Interviewing Basketball Stars

Author: Liz Luthor

Disclaimer: *sigh* I don't have any rights to Smallville or its characters or anything like that... But you know, it doesn't make it any easier for me to say it! *sob*

Couples: slight Clark/Lana

Author's Notes: Uhh... Not much to say this time. ^^ PLEASE REVIEW!!



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Saturday began early for Clark, as usual. He woke at 5:30 and did all of his chores before showering, changing clothes, and eating breakfast.

He found himself not fully awake until around 7:30, about fifteen minutes before he left to deliver some produce to the kitchen of Luthor manor. These deliveries were rare, but the Kents would send plenty of vegetables to last through the intervals. Normally, Clark would deliver the vegetables on foot, but since he'd woken up early, he got to take the truck before his dad went to pick up the fertilizer.

When Clark arrived at Lex's mansion, he was told that Lex was currently in a meeting and wouldn't be able to speak with him. He disappointedly finished unloading and bringing in the produce and then got ready to leave.



Meanwhile, Whitney sat across from Lex in the library of the mansion, uncharacteristically clad in a nice suit and waiting for a response from the young aristocrat. He had presented a rather surprising proposal.

"My mother and I have decided to sell the store," he had clarified quite bluntly.

Lex stared in awe for a few seconds before regaining his composure and asking, "What for? If you sell Fordman's, how else will your family earn money?"

Whitney explained, "We'll have the money from the sale, as well as my father's life insurance, which, of course, he left to my mom. Also, she just got a job as a nurse, and now that my scholarship worked out, we can use some of the money we had set aside for my college tuition..." he looked off in the other direction.

"You seem less than excited about that scholarship."

"...Well, I can't use the money unless I play on the team when I'm finished with college, and... I just don't know if that's what I want to do anymore." He shook his head. "It's too late for me to make that decision now, though. I can't pay for college otherwise."

Lex offered, "You could always stick with academic achievements. You've still got the rest of this year and next year to work on your G.P.A., and if that doesn't work, you could get a loan of some sort."

"Even if I get enough money to go to college, I still don't know what I want to be or what I want to do. I wouldn't know what to study," Whitney replied. The room grew silent again.

"...I'm not the one you should be talking to about this. What you came here for is to sell me that store," Lex's voice filled the void.

Whitney replied, "Actually, if you aren't willing to buy it, my original plan was to ask you for help in selling it," he gulped audibly. The man opposite him sat back in his chair, contemplating his decision.

"It's true that I'm not looking to buy at this point... But I honestly don't see any reason to help you sell it, either." Whitney was stunned. Lex continued, "You know, you don't really need my help. The place has a good location—it's always been successful, am I correct?" The teen nodded. "...Which is why it bothers me that you still want to sell it." He leaned forward again, and then said, "If you ask me, keeping the store is your only option if you're not willing to accept that scholarship. Otherwise, your total income will decrease, and no matter how hard you work, that'll still be a loss by the time you graduate. However, by keeping the store and increasing your profits by working harder, you'll have more of a chance of being able to ignore your football scholarship." Whitney blinked. Suddenly, he wasn't the one with the plan anymore. "...Not to mention the fact that if you really don't want to continue with football, not joining the team will give you a lot more free-time during your senior year to gain the money you need," the man added.

"...I can see you've put a lot of thought into my future," Whitney remarked.

Lex smirked and answered, "No, I'm just a quick thinker."

The boy thought for a moment. "Well. I can't say I don't owe you one for all this," he stood up and extended his hand to the Luthor. "Thank you. You're a nicer guy than the press makes you out to be," Whitney smiled gratefully.

Lex nodded and shook the extended hand, replying, "You're a nicer guy than you used to be. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm expecting a delivery soon." He checked his watch. "Actually, I probably already missed it. Oh well, he'll have dropped it off, I'm sure. I'll see you later, Mr. Fordman."



.: At Lana's :.



"Lindsay? ...Hey, it's Lana. How are you? ...I know! We don't talk enough anymore! I was wondering, though—have you spoken to Whitney recently? ...Really? He's been acting- different lately. Just between us, do you still like him? ...Of course I knew! And I felt horrible going out with him when I knew you liked him so much. But back then I did, too. I'm really sorry about that, honestly. I guess that's why you and I had spread apart so much. ....Well good for you! I've always thought of you as a strong person, I'm sure you'll get over Whitney. ...Oh, please don't ask me that! ...Alright, well, truthfully, I don't know yet if I like Clark. Although I have considered it. ...Be quiet! Don't you agree that there's something different about him? ...See! I don't know what it is, but... *sigh* Maybe I do like him."



.: At Clark's :.



Clark had returned home to find that his father had more work for him to do out in the fields. Apparently, there was yet another fence that needed mending.

"I swear, some of our cattle must have gotten a hold of that strength of yours, son," Jonathan had laughed. "Every week there's another part of the fence broken! Now you need to make sure you really drive those planks into the ground so they—I guess I don't need to tell you that, do I?"

Clark had nodded and disappeared into the vast pastures of the Kent farm, supplies and all. After tearing down the fence that had been broken through—a length of about six or seven feet—Clark picked up one board and carefully shoved it straight into the earth. Then he nailed two boards to that one horizontally, and so on until he ran out of wood. 'Great,' Clark thought, 'now I'll have to run back to the barn and get some more.'



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On his way to his truck, Whitney removed his coat and tie, incredibly uncomfortable in such uncommon attire. His mother had requested that he wear it in order to look more sophisticated, otherwise he wouldn't have. He placed the abandoned clothes in the passenger seat next to him and then drove away.

He felt out of place... Almost as though there was something he had forgotten about—some detail he'd missed. It was a strange feeling for Whitney. Suddenly, as he drove on toward his house, the reason came to him. He took a right on the next turn and changed his destination to the Kents' house. He had to talk to Clark.

Smallville was, as usual, fairly quiet, and Whitney's was practically the only truck on the road. It was late Saturday morning, and most people were already at the market. He started to slow down—he was nearing Clark's place.

Upon his arrival, he found that the truck was absent from its usual parking spot outside the farmhouse. He almost opened the door of his own truck to jump out and see if anyone was home, but as he did, he saw Clark in the field. Or rather, on his way to the field.

At super-speed.

Whitney was awe-struck. He sat in the driver's seat, the door hanging partly open, for almost five minutes, staring on as Clark ran out of sight and into the field beyond the corner of the barn. Finally, he shook his head back to reality and backed out of the driveway quickly and carelessly.

He couldn't think. All his mind told him was to get out of there as fast as humanly possible, so that's what he did.

'I know I saw that... right? It was Clark, right? ...Oh, god, what am I gonna do about this??'



.: End :.



Author's Notes: It's a tad short, I know, but it's probably the most eventful chapter yet. ^^ I apologize for the time it took to write this... Writer's block struck me! But I think I can handle the next few chapters easily. :) As always, PLEASE review! Thanks much for reading!!