Chapter 13

That's really cool
I get to spend more time with you,
that's A-okay
I'll be your best friend anyday

--Best Friends--by Allstars

"My turn," Pete said, jumping up to get his bowling ball.

"Try not to hit so many this time," Chloe said. "We're only on the fourth set and you're already ahead of me."

"Only by one, Chlo," Lex said, smirking.

"I'm just good," Pete replied. He walked up to the line, and swung back his arm. As he was about to let go of the ball Chloe hooted and he got distracted. The ball went off course, only hitting one pin.

"Oops," Chloe said, tilting her head to the side and smiling sweetly.

Pete clenched his jaw. Without a word, he took his ball from the conveyor and rolled it again. This time it hit no pins.

"Ha! Lana's turn," Chloe said, her eyes lighting up.

"Just be lucky I like you so much," Pete said, sitting and putting an arm around Chloe.

"Yeah, because otherwise I'd be in so much trouble," Chloe said, rolling her eyes. She looked up when she heard the sound of pins falling. "Yay, Lana! You got three."

"Great job, Lana," Lex said, smiling.

"Why thank you," Lana replied, smiling brightly at Lex. Her next roll also hit three pins. "I guess that would put me ahead of Pete."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't rub it in. I'll beat you all," Pete said. "I'm just warming up."

Lex stood, retrieved his ball, and walked to the line. Looking back over his shoulder he said, "Let me show you how it's done," he said, swinging the ball. He grimaced slightly at the pain it caused in his chest.

When he threw the ball the teens erupted in laughter. He had only hit one pin.

"I'll get them this time," Lex said, recomposing himself before shooting Pete a look. "I was just warming up."

With his next throw he knocked over seven pins.

"I believe that puts me in the lead," Lex said, sitting next to Lana. He put a hand to his side, but quickly put it down when Lana turned to him.

"Why do I have the feeling that Chloe will blow us all out of the water?" Lana asked, settling comfortably against Lex.

"Because I will," Chloe said, moving to the lane in a smooth motion. She let the ball fly, and it knocked over seven pins the first time. "Oh yeah!"

Lana laughed. "I guess I was right."

Chloe threw her ball one more time. This time she wasn't so lucky and the ball didn't hit any pins. "Hey, I still hit more pins than any of you," Chloe said, trying not to pout.

"You did excellently, Chloe," Lex assured her.

Chloe grinned. "I know."

Ten minutes later Lex was the one grinning. He was in the lead by over ten points. "Okay," he said, moving to throw the ball. "Four pins. Not bad."

Chloe laughed. "You still can't beat me."

"Chloe, Lex is ahead of you by thirteen points. Not only that, but you're in last place. You're not going to beat anybody," Pete said gently, squeezing her shoulders.

"Thanks for the support," Chloe said, rolling her eyes. "I love you, too."

Lex resumed his spot next to Lana, this time he couldn't hide the grimace of pain.

"Here," Chloe said, pulling the pill bottle out of her purse. "I told you not to bowl, but you just had to be stubborn, didn't you?"

Lex gave Chloe a half-smirk, half-smile. He took the pills and swallowed them in one gulp.

"You're just going to hurt yourself more if you keep playing," Chloe warned, her attention turned fully to Lex.

"Chloe, I think I know the limitations of my own body. Just take your turn," he instructed.

Chloe shrugged off Pete's arm, and grabbed her ball. "I better hit more than one," she said, frowning.

"Four, that's more than one," Lana said with a light tinkling laugh.

"Thanks for the math lesson, Miss Lang," Chloe said, shaking her head and smiling.

Lana watched Chloe throw once more before adding, "But one isn't more than one."

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked, plopping into the chair between Lana and Pete.

Lana nodded enthusiastically. "Yep. Learned that in math class."

Chloe, Pete, and Lex laughed.

"Alright, last set. This one can make or break you," Pete said, standing up to take his turn.

Chloe and Lana groaned when Pete took his first shot.

"Are you sure you're not on a bowling league?" Lana asked, watching as the big 'X' signifying a spare flashed on the score screen.

"Ugh! I don't like playing with you," Chloe said when his second shot made a spare also.

"You better not make a spare on your last chance," Lex said, raising an eyebrow.

"What? You not used to losing, Luthor?" Pete asked.

Lex bristled, but Lana put a hand on his arm. "He's kidding, Lex."

"Yeah, didn't mean to put you on the defensive," Pete said, not quite apologizing.

Lex smirked. "Teenagers."

"Hey!" Lana and Chloe said at the same time.

"Alright, Lana's turn," Pete said, after knocking down six more pins.

"Okay. I can do this," Lana said to herself. She picked up the ball, walked to the throw line, and threw it.

"Eight pins. Eight is more than one," Chloe said with a smirk.

"Ha ha," Lana said sarcastically. On the second throw she hit one pin.

"But one is not more than one," Chloe replied.

Lana chuckled. "Yes, I know."

"Is eight more than one?" Lex asked the girls.

"Yes," Lana answered. "Why?"

"Because I just knocked down eight pins," Lex replied.

"Smart aleck," Chloe spit at him.

"Don't bite the hand that feeds you," Lex said, a daring look in his eye.

"Don't put it near my mouth and you won't have a problem," Chloe said, her eyes mirroring Lex's look.

Lex shook his head and took his last turn, his left hand pressed to his right side.

"Zero is definitely not more than one," Lana said, matter-of-fact.

"See, I didn't know that," Lex said, resuming his place at Lana's side.

"Chloe, this is your chance to shine," Pete said in a reporter's voice. "How are you handling the pressure?" He held out his hand like a microphone.

"Hey, I'm the interviewer, not the interviewee," Chloe said, walking past him. Pete slapped her on the butt on the way by, but she refused to respond. With her first shot she hit three, then six.

"Sorry, Chlo, but you didn't win," Lex said seriously.

"Pete has one hundred four, putting him in first place. Lex has ninety five, putting him in second place. I have eighty four, putting me in third place," Lana read from the score screen. "And I'm very sorry to say that Chloe has seventy four, putting her in fourth place."

"That's so sad," Chloe said. "Are we done? Or do you want to play another game?"

Lana stretched. "I'm sleepy."

"Okay, then let's go home," Pete said, smiling as Chloe slipped an arm behind his back.

"Sounds good," Lex said, leading the four from the bowling alley.

The four stopped between Pete's vintage, dark blue, Ford convertible, and Lex's silver Porsche.

"Aw," Chloe said, a smile taking over her eyes.

"I know," Lana said, looking from Pete to Lex.

"What?" Lex and Pete asked at the same time.

Lana and Chloe laughed. "You two are actually acting like friends."

Pete shrugged. "He's not so bad."

Lex smirked. "Thanks. Same to you."

"Okay, I really am tired now. Lex, can we go home?" Chloe asked, giving Lex a questioning look.

"Sure," Lex answered.

"Bye, Chloe," Pete said, looking at her.

Chloe smiled. "Don't look so sad. I'll see you tomorrow at school," she said, kissing his cheek.

Pete's face seemed to light up as a grin formed.

"Bye, Lex," Lana said, taking Chloe's lead and kissing his cheek.

"Bye," Lex said, opening the door for Chloe.

Pete helped Lana into his convertible, then climbed in himself.

"Bye, Lex," Pete said.

"See you later," Lex answered, climbing in next to Chloe.