stick back sharply- directly into Phil's not-so- rock-hard abbs.
"Ugh!" Phil croaked, landing on the floor.
"Oh... I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" Chloe said half truthfully. Nobody's hands get to wander down there, unless they have her signed approval first. *Do something* she mouthed to Lex.
Lex was still trying to supress a laugh from what Chloe had just done as Phil lay on the floor writhing in pain. He wasn't really hurt; besides, he deserved it.
"I think something is broken..." Phil whined.
"You might be right," Lex stated nodding seriously, "Cue stick accidents are very common and without proper treatment, can be very serious."
Phils eye's widened, "Really?! Do you think I need to go to the hospital?"
"Better be safe than sorry," Chloe agreed. Phil might be Lana's cousin, but he was quite gullible and dense... a lethal combination. "Just lay still... I might have gotten you in the kidneys."
"No! Not my kidneys!" Phil said in horror.
"What happened?" Lana asked clambering out of the pool before heading towards her cousin.
"Minor poolside mishap involving a cue stick." Lex stated emotionless.
"I think I nailed him hard," Chloe admitted, ignoring the look Lex tossed her. It wasn't her fault that the english language was littered with not-so- subtle innuedos.
Clark scrambled out of the pool too, "We should get him to a hospital!" he stated, the hero gene finally kicking in. He and Lana grabbed towels and got dressed hurriedly.
"I *knew* Chloe would end up hurting Phil," Clark hissed quietly to Lana.
"So maybe I was wrong about Phil," Lana whispered back. "But I know this other guy and he would be perf-"
"Lana..." Clark warned.
"Sorry." She apologized. "I'll stay out of it... otherwise there might not be any healthy bachelors left in Smallville or Metropolis."
"I might need x-rays!" Phil called, getting up slowly and pulling on a shirt. He started out the door with help from Clark and Lana, then turned to Chloe again.
"So what about having that drink with me sometime?" he asked with a faux smile.
Lex groaned audibly. Couldn't he take a hint? Chloe had nearly impaled him with a cue stick, didn't that say something nowadays?
Chloe smirked, "Sure, Phil... I'll have that drink with you the day Sleaze Industries take over LuthorCorp, okay?"
Phil looked at her confused, then walked off with Lana and Clark, still hunched over, clutching his abdomen. He glanced at Lana confused, "Do you know of a company called Sleaze Industries?"
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There was silence between Chloe and Lex once they were alone. Suddenly the both burst into laughter that echoed through the whole hall. When they finally regained their form, Lex sat down by the side of the pool and turned to Chloe.
"I would have won the game you know," he said seriously.
"Sure.... and I hit Phil with the cue stick by *accident*" Chloe added, as Lex smirked up at her.
"Sit with me for a while?" he asked, reaching out a hand to her.
Chloe accepted the offer, and held onto Lex's hand as she sat down. Neither of them broke contact and their finger began to slowly entwine.
"This was great, Lex." Chloe said tossing him a smile and swirling a feet around in the cool water. Friends held hands, right? It didn't *mean* anything.
"Yeah... I'm glad you decided to stick around. It wouldn't have been as much fun if you hadn't been there." he replied giving her hand a squeeze.
Chloe gulped a little. Friendly hand squeeze... friendly hand squeeze... frien-
"I like you, Chloe." Lex stated looking across the water. There. He'd said it; it was out in the open. It might have sounded a little juvenile, but it was the truth... or at least a diluted version of the truth. He doubted Chloe wanted to hear about the boundless passion he harboured for her
"Oh." Chloe said dumbly. So it wasn't a boundless passion, but she was going to take what she could get.
"I-I like you too Lex. I'm glad we're friends." Chloe smiled, leaning against him a little. She could feel his bare shoulder through her sunflower shirt... sunflower shirt? What had she been thinking? No wonder he didn't think of her as a *woman*.
Lex sighed. Great. Another friend. Just what he needed. He'd confessed his feelings for Chloe and she'd given him a revised version of the let's-be- friends speech. Perfect.
"Hey? Is something wrong?" Chloe asked curling her fingers around his. She'd never do that with Clark or Pete.
"No... everything is the way it should be." Lex said trying to convince himself it was true. "You realise that when you make friends with me you make enemies with about half the Northern hemisphere?" he joked lightly.
Chloe decided to rest her head on Lex's shoulder... in a friendly way. "I don't mind... I know it sounds weird but you make me feel safe, Lex. I like knowing you're there, that I could call and... well, you'd be there."
"I'm not Lassie," Lex stated with a grin. He felt the light weight of her head against his shoulder and the softness of her hair brushing against his cheek.
Chloe remained silent and allowed herself to relax against Lex. Whatever feelings she was mustering for him were definitely not platonic, but there was nothing she could do to suppress them. Lex was no Lassie.
"It's nice to know that you feel that way though... very few people trust me enough to place any confidence in me." Lex sighed, "I'll always be here you know... if you ever need something, or you get sued for assault with a cue stick."
"I'm not a damsel in distress," Chloe stated looking up at him. The longing expression in his eyes made her heart hurt a little. Suddenly she knew she had to leave. If she stayed any longer she would undoubtedly admit certain feelings, which would in turn ruin things between them. She wasn't going to let herself do that.
"I-I have to go," Chloe stuttered getting up, "It's late, my dad will start freaking out."
"Yes... of course," Lex mumbled, getting up too. "Why don't you let me drive you home? It's gotten dark already an-"
"No really... it's fine." Chloe said throwing him a soft smile, "I can manage the drive by myself."
Lex watched miserably as she retreated through the door. He needed some sort of assurance that she wasn't gone for good.
"Chloe, wait!"
"Yeah?" She asked turning back to see his sleek build calling out to her.
"I... I'm going to see you around, right?" Lex asked folding his arms in front of him and frowning.
"You'll definitely see me around, Lex," Chloe called as she slipped out the door.
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Please Review!! Sorry for the delay... school started and I just realised how complicated physics is, arg!
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Chloe studied Lex's face for a reaction, but he seemed nonchalant to the fact that Phil was a professional pool player. The confidence etched in his face didn't seem to waver in the slightest. Chloe smiled, maybe Lex had a few tricks up his sleeve... or down his swimming trunks *ugh, naughty thoughts*
Lex met Phil's challenging gaze. Captain of the Metropolis pool team, huh? What were the chances of that happening?
"So are you in or not?" Phil probed. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you..."
"That won't be necessary," Lex said with a somewhat gracious smile. He was going to loose. He was going to get his ass kicked by some eighteen-year- old poster boy and worst of all, it was going to be done in front of Chloe.
Chloe lounged in one of the poolside chairs. She was pretty certain she could follow the game... and if not, she'd still get a great view of Lex's Nike trunks. As the game began, Chloe's mind soon wandered. It wasn't that it wasn't exciting enough, she just had other things on her mind. She watched Lex's eyes intensify with concentration as he swiftly pocketed the balls. The way he prowled around the table studying each of his options and deftly making decisions... the way he'd look up at her now and again at her and smile. Phil was pretty good too.
Lex figured Chloe was deeply focused on the game. If she was, then she'd know that the chances of him winning were about the same as his father becoming a cocktail waitress. He had to try harder though, he had a burning need to impress her and he didn't handle defeat very well.
The minutes ticked by and Chloe brain started to formulate an epiphany. Lately all she could think about was Lex. Even while watching the Simpsons... and she *always* tuned out to the world when she watched the Simpsons... did that mean something? Was Homer loosing his humor or was she falling for Lex?
"No offence, Lex, but I think you need to brush up on your pool playing skills..." Phil stated sympatheticaly.
Lex raised an eyebrow, determined to hold his head high. "I guess I've been out of the game for too long." he said with an even tone.
"Out of the game? Were you ever *in* the game?" Phil laughed.
"I apologize if my life goes beyond the boundries of highschool and pool games... I happen to have other priorities," Lex said through gritted teeth. Priorities like becoming the Metropolis Pool Team's new sponsor and forcing the players to wear pink spandex uniforms with the LuthorCorp logo on the front...
"I bet Chloe could take this shot for me, and I'd *still* win!" Phil boasted, "Come here, Chloe." he said motioning to her.
"Huh? What?" she asked, waking from her fantasies... er... poderings about Lex. The last thing she felt like doing was playing pool.
"Come here and make this shot..." Phil ordered.
"If I do, will you two stop playing?" Chloe grinned, getting up and taking the cue stick from Phil.
"Of course! The game will end, I'll be the winner, then maybe you and I can go get a cup of tea...?"
Chloe almost laughed. She never trusted a guy who drank tea, "I don't think so... It's kinda late anyway."
Lex breathed a sigh of relief. Just the thought of Chloe and that sleaze bag drinking tea together made his skin crawl.
"Oh, come on," Phil pleaded, moving closer to her, "We could talk about journalism and current affairs... it'll be fun."
"She said no," Lex said, clenching his jaw.
Chloe was a little surprised by Lex's tone, she didn't really understand why he was so worked up. She turned back to Phil, "Current affairs, huh? So what do you think of LuthorCorp's latest rival? I think they're called... Sleaze Industries?"
Lex cracked a smile at Chloe's trick question, but Phil wouldn't fall for that, nobody was that stup-
"Sleaze Industries! I know all about them... I actually did an article on them last week," Phil lied.
"Oh really?" Chloe asked seriously, "Mr Luthor, what do you think about them?"
"Sleaze Industries has always been a primary competetor for LuthorCorp, but we can handle them any day of the week and twice on Sundays," he replied, deepening the trap Chloe had set for Phil.
"Enough about that." Phil stated, grabbing Chloe by the waist. "Lean over and make the shot, keep your eye on the ball and don't focus on anything else."
Chloe stiffened against Phill's touch; the guy was wet and smelled strongly of chlorine. She squirmed slightly as he leaned over her back, with his arms on either side of hers. Noticing Lex in the corner of her eye, she glanced at him. For the first time she actually saw his controlled expression falter... why?
Lex clenched his jaw as he saw Chloe and Phil leaned over together. It become so clear to him. Why wouldn't Chloe be attracted to the eighteen year old pool-playing roporter. The two had so much in common, Phil *wasn't* a somewhat arrogant millionaire with childhood scars and love- issues.
"Now make sure you know where you want the ball to go," Phil whispered into Chloe's ear. His hand moved further down her waist... suddenly Chloe jumped, jerking the cue stick back sharply- directly into Phil's not-so- rock-hard abbs.
"Ugh!" Phil croaked, landing on the floor.
"Oh... I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" Chloe said half truthfully. Nobody's hands get to wander down there, unless they have her signed approval first. *Do something* she mouthed to Lex.
Lex was still trying to supress a laugh from what Chloe had just done as Phil lay on the floor writhing in pain. He wasn't really hurt; besides, he deserved it.
"I think something is broken..." Phil whined.
"You might be right," Lex stated nodding seriously, "Cue stick accidents are very common and without proper treatment, can be very serious."
Phils eye's widened, "Really?! Do you think I need to go to the hospital?"
"Better be safe than sorry," Chloe agreed. Phil might be Lana's cousin, but he was quite gullible and dense... a lethal combination. "Just lay still... I might have gotten you in the kidneys."
"No! Not my kidneys!" Phil said in horror.
"What happened?" Lana asked clambering out of the pool before heading towards her cousin.
"Minor poolside mishap involving a cue stick." Lex stated emotionless.
"I think I nailed him hard," Chloe admitted, ignoring the look Lex tossed her. It wasn't her fault that the english language was littered with not-so- subtle innuedos.
Clark scrambled out of the pool too, "We should get him to a hospital!" he stated, the hero gene finally kicking in. He and Lana grabbed towels and got dressed hurriedly.
"I *knew* Chloe would end up hurting Phil," Clark hissed quietly to Lana.
"So maybe I was wrong about Phil," Lana whispered back. "But I know this other guy and he would be perf-"
"Lana..." Clark warned.
"Sorry." She apologized. "I'll stay out of it... otherwise there might not be any healthy bachelors left in Smallville or Metropolis."
"I might need x-rays!" Phil called, getting up slowly and pulling on a shirt. He started out the door with help from Clark and Lana, then turned to Chloe again.
"So what about having that drink with me sometime?" he asked with a faux smile.
Lex groaned audibly. Couldn't he take a hint? Chloe had nearly impaled him with a cue stick, didn't that say something nowadays?
Chloe smirked, "Sure, Phil... I'll have that drink with you the day Sleaze Industries take over LuthorCorp, okay?"
Phil looked at her confused, then walked off with Lana and Clark, still hunched over, clutching his abdomen. He glanced at Lana confused, "Do you know of a company called Sleaze Industries?"
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There was silence between Chloe and Lex once they were alone. Suddenly the both burst into laughter that echoed through the whole hall. When they finally regained their form, Lex sat down by the side of the pool and turned to Chloe.
"I would have won the game you know," he said seriously.
"Sure.... and I hit Phil with the cue stick by *accident*" Chloe added, as Lex smirked up at her.
"Sit with me for a while?" he asked, reaching out a hand to her.
Chloe accepted the offer, and held onto Lex's hand as she sat down. Neither of them broke contact and their finger began to slowly entwine.
"This was great, Lex." Chloe said tossing him a smile and swirling a feet around in the cool water. Friends held hands, right? It didn't *mean* anything.
"Yeah... I'm glad you decided to stick around. It wouldn't have been as much fun if you hadn't been there." he replied giving her hand a squeeze.
Chloe gulped a little. Friendly hand squeeze... friendly hand squeeze... frien-
"I like you, Chloe." Lex stated looking across the water. There. He'd said it; it was out in the open. It might have sounded a little juvenile, but it was the truth... or at least a diluted version of the truth. He doubted Chloe wanted to hear about the boundless passion he harboured for her
"Oh." Chloe said dumbly. So it wasn't a boundless passion, but she was going to take what she could get.
"I-I like you too Lex. I'm glad we're friends." Chloe smiled, leaning against him a little. She could feel his bare shoulder through her sunflower shirt... sunflower shirt? What had she been thinking? No wonder he didn't think of her as a *woman*.
Lex sighed. Great. Another friend. Just what he needed. He'd confessed his feelings for Chloe and she'd given him a revised version of the let's-be- friends speech. Perfect.
"Hey? Is something wrong?" Chloe asked curling her fingers around his. She'd never do that with Clark or Pete.
"No... everything is the way it should be." Lex said trying to convince himself it was true. "You realise that when you make friends with me you make enemies with about half the Northern hemisphere?" he joked lightly.
Chloe decided to rest her head on Lex's shoulder... in a friendly way. "I don't mind... I know it sounds weird but you make me feel safe, Lex. I like knowing you're there, that I could call and... well, you'd be there."
"I'm not Lassie," Lex stated with a grin. He felt the light weight of her head against his shoulder and the softness of her hair brushing against his cheek.
Chloe remained silent and allowed herself to relax against Lex. Whatever feelings she was mustering for him were definitely not platonic, but there was nothing she could do to suppress them. Lex was no Lassie.
"It's nice to know that you feel that way though... very few people trust me enough to place any confidence in me." Lex sighed, "I'll always be here you know... if you ever need something, or you get sued for assault with a cue stick."
"I'm not a damsel in distress," Chloe stated looking up at him. The longing expression in his eyes made her heart hurt a little. Suddenly she knew she had to leave. If she stayed any longer she would undoubtedly admit certain feelings, which would in turn ruin things between them. She wasn't going to let herself do that.
"I-I have to go," Chloe stuttered getting up, "It's late, my dad will start freaking out."
"Yes... of course," Lex mumbled, getting up too. "Why don't you let me drive you home? It's gotten dark already an-"
"No really... it's fine." Chloe said throwing him a soft smile, "I can manage the drive by myself."
Lex watched miserably as she retreated through the door. He needed some sort of assurance that she wasn't gone for good.
"Chloe, wait!"
"Yeah?" She asked turning back to see his sleek build calling out to her.
"I... I'm going to see you around, right?" Lex asked folding his arms in front of him and frowning.
"You'll definitely see me around, Lex," Chloe called as she slipped out the door.
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Please Review!! Sorry for the delay... school started and I just realised how complicated physics is, arg!