breaking*part nine
"Wh-why? What was-what was that? Why would you do that?" Chloe cried over
the pulsing music, her face crumbling. Lex reached out to grab her, to stop
her from running, to stop her from leaving him, but he was too late. Chloe
tore off, straight through where Clark and Lana were dancing.
Clark looked over at Lex, worried, and moved to go after Chloe. Lana put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.
"I'll go!" She called to him, going off into the direction Chloe had been running.
*
Lana found Chloe in the woman's restroom, trying to fix her makeup with a paper towel.
"Chloe?" Lana said as she walked closer to the distressed blonde.
"I'm assuming you're wanting to know what is going on?" Chloe said with a wry grin.
"I don't want to pry, but .yes, Clark and Lex are both still out there, really worried. I'm worried too. What happened?"
"This was supposed to be my weekend! I was going to ask Clark to the formal! But no, Lex had to invite you along! I thought maybe, just maybe, if you were out of Clark's mind for awhile, I might have a chance." Chloe yelled. "But, he keeps punishing himself and running after you, even though you won't have him. And Lex--I just wanted to say thank you. I just wanted to let him know how much I appreciated what he's tried to do for me--for all of us, this weekend. But he moved. and now--" Chloe trailed off, taking a shaky breath.
"But now?" Lana asked gently.
"Now. I'm just confused. I can't make this make sense to me; much less explain it to Clark or Lex. Lana. what am I going to do?" Chloe said, realizing how truly horrible her situation must be if she was asking Lana for advice.
"Listen, I'll talk to the guys. You clean up, and meet us in the front to take the limo back to the hotel." Lana said, giving Chloe and hopeful smile. Chloe nodded and agreement.
"And Chloe?" Lana said as she turned to leave.
"Lana?" Chloe replied.
"I never meant to steal your thunder. If I had known, I wouldn't have -- well, things would be different for us both."
"Go on, Lana, the guys are waiting." Chloe grinned, and Lana grinned back, then exited the bathroom.
Chloe sighed and looked at her face in the mirror. "I do not like Lex Luthor, I do not like Lex Luthor." Chloe started chanting this mantra for the second time in one weekend.
Clark looked over at Lex, worried, and moved to go after Chloe. Lana put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.
"I'll go!" She called to him, going off into the direction Chloe had been running.
*
Lana found Chloe in the woman's restroom, trying to fix her makeup with a paper towel.
"Chloe?" Lana said as she walked closer to the distressed blonde.
"I'm assuming you're wanting to know what is going on?" Chloe said with a wry grin.
"I don't want to pry, but .yes, Clark and Lex are both still out there, really worried. I'm worried too. What happened?"
"This was supposed to be my weekend! I was going to ask Clark to the formal! But no, Lex had to invite you along! I thought maybe, just maybe, if you were out of Clark's mind for awhile, I might have a chance." Chloe yelled. "But, he keeps punishing himself and running after you, even though you won't have him. And Lex--I just wanted to say thank you. I just wanted to let him know how much I appreciated what he's tried to do for me--for all of us, this weekend. But he moved. and now--" Chloe trailed off, taking a shaky breath.
"But now?" Lana asked gently.
"Now. I'm just confused. I can't make this make sense to me; much less explain it to Clark or Lex. Lana. what am I going to do?" Chloe said, realizing how truly horrible her situation must be if she was asking Lana for advice.
"Listen, I'll talk to the guys. You clean up, and meet us in the front to take the limo back to the hotel." Lana said, giving Chloe and hopeful smile. Chloe nodded and agreement.
"And Chloe?" Lana said as she turned to leave.
"Lana?" Chloe replied.
"I never meant to steal your thunder. If I had known, I wouldn't have -- well, things would be different for us both."
"Go on, Lana, the guys are waiting." Chloe grinned, and Lana grinned back, then exited the bathroom.
Chloe sighed and looked at her face in the mirror. "I do not like Lex Luthor, I do not like Lex Luthor." Chloe started chanting this mantra for the second time in one weekend.