"Chloe, Chloe, wait up!"

A tall farm boy ran down the hallway, following a petite blond.

Chloe turned her head just as he stopped near her. She noticed that he didn't look breathless Life in a farm is very healthy, apparently.

Clark touched her shoulder.

"Hi Chloe"

"Hello, Kent." Chloe gave him a little smile.

"Listen, I'd be glad to stand here and chat, but I have to meet Whitney in about three minutes."

"Oh."

Disappointment appeared on Clark's beautiful face.

"Hi, farm boy, don't look so miserable, ok?" Chloe felt a stab of guilty in her stomach.

"How about you come to my house this afternoon? We can watch a movie."

His face brightened "I'll bring the movie."

"I'll make some popcorn," Chloe promised.

"See you." She began to walk again.

"I'll see you at five." He called after her.

"All right" She called back.





"I thought you got lost" Whitney said with a smile.

"No, it's just that I had to fight my way here. I swear that where ever I go, the whole school comes after me."

"I'm sure it has something to do with meteor rocks."

"Of course."

"Or with the fact that it's the end of the day, and we don't have too much hallways in school."

Chloe pretended to consider the matter. "Oh, I guess that's possible, too."

He took her bag, as he always did.

"Listen, I have football practice today, and after that I have to go to the store, but I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

Chloe nodded. "Sure."

"You should tell you're meeting Clark this afternoon, you know" A voice whispered in her head.

Chloe ignored the voice. She and Clark were just friends, and Clark needed her support right now. Besides, since when does she give Whitney a full report of everything?









Chloe opened the door for a grinning Clark.

"I brought Men In Black II" He announced as he entered her house.

Chloe tried hard not to pull a face - she had already seen the movie, with Whitney, and wasn't too impressed.

He wore his usual plaid shirt - God, he really has to burn them all- his almost buggy jeans, and his hair was the usual, wonderful dark mess she loved.

He looked around "Where's the popcorn?"

"Oh, shit!" Chloe punched her head. "I completely forgot. Sit down, it'll take five minutes."

"I can help you" He offered

"In opening the popcorn package and shoving it into the microwave? Just sit on the couch and wait." She ordered him.

Clark obeyed. He put the DVD in its place and set on Chloe's couch, while she hurried to the kitchen.

She put the popcorn in and set the microwave, than leaned against the table and took a deep breath. Why did having Clark in her house, alone, felt so bad? Chloe was as nervous as on her recent math test day.

The micro beeped. She opened it, put some salt on top and took it to the living room.

He gave her his megawatt smile.

"Can I start the movie?" He asked.

She nodded "Go ahead."

Chloe's tension level rose high as she sank in her sit.

"Hi, are you going to keep all the popcorn to yourself?" Clark laughed. He moved himself closer to her. She handed him the bowl.

"I'm not so hungry."

"Oh, ok." Clark began to eat the popcorn with all the eagerness of a teenage boy.

"Didn't you eat at home, farm boy? I find it hard to believe that Martha Kent won't feed her son properly."

"I ate lunch, but it was almost two hours ago!"

"Want anything else? I think I saw few Mars bars in the fridge."

"Yes please."

As Chloe got up, the doorbell rang.

"Wait a second" she told Clark, walking to the door.

"Whitney!"

He smiled to her, as usual, obviously happy to see her again.

"The practice was cancelled, so I thought you might want to catch a cup of coffee at the Beanery."

His voice died out. He spotted Clark.

"What is HE doing here?"

"We're about to watch a movie." Chloe stopped for a second.

"You can join us" She suggested.

Clark got up. "Hi Whitney."

Whitney nodded his head. "Kent." He said in an unfriendly tone.

"Chloe, can I talked to you, outside?" Whitney put his hand on her arm.

Chloe didn't want to go outside, she had a pretty good idea of what Whitney was about to say, but she had no choice.

"I'll be back in a second, Clark. Help yourself with those bars."

She stepped outside. "What is it?" She whispered.

"I can't believe you are seeing him again!" He whispered back, his tone harsh.

"Why not?"

"He didn't pay any attention to you while he dated Lana, and now he's lonely and need some company, so he turns back to you."

"No he doesn't. We're friends, friends come to each other in time of need."

"Sure. That's why he ignored you in the last three months or so. Can't you see? You're his second choice, his backup girlfriend. He goes to you for some comfort, than when the next beauty arrive, you'd be just good friend Chloe again. Good friend Chloe that can be dumped any second because she'll always have him back."

"Fuck you!"

Chloe tried hard to stop her tears. How dare he say those things to her?!

"You know I'm right, Chloe. He's Dawson Creek material. That's what they do."

"Get away from me!" Tears rolled on her face without control.

"Don't cry, please."

He tried to wipe her tears.

"Don't touch me!"

Clark appeared on the doorstep

"What's going on? Chloe?"

Chloe rubbed her face quickly to dry the tears.

"Everything's ok, Clark. Whitney is just leaving."

After Whitney entered his new truck, Chloe ran back inside the house.

"Chloe?" Asked Clark in an uncertain voice.

Chloe looked up to him. He looked so naive, in the farm boy clean-cut looks. What does he know about her? What did they ever had in common?

"Clark, go home, please. I can't explain. Just.leave."

"Why, Chloe?"

"Go, please" She repeated.

"I'll call you" He promised. Chloe couldn't care less. She sank on the living room carpet.

Chloe Sullivan had a thing for Whitney Fordman, the All-American jockstrap.

Who would have thought?