Chapter 26- Lies
"Hey, Lan," Clark said walking up to her.
"Hey, Clark," Lana replied counting out change.'
"When are you off?" Clark asked.
"Uh, nine o'clock, but I have a break in a few minutes," Lana answered as she handed a man his coffee and change.
"Could I buy you a cup of coffee?" Clark asked hopefully.
Lana laughed. "Of course. I would love a cup of coffee."
"Good. We never get to sit down and just talk anymore," Clark said almost sadly.
"That's because you're usually with Chloe," Lana muttered under her breath as she turned to take off her apron.
"Did you say something?" Clark asked.
"No. No," Lana replied shaking her head. "Let's go have some coffee." With that Lana loaded a tray with mugs, a coffeepot, and various biscotti.
"What are you doing this weekend?" Clark asked taking a bite of biscotti.
"Nothing that I know of, but Saturday is a long way off," Lana replied.
Clark laughed. "It's only four days away."
"Clark, it's only Monday. Why? Did you have something in mind?" Lana asked.
"Actually, next Monday is Chloe's birthday. She always has her parties at my house, because there's so much room. Mom wanted to have it Saturday, so we can actually have it before her birthday instead of after," Clark explained.
Lana shook her head in disappointment of where the conversation had journeyed. Clark looked at her quizzically and she said quickly, "What do you want me to do?"
"Be there?" Clark said innocently.
Lana laughed at his expression. "Yes, I'll be there. Can I help your mom get ready?"
"I'm sure she would love it," Clark exclaimed. "Every little bit helps."
"Okay. I'll call her today or tomorrow to see what I can do," Lana said. She was a little surprised to find herself getting excited about the party. "Does Chloe know about the party?"
"She knows we always have it the Saturday before her birthday, so she'll figure it out," Clark said.
"I'll put 'call Chloe about party' on my list of things to do," Lana said with another laugh.
Clark laughed too. "Alright, if you insist."
"How long have you been giving her parties?" Lana asked.
"Since eighth grade. So, counting this one there will be three parties in all," Clark said.
Lana nodded. "Her arm looked horrible," Lana relayed.
"Yeah. I can't believe something like that could happen again," Clark said.
"She's fallen before?" Lana asked quizzically.
"What?" It took Clark a moment to realize that Lana didn't know the truth, but it wasn't his place to tell her.
"She told me she fell. She was in her room and tripped and hit her dresser," Lana said becoming confused.
"Oh, right. I didn't know what I was thinking," Clark said quickly. He didn't want to lie to his girlfriend, but he refused to betray his best friend. "You know what? I have to go. See you tomorrow at school?"
"Yeah. I'll be at the Torch during study hall," Lana replied.
"Meet you then," Clark said quickly kissing Lana's forehead before walking away. As soon as he was out of the Talon he called Chloe. All he got was a voice mail. Clark knew he would have to talk to her later when he remembered she was still at Lex's. Clark raced home to do his chores. About an hour later Chloe called him saving him the trouble of calling her.
"Chlo? What's up?" Clark asked.
"Party this Saturday, right?" Chloe asked.
Clark laughed. "I told Lana you'd know without having to be told. What do you want for your birthday?"
"To move back to Metropolis?" Chloe teased.
Clark was surprised by her answer. "Are you serious? I thought you liked it here? I thought-"
"Clark, I was joking. All I want is to spend the day with all of my friends," Chloe said. "Will you do me a favor?"
"Sure. What?" Clark asked.
"Invite Whitney? We all sort of became friends after Lana's accident almost a year ago, but he never does anything with us. I'd really like for him to be there," Chloe said sincerely.
"I never thought I'd hear you say that you wanted to hang out with Whitney Fordman," Clark said with a smile.
"I've always liked Whitney," Chloe said matter-of-fact. "He kept Lana away from you for years, didn't he?" Chloe couldn't keep her voice steady and she broke into a fit of laughter.
"Ha, ha! Very funny!" Clark said with a smile.
"I know! Anyway, will you?" Chloe asked.
"Anything for you, Chlo," Clark replied, his voice carrying more emotion than he meant to.
"Uhh," Chloe was caught off-guard with his statement. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Now tell me about this great fall you told Lana about," Clark said trying to find out why she would lie.
Chloe shook her head. She should have seen this coming. "I didn't want her to know that Lex did it," Chloe admitted.
"Why?" Clark asked simply.
"Because then I would get the same treatment from her that I'm getting from you. 'Be safe.' What was that?" Chloe asked.
"We only do that because we care about you, Chlo. Me and Pete just try to protect you. How can we protect you if you won't tell us what's going on?"
"Uhh, I didn't tell Pete either," Chloe admitted, dreading Clark's response.
"What?! Why not? Chloe, I'm pretty sure he'd like to know!"
"Clark, I can handle myself," Chloe told him.
"Then why did I have to make Lex let go of you. If I hadn't have been there he might have done much worse," Clark pointed out.
"Stop it, Clark! I don't always need your protection. I'm almost sixteen. Look at who I am! I'm not some fragile little girl," Chloe said her voice rising.
"I know you're not, but we're your best friends. You are the only girl in our little trio, and Pete and I like taking care of you. Sometimes you don't need it, but look at the times you have," Clark said.
"Okay, okay. But if Lana or Pete talk to Lex, I will have to disown them!" Chloe said giving in to defeat.
"I'm not going to tell them. It's not my decision. If you want to tell them, go ahead. I just think they should know what's going on. Lana isn't one of your best friends, I know that, but she likes you Chloe. She would like to be one of your best friends. Give her a chance?" Clark asked.
"Of course I will," Chloe said.
"Thank you," Clark told her.
"I have to go. See you tomorrow," Chloe said.
"Chloe? Be safe," Clark said in a serious tone.
Chloe nodded thoughtfully. "I will, Clark. Truthfully, I'm grateful to have two friends who care enough to say that to me."
"I know," Clark teased. "Bye, Chlo."
"Bye, Clark."
"Hey, Lan," Clark said walking up to her.
"Hey, Clark," Lana replied counting out change.'
"When are you off?" Clark asked.
"Uh, nine o'clock, but I have a break in a few minutes," Lana answered as she handed a man his coffee and change.
"Could I buy you a cup of coffee?" Clark asked hopefully.
Lana laughed. "Of course. I would love a cup of coffee."
"Good. We never get to sit down and just talk anymore," Clark said almost sadly.
"That's because you're usually with Chloe," Lana muttered under her breath as she turned to take off her apron.
"Did you say something?" Clark asked.
"No. No," Lana replied shaking her head. "Let's go have some coffee." With that Lana loaded a tray with mugs, a coffeepot, and various biscotti.
"What are you doing this weekend?" Clark asked taking a bite of biscotti.
"Nothing that I know of, but Saturday is a long way off," Lana replied.
Clark laughed. "It's only four days away."
"Clark, it's only Monday. Why? Did you have something in mind?" Lana asked.
"Actually, next Monday is Chloe's birthday. She always has her parties at my house, because there's so much room. Mom wanted to have it Saturday, so we can actually have it before her birthday instead of after," Clark explained.
Lana shook her head in disappointment of where the conversation had journeyed. Clark looked at her quizzically and she said quickly, "What do you want me to do?"
"Be there?" Clark said innocently.
Lana laughed at his expression. "Yes, I'll be there. Can I help your mom get ready?"
"I'm sure she would love it," Clark exclaimed. "Every little bit helps."
"Okay. I'll call her today or tomorrow to see what I can do," Lana said. She was a little surprised to find herself getting excited about the party. "Does Chloe know about the party?"
"She knows we always have it the Saturday before her birthday, so she'll figure it out," Clark said.
"I'll put 'call Chloe about party' on my list of things to do," Lana said with another laugh.
Clark laughed too. "Alright, if you insist."
"How long have you been giving her parties?" Lana asked.
"Since eighth grade. So, counting this one there will be three parties in all," Clark said.
Lana nodded. "Her arm looked horrible," Lana relayed.
"Yeah. I can't believe something like that could happen again," Clark said.
"She's fallen before?" Lana asked quizzically.
"What?" It took Clark a moment to realize that Lana didn't know the truth, but it wasn't his place to tell her.
"She told me she fell. She was in her room and tripped and hit her dresser," Lana said becoming confused.
"Oh, right. I didn't know what I was thinking," Clark said quickly. He didn't want to lie to his girlfriend, but he refused to betray his best friend. "You know what? I have to go. See you tomorrow at school?"
"Yeah. I'll be at the Torch during study hall," Lana replied.
"Meet you then," Clark said quickly kissing Lana's forehead before walking away. As soon as he was out of the Talon he called Chloe. All he got was a voice mail. Clark knew he would have to talk to her later when he remembered she was still at Lex's. Clark raced home to do his chores. About an hour later Chloe called him saving him the trouble of calling her.
"Chlo? What's up?" Clark asked.
"Party this Saturday, right?" Chloe asked.
Clark laughed. "I told Lana you'd know without having to be told. What do you want for your birthday?"
"To move back to Metropolis?" Chloe teased.
Clark was surprised by her answer. "Are you serious? I thought you liked it here? I thought-"
"Clark, I was joking. All I want is to spend the day with all of my friends," Chloe said. "Will you do me a favor?"
"Sure. What?" Clark asked.
"Invite Whitney? We all sort of became friends after Lana's accident almost a year ago, but he never does anything with us. I'd really like for him to be there," Chloe said sincerely.
"I never thought I'd hear you say that you wanted to hang out with Whitney Fordman," Clark said with a smile.
"I've always liked Whitney," Chloe said matter-of-fact. "He kept Lana away from you for years, didn't he?" Chloe couldn't keep her voice steady and she broke into a fit of laughter.
"Ha, ha! Very funny!" Clark said with a smile.
"I know! Anyway, will you?" Chloe asked.
"Anything for you, Chlo," Clark replied, his voice carrying more emotion than he meant to.
"Uhh," Chloe was caught off-guard with his statement. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Now tell me about this great fall you told Lana about," Clark said trying to find out why she would lie.
Chloe shook her head. She should have seen this coming. "I didn't want her to know that Lex did it," Chloe admitted.
"Why?" Clark asked simply.
"Because then I would get the same treatment from her that I'm getting from you. 'Be safe.' What was that?" Chloe asked.
"We only do that because we care about you, Chlo. Me and Pete just try to protect you. How can we protect you if you won't tell us what's going on?"
"Uhh, I didn't tell Pete either," Chloe admitted, dreading Clark's response.
"What?! Why not? Chloe, I'm pretty sure he'd like to know!"
"Clark, I can handle myself," Chloe told him.
"Then why did I have to make Lex let go of you. If I hadn't have been there he might have done much worse," Clark pointed out.
"Stop it, Clark! I don't always need your protection. I'm almost sixteen. Look at who I am! I'm not some fragile little girl," Chloe said her voice rising.
"I know you're not, but we're your best friends. You are the only girl in our little trio, and Pete and I like taking care of you. Sometimes you don't need it, but look at the times you have," Clark said.
"Okay, okay. But if Lana or Pete talk to Lex, I will have to disown them!" Chloe said giving in to defeat.
"I'm not going to tell them. It's not my decision. If you want to tell them, go ahead. I just think they should know what's going on. Lana isn't one of your best friends, I know that, but she likes you Chloe. She would like to be one of your best friends. Give her a chance?" Clark asked.
"Of course I will," Chloe said.
"Thank you," Clark told her.
"I have to go. See you tomorrow," Chloe said.
"Chloe? Be safe," Clark said in a serious tone.
Chloe nodded thoughtfully. "I will, Clark. Truthfully, I'm grateful to have two friends who care enough to say that to me."
"I know," Clark teased. "Bye, Chlo."
"Bye, Clark."