'He's so materialistic!' she shuddered on the cold brisk walk. 'Can't he realise I have friends at school? And the Torch is my life! It's journalism and my friends in one. Two of my loves combined.the third love.is him, of course.'

Tears, silly and emotional, gathered as her body caught up with what her mind had just done. She began running, and burst out of the place with the air of a prisoner having just escaped a life sentence.

"Ms. Sullivan, Mr. Luthor said I was not to let you out," the guard at the gate explained apologetically. "Now, if you'd like to just wait a minute, I'm sure he won't be long at all."

Chloe slammed her hands against the steering wheel in frustration. She could just leave her car and walk, taking some backstreets she knew in order to get back to school on time, if only.if only what? She demanded of herself. What's stopping me? Really?

If only. the car didn't cost so much money.

Chloe triumphed. Materialistic crap! She grabbed her bag, and with the motor still idling, got out of the car in a fluid movement, ducked under the boom gate, and was off.

In the back of her mind she thought she heard the guard yelling "Hey!" but what was he going to do? He had a job, and it didn't include chasing his boss' teenage girlfriend down the street.

The first of the backstreet chain presented itself to her and she ducked down it quickly, thinking again of freedom.