Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville, Superman, DC or Batman.
Author's Note: After getting soaked on the banks of the Thames yesterday watching the Queen's Jubilee flotilla, today I have the bank holiday off work so now I can write some more about Clara! Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, keep them coming in abundance they make me want to write more!
Chapter 28
"So, how'd you like being a celebrity?"
Chloe smirked and sipped on her coffee, looking enquiringly at Clara. The article in question was pinned on the wall titled "Staff Hall of Fame". Clara felt herself blush.
"I'm not a celebrity Chloe."
Chloe raised an eyebrow and typed something into her browser.
"The world thinks you're dating Lex Luthor. That makes you news worthy, which makes you a celebrity. You should see the message boards."
"What message boards?"
Clara looked over Chloe's shoulder to see the article being commented on via Myspace and Facebook.
"Most are just hate messages from Lex's fan girls, but some are quite positive. Apparently they like the fact you're from a rural background, it makes them feel like Lex is more accessible. It's kind of like being Prince William's girlfriend, Kate."
Clara read a few of the messages.
"You got girl "
"She's nobody, why would he date her?"
"Lex is mine!"
"B**** better take her hands of my man!"
Some got quite obsessive.
"But I'm not Lex's girlfriend, we're just good friends...wait, Lex has fan girls?"
"He's a bachelor billionaire, it would be unusual for him not to have fan girls."
Chloe tapped a few keys and a series of websites came up, they were fan clubs! The one with the most subscribers was "Lex's Ladies" followed closely by "Luthoricious" "The Lexicon". There were biographies of Lex, pictures from his childhood onwards, press clippings, fan testimonies, and even a timeline mapping his locations. It was scarily stalkerish.
"Is this allowed? It seems pretty invasive."
"He's a public figure, so technically there's no reason they can't do it."
"But if they did this to an ordinary person it would be called stalking!"
"The law's still pretty hazy about how full on people can be with celebrities. You've got a page too."
"I do?"
It was called "Clara's Corner" and it had small following, apparently their "relationship" was quite popular with some people.
"But there people don't even know us, why are they commenting on our relationship?"
There were two particularly adamant followers, Lexismine776 and Clex4ever22 that were battling fiercely on the message boards for and against the relationship. Clara felt quite ill.
"Welcome to the digital age Clara."
"They obviously have too much time on their hands."
"If you're going to stay friends with Lex you're going to have to get used to media attention. To the media in general if you're still set on being a reporter."
"I am, I just hope when I am one I write things with more...substance than focusing on people's potential love lives."
"Hey! If you ever feel you're slipping, call me! I can be your journalistic conscience."
Something clicked inside of Clara, and she thought back to what the Batman had said. She'd told Chloe about the encounter, but had edited his identity.
"Chloe, if you ever thought I was doing something bad, or for the wrong reason, you'd tell me right?"
"This because of what tall dark and brooding said?"
The tone had turned sombre and Clara nodded.
"You know I would. But you're the most honest and guilt ridden person I know, you'd never let that happen."
"I may not have a choice."
Chloe moved to stand in front of Clara and looked her in the eye.
"I promise you, that if I think you're sliding, I will tell you. Pinkie swear?"
Clara's lip twitched unbidden, they hadn't pinkie sworn since they were 13.
"Pinkie Swear."
Clara held out her pinkie and Chloe took it, shaking them slightly.
"So, have you talked to Lex about your 15 minutes of fame yet?"
The bell rang and Clara was saved from answering. She knew she couldn't hide in the Torch Office anymore, it was Monday morning and they had class.
She knew she'd have to talk to Lex about it soon, but first, time to face the music. Or at least, English class.
...
Jonathan Kent didn't like the thought of his daughter in a relationship with a Luthor, and no matter what she said a friendship was still a relationship. For a 26-year-old man to be spending time with an 18-year-old girl, there had to be something more to it than "just friends". His daughter was not worldly, part of what he loved about her was that she was not jaded, she tried to see the good in everyone. She was like Martha that way. But it also made her naive, especially when it came to men. He would be eternally thankful that no man could ever physically harm his daughter, but that didn't mean one couldn't use her, and break her heart. But she was 18 now, he didn't have the right to tell her who she could and couldn't spend time with. Soon she'd be going to College, most likely in Metropolis, and despite his chagrin at William Clark's interference in their financial affairs, he had to admit he was glad Clara could go anywhere she wanted. Lex was new and exciting, but perhaps the friendship wouldn't last with distance, she'd go to college, broaden her horizons, and perhaps meet someone her own age.
No father wanted their daughter to be unhappy, he couldn't warn off Lex Luthor without making her unhappy.
But he could give him some friendly advice.
...
Class had been awkward. She's heard the juniors whispering and pointing as she'd walked down the hall, they'd received the stink eye from Chloe. Then Whitney had made it her personal mission to whisper very loudly behind her back. Clara would have heard her anyway, super hearing was a bit of a curse at times.
Clara decided to hide at lunch and Chloe had editorial work to do. The track wasn't in use, so she decided to hide underneath the bleachers. She was halfway through her ham and pickle sandwich and reading Catcher in the Rye when she heard someone running, no, two people running, and saw Jason and Lucas jogging side by side, doing laps of the track. She couldn't move without being spotted.
Lucas was leading slightly, and between breaths he was taunting Jason.
"Come on ...CJ...feeling old?"
"My stamina...is out of...this world...Lang!"
"Sure it is...Teague!"
After another five minutes they slowed and eventually started walking. Clara pointedly didn't look at them as the stretched out, it was like voyeurism. She went back to reading Catcher in the Rye, when they started talking again. Clara couldn't help her super hearing, and she had a clear line of site on them.
"So, have you told your aunt yet?"
Lucas was sitting on the bleachers on the opposite side of the track to Clara, Jason next to him offering him a bottle of water. Lucas took it, thanked him and swigged it.
"No. She really pitched a fit when I broke up with Whit, I don't want to spring this on her too."
"You got the letter nearly a month ago, that offer's not going to be there forever."
"I know! It's just, she had her heart set on me getting a football scholarship from Metro-U. I like football, but I don't love it the way she wants me to. I wouldn't have applied to the programme at all, but you saw my sketch book and practically forced me! How can I tell her I want to go study art in France?"
Art? Clara has no idea Lucas liked art. But then, he'd always been so creative with the flowers in Cam's shop, he designed the window displays and floats for parades.
"Your portfolio is awesome, you have the scholarship. All you need to do is tell her."
"I know. I feel guilty though. When my parents died, she put her life on hold to adopt me, and now, I'll be abandoning everything she'd planned for me and leaving her alone."
"If you don't tell her soon you'll be on the plane, I think she'd notice then."
"Jason..."
"You're going to have to man-up, you need to tell her soon. You owe her the truth. You were so unhappy when I met you, now, you're coming into your own. I'm sure once the shock's worn off, she'll accept what you want. She just may be a little disgruntled for the first few weeks."
"It's not just the art though, you know that. Part of the reason I'm so happy is because of you."
Jason looked at Lucas and then down at his bottle of water.
"I just told you what you needed to hear."
"You know it's more than that."
"Part of being Coach is being a counsellor; I've helped tonnes of kids like you."
Lucas winced.
"I'm not a kid, I'm going to college next year. I know that you don't look at me as a kid!"
Lucas stood up, standing in front of the still sitting Jason, who was looking up at him.
"Cass, I know you've had a lot of changes lately, and it's only natural you develop a crush on the nearest..."
"Crush? A crush! How can you say what I feel for you is a crush! You're the one who gave me the courage to admit what I am! I've never felt this way about anyone before!"
Clara blinked, Lucas is gay? She shouldn't be hearing this, this was a private conversation. But she couldn't risk them seeing her.
"Cass! I'm your teacher, I have a bond of trust with you! We can never have a relationship."
"So if you weren't my teacher, it would be okay!"
"Yes! No! I don't know! I've never had this situation with a student before."
"But if we'd just met on the street, or at a game, a year from now, if I'd asked you out, would you have said yes?"
Jason looked at Lucas earnestly and almost dejectedly said "Yes."
Lucas looked triumphant but Jason looked at him sharply.
"But that didn't happen, you're a student, and I'm your teacher, and as long as that is true this can't happen."
"Then we'll wait."
Jason looked startled.
"Wait for what?"
"Until I'm not your student. I finish High School next year. Come with me to France. No one needs to know you're with me, you're due a sabbatical anyway, and you speak French because of your Mom. We don't have to live together. I remember you saying you have an apartment in Paris, it was your Mom's so your Dad couldn't touch it when you were disowned. We can try this out, and if it doesn't work, then you can come back here and no one's the wiser, and we can stay friends."
Jason looked like he was considering it.
"I don't know Lucas, what if you change your mind? It's nearly 10 months until you leave for France. You could have met someone else your own age by then."
"I only want to be with you. I only ever want to be with you. For now, we can stay friends, but in less than a year we can be together, legitimately. Just two guys who like each other and want to see where it goes."
Jason took a deep breath and stood up, he was one step above Lucas.
"Okay, after you finish school, we'll talk about it. But while you're my student I don't want to hear one more word on the subject. I'll kick your ass in practise, I'll offer you counselling and I'll be your friend but that's it."
Lucas looked relieved and made a motion towards Jason and then remembered himself.
"That's all I ask!"
"Come on, we've been slacking for too long, three more laps then I want you to go to class."
"Yes CJ."
They ran the laps then left the track and Clara sat stunned at what she'd heard. But it wasn't her business. Technically they hadn't done anything wrong, as long as they waited until after Lucas finished high school. But she didn't like keeping other peoples secrets. First the Batman, now Jason and Lucas, it was just more information that meant she had to lie.
It seemed she was becoming a receptacle for secrets.
She heard the bell ring in the distance, she had biology, and she was late.
Clara ran at slightly above human speed to get to class.
...
Author's Note: Shocker! Which some of you already guessed :P Sorry Clason fans! *Hides begin Clara* (and another one bites the dust!). Next chapter, most likely, will be Jonathan visiting Lex! Please read and review!
