Author's Note: This takes place in senior year of high school for the teenagers in Smallville.



I can't remember what possessed me to enter this hell whole of jocks and cheerleaders in the first place. The Talon. The coffee sucked, if you don't mind me saying so and I could basically deal with any coffee if it had any small amount of caffeine in it at all. I sat dismally in my own secluded booth away from the happy-go-lucky student body that I so desperately wanted to hurt every time I got near. Lana was sweet but had no mind of her own. And Clark, I would always love Clark, but Clark was so blind when it came to Lana Lang and I. He loved her, he loved me, but never in the way that he would her. She was his dream, his one and only longing in life. Who would I be if I crashed that for him? When he was with her, it seemed that Clark Kent that everyone knew, who carried the world on his shoulders, dismissed his cares when he could just sit next to Miss Fairy Princess.

I wrote in my journal, it had a brick wall on the cover and on it was sprayed "Missunderstood." I could relate to that and that is why I loved to let everyone notice what was on the cover. I wrote notes about the paper every so often, but what I really liked to do was make little notes about people; funny habits, striking behaviors, noticeable dislikes or attractions. Lana, for instance liked to twirl a pen around when she was thinking. Clark ran his hand through his hair when he was nervous. Lex blinked obviously when he was intent on uncovering something, I had noticed that one day, while sitting with Clark. I thought it was always interesting the way that people reacted differently to situations that presented themselves.

"Miss Sullivan, I'm glad I found you in here," a well-dressed Mr. Luthor said as he plopped himself right down to the seat across from me.

"Please sit Mr. Luthor, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit." Was my calm response.

"Coffee…and interesting conversations about Clark and a meteor theory." Lex said matter-of-factly.

"I am sorry Mr. Luthor, but you will have to look elsewhere for interesting today, because that is something, today, I am just not willing to provide." I began.

He noticed my journal; he smirked. Did I mention I love when people notice my journal?

"Missunderstood?" Mr. Luthor questioned, then smirked.

"I don't think I could even come close to beginning to understand what is going on inside my head, Mr. Luthor."

"You'd be surprised at how much I can tell, just by looking at you. It's Lex, please." He added.

"Chloe then, please." I retorted.

He smirked, what was it about that face that made me melt. Every time he smirked I felt, how do I put this…great.

"So, what are you busy working on…Chloe?" Lex swatted at the journal in my hand. He missed. Then I swatted him, with my journal, on his head.

"Reporters never share their findings, Lex!" I smiled.

"Touché, Chloe. But really how's the Torch doing?" He questioned, sincerely. Sincerely, was that really a quality Lex had hidden inside himself somewhere, sincerity? I would have to look into this.

"Fine, I guess, as most high school papers go." I said.

"So how's business Lex, busy?' I laughed. So did he.

"You could say that… So are you ready for college, then. A girl like you must be going to college, right?"

"Yeah, Metropolis U. I am ready to leave that hell of a high school. I just keep telling myself that it's only another two weeks. I mean I can't really complain about my high school years, its just that I am tired of being in a universe controlled by cheerleaders and jocks. But when is a girl like me ever going to come out on top. College I fear will be the same as high school; all the beautiful people will control everything." I sighed.

"You are beautiful Chloe, don't let anyone ever tell you differently." He said and then he got up, smiled and walked out the front doors of the Talon. I wanted to cry and yell in happiness at the same time. I wanted to slap him in the face and scream you don't know what you are saying and I wanted to let him tell me that I was beautiful. I had never heard those words come out of anyone's mouth about me before, only my dad. He just did it to boost my ego a bit; Lex couldn't have really meant what he said.

I woke up early, it was Saturday and the June sun was shining beautifully through my window. Beautiful, beautiful, I just can't get those words out of my head. I put on a short denim skirt and a plain black t-shirt, brushed my hair and walked the long road to Clark's. I had forgotten that prom was next Friday. I wasn't going, NO WAY! Without a date was the worst and Clark was going to go with Lana. My life just seems like a roller coaster. I ran into Clark's loft yelling, "I am not going to prom!" Then I noticed he was talking to someone, oh god no…it was Lex. "Mr. Luthor, what a pleasure seeing you here…" I said, through gritted teeth.

"Oh Miss Sullivan, we are back to last name basis then." He looked at me, putting emphasis on the Miss Sullivan. I could sense the tension between us.

"Sorry…Lex." I said, he blinked, obviously toward Clark.

"Well, Clark, seems like you two have some obvious things to discuss…I had better be off. Clark, Chloe." He nodded to each of us before he left down the stairs.

I shuffled to the door where Lex was leaving, "Lex I need to talk to you," I knew this wasn't going to be good.

"Okay," he sighed, "Come to my place at three then? I have a meeting until two." And that was it, he left me. He didn't know what I wanted to talk to him about, I didn't know what I wanted to talk to him about; I guess I just needed to talk. I went back to Clark and plopped myself on the couch next to him.

"Chloe? What was that about?" He asked, naively.

"Geez Clark, you are not my dad and I don't need to discuss everything with you, do I?"

He sighed. "Okay Chloe, sorry."

"So about prom…" I ventured, "Did I mention that I am not going?" I snorted.

"You have to go Chloe, I can find you a date." Clark almost begged.

I snipped back, "I don't need your pity Kent, let alone your match-making skills, look where it got you!" Clark's head bent, sulkily. I touched his shoulder gently with my hand, I had to say something. "I didn't mean it that way Clark, really."

"Yeah you did, Chloe, but I just want you to go to prom; everyone wants to go to prom."

"Not without a date," I mumbled.

Clark said nothing, he had already said his peace, "Well, if that's really what you want, I can't stop you. You know I would be more than happy to take you," he faltered, "If it weren't for Lana and I." He finished.

"I know, your true love."

"You're happy for me right,"

"Of course," I plastered on a huge fake smile and went to hug him. "It has been all you have thought about for years and now you've got it, I am so happy for you Clark."

He smiled, that big, goofy Kent smile, which always made me feel happy and light inside. It was different from the Luthor smile; Lex's was more heavy, mysterious, seductive? What am I saying? It made me feel older inside, like I could conquer the world with his acceptance, his smile. It made me feel like I was finally being recognized for whom I truly am.

"Clark I have to go, caffeine needed," I pretended to be seeking desperately for air.

"I'll take you…I could use something to drink too." He answered.

"Sure…" I responded to quickly.

We walked by Mrs. Kent I said a quick hello to her, and then we got into the Kent's pickup.

The Beanery was cozy, Clark and I sat discussing regular topics like Smallville, school, The Torch. I had fun with Clark, always. We had been inseparable since the eighth grade, still are. I felt like, as we got older, he became more distant; he carried burdens. Behind this warm, opening, polite Clark Kent was something that none of us knew. I gave it a rest; he was my best friend and I was glad.

"I looked at the small clock in my room it was 2:45. I got into the car and drove to The Luthor Manor or castle as I referred to it sometimes while joking with Clark. I was nervous as hell. I was never nervous. I rang the doorbell at exactly three. A woman answered the door.

"I'm Chloe Sullivan, here to see Lex."

"One moment Miss Sullivan." She returned a minute later. "Follow me." I followed wearily, I had only been here once before and that night, I was pushed out one of those windows up there.

Chloe heard Lex, "Chloe, you said you wanted to talk?"

"Yeah about that, Lex…I kind of lied. I really don't know why I wanted to talk to you, I just do."

"Okay," he sat down he looked more intent on listening now. I sat across from him.

"Last night at the Beanery, you said I was…beautiful, do you really think that, Lex?"

"I don't usually say things I don't mean, do I," he laughed to himself.

Thank god Luthor you made a joke, this is more relaxed now. I looked at him, blue eyes, no gray, no blue, yeah blue. He is sooooo damn sexy, marry me Lex Luthor.

"A penny for your thoughts," I heard out of the corner of my mind.

"You really wanna know what I was thinking, it's a little scary. I don't know if you'll be able to handle it."

"Try me…" He smiled, I melted, yet again. Smooth Sullivan.

"Ok I was having a debate with myself on whether your eyes were blue or gray and I came to the conclusion that they were definitely blue. Then I thought to myself that you are so damn sexy and that I should marry you…. happy?" I finished, almost laughing.

"Right, that sure boost's an ego. I could get used to people thinking about me like that; usually I get you are such an evil man Lex Luthor and things like that." He looked at me.

"For what it's worth…your not evil to me Lex." I said genuinely.

"It does mean a lot Chloe. Thanks." He said un-Luthorish.

Some sense in my body told me to run away, hide. But the other part, that was harder to ignore was the one that said make him fall in love with you. I didn't know what this newfound feeling was. Why did I have to develop a thing for him? He was Lex Luthor for crying out loud, Clark was unattainable, but Lex…he was untouchable. I went to sit next to him, touched his shoulder.

"Chloe…?" He turned to me; puzzled was what could describe him best. I saw his face; totally kissable. And that is exactly what I did. I pressed my lips to his; mmm peperminty. He pulled away.

"You don't know what your doing Chloe."

Now I can take a lot of things but someone telling me that I don't know what I am doing? "You have no right to tell me I don't know what I am doing; I am no robot. You can just reject me outright, it has happened before!" What will he say to me after that? Oh Chloe you have really pushed it.

"Sorry Chloe, you're right. I have no right telling you what you are and are not capable of doing. I will tell you that you shouldn't get into those kind of things with me, let's stay friends for a while," Lex sighed, "I will not deny that my feelings for you falter between the line of friendship and attraction. I can't risk anything, you can't risk anything Chloe!"

That was more than I would have expected. Friends…for a while? I could deal with that. "Ok, Lex. It's a deal, friend." I shook his hand, strong hand. He looked down at me. Lex stroked my chin with a finger. He kissed me, it wasn't like mine. It was more passionate, dangerous. I responded and we sat like that, just kissing for about a minute.

"I just wanted to see what I have to look forward too…" He stood. "It was nice to hear from you Miss Sullivan," He used my name kind of mockingly.

I smiled. He walked out of the room. I walked ponderously along the path that led to my car, thinking about what just happened. It was a lot to comprehend, but somehow I handled it…