Title: Us
Author: take phat (smallobeed@hotmail.com)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Who'd be dumb enough to think I own them? PS No offence to people who think I do.
Spoilers: tiny itty bit of 'Kinetic', but this is just to be sure
Pairing: Chloe/Whitney
Archive: Yes please, just tell me where it's going :- )
Genre: Drama/romance (mild)
Summary: Us. How can two people be so different but be so similar? Chloe/Whitney, a pair of walking contradictions.
The strong winds caused Chloe's hair to whiplash around her face now pink from the air's coldness. She spread her arms out and kept her legs close together so as not to lose balance, she looked up at the blue sky littered with clouds. Chloe now resembled someone being crucified and she closed her eyes as she relished in the familiar feeling. An extra strong gust almost made Chloe lose balance, but she was not afraid. She would stand as she always did, on the ledge right near the edge, the one with 'for a good time, call 555-6987' carved crudely in the nearest pole. The frigid air combined with the excitement of being at such a great hight sent adrenalin pumping through her veins in a way she would ordinarily be concerned about. She looked down and felt another rush, she clenched her fists towards the sky and grinned. Chloe had already been here once this week, she came twice because of him. Again. Only this time it wasn't longing that sent her back, it wasn't the torture of seeing him crawl all over Lana every single day, it wasn't fact that she had to pretend to be tough as nails 24-7 so no one would know that they hurt her. It was the fact that Lana was now crawling all over Clark also. She broke up with Whitney, Chloe had seen it. Clark had been on his way over her, but when Lana caught his eye, that was it. She believed if it weren't for the wonders of gravity, he would probably be somewhere around Venus by now. She saw, alright. He tried to appear sorry, but he smiled, teeth and all. Chloe couldn't even recall the last time he had smiled at her like that. But did Lana really need a hug? I mean, she broke up with him. But, oh yes, Clark was there. Like the good friend he was, he comforted her in her time of grief. Girls could be such bitches, Whitney was right there. Clark stroked her hair, letting every fucking perfect strand run through his fucking perfect fingers. Whitney saw, he saw like she did. Couldn't Lana leave him alone until they, meaning her and Whitney, had vacated the coffee house. But of course, Lana had to have comfort straight away, and Chloe knew all too well that Lana always got what she wanted. Chloe thought she despised Lana, but now, three hours later, she was certain of it.
Tears clouded Chloe's vision but she continued to grin painfully, her face not adjusting to this new muscle position well. They streamed freely down her face as her cries were lost into the howling wind, now reaching higher speeds. She began to sway slightly and realised that she didn't care if she kept balance or not. She closed her eyes once more and imagined herself finally speechless, no sarky comment, no words, no worries. It was a difficult thing to think of, but when she did she stretched her body to it's full length and prepared for the metaphorically difficult fall forward. She felt herself tilt over, then fifty times more suddenly she was wrenched backwards, and sent tumbling onto the hard pavement. She yelped in pain as she rolled over, skin coming away at her elbows, knees, and shoulders. Chloe lay there for a moment in shock, trying to comprehend what happened. She was about to jump, when she was pulled back. It was too strong to be the wind, she sat up and winced as the numerous bruises on her back throbbed. She was eager to see her rescuer and saw him sitting opposite her, panting loudly and watching her intently. Her eyes widened as she recognised her saviour. She expected it to be Clark, Clark the superhero. Needless to say she was surprised when she was confronted with the dark eyes of Whitney Fordman. They stared at each other while they caught their breaths. The wind roared around them, but neither looked away. Both trying to read each others thoughts but not knowing how or why. Chloe opened her mouth to speak, but Whitney beat her to it.
"What the fuck did you think you were doing?" he shouted over the noise, his anger with her evident.
"Don't shout at me!" she retorted stupidly, trying in vain to control her hair.
"Oh, shut up!" he snapped "I'm sick of your shit!"
She spluttered in indignation "What do you mean your sick of my shit? You don't even know me" she dusted off the sand that clung to her wounds and winced slightly. He screwed up his face as if trying to say something without overreacting.
"God, you're even more tragic than Lana. You act like life deprived you of everything, you act like if Clark doesn't love you, no-one does. You've got so much shit going for you and you were about to kill yourself over that loser"
"He's not a loser!" she yelled, thinking fondly of her friend.
"Screw this, Sullivan" he growled angrily "I don't need your crap" he walked away and Chloe watched him, she stood up quickly.
"Wait!" she shouted pleadingly, he turned around slowly. They looked at each other for a moment before Chloe let out a long breath of air.
"Why did you do it?" Chloe sighed "I mean, why did you save me?"
Whitney shrugged, not making his way over to her "Why does anybody save anyone? Guilt, fear, instincts, a thirst to play the hero" he shrugged again "who knows?"
She scanned the area and noticed there was no cars parked besides her own on the bridge. She bit her lip. "Do you need a ride?" she asked, the words breaking on her tongue. His expression softened a little and he made his way over to her.
"Sure" he moved to the other side and pulled open the door, almost pulling it off it's hinges. He climbed in and shut it, she looked at him apologetically.
"Yeah, it's a pile of shit" Chloe said, agreeing with his thoughts. It took a while to start up the engine, and when she did she looked at out the window at the bridge, for decidedly the last time. The air thickened with awkwardness and Chloe gripped the wheel tightly, her knuckles turning white.
"Thanks Fordman" she coughed "For, y'know"
He nodded "I felt the same way, all the bad stuff seemed to be happening at once"
"Like what?" Chloe asked, cursing herself for her insensitivity. But he didn't seem to mind.
"I lost my scholarship" he decided not to tell her about his dad, it was a delicate subject and frankly, he didn't know her well enough to reveal that kind of information. He glanced at her and saw real sympathy in her eyes.
"I'm sorry"
"Why?" he let out a cold laugh "You didn't do anything, I'm the screw up" She wanted to say he wasn't, but she realised he didn't care what she thought, so she clamped her mouth shut and just listened.
"Too many missed training sessions, not quick enough, not tough enough, not damn perfect enough" she could hear the bitterness that was soaked into his voice, she risked a quick glance and found his eyes to betray nothing. She swallowed.
"Are you sill referring to football?" she asked, he ground his teeth together.
"No" he admitted.
"Lana" she said sympathetically, he nodded tightly.
"it was a long time coming" he resisted the urge to kick the floor in front of him, he didn't want the thing to fall apart while they were in it "but that doesn't mean I wanted it to happen"
She nearly hit a give way sign but she swerved just in time, Chloe smiled at him nervously and he managed a half smile back.
"Are we depressing, or what?" Chloe said half heartedly, trying to lighten the mood.
"We are" Whitney agreed "But we both have pretty good excuses"
"Not me, really" Chloe hunched over "I never really had Clark to begin with"
"But you wanted him?" Whitney's eyes narrowed
"Yes" she found herself saying "I still do"
"After all he put you through" Whitney ran his hand through his hair, giving him a cute dishevelled look, not that he was cute or anything, well, she wasn't blind...
"Well you still want Lana" she accused, hoping she was right. Whitney faltered, it was true, he wanted her back. She hurt him, and he still wanted her back, she two timed him and he still wanted her back. He jammed his hand through his hair again, making her stifle a laugh at his appearance.
"We're a pair of weak fools" he murmured, recognising a street that was close to his house.
"I know" she sighed, scared to have something in common with Whitney 'jockboy' Fordman. Who, not long ago, would snicker at her in the halls and poke fun at her beloved Torch with the rest of his dumbass friends. She was having a real conversation with him, as opposed to trade of required pleasantries and cutting insults. And what was worse, she was in the same boat as him, so couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
"I just wanted this to work" he growled "Everything in my life is so screwed up, Lana was the lighthouse, or whatever" Whitney stumbled over the words and Chloe found herself laughing softly.
"I think you mean she was the ray of hope in otherwise black surroundings"
"Right" Chloe nodded, a little annoyed at how Whitney, or rather she, expressed his feeling s towards Lana. Lana wasn't exactly on Chloe's A-list right now.
"With Clark, all I wanted was him to notice me, but all he wanted was Lana" she bit her tongue at her slip up but continued "I was supportive, I was encouraging, I was all 'hey Clark, go for it, I don't mind going alone' when I did. I have to be a fake around him all the time, he thinks I always speak my mind, but if I did he would either be scared of me, hate me, or laugh at me, and I don't want him to do any of that stuff" Chloe kept her eyes on the road, but she knew he was watching her.
"y'know" he propped his legs up on the dashboard, Chloe almost groaned. The return of the jock "We make fun of you, before, after, and during school"
"We meaning you and your smart little friends?" Chloe looked at him "what is this? Confrontation time?"
He slipped his hands behind his head "Something like that"
"I don't think I want to hear this"
"Too bad" he sneered, giving her a once over.
"Please don't be a shit, Fordman, I'm not in the mood" a little irritated at his attitude change.
"You missed my house" Whitney said casually, Chloe jumped, turning her head back quickly.
"Well I don't know where it is, do I?" she growled, trying to find an exit and so far finding none.
"I thought you did, considering you probably follow me ev-"
"I do not follow you" she said angrily, he raised an eyebrow.
"well, you want me" he stated, leaning back "you offered me a lift, I was just walking home, minding my own business when-"
"hey, you were depressed and alone because Lana-" his teasing demeanour faded quickly and he rested his hand on her thigh, his voice now sad.
"I still feel depressed and alone" he said quickly "I just don't want to think about it right now"
"Oh" flecks of colour stained her cheeks as she felt the warmth of his hand burn through the fabric of her skirt, he left it on there for ten unbearable seconds until he pulled it away and placed it back on his stomach. Her leg tingled a little but that soon passed as she reached the correct house. He undid his belt and faced her, grinning.
"thanks for the lift, Sullivan, you're OK" he hoped out and slammed the door before she managed a reply, she just smiled softly and drove away, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake.
The End
Please review! Pleeeeeeease, I know it's not Chlex, but dammit, it still Chloe. You gotta admit, Eric Johnson is a fox! Mmmmm ;-P. I want to lick him...Sorry, so review. Gotta Go, Bye!
Author: take phat (smallobeed@hotmail.com)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Who'd be dumb enough to think I own them? PS No offence to people who think I do.
Spoilers: tiny itty bit of 'Kinetic', but this is just to be sure
Pairing: Chloe/Whitney
Archive: Yes please, just tell me where it's going :- )
Genre: Drama/romance (mild)
Summary: Us. How can two people be so different but be so similar? Chloe/Whitney, a pair of walking contradictions.
The strong winds caused Chloe's hair to whiplash around her face now pink from the air's coldness. She spread her arms out and kept her legs close together so as not to lose balance, she looked up at the blue sky littered with clouds. Chloe now resembled someone being crucified and she closed her eyes as she relished in the familiar feeling. An extra strong gust almost made Chloe lose balance, but she was not afraid. She would stand as she always did, on the ledge right near the edge, the one with 'for a good time, call 555-6987' carved crudely in the nearest pole. The frigid air combined with the excitement of being at such a great hight sent adrenalin pumping through her veins in a way she would ordinarily be concerned about. She looked down and felt another rush, she clenched her fists towards the sky and grinned. Chloe had already been here once this week, she came twice because of him. Again. Only this time it wasn't longing that sent her back, it wasn't the torture of seeing him crawl all over Lana every single day, it wasn't fact that she had to pretend to be tough as nails 24-7 so no one would know that they hurt her. It was the fact that Lana was now crawling all over Clark also. She broke up with Whitney, Chloe had seen it. Clark had been on his way over her, but when Lana caught his eye, that was it. She believed if it weren't for the wonders of gravity, he would probably be somewhere around Venus by now. She saw, alright. He tried to appear sorry, but he smiled, teeth and all. Chloe couldn't even recall the last time he had smiled at her like that. But did Lana really need a hug? I mean, she broke up with him. But, oh yes, Clark was there. Like the good friend he was, he comforted her in her time of grief. Girls could be such bitches, Whitney was right there. Clark stroked her hair, letting every fucking perfect strand run through his fucking perfect fingers. Whitney saw, he saw like she did. Couldn't Lana leave him alone until they, meaning her and Whitney, had vacated the coffee house. But of course, Lana had to have comfort straight away, and Chloe knew all too well that Lana always got what she wanted. Chloe thought she despised Lana, but now, three hours later, she was certain of it.
Tears clouded Chloe's vision but she continued to grin painfully, her face not adjusting to this new muscle position well. They streamed freely down her face as her cries were lost into the howling wind, now reaching higher speeds. She began to sway slightly and realised that she didn't care if she kept balance or not. She closed her eyes once more and imagined herself finally speechless, no sarky comment, no words, no worries. It was a difficult thing to think of, but when she did she stretched her body to it's full length and prepared for the metaphorically difficult fall forward. She felt herself tilt over, then fifty times more suddenly she was wrenched backwards, and sent tumbling onto the hard pavement. She yelped in pain as she rolled over, skin coming away at her elbows, knees, and shoulders. Chloe lay there for a moment in shock, trying to comprehend what happened. She was about to jump, when she was pulled back. It was too strong to be the wind, she sat up and winced as the numerous bruises on her back throbbed. She was eager to see her rescuer and saw him sitting opposite her, panting loudly and watching her intently. Her eyes widened as she recognised her saviour. She expected it to be Clark, Clark the superhero. Needless to say she was surprised when she was confronted with the dark eyes of Whitney Fordman. They stared at each other while they caught their breaths. The wind roared around them, but neither looked away. Both trying to read each others thoughts but not knowing how or why. Chloe opened her mouth to speak, but Whitney beat her to it.
"What the fuck did you think you were doing?" he shouted over the noise, his anger with her evident.
"Don't shout at me!" she retorted stupidly, trying in vain to control her hair.
"Oh, shut up!" he snapped "I'm sick of your shit!"
She spluttered in indignation "What do you mean your sick of my shit? You don't even know me" she dusted off the sand that clung to her wounds and winced slightly. He screwed up his face as if trying to say something without overreacting.
"God, you're even more tragic than Lana. You act like life deprived you of everything, you act like if Clark doesn't love you, no-one does. You've got so much shit going for you and you were about to kill yourself over that loser"
"He's not a loser!" she yelled, thinking fondly of her friend.
"Screw this, Sullivan" he growled angrily "I don't need your crap" he walked away and Chloe watched him, she stood up quickly.
"Wait!" she shouted pleadingly, he turned around slowly. They looked at each other for a moment before Chloe let out a long breath of air.
"Why did you do it?" Chloe sighed "I mean, why did you save me?"
Whitney shrugged, not making his way over to her "Why does anybody save anyone? Guilt, fear, instincts, a thirst to play the hero" he shrugged again "who knows?"
She scanned the area and noticed there was no cars parked besides her own on the bridge. She bit her lip. "Do you need a ride?" she asked, the words breaking on her tongue. His expression softened a little and he made his way over to her.
"Sure" he moved to the other side and pulled open the door, almost pulling it off it's hinges. He climbed in and shut it, she looked at him apologetically.
"Yeah, it's a pile of shit" Chloe said, agreeing with his thoughts. It took a while to start up the engine, and when she did she looked at out the window at the bridge, for decidedly the last time. The air thickened with awkwardness and Chloe gripped the wheel tightly, her knuckles turning white.
"Thanks Fordman" she coughed "For, y'know"
He nodded "I felt the same way, all the bad stuff seemed to be happening at once"
"Like what?" Chloe asked, cursing herself for her insensitivity. But he didn't seem to mind.
"I lost my scholarship" he decided not to tell her about his dad, it was a delicate subject and frankly, he didn't know her well enough to reveal that kind of information. He glanced at her and saw real sympathy in her eyes.
"I'm sorry"
"Why?" he let out a cold laugh "You didn't do anything, I'm the screw up" She wanted to say he wasn't, but she realised he didn't care what she thought, so she clamped her mouth shut and just listened.
"Too many missed training sessions, not quick enough, not tough enough, not damn perfect enough" she could hear the bitterness that was soaked into his voice, she risked a quick glance and found his eyes to betray nothing. She swallowed.
"Are you sill referring to football?" she asked, he ground his teeth together.
"No" he admitted.
"Lana" she said sympathetically, he nodded tightly.
"it was a long time coming" he resisted the urge to kick the floor in front of him, he didn't want the thing to fall apart while they were in it "but that doesn't mean I wanted it to happen"
She nearly hit a give way sign but she swerved just in time, Chloe smiled at him nervously and he managed a half smile back.
"Are we depressing, or what?" Chloe said half heartedly, trying to lighten the mood.
"We are" Whitney agreed "But we both have pretty good excuses"
"Not me, really" Chloe hunched over "I never really had Clark to begin with"
"But you wanted him?" Whitney's eyes narrowed
"Yes" she found herself saying "I still do"
"After all he put you through" Whitney ran his hand through his hair, giving him a cute dishevelled look, not that he was cute or anything, well, she wasn't blind...
"Well you still want Lana" she accused, hoping she was right. Whitney faltered, it was true, he wanted her back. She hurt him, and he still wanted her back, she two timed him and he still wanted her back. He jammed his hand through his hair again, making her stifle a laugh at his appearance.
"We're a pair of weak fools" he murmured, recognising a street that was close to his house.
"I know" she sighed, scared to have something in common with Whitney 'jockboy' Fordman. Who, not long ago, would snicker at her in the halls and poke fun at her beloved Torch with the rest of his dumbass friends. She was having a real conversation with him, as opposed to trade of required pleasantries and cutting insults. And what was worse, she was in the same boat as him, so couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
"I just wanted this to work" he growled "Everything in my life is so screwed up, Lana was the lighthouse, or whatever" Whitney stumbled over the words and Chloe found herself laughing softly.
"I think you mean she was the ray of hope in otherwise black surroundings"
"Right" Chloe nodded, a little annoyed at how Whitney, or rather she, expressed his feeling s towards Lana. Lana wasn't exactly on Chloe's A-list right now.
"With Clark, all I wanted was him to notice me, but all he wanted was Lana" she bit her tongue at her slip up but continued "I was supportive, I was encouraging, I was all 'hey Clark, go for it, I don't mind going alone' when I did. I have to be a fake around him all the time, he thinks I always speak my mind, but if I did he would either be scared of me, hate me, or laugh at me, and I don't want him to do any of that stuff" Chloe kept her eyes on the road, but she knew he was watching her.
"y'know" he propped his legs up on the dashboard, Chloe almost groaned. The return of the jock "We make fun of you, before, after, and during school"
"We meaning you and your smart little friends?" Chloe looked at him "what is this? Confrontation time?"
He slipped his hands behind his head "Something like that"
"I don't think I want to hear this"
"Too bad" he sneered, giving her a once over.
"Please don't be a shit, Fordman, I'm not in the mood" a little irritated at his attitude change.
"You missed my house" Whitney said casually, Chloe jumped, turning her head back quickly.
"Well I don't know where it is, do I?" she growled, trying to find an exit and so far finding none.
"I thought you did, considering you probably follow me ev-"
"I do not follow you" she said angrily, he raised an eyebrow.
"well, you want me" he stated, leaning back "you offered me a lift, I was just walking home, minding my own business when-"
"hey, you were depressed and alone because Lana-" his teasing demeanour faded quickly and he rested his hand on her thigh, his voice now sad.
"I still feel depressed and alone" he said quickly "I just don't want to think about it right now"
"Oh" flecks of colour stained her cheeks as she felt the warmth of his hand burn through the fabric of her skirt, he left it on there for ten unbearable seconds until he pulled it away and placed it back on his stomach. Her leg tingled a little but that soon passed as she reached the correct house. He undid his belt and faced her, grinning.
"thanks for the lift, Sullivan, you're OK" he hoped out and slammed the door before she managed a reply, she just smiled softly and drove away, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake.
The End
Please review! Pleeeeeeease, I know it's not Chlex, but dammit, it still Chloe. You gotta admit, Eric Johnson is a fox! Mmmmm ;-P. I want to lick him...Sorry, so review. Gotta Go, Bye!