Interviewing Basketball Stars

Author: Liz Luthor

Disclaimer: *sigh* No, I do not own Smallville or any of its pretty little people. Come on now, if I OWNED the show, don't you think Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Eric Johnson, and Sam Jones III would be shirtless the whole time!?

Couples: none (yet)

Author's Note: Please review! I know, everybody says that, but if that's what you're thinking, then OPEN YOUR EYES! It means we want you to review! And it's not like it takes more than five minutes at the most (unless you're REALLY indecisive...)! So please do. ;)

Side-note: I just had to add this in... This fan fic was started before Crush; therefore, the latter and Obscura are irrelevant here.



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"Lana, what's wrong?" Whitney demanded as Lana silently continued to hurriedly serve tables and take orders at the Talon. He didn't get an answer. "Look, how am I supposed to fix what's wrong if you don't tell me?" He stretched his arm in front of her, preventing her from walking past.

"Whitney..." She hesitated, then sighed. "I feel like I don't know what's going on with you anymore. You've canceled at least three dates in the past two weeks, you never even come to the Talon these days, and..." She stopped again and looked down, "...I don't know if we still feel the same about each other- as we did when we started this relationship..."

He searched for some way to argue, but he knew he agreed. "I'm sorry about canceling the dates. But, you know, this is kind of a bad time for me. I'm still trying to find scholarships, and then there's my dad..." Whitney's eyes reflected Lana's expression of pain, but neither spoke.

This is so stupid! Lana thought. We both know how this is going to end... We've known it for the past month, and still we continue to pretend that we truly want to be together. Isn't there any way to solve this without hurting each other?

I know she feels the same way I do. For some reason... I just don't want it to end... Whitney told himself. Finally, Lana broke through the silence.

"I don't think it's possible to avoid this anymore, Whitney." She paused, gave him a sympathetic look, then, "This just isn't working."

"...I know..."

They stood in silence a while longer before a customer at a table across the room shouted, "Hey, you feel like hurryin' up a little bit there!?" Lana jumped back to attention and started serving tables again, Whitney close behind her. As she finished up with the orders she had taken, she tried to hold back her tears. I don't understand... Why am I sad?

They entered the kitchen and Whitney put his hands on Lana's shoulders, staring into her eyes before saying, "We can't let this happen between us."

"But- Whitney... We can't-"

"I know this is the end of this relationship. You know it, too, but neither of us is happy about it. We are breaking up, but we can't just keep spreading apart after this. Okay?" He shook his head. "Even if we aren't a couple anymore, I don't want to pass you in the halls regretting that we couldn't work out whatever's bothering us."

She looked up at him and replied, "We will still be friends, of course. And... Maybe this really is better. It'd be nice to talk to you more..." They each managed a shaky smile and Whitney pulled her into a tight hug before saying goodbye.



.: Two days later, at school :.



"I cannot wait to see him! Oh, he's gonna be so cute, all sad and vulnerable!" Lindsay Ashmore squealed and giggled to her friend, Amber Christensen as Clark, Chloe, and Pete walked by. Clark subtly rolled his eyes along with Chloe, while Pete simply laughed.

"Man, that's all anyone's talkin' about!" Pete exclaimed.

Chloe joined in, "I knew the day Lana and Whitney broke up, even the Torch couldn't get the word around faster than high school gossipers. Then again, I'm thinking about covering it anyway," she laughed, "It's a huge story!"

"Well, it's a pretty drastic change," Pete noted. "They've been together practically all of high school!"

Clark was a little less ecstatic. "I don't know. You wouldn't think everyone would be so... happy about it..." They passed another group of kids excitedly chatting about the latest news.

"Clark, you of all people should be happy about it! This is your chance, man!" Pete gave him a friendly punch in the arm (and, of course, he didn't flinch a bit). Clark, however, refrained from responding as Lana approached the trio.

"Hello, Chloe, Pete. Hi Clark," she greeted them happily as she joined their parade around the halls.



...Happily? Why was that? She and Whitney DID just break up, right?



.: End :.



Author's Note (again): I went back and edited this chapter so that Amber's last name would be Christensen (something my friend made me do), as well as to add a bit on to it. Okay, so it's not that noticeable, but hey- it's the little things, right? :) Once again, I love feedback!



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