It was a Friday, and Lois was going to spend it at a sorority party. She could think of a hundred things she'd rather be doing on a Friday night than spending her time with the snooty girls from the swim team.

Chloe called. "Hey, Cuz! You coming to Smallville for the weekend? Clark and I were going to spend Saturday at the lake, and it'd be more fun with you there."

Lois groaned.

"What?"

"Don't even mention swimming to me. Besides, no can do. I have a stupid party to go to tonight with the girls from swim. At a beach like we don't get enough time in the water. Then I have an initiation tomorrow. Oh, yeah, and swim practice morning and evening on Saturday and Sunday. Oh, and I've got to squeeze homework somewhere into all that. Lucky, lucky me."

"It sounds fun."

"Which part?"

She chuckled. "The party, but I am glad to see you getting involved in a team sport. I think you'll learn to like it."

"Why don't you come then," Lois said.

"You mean it?"

"Sure. Why not? They're not going to notice an extra guest."

"How about two extra guests?" she asked. "Clark's here with me now, and I know he wants to come too."

She laughed. She could just picture him in the room now, giving Chloe a death glare and shaking his head hard at the idea of a college party and time with her. "Yeah, I've seen how much of a party animal Smallville is. I throw a little birthday party for you, and he freaks out."

"In his defense, the party did go a little wild."

"Not my fault that we got possessed by witches. And he was uptight before the spells when it was just a box of streamers and cake. Face it, Clark Kent is a stick in the mud who wouldn't know a good time if it bit him in the-"

Clark had snatched the phone. "What time is the party?"

She grinned, not the least bit sheepish he'd heard all that. It was nothing she wouldn't have said to his face. "7 p.m. sharp. Sure you can handle it?"

"As long as it's not being thrown by you, I'll be fine."

He was too much fun to play with. Tonight was starting to look up.

sss

Lois waited for Clark and Chloe, and they all drove down to the beach that was part of a slow-moving river. It was just a few minutes outside the city and less than fifteen away from campus.

She didn't know what she expected from a sorority party, but after the big speech from the dean, she didn't expect to see a couple of folding tables decked out with glorious cheap bottles of beer that shone in the setting sun and were free for the taking.

"Really? Is this the same sorority that's supposed to keep me on the straight and narrow?" she asked as she grabbed a beer. "I'm suddenly all about bonding with my sisters."

Clark snatched it from her. "If they won't help you, I will. Do you seriously want a repeat of what happened last time?"

"Smallville, I didn't invite you to be my babysitter. One little beer is not going to hurt me."

"Until someone challenges you to a drinking contest. You just need to avoid it altogether."

How did this farm boy from Nowheresville know her so well? Granted, they'd lived together, but she'd stayed in motels between bases longer than she'd stayed with the Kents. It was beyond irritating and exactly why she didn't reach for another. The last thing she wanted was to get kicked out and end up with him as a housemate again.

She grumbled as she moved toward the people until he stuck a coke in her hand. He may have been a moralizing boy scout, but he was also a sweet one. She could never stay mad at him. He was always doing something nice whether saving her life or getting her a drink.

"So how'd you sneak out of the house under your parents' noses?" she asked him.

"I didn't sneak. They trust me."

"Of course they do. You have to be the most boring teenager in America."

"It's called being responsible. You should try it some time."

At this point, a gaggle of girls descended on Clark, insisting they needed him as an extra player in their volleyball game. They were like sharks smelling fresh blood. He looked back at her and Chloe for help as he was being drug toward the net, and she waved, glad to be shed of him for the time being.

Chloe laughed. "You're not going to rescue him?"

"Nope. It'll make it easier for us to find some cute guys. You need to meet someone to take your mind off tall, dark, and brooding."

So while she guided her cousin through the waters of the college scene, trying to find a guy for her that wasn't here just for the alcohol and possible sex, she forgot about him until Chloe pointed him out.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but is that our Clark Kent mooning over someone who is not Lana?" she asked.

Lois immediately followed her line of vision. It couldn't be, but it was. He was staring at none other than Lori Lemaris. Clark's taste in girls left something to be desired. "She won't give him the time of day."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I know her type, and a senior in high school? Beneath her notice, trust me. He's safe from Ms. Team Captain's slimy clutches."

"Hit it off with her already, huh? That's my cousin making friends wherever she goes," Chloe teased.

They circulated throughout the crowd, but it was the typical party scene, frat boys who probably didn't have two brain cells to rub together in the whole lot of them. So they returned to Clark, who had begged off from the game by getting a drink. Also a coke. He didn't look in need of rescue now as he continued to drool over Lori.

She plopped down beside him in the sand. "She's too much woman for you to handle."

"Who?" he asked like he hadn't just been caught.

"You know who."

But Lori surprised them all by coming up and slipping Clark her number. "Call me. If you were my date, you'd never leave my side."

That explained it. She was doing it to goad her. She chuckled and wished she could be there to see the look on Lori's face when she found out that he was not her date. She was willing to bet that she'd drop him like a cold fish.