A/N : Thanx to all those who reviewed; perejil_tuk, StEvesTimeForLove, angelblue, Nik8100, Amanda, Kirstyn Paul, Kedrix - you're all very kind. Here is part 2 of 2.
[This is unbeta-ed so apologies in advance if the grammar/spelling/etc. is bad]
(Disclaimer : see part 1)
"Am I late?" I asked, checking my watch. I was on time, almost exactly.
"No, I'm early" he said, getting up, quickly. I looked at him properly then. He was just wearing his jeans, a plain T-shirt and leather jacket, but there was something, I don't know what it was. Maybe it was seeing again after all this time or because he wasn't hanging off of Lana like he used to be. I saw something different in him at that moment, something I really liked.
As my eyes travelled back up to his face, I realised he was looking at me in a similar way to that with which I had been studying him, which made me suddenly self-conscious. It was only coffee at the Beanery, so I hadn't made an special effort about how I looked. Although, I admit I did wear my heels instead of my flats and I'm spent a little more time on my hair than usual, and I had applied a little make-up too...
"What are you looking at?" I asked, nervously, as if I didn't know.
"You" he said simply, "which last time I checked was not against any federal law"
Maybe it wasn't just the way he looked that made me interested in this guy. He was one of a select few who shared my sarcastic wit and was able to keep even me on my toes.
"Maybe you should check again" I smiled, "Anyway, should I get some coffee for us?" I offered, desperate to break a moment that was becoming uncomfortably comfortable.
"No, you sit down" he said, motioning towards the couch he had recently vacated, "I'll fetch the coffee"
I sat down, and I watched him go over to the counter, I smiled to myself. I'm not sure why, but I guess it was just a nice feeling. To be out with a guy, a nice, friendly-ish, kind of hot-looking guy, getting coffee and just talking, made a pleasant change. There was less pressure here today with Whitney than there ever was when I was with Clark, and yet there was something date-like about the meeting too. I love hanging out with my friends, especially Clark and Pete, and I like going on dates with guys too, but right then it felt almost as if I had the best of both worlds. Whitney wasn't a friend, as such, but then this wasn't really a date either. It was different, it was fun, it was.....
"Hey, Earth to Chloe!"
I was pulled out of my thoughts by a voice and a hand infront of my face.
"Pete, what are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see him.
"I was just about to ask you the same thing" he said, curiously.
"Well, I'm here getting coffee with Whitney" I told him, without thinking, and right on queue, the ex Smallville High quarterback returned to the table, with two steaming cups of cappuccino in his hands. He placed one cup in front of me, and the second next to it before turning his attention to Pete who grinned like an idiot.
"Hey Fordman, I didn't know you were back in town" the guys shook hands and then Pete turned to look at me.
"So when did this happen?" he asked, still smiling, his eyes dodging between me and Whitney, who sat down beside me. He looked at Pete with a blank expression but I knew exactly what my friend was getting at.
"Nothing has happened" I said firmly, but apparently just as Whitney had not picked up on Pete's meaning, my endearingly annoying friend did not interpret mine correctly either.
"Okay, I'll leave you to alone then" he grinned a final time before swinging out of the door of the Beanery, calling 'Catch you later' over his shoulder as he went.
I sipped my coffee, almost as if holding the cup to my face would protect me from the hideous question I knew was coming.
"What did he mean by that?"
I groaned as I put the cup down. I didn't look at Whitney at all as I gave my explanation.
"Pete thinks we're 'going out', y'know, as in dating...?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean, Chloe" he said, taking a sip of his own coffee and replacing the cup on the table as I continued to curse the day I met Pete.
"Oh God", I closed my eyes and physically winced, "now he's going to tell Clark and Lana and anybody else who'll listen that we're a couple. It's going to be all over school by Monday"
"So what's the big deal?" he said, turning on the sofa so he was facing me better. I turned a little too as I answered him.
"Er, hello! It's not true" he really didn't seem to understand the seriousness of the situation.
"But what if it were?" he said, without a glimmer of a smile, so I couldn't even assume it was supposed to be a joke.
"Okay, now you've completely lost me" I pleaded ignorance, desperate to avoid the issue that it seemed like he was suggesting we were a couple, "You're hung up on Lana" I pointed out, "and I still don't know what I'm feeling for Clark and..." I didn't get a chance to say anymore as I felt his hand slide around my neck and pull my head forward him until my lips met his.
I was too surprised to stop it and it didn't take me long to realise that I really didn't want to. I leaned right into him as the kiss deepened, the whole time my mind was racing, 'I'm kissing Whitney Fordman, what the hell is happening?' but I didn't stop.
Eventually, we both needed to breathe and we parted reluctantly.
"Wow" was the only thing I could say and after a second he replied with a smirk.
"That's pretty inarticulate for a writer"
"Well, that was pretty good for a non-date" I said honestly, not daring to actually look at him. I picked up my coffee and took a drink before placing the cup back on the table and looking in every direction except at the guy next to me.
"Chloe, I want you to know I didn't plan that but I'll admit the thought had crossed my mind that maybe we could be friends or even more than friends..." he trailed off.
I really didn't know what to say after that, which was very unlike me. I am never speechless. I am the girl with all the answers but right then and there, I was stumped.
"Are you going to say anything?" he asked when I didn't speak.
"I, uh, you do realise that I'm not Lana, right? was all I could think of to say.
"Chloe, is it so hard to believe that I might actually like you and not Lana?" he sort of laughed when he said it, but I didn't think it was particularly funny.
"Yes, yes it is pretty unbelievable actually" I told him, "Seeing as it doesn't seem to matter what I say to Clark or what I do or what I wear, if Lana is around I might as well be invisible..."
"Chloe, I'm not Clark Kent" he cut me off mid-ramble and I admired his nerve. It took a brave man to interrupt me, or so I've been told.
"I'm not Clark," he repeated, "anymore than you're Lana, but I like you and I was kind of hoping that maybe you liked me"
I was stunned. It seemed he was being totally honest about this. I have to admit the idea of dating Whitney was not completely repulsive, far from it. He was hot, not completely stupid, he'd chosen me over Lana which showed good judgement and, my god, the guy could kiss! But it was still pretty unbelievable that he was asking me out.
"I, well,..." I just had no idea what to say to him.
He stood up suddenly.
"I should go" he said, "It was a stupid idea and I'm sorry"
As he stepped forward to walk past me and out of the cafe, I rose from my seat. I put my arms around his neck, reached up and kissed him.
If anyone had asked me why I'd done it I honestly don't think I could've given them an explanation. All I knew was I didn't want him to walk out of that door and I really wanted to be close to him. As we parted from our second entanglement in as many minutes, he looked at me seriously.
"What was that for?"
I was completely honest about it.
"I don't know exactly" I blushed, "I just wanted to do it" I shrugged "I'm just so sick of doing the right thing and the decent thing, I just wanted to do exactly what I wanted to do for a change and just be wild. You ever feel like that?" I dared to look at him again.
"Yeah" he smiled down on me and I knew he really did know what I meant. "So where do we go from here, wild girl?" he grinned and I did too.
"Anywhere and everywhere!"
"You want to start with Metropolis?" he suggested, "We could go for dinner or catch a movie at the new multiplex there"
"Yeah, why not" I smiled, linking arms with him. We walked over to the doors and I sighed.
"Y'know this could be the start of a beautiful relationship, Whitney"
"Well, things are looking up" he kind of laughed and I looked at him strangely, wondering what he meant by that, as he opened the car door for me.
"You actually used my first name" he laughed properly now and I giggled too. I was half way into the passenger side of the car when I had a thought.
"Actually, do you mind if I drive?"
For a second he looked kind of suspicious but then he smiled.
"Sure, why not"
I breathed a sigh of relief as he handed me the keys and I moved around to the other side of the car.
We were driving towards Metropolis in no time, towards a town I loved, towards the future, towards friendship, and maybe, I was beginning to think, towards love. I never thought I'd get over Clark Kent and I certainly never thought Whitney would get over Lana Lang, but I had, and he had, and it had all happened, the day he came home.
A/N : I hope you enjoyed the story - please review!