Christmas

By

Tayoni

Chapter two  (According to Fanfic.net anyway.  I'm really going by parts.  If I screw it up this time trying to get this next one up though…well…sorry, you'll never see this until I get my big brother to do it for me.  If this does go up, trust me, I'll be leaping for great happiness.)

~*~ Part Four ~*~

"I can't get him to take his nose out of his math book for ten minutes."  Pete Ross said.

Lex heard that and paused by the table Clark's three best friends were sitting at.  "Couldn't help overhearing that.  You're talking about Clark?"

"Yes we are."  Lana said.

"We thought he was stressed when he was trying to catch up with that math class."  Chloe said.

"It's worse now."  Lana said.

"Every time I look at him, he's either in his books, or he's working somewhere."  Pete said.

"Hadn't noticed anything wrong with him."  Lex said.

"Do join us, Lex."  Lana invited.

He sat down next to Chloe in the booth seat.  "You three look like you're plotting something."

"We are."  Lana said.  "Maybe if we draw a smiley face on the windsheild of his car, we'll get his attention."

"He's not unhappy, just busy."  Lex said.

"Real busy.  You know he made a car payment of six hundred fifty bucks last week?"  Pete wondered.

"Where'd he get that kind of money?"  Lex asked.

"At first we thought he got it from you."  Chloe said.

"Then we found out he's been working the graveyard stock shift at the Fordman's store."  Pete said.

"Wait..."  Lex scowled.  "He's working the farm, and at Fordman's?"

"Fordman's is temporary.  He's taking the place of someone else who took the place of someone on maternity leave."  Lana said.

"I'm wondering when he finds time to sleep."

Chloe and Pete looked at each other.

"Lunch time and study halls."  Chloe said.

"He's sleeping instead of eating, you mean?"  Lex wondered.

"Yup."  Pete said.

"We can't really interfere with this."  Lex said.  "It's his choice."

"We don't want to stop him from doing what he's doing."  Chloe said.  "Him being so busy isn't the issue."

"What is?"  Lex wondered.

"Something pretty nasty crawled up his leg and it's doing some serious chewing."  Chloe stated.

Lex's eyes got round.  He wasn't sure if he should laugh or not.  "What do you mean, Chloe?"

"Clark's been acting way out of character."

"That's an understatement."  Pete said.

"Gimme an example."  Lex said.

"Haven't you gotten your head bit off yet?"  Lana wondered.

He shook his head.

"Hasn't he been hanging around in your library for like the last two months, Lex?"

"Yeah.  He usually does use my library couple times a week."  He said.

"He's been there a lot more often."  Lana said.

"Unless he's been saying he's going there and really he's got another job we don't know about."  Pete said.

"He's been showing up three nights a week to use my library, and he's been there lately on Saturdays for a couple hours too."  Lex explained.

"Something is up."  Lana said.

"He's been telling us he's been at your library doing his school work more than what you just said."

"I'll have to verify that with my butler.  I'm not home Tuesdays and Thursdays.  He's free to use my library whenever."  Lex explained.  "Just...gimme an example what you guys are talking about."

"Okay."  Lana said.  "Yesterday he came in the door, and some red headed kid on the way out, bumped into him and spilled his coffee.  Instead of being the usual gentleman, Clark went off on this kid and told him to watch where he's going, and then to get the hell out of his way."

Lex stared at Lana.  "That's not Clark."

"Exactly."  Chloe said.

"When I tried to ask him what was wrong, he told me to mind my own business."  Lana said.

"He said that to you?"  Lex questioned.

Lana nodded. 

"We let his moods slide when he was catching up in that class, but he's more than caught up now."  Pete said.  "I think something's up and he won't say nothing to no one about it."

"You're right he hasn't been in the best of moods since he got into that class, but that level of math has gotta be hard."

"Not on Clark."  Pete said.  "Math was never hard for him.  He's so good at it, I remember him baffling teachers when we were in elementary."

"If he's so good then how come he didn't get into this class in september?"  Lex wondered.

"Cause there are only ten seats in that class and they were reserved."  Pete said.  "Clark got in cause someone transfered out."

"Maybe he's sleep deprived."

"No.  Something is bugging him."  Chloe said.  "I asked him if he wanted to drop out of the paper so he could have some time for himself, but he said he wanted to stay in it.  He actually got nasty about it."

"If you guys don't think it's sleep deprivation, then what?"

"I'm clueless."

"Got me."

"No idea."

"You all try talking to him?"

"Yup.  Got politely but certainly told to keep my nose out of it."

"Same here."

"He out right demanded I mind my own business."

"I get the feeling you want me to talk to him."  Lex said.

They all looked at him.

Lex smirked.  "So, what am I trying to get out of him exactly?"

"Don't know."

"Maybe he'll tell you though, since you play the part of the unofficial sybling he never had."  Chloe suggested.

"On the other hand, syblings can be real jerks."  Lex said.

Pete nodded.

"I'm not gonna press him.  Sometimes pushing someone into talking can make them lock up even more."

"True."  Lana said. 

"We still need to do something.  He's so pissed off and down in the dumps, I can't stand looking at him."  Chloe said.

"We could always draw a smiley face on the windsheild of his car."  Lana suggested.

"With the mood he's in, he'd likely get more pissed off."  Pete said.

"What do you suggest, Pete?"  Lana wondered.

"Like Lex here says, just leave him alone."  He said.

Chloe looked dissapointed.

Lana sipped at her drink, sighed.  "In the meantime, we say hello and get the stiff return greeting and nothing more?"

"Maybe he's on the rag or something."  Pete commented.

"Yeah, pre, post, and current all at one time."  Chloe said, glanced at her watch.  "Let me out, Lex.  I have to go."

He got up, and saw Clark's car parked across the street getting out of the driver's side.  "Speaking of Clark, there he is."

"What's he doing here?"  Chloe said getting up.

"Come for coffee, maybe?"  Lana wondered.

"He told me he was heading to Metropolis to see his grandfather today."  Chloe said.

Lex sat back down.

"It's only ten, he might be on the way."  Pete said.

"No.  He said he was leaving soon as he got his morning chores done."  Chloe said.  "He should have been there by now."

"So, he's running late as usual."

"Three hours late?"  Chloe asked.

Pete shrugged.

"He's been going to see his grandfather a lot lately."  Lex commented.

Chloe gave him a look.  "Now that you mention it, you're right."

"Mrs. Kent's been going to see him a lot too."  Lana mentioned.

"If something's wrong with Clark's grandfather that'd certainly explain his mood."  Chloe said softly.

"Would it?"  Lex wondered.

All three of them nodded.

"I better go."  Chloe said and headed for the door.  She passed Clark on the way out, and gave him a usual perky greeting, but he barely acknowledged her.

"Guys."  Clark said walking past the table.  He went to the counter, and said one word to the girl who was tending.  "Coffee."  When he got his coffee he came to the table and sat down in the space Lex made for him by sliding over in the booth seat.

"Chloe just mentioned you were on yer way to Metropolis, and that you're running quite late."  Lex said.

Clark gave him a eyes half opened look.  "Sat down to take my work shoes off and I fell asleep."  He sighed.

"Burning the candle at both ends isn't good, Clark."  Lana said.

Clark scowled at no one in particular.

"You still going?"  Pete asked.

"Yeah.  Anyone wanna join me?"

"Love to, but I got practice."  Pete said.

"Some other time, Clark?"  Lana said.  "I'm on duty right now."

Clark looked at Lex.

Lex grinned.  "Yer grampa gonna cook?"

"He always does."  Clark said looked at Lana, then Pete, then Lex.

"What's up, Clark?"  Pete wondered.

"Too tired to see straight.  Did I see Chloe?"

Lana chuckled at him.  "Yes, you did.  You grunted at her, remember?"

"Oh."  He scowled.  "Lex, can you drive us?"

"Sure."  He said with a grin.  "I would think the novelty of having your own car hadn't worn off yet though."

"It hasn't, but if I drive, I'll probably fall asleep at the wheel and cause a pile up or something."

"You didn't sleep last night, did you?"  Lex accused.

Clark shrugged.  He always shrugged when he didn't want to answer a question. 

It was better than a lie, Lex thought.  "What's so important that's keeping you awake, Clark?"

"It's nothing."  He said grumpily and gave Lex a glare, blue eyes tinted a dark frightening shade.

Lex leaned away from him in mock fright.  He gave Lana a look of understanding.

"Sorry."  Clark said.  "Lana, you mind if I park my car in the back?"

"Sure, just leave me the keys in case I have to move it."

He nodded.  "Okay."

MORE TO COME…

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