AUTHOR NOTE:

Hello Earthlings. Now I don't want to get you too excited but this chapter is gonna be pretty huge. Lauren may or may not find out a little something. You'll just have to read and find out.

Enjoy

It's not an S – Chapter 10

So I'd be forgiven for thinking that romantic encounters between best friends don't always go the way you want them to. There's the awkwardness straight afterwards, the silent car rides, the mental questioning. Should we have taken that step? Is this going to ruin our friendship? Or could this be the start of something amazing?

Immediately after Clark and I had shared our first kiss he made some random excuses and left my house as quick as his feet would carry him. I was left just standing there wondering if the last 5 minutes had actually happened. One minute he was opening up to me, sharing his deepest feelings and thoughts, then next after a moment of weakness and impulse it was like he couldn't get away from me fast enough.

For the rest of Saturday and the whole of Sunday I didn't hear a word from him, not a call, a text, nothing. Usually I was the type of person who would grab the bull by the horns and contact him myself to ask what was going on, but with Clark it was different, I was different. I was terrified by what he would say if he did answer a call I made. I was scared that I'd lose him and I couldn't face that. What if he thought it was all one big mistake? If that was the case I don't know how I'd handle it. That kiss, in my mind was one of the best things that happened to me in a long time.

By Monday morning I'd gone past the worried, hesitant phase. Now I was just angry. He was supposed to be my best friend. He played just as much a part in it as I did, maybe more and now he was ignoring me. This wasn't something that I could just brush under the carpet and pretend didn't happen. I had to talk to him and I had to talk to him today.

Usually he always drove me to school and judging by the last couple of days I knew there was a chance that wouldn't be the case. To be honest I didn't want Clark to think I was just sitting at home the whole time, looking out the window waiting for any sign of him. Truth was that was pretty much what I was doing but he didn't need to know that.

As I result of my over thinking and wanting to show Clark that I didn't need him I caught the bus to school that morning. I even left half an hour earlier than I would need to just so I could avoid him at the house should he come by to pick me up. I never knew with Clark.

When I arrived at school it was still pretty empty, just me and a few other early risers wandering the halls. I killed some time in the library finishing off some last minute English papers I was due to hand in and before I knew it the bell was ringing for class.

The first couple of lessons passed in a confused blur. I couldn't get Clark off of my mind. I was elated at what had happened, angry at how he'd reacted afterwards and scared about what this meant for us all at the same time. I couldn't understand why he was acting the way he was. I thought that by the time I reached recess I'd have built up enough confidence and resolve to confront him, to question him. However, it was the total opposite. I had no idea how to deal with it, no idea what to say and for what was a first in all the time I'd known Clark Kent I dreaded seeing him.

Turns out that Monday morning was not destined to go the way I planned, because as soon as I reached my locker during the first break of the day there he was waiting for me.

"Where were you this morning?" He asked in a troubled tone after I'd completely ignored him, fumbling around my locker and exchanging my books.

"Like you care," I responded. He could have no doubt now that I was angry. I couldn't even look at him.

"Lauren don't say that. You know I care."

"Really, I do, do I? If you really cared you wouldn't have run out and given me the silent treatment the way you did," I said through trembling lips, looking up at him and seeing nothing but confusion and uncertainty.

"Look I freaked out ok. It's not that I regret it, I don't and it's so hard for me not to just lean down and kiss you again right now," Clark revealed, gripping on to his hair so tightly it was close to ripping out and leaning in closer to me without even realising he was doing it.

"Well then why don't you? Clark we both knew that this was going to happen eventually. Neither of us could have stopped it even if we wanted to. We also know what it's like to lose people, how important relationships are. Maybe this is what was meant for us. Maybe we were never meant to be just friends," I answered back, shaking with every word.

"It's not that simple." He shook his head, a deep crease forming in between his brows.

"What do you mean it's not simple? If we both like each other nothing could be more straight forward," I pushed vocally, grabbing on to him with one hand and lifting his face with the other so he had no choice but to look at me. All the anger I had felt dissipating with a gaze from those deep blue eyes of his.

"There's just so much you don't know about me, about everything. That's why I ran. I just don't know what to do," he stammered, a mental battle going on inside his head.

"Clark I wish..." I started, trying to think of a comeback. I was working out in my head what I could say that would best help the situation, but before I could something in Clark's demeanour changed. He stood taller, still as a statue. In a split second he'd gone from being nervous and closed in to standing strong, steadfast and determined.

Without any warning he took my books from me, shoved them in my locker and shut the door. He took hold of my hand and with no word started pulling me towards the school exit.

"Clark what are you doing? We've got class," I voiced in confusion, tripping over my own feet as I was pushed towards Clark's truck on the other side of the parking lot.

"It's only study hall and if I don't do this now I don't know if I ever will."

"What are you talking about?" What was he doing?

"Just trust me. Please just get in the truck." He practically begged, looking straight into my eyes with his own piercing orbs.

"I already trust you," I smiled nervously, getting into the passenger seat, Clark quick to pull away once I was in.

After 20 minutes of fast driving and no word from Clark I couldn't contain my interest anymore. I needed to know what he was up to.

"So where are we going?" I questioned with trepidation.

"I need to show you something. I need to tell you something."

Just 10 minutes later I knew where we were heading, the Kent farm. The place I'd been to so many times before. What could he have to show me here that I hadn't seen already?

When we reached the house we got out of the truck and immediately I caught sight of Mrs Kent, pruning her flowers on the porch. I was fully prepared for her shouting at us for skipping school but she did the total opposite. She and Clark shared a silent nod and she excused herself, saying she wanted to leave us alone to talk. Wow this must be big.

Clark directed me over to the swing underneath the willow tree and we both sat, facing the direction of the barn, neither of us saying a word. Suddenly I was overcome with nerves, it was all I could do just to keep my hands still.

"Lauren the reason...the reason I ran out the way I did on Saturday was because I felt guilty. I felt guilty of feeling the way I do about you, taking things that far without you knowing the truth about me."

"Clark it was just a kiss."

"Yeah that's how it starts, but that would never be the end of it for us. The moment I met you I knew you were different. I tried to keep my distance, I did but I couldn't. There's something I can't explain that just pulls us together."

I didn't know what to say. I had no idea where he was going with this. I figured if I just stayed quiet and let him get it all out that would be best.

"For a long time, even as far back as my Dad's birthday barbeque when we were messing with that football I knew how I felt about you. It scared me, the risk not just for me but for you as well."

"I don't understand," I voiced. My first addition to the conversation.

"I...I...I think I might be, I mean I know I am..." Clark stuttered.

"Clark just say it."

"I love you."

Did he really just say what I thought he did? He loved me. Clark Kent loved me? My head was bursting with answers, ways I could react. I realised in that moment, the moment I looked over and saw him nervously playing with his fingers whilst he rested his elbows on his knees that there was only one way to respond.

"I love you too Clark," I beamed.

"I get it if you don't feel the same. The way I've treated you I wouldn't be surprised. I just needed to tell you that before I go any further. I..."

"Clark did you not hear what I just said?" I giggled light-heartedly for the first time in I don't know how long.

"What did you say?" He asked, hearing me this time and adjusting on the seat so he was sat up straight and our faces were level with each other.

"I said I love you too."

I'd never seen him grin that wide before, he was like a little kid that had just been told he was going to Disneyland. It wasn't a moment later that we were sharing our second and way better kiss. A kiss that sealed what we had just admitted to one another.

With all this going on I forgot that, that wasn't it. That Clark wasn't finished. He had more to say, more to reveal. This was just the tip of the iceberg.

"So what now?" I smiled wide. Clark placing his forehead on mine and neither of us making an effort to move.

"It's time you knew the truth. It's time I told you everything."

Taking a deep breath, not bigger than the one Clark was taking mind you I let him lead me towards an old derelict barn. It was located directly behind the main one that held the combine. I remember asking about it once whilst I was there and just being answered with "Don't go in. It's not safe." I never really questioned it. I had no comprehension of what was going on. My mind was filled. I was still dealing with what Clark had just told me, how he and I felt and now I had to face whatever this was. Hopefully it wasn't too big.

Dark clouds were beginning to form overhead so Clark was quick to usher me inside. What I was met with apart from old tools here and there were a pair of rusty metal doors that guarded what I assume was a storm cellar beneath.

"Trust me." Was all Clark said before reaching down and pulling the doors open.

With a silent nod of the head and a reassuring squeeze of the arm I let Clark lower me down into the dark hole, him following straight after and shining a flashlight into the murky cellar.

I looked around at the view the light invaded as it moved around the room and my attention was immediately caught when Clark stopped and focused the light on a huge object in the corner. Whatever it was, was concealed under a tarp and just the shape of it even under the sheet had me confounded. I couldn't help but gape at the oddly organic curves of the object. It resembled no piece of farm equipment I had ever seen. What the hell was it?

Tearing my gaze away I looked up at Clark who was standing right to my left side and before I could ask anything he took a deep breath, grabbed hold of the tarp and pulled it free of the object.

What I was faced with was inconceivable, unimaginable. The thing laid in front of me was the size of a tractor and looked like a cross between some kind of space ship and a piece of abstract art. An empty cavity rested atop of the bulbous shell and was made from some kind of pearly material. The outer pieces of the machine were scorched and blackened, as though they'd been in a crash landing or burned in a fire.

"Clark? What, what is this?" I questioned, trying to get to grips with what was in front of me, my whole body bursting with electricity.

"My parents Jonathan and Martha, they found me in this," Clark exclaimed, deciding to continue knowing it would take me too long to process anyway.

"At first they thought maybe the Soviets had sent it up. They were sure the government were going to show up on the doorstep."

"Let me guess. They never came." I worked out, looking up at Clark as his eyes were glued to the capsule in front of him.

What did all this mean? Where did Clark come from?

Turning away from the machine, Clark guided me over to an old work bench, newspaper clippings faded with time strewn across the top of it. There were articles on the Roswell incident, one about glowing red balls of light that had been seen over Manitoba in Canada for several weeks in 1975 and 1976. Those along with many others that I didn't have the mental capacity to skim through never mind read during this mind boggling moment lead to one common thread, UFO's.

"They kept searching for evidence of someone like me but they never found anything."

What was he saying? That he was some kind of alien? I was stunned, too stunned to speak, to process what was going on. Try as I might I couldn't put a voice to the questions that were inside my head.

"This was found in the chamber with me," Clark said, pulling the pendant that he always wore around his neck off for the first time and placing it in my hands. I'd always wondered what the piece of rock was but I could never have imagined anything like this.

"Dad got a metallurgist to examine it and to this day I don't know how he kept him quiet. He said that whatever type of metal it's made out of isn't even on the periodic table. It fits into this slot. It's some kind of key," Clark pointed out, leading me back to the capsule and shining the light on it and then the pewter coloured shard still held in my hand.

Looking at it closely it could only be described as a spike or nail of some kind. It felt peculiar too, like a shell or horn. It wasn't like any metal or even texture I'd ever touched or handled before.

"So I guess you could say I'm the answer," Clark finally finished, reaching out and holding tightly to my hand. He was looking at me so intently, almost as though I was about to disappear.

"The answer to what?" I asked.

"Whether humans are alone in the universe."

I felt dizzy. My head was spinning and it felt as though my whole world had been flipped and turned upside down. All this time I knew there was something different about Clark, something special. But this?

Clark Kent, the guy who I'd just revealed I was in love with was an alien, an actual alien from outer space. Millions of questions flooded my brain as he stared down at me, wanting some kind of response, some kind of reaction to this unbelievable secret he'd just entrusted with me. I realised then only one question really mattered.

Did this change the way I felt about him?

One word,

NO.

Oh my god I hope I did this justice. Obviously it's one of the most important aspects and I wanted to get it perfect. Hopefully it's ok. Let me know what you think.

Review. Review. Review.