Chapter 2

"That's what I'd like to know too." Lana said, shortly after Chloe.

Clark and Pete exchanged looks before staring back at the unknown spacecraft. Not too long ago Clark had finally told Pete, his best friend, the big secret. He took it in okay, but not at first, but now that he had Pete in on it he could have someone to help him out when he needed a cover story, and someone to just talk to.

He was watching them though, watching their progress, and slightly confused on the way the two teenage boys acted once the girls showed up. Oh well. He said to himself, Everything will change for him soon. He exited the woods and quickly began walking towards the long row of corn fields straight ahead of him, leaving the four bewildered friends behind him.

"What should we do with it?" Lana asked trying to get a closer look.

"I know what I'm going to do," Chloe began, as she pulled out her digital camera and began taking snap shots of the unknown craft. "I can see the headlines now "UFO Lands in Smallville". Great isn't it?" Chloe finished, she was having a field day with this.

"Chloe, I think we should keep this our secret for now, don't you think? We don't want the government coming to Smallville and taking it away, now do we?" Clark said, noticing the slight change in her expression, knowing she changed her mind, as he also stepped further back from the ship.

"I guess you're right." She said simply, placing her camera back into her messenger bag.

Later that day, the three stood in Clark's loft, staring curiously at the spacecraft. Clark on the other hand, waited at the bottom, pretending he was keeping an eye out and making sure no one snuck up and spotted their find. Earlier they managed to carry it to Clark's truck, excluding Clark, who claimed he hurt his wrist when he fell into the pond, the ship was lighter then expected, so Chloe, Lana, and Pete managed to carry it and drive it on over to the loft. He followed them though, he wanted to see where the taller one lived. He knew he was different then the rest of the group, the same as me.

Monday

Monday was the following day, and the four met up during their free period to discuss what they were going to do with the ship. But before they could start, there was a knock on the Torch door and an unfamiliar face emerged.

"Can I help you?" Chloe asked sounding a little irritated.

"Yeah, my name is Max Johnson, I'm new, and I was told to come here, that you could show me around. You are Chloe Sullivan right?" He asked. His brown hair looked as if he'd just waken up in the morning and forgot to comb his hair. He sounded a little nervous and scared on his first day in a new school. He slowly walked to the four, shy and nervous.

"That's right." She answered.

"Okay good," he breathed a sigh of relief, "then I'm in the right place." He said taking a seat next to Lana.

"Hi, I'm Max." He said extending his arm.

"Lana Lang." she said smiling, shaking his hand.

Pete and Clark introduced themselves shortly after that, and within the next fifteen minutes, it was like the four had been friends with Max forever. They were laughing, Max was talking about life before Smallville, he could relate to Chloe and Lana in a way. He lost his parents when he was young, and he just moved to Smallville from Chicago, Illinois and was already missing the big city life.

"So Max, what do you miss most about the great city of Chicago?" Chloe asked.

"My friends mostly…and the fact that you couldn't get through the whole city in just five minutes, like here." he said, causing the four to break out in a laugh.

"Yep, that's Smallville for you." she said.

The bell interrupted their conversation and Max immediately stood up from his chair, saying he was already late for his first class. They gave their goodbyes, and Chloe, Pete, Lana, and Clark were finally alone and could discuss the previous days events.

"He's nice." Lana said, still watching the door after Max was already gone. Clark exchanged looks with Chloe, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Hmm. Anyways. What are we going to do about that ship? I mean, we have to try and figure out where it came from." Chloe said.

"Chloe, I think that much is obvious." Pete replied sarcastically, looking out the window and up into the sky.

"Well duh, smart ass," Chloe said jokingly, "What I meant was where in space did it come from? Did someone escape? Maybe their wandering around Smallville right now." she finished.

He made his way through the halls of Smallville High. They were nicer then I thought, meaning it was going to be harder for him to do what he had to when the time came. Well Max, look at the bright side. You're in. It's as simple as that. They don't suspect a thing. He grinned, and he entered his first class as high school student Max Johnson.

Back in the Torch office, while Chloe and Lana were surfing the net for some clues, Clark and Pete had a chance to talk.

"So what do we do about the ship? It's not like we can tell them it's probably from where you came from, right Clark?" Pete asked as he was looking over at Chloe's updated Wall of Weird.

"I know…but what else can we do about it? They are gonna want to know what happens with the ship too, it's not like there gonna just let it go." Clark said.

"Yeah…" Pete said, completely stumped as to how this situation would be solved.

"By the way, did you see the way she was looking at him, Max I mean. And after he left?" Clark asked, shocked at Pete's cluelessness.

"Who Lana? Sorry man, but I don't watch Lana 24/7 like you do." Pete said, and laughed, patting his best friend on the back. As Clark and Pete joined the Chloe and Lana, Clark noticed a piece of the meteor rock next to the computer.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Clark managed to say.

"Clark, you okay? It's the meteor rock!" Pete said in a low whisper. "I'll get it out of here." He rushed over to the rock and ran out of the room, Clark's strength slowly coming back.

"Meteor rocks? What's that have to do with Clark feeling sick?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Uh…" Pete managed to say when he returned, looking over at Clark for support.

"I know." Lana said.

"You know?" Clark asked, a little nervous.

"I think deep down somewhere I've always known Clark. Ever since the day of the twisters. I was just kind of waiting for you to tell me whenever you felt it was the right time, I didn't want to push the subject. Clark, I know the meteor rocks make you sick, I've known for a while now, that's one of the reasons I agreed to not wear it anymore." She said giving him a sincere smile. Chloe on the other hand, was a little confused. "I just want you to know that you can trust me."

"Wait, what? Clark, why do the meteor rocks hurt you? It's not like you're alien or anything." She said jokingly, but realized that she could be right.

That was it, the moment Clark thought he would never get too. He finally told the truth to Lana and Chloe, both completely understanding about why he could never tell them. They had tons of questions of course, some of which Clark could answer, but some, he just couldn't. For instance about where he came from, why he was here, etc. Now it was the four of them in on the secret, Clark was always hoping they would know, and now they do. And they don't think any less of him.

"I'm glad you told us Clark." Lana said, giving him that smile that always makes him about fall to his knees.

"Me too." Clark said in response.