Chapter 12

Why don't you be my girlfriend
I'll treat you good (I'll treat you good girl)
I know you hear your friends when they say you should
'Cause if you were my girlfriend
I'd be your shining star
--Girlfriend--by Nelly and 'NSync

Lana smiled as she entered the Torch office. Pete's long-stem rose was in place on Chloe's keyboard. She took one step inside then stopped short when she saw her own desk.

"Lana, what's the hold up?" Chloe asked, walking up behind her.

"Oh, sorry, Chloe," Lana said, moving into the room. She walked to her desk. On the desk was two dozen long-stem roses.

"Chloe, it's a shame you don't know how pretty you are. You've never been anything but beautiful in my eyes," Chloe read from the card on her rose. "Wow."

Lana looked at Chloe. I didn't realize Pete was such a romantic, she thought.

"What's yours say?" Chloe asked.

Lana pulled the card off of the roses. "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," Lana said. "How peculiar. I wonder what that means."

"I wonder who they're from?" Chloe asked, pulling a small vase out of a cluttered desk drawer.

Lana laughed as a disgusted look came over Chloe's face. "What's that look for?"

"Oh, uh, nothing," Chloe said, filling the case with a cup of water that was sitting on her desk. "Who do you think yours is from?"

Lana seemed to think for a moment.

"From the look on your face, you're thinking the same thing I was," Chloe said, smiling brightly.

"Clark," both girls said at the same time before erupting into laughter.

"That's so mean," Lana said, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Poor Clark, he just has bad timing."

"Really bad timing," Chloe said, on the verge of tears herself. After a moment she pulled herself together. "I feel sorry for him. Truly I do."

"Lana," Pete said, running into the room. "Can I talk to you?"

"What's wrong, Pete?" Lana asked, a worried look taking over her face.

"Uhm, I kind of need to talk to you in private," Pete said, shooting Chloe a look.

Chloe looked close to tears again, only this time it wasn't from laughter. "Fine, I'll go find Clark."

"Pete, that was rude," Lana warned after Chloe left.

"I know. I'll apologize, but look," he said, handing her a note.

Lana took the note, opened it, and began to read. "Pete, you're my shining star. I'm never far. I want to be where you are," Lana said. "How poetic."

"Yeah," Pete said, shrugging. "Who could it be from? I don't want Chloe to be jealous."

Lana smiled, and squeezed Pete's arm. "Pete, you aren't around her enough to make her jealous."

"I don't know, Clark," Chloe in exasperation, walking into the Torch office. Clark's arm was around her shoulders.

"Well, I'm sorry," Clark said, moving his arm so Chloe to sit down. He straddled a chair, and pulled it up next to Chloe.

Chloe smiled over at Clark. "I know," she said before turning to Lana and Pete. "Sorry, guys. Clark was closer than I thought."

Pete was about to say something, but was interrupted by the phone ringing.

"Torch office. Chloe speaking. How may I help you?"

"Chlo, it's Lex."

"Hey, Lex. What's up?"

"I got a note."

"A note? What's so bad about that?"

"It's a love note."

"You got a love note? Where?" Chloe asked, not noticing Lana's blush.

"The Talon. It was on the counter."

"What does it say?"

"It says," Lex began, not hearing the click as Clark turned on the speakerphone. Chloe tried to turn it off, but Clark held her hands. "I've always admired you. I only wish I had the courage to tell you."

"We all four got notes from a secret admirer today," Pete said in confusion.

"Pete? Who else is there?"

"Sorry, Lex. I tried to stop Clark, but he's a lot stronger than he looks. Pete's here, Clark, and Lana," Chloe explained.

"Do you not get it?" Clark asked, a grin of pride on his face. "You all four got notes. Think about it. Who are they from?"

Lana shook her head. "I have no idea."

"Think about the styles of each note. It's not that hard," Clark urged.

"Clark, get to your point," Lex said firmly.

"You're writing notes to each other," Clark said, as if it were obvious. "And from Chloe and Pete's looks at each other, and Lana's longing look at the telephone I'd say Chloe wrote Pete's, Pete wrote Chloe's, Lana wrote Lex's, and Lex wrote Lana's."

"When did you get so insightful?" Pete asked.

"So, I'm right?" Clark questioned, his face beaming.

"Pete and I wrote Lex and Chloe's," Lana admitted.

"And Chloe and I wrote Pete and Lana's," Lex answered.

"Great. Now we can all be one big happy family," Clark said, leaning against the back of the chair.

Everyone laughed at Clark's enthusiasm.

"So, a date tonight?" Lana asked, sitting on the edge of Chloe's desk.

"I've never been on a double date before," Pete said, pushing Clark out of his chair. He took Clark's seat, and put an arm around Chloe's shoulders.

"Yeah, only triple and quadruple dates," Chloe joked. "And they were all girls."

"Just tell me where and when," Lex said.

Clark grinned. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Clark," all four said as Clark left the room, a permanent grin taking over his face.