Kaleidoscope
by Lener
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in Smallville.
Chapter Nine
Clark watched as Chloe closed the door behind her, then breathed a sigh of relief. Never in his whole life did he ever expect his best friend to walk in on him like that. And the way she'd looked at him… it was as though she… nah. He banished all thoughts of Chloe and swung his legs over the side of her bed.
With his father still staying at Smallville Medical Center, Gabe Sullivan had graciously allowed his mother and him to stay at their house. Of course, Chloe's father had forced Chloe into letting Clark sleep in her room. Mr. Sullivan slept in his own room, Clark's mother slept in the guest room, and Chloe slept on the couch in the living room.
After a while he managed to get out of bed, wash and change into navy pants and a blue flannel shirt. He was most probably late for school (it was a school day after all). Clark picked up his bag (Mr. Sullivan, his mother and him had made a trip back to the Kent farm Estate to pick up their necessities and do a quick check around the farm) and opened the door before heading off to the dining room to check out what food Chloe had in her house.
Clark found Chloe sitting at the dining table, a mug of steaming cocoa in one hand and a piece of buttered toast in the other. Except for the sound that came from her consuming the food, the whole house was strangely dark and quiet.
"Whoa… what time is it?" Clark asked, making Chloe look up.
"6:30," she replied, taking another bite of her toast.
"What?! Chloe, what time do you set your alarm for? An hour and a half before school starts?" Clark almost shouted incredulously. He'd never woken up this early for school before.
"Turn down your volume, Kent, your mother is still sleeping and so is my father," Chloe said calmly. She sipped some cocoa, then asked him if he wanted to have breakfast or not.
"Yea, I guess. But I'll help myself," Clark said meekly.
"Oh you no won't. You don't know where anything is, and you'll probably mess everything up if you did," Chloe stuck her tongue out at him and got up from her seat. Clark could see her bag resting against the table leg.
"Chloe? Do you usually get up this early every day for school?" Clark asked. He was settled opposite her with a mug of cocoa and buttered toast too.
"Yeah… you see that way I have time for a shower, and breakfast. Plus I can think and get my thoughts organized before I walk to the bus stop with you and Pete and have to listen to your ridiculous banter about girls like L…" Chloe stopped short at the name.
"I'm sorry," Clark said.
"Nah. It's just me being good old "complain about everything" Chloe Sullivan," Chloe grinned and drained the contents of her mug before getting up from the table and setting it down in the sink.
When her back was turned to him, Clark drained his own mug and finished his toast at super speed, so that when Chloe turned back to look at him, she gave a start. "What did you do with your food- throw it out the window?" she exclaimed.
Clark gave a little shrug, then got up from his chair.
"Let's head off to school now?" he suggested.
Chloe sighed and picked up her bag, "Gee Clark, if all you wanted was to get to school you could've told me!"
Clark gave her a little punch on the arm (not hard enough to send her flying out of the house, though) and Chloe hit him back in good humored retaliation. It did not hurt a bit, though, but that didn't matter.
*
Chloe stepped out of the house with Clark, and they both set off for the bus stop, knowing that Pete would eventually meet them on the way out.
"So, what do you make of everything that happened at your place that night?" Chloe decided to ask Clark.
"Well, for one, it's dangerous," Clark said.
"Well, d'oh! I wouldn't exactly classify a kryptonite freak that throws people out of lofts as not dangerous!" Chloe rolled her eyes.
"What makes you think this guy's been infected with the meteor rocks?" Clark asked Chloe.
"Well, I saw smears of green substance that looked like the meteor rock kinda thing in the barn," a familiar voice that came from behind them said.
"Pete! You little sneak!" Chloe exclaimed, turning around to see her friend, who had his bag slung over his shoulder, looking expectantly at Clark and Chloe. He took a step forward to stand on her right, so that Chloe was in the middle of the two boys.
"What do you mean- smears of that looked like kryptonite?" Clark asked Pete.
"Well before Chloe got pushed off the loft and all that I went into the barn, right? And I saw a clump of what looked like some liquid form of those meteor rocks in the bunch of hay. Maybe the creature left it there when he was… you know, attacking your dad," Pete said to Clark.
"That's funny… I saw the same thing in my room when I went to check it," Clark trailed off.
"Okay, so this creature leaves a kinda mark wherever he goes? Oh no… wait… it's not intentional. Maybe he's dripping… umm… meteor or something? What if he has meteor blood?" Chloe's voice dropped to a whisper.
"But if he had meteor blood and he leaves it everywhere like a slug, then wouldn't you have seen some in the loft?" Pete countered.
"I didn't see it because he hadn't searched through it yet! I was there when he came back to search the loft," Chloe explained.
"So if he's dripping blood, maybe he's wounded?" Clark asked, raising his eyebrows in the cute way that Chloe loved. Ugh… stop thinking about Clark. We have a Wall of Weird mystery to solve.
"Maybe… that could be it. That's why he's decided to feed on people's blood?" Pete tried.
"The thing is, why did he search through the farm? If he wanted blood he could have just gone to any person late at night and… suck their blood out," Chloe gave a shiver.
"Yea… why search through Clark's stuff?" Pete agreed.
"Well… maybe he's after you, Clark," Chloe suddenly got concerned. What if Clark's life was in danger?
"Oh then I better be extra careful," Clark winked.
"Clark, you're not taking this seriously. I mean, this guy is obviously some vampire gone wrong. You never know what the Wall of Weird can do to some people," Chloe insisted.
*
Clark relented, remembering how he'd felt in his room when the smear of kryptonite had been there. For once he'd realized how being around Chloe was easier than being with Lana.
Chloe knew that the meteor rocks had strange and supernatural powers- she believed strongly in her Wall of Weird, and all the other theories she'd made. Clark knew that if there was any person, any girl he'd divulge his secret to, it would be Chloe, because she would probably be the most receptive to it.
Clark wondered how open someone would be if they realized they're best friend was an alien who had the strength of ten men, who was able to do everything at super speed, who had the ability to see through anything (or so, Clark thought) et cetera et cetera, other special powers. Perhaps Chloe would freak out. But then again, she was Chloe, and Clark imagined she would say "See, I told you there was something weird about you, Clark!"
With Chloe around, he did not have to worry about avoiding the issue of meteor rocks, and it would not seem weird if they were to discover anything strange that was linked to the meteor rocks. Chloe was perhaps the only person Clark knew who would jump at the chance to talk about the strange rocks that had such an effect on him. Clark made a mental note to tell his father about the kryptonite in his room so that it could be cleared up.
Clark thought about this father and whether he would ever get well. If he ever met with that creature, Clark would make it pay for hurting his father.
"Clark? What's wrong man? You look like you're in a trance or something," Clark jolted as Pete's dark hand swam in front of his vision. He remembered where he was, and looked at both Pete and Chloe. "Sorry… I was… umm… thinking." They both nodded understandingly. Another good thing about them was that they understood him. They knew him more than anyone else (except his parents, of course) knew him.
The far off rumble in the distance told them that the bus was coming. Clark shifted the weight of his red backpack on his shoulders and watched as the great yellow shape lumbered into view.
It came to a stop in front of them, and Clark stepped aside to let Chloe board first. Pete followed after her, then lastly Clark. They made their way to the back of the bus.
"Oh man, now there's a hot chick," Pete whispered to Clark, nodding towards a girl sitting by herself at the back.
Chloe nudged Pete in the ribs, a smile on her face. "Well, go and get her, boy! I'll just sit with Clark and try not to laugh when you fail miserably," she teased. Pete took her word for it and walked towards the girl, so Chloe slid into an empty seat not far from them, and Clark slid in next to her.
As the bus rumbled down the lane, Clark wondered how he was going to worry about the dangerous creature and about his feelings for Lana and Chloe at the same time.
He could not ignore the emotions that were boiling inside of him.
Author's Note: Ladies and gentlemen, we finally have it. Clark knows that some feelings for Chloe and… erm… welling up inside him. Lol… wanna find out what happens in the next chap? Well, keep reviewing and I'll keep writing/ uploading!
Suz- Hey, thanks for reviewing! Haha… well the next few chapters won't have so much of the villain in it, but the last few there will be, so I hope you'll keep a look out for it! I'm glad you liked the previous chapter! Please, rest assured, I will never lean to Chlex. To do that would ruin my reputation and spoil everything I believe in. *wink* Thanks for telling me what FOTW stands for!!!!! I would have no idea otherwise!
Ravengurlie149- Hey! Thanks for reviewing! Hmm... what china doll part, though? I don't remember writing anything about a china doll!
Starburst- Hey, thanks for reviewing. Nope, as far as I'm concerned I am not insane! I'm glad you'll keep reading this, thought. *sniff* Thanks. I know how it is to read a story with a pairing you strongly dislike.
Meg- Huh?
caramelmonkeys- Hey! Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like my story so far! Well, I hope you'll keep reading and reviewing!
Calty- Hey! Thanks for reviewing! Haha! Yea, the poor alarm clock… *sigh* I'm sorry I had to do that to it! Lol… Yep, personally the walking in on Clark part was also my favourite. A lot of Clark/Chloe parts are my favourite I guess! Haha! You're hilarious! Okay, I'll keep uploading (like this chapter) and you'll read and review. Deal?