Veneer of Innocence
Author: Maveness Delight
Rating: R
Disclaimer: It's not mine, I swear. Althought sometimes I am of the delusion that it might be mine. All credit for any characters goes to the comic people and the WB people, etc. I make nothing off of this.
Feedback: It's a love/hate thing. But please send it. I take all feedback constructively, unless you're unbearably rude and boorish, in which case, bite me, ahead of time.
Author's Note: This will probably be a very long project, seeing as it's only my second fanfic ever. (The first was a Lex POV that's not here.) But I just had to get out the first part in order to have a reason (namely people badgering me for more) to finish writing it. Otherwise it would sit in my computer endlessly.
Special Note: In this chapter Clark will curse. I am of the belief that he does not use profanity at all, due to his upbringing. I know some people feel differently, but for this story, something has to be REALLY shocking or upsetting to make him use profanity.
Chapter 2
Chloe burst through the front door, slinging her bookbag to the floor and running up the stairs, shopping bags in hand. She quickly ran into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. With jerky movements, she emptied the contents of one bag onto the counter. Various hair products clattered as they fell, some bouncing to the floor.
Chloe snatched up a box of hair color and swept the other items to the side. She ripped open the box and pulled out the bottles of chemicals, tossing the empty box and instructions in the garbage. She stripped her shirt over her head, getting momentarily tangled. Finally getting free, the shirt was thrown to a far corner of the bathroom, to be followed by skirt and shoes.
Chloe took a deep breath and glanced at herself in the mirror. The point of no return. As soon as she opened those bottles, the Chloe Sullivan the people of Smallville knew would be gone for good.
Squaring her shoulders and setting her jaw, she started opening bottles and mixing chemicals. As she applied the hair color, she murmured to herself, "Never look back. Never look back."
_____________________________________________________________
Next morning...
Chloe stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her haircut was the same, but with the new color, it was like looking at a new person. L'oreal's Les Rouge Preference in Intense Red. Not the most flattering shade for her skin tone, but that wasn't what mattered. It was eyecatching.
*You can't miss me in this,* she thought, watching the sunlight coming in the windows catch her hair and set it aflame.
Her gaze dropped to her face. New hair called for new makeup. There was a rosy blush on her cheeks; barely there, but enough to keep her from looking wan and pasty. Her lips were done with a flesh-colored tone, just a hint of color. She had left the emphasis for her eyes. She had used smoky shades and lined them with dark, black kohl. Not the most fitting look for daytime, but hey, she wasn't trying to fit in.
The clothes had been a challenge. Finding the right outfits to go with her new persona had taken some work. Her old penchant for red was just a bit too much with the new hair, so she had opted for darker, sleeker clothing. Currently she was wearing a black, fitted skirt that stopped three inches above her knees; black, knee-high leather stiletto boots (very Jimmy Choo); and a fitted, flesh-colored, long-sleeved top that dipped low in the front and had slits on the sleeves that extended from wrist to shoulder. Around her neck she wore a pendant with a black, teardrop stone that rested just at the swell of her breasts.
Chloe quickly glanced down at her wrist, shoving several bracelets aside to look at her watch. An hour till school. Enough time to make her way there without being seen by any of her friends.
She picked up her backpack, glanced one last time in the mirror and headed out the door, murmuring "Never look back."
_________________________________________________________________
Just as the bus was pulling away, Clark came running down the driveway. The bus ground to a stop and the doors hissed open, letting him on. He made his way back to where he, Pete and Chloe usually sat, only to find Chloe was absent.
"Hey, where's Chloe," asked Clark as he dropped into the seat beside Pete.
"I was just going to ask you the same thing."
"Well, with the way she was acting yesterday, I wouldn't be surprised if she's out today. She really wasn't herself."
Yeah, but Clark, she's never acted like that before. Kinda distant. Usually, when something's up with her family, she gets pissed and talks. A lot. And yesterday she was definitely not talking."
Clark though about it for a moment. As the bus pulled up to the school, he said, "Well, maybe we should make her talk. Chloe bottling up her emotions can't be good for the safety of the general public."
Pete grinned and shook his head. "Man, that was so wrong."
_______________________________________________________________
Well, so far her day had been interesting. Chloe had yet to see Clark or Pete, but she could bet they would hear about her new look before they saw her. From where she stood at her locker, she could see heads tipped together, furious whispering behind books and furtive glances (or outright stares) that were bordering on rude.
So far two teachers had almost had heart attacks and one had actually checked her out. (Scarily enough it was Ms. Holliman, the girl's soccer coach and Spanish teacher.)
As she exchanged her trig book for her biology book, she couldn't help grinning a little. Attention. God, she craved it. It had been so long since her mere presence caused people to take notice.
She slammed her locker shut and headed for the stairwell. As she rounded the corner where the stairs turned on their descent to the first floor, Clark and Pete started up the stairs toward her. She stopped in her tracks and waited. The time had arrived.
Just then Pete glanced up from his conversation with Clark. At first, it didn't even dawn on him who was standing above him on the stairs. Then, as realization and recognition sunk in, he stumbled and his mouth dropped open.
Clark looked up to see what Pete was gaping at and nearly caused a collision with another student when he stopped dead in his tracks. For a moment there was a hushed silence amongst the three as Chloe stood there, hand on hip, while Clark and Pete merely stared in shock.
"Hello boys," Chloe drawled, grinning like a Luthor who had just sealed a million-dollar deal.
"Holy shit," whispered Clark
Author: Maveness Delight
Rating: R
Disclaimer: It's not mine, I swear. Althought sometimes I am of the delusion that it might be mine. All credit for any characters goes to the comic people and the WB people, etc. I make nothing off of this.
Feedback: It's a love/hate thing. But please send it. I take all feedback constructively, unless you're unbearably rude and boorish, in which case, bite me, ahead of time.
Author's Note: This will probably be a very long project, seeing as it's only my second fanfic ever. (The first was a Lex POV that's not here.) But I just had to get out the first part in order to have a reason (namely people badgering me for more) to finish writing it. Otherwise it would sit in my computer endlessly.
Special Note: In this chapter Clark will curse. I am of the belief that he does not use profanity at all, due to his upbringing. I know some people feel differently, but for this story, something has to be REALLY shocking or upsetting to make him use profanity.
Chapter 2
Chloe burst through the front door, slinging her bookbag to the floor and running up the stairs, shopping bags in hand. She quickly ran into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. With jerky movements, she emptied the contents of one bag onto the counter. Various hair products clattered as they fell, some bouncing to the floor.
Chloe snatched up a box of hair color and swept the other items to the side. She ripped open the box and pulled out the bottles of chemicals, tossing the empty box and instructions in the garbage. She stripped her shirt over her head, getting momentarily tangled. Finally getting free, the shirt was thrown to a far corner of the bathroom, to be followed by skirt and shoes.
Chloe took a deep breath and glanced at herself in the mirror. The point of no return. As soon as she opened those bottles, the Chloe Sullivan the people of Smallville knew would be gone for good.
Squaring her shoulders and setting her jaw, she started opening bottles and mixing chemicals. As she applied the hair color, she murmured to herself, "Never look back. Never look back."
_____________________________________________________________
Next morning...
Chloe stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her haircut was the same, but with the new color, it was like looking at a new person. L'oreal's Les Rouge Preference in Intense Red. Not the most flattering shade for her skin tone, but that wasn't what mattered. It was eyecatching.
*You can't miss me in this,* she thought, watching the sunlight coming in the windows catch her hair and set it aflame.
Her gaze dropped to her face. New hair called for new makeup. There was a rosy blush on her cheeks; barely there, but enough to keep her from looking wan and pasty. Her lips were done with a flesh-colored tone, just a hint of color. She had left the emphasis for her eyes. She had used smoky shades and lined them with dark, black kohl. Not the most fitting look for daytime, but hey, she wasn't trying to fit in.
The clothes had been a challenge. Finding the right outfits to go with her new persona had taken some work. Her old penchant for red was just a bit too much with the new hair, so she had opted for darker, sleeker clothing. Currently she was wearing a black, fitted skirt that stopped three inches above her knees; black, knee-high leather stiletto boots (very Jimmy Choo); and a fitted, flesh-colored, long-sleeved top that dipped low in the front and had slits on the sleeves that extended from wrist to shoulder. Around her neck she wore a pendant with a black, teardrop stone that rested just at the swell of her breasts.
Chloe quickly glanced down at her wrist, shoving several bracelets aside to look at her watch. An hour till school. Enough time to make her way there without being seen by any of her friends.
She picked up her backpack, glanced one last time in the mirror and headed out the door, murmuring "Never look back."
_________________________________________________________________
Just as the bus was pulling away, Clark came running down the driveway. The bus ground to a stop and the doors hissed open, letting him on. He made his way back to where he, Pete and Chloe usually sat, only to find Chloe was absent.
"Hey, where's Chloe," asked Clark as he dropped into the seat beside Pete.
"I was just going to ask you the same thing."
"Well, with the way she was acting yesterday, I wouldn't be surprised if she's out today. She really wasn't herself."
Yeah, but Clark, she's never acted like that before. Kinda distant. Usually, when something's up with her family, she gets pissed and talks. A lot. And yesterday she was definitely not talking."
Clark though about it for a moment. As the bus pulled up to the school, he said, "Well, maybe we should make her talk. Chloe bottling up her emotions can't be good for the safety of the general public."
Pete grinned and shook his head. "Man, that was so wrong."
_______________________________________________________________
Well, so far her day had been interesting. Chloe had yet to see Clark or Pete, but she could bet they would hear about her new look before they saw her. From where she stood at her locker, she could see heads tipped together, furious whispering behind books and furtive glances (or outright stares) that were bordering on rude.
So far two teachers had almost had heart attacks and one had actually checked her out. (Scarily enough it was Ms. Holliman, the girl's soccer coach and Spanish teacher.)
As she exchanged her trig book for her biology book, she couldn't help grinning a little. Attention. God, she craved it. It had been so long since her mere presence caused people to take notice.
She slammed her locker shut and headed for the stairwell. As she rounded the corner where the stairs turned on their descent to the first floor, Clark and Pete started up the stairs toward her. She stopped in her tracks and waited. The time had arrived.
Just then Pete glanced up from his conversation with Clark. At first, it didn't even dawn on him who was standing above him on the stairs. Then, as realization and recognition sunk in, he stumbled and his mouth dropped open.
Clark looked up to see what Pete was gaping at and nearly caused a collision with another student when he stopped dead in his tracks. For a moment there was a hushed silence amongst the three as Chloe stood there, hand on hip, while Clark and Pete merely stared in shock.
"Hello boys," Chloe drawled, grinning like a Luthor who had just sealed a million-dollar deal.
"Holy shit," whispered Clark