Part 14
"Calm down, Chloe, calm down." Chloe told her reflection as she padded powder on her cheeks. In a whisper she added a soft reprimand, "Great going there Sullivan."
In her attempt to get her mind off things, she had successfully managed to make a fool of herself, earning chuckles from Trev and Clark.
Trev and Clark.she just had to close her eyes tightly at the thought of those two. It was a miracle that she got through dinner so smoothly. It was more a miracle how she was able to collect herself from a breakdown and prepare to go to this party.
Just a few hours ago Trev had brought her home. The rest of the afternoon prior to the part was spent jamming song after song in an attempt to momentarily forget the trauma of what transpired at the Torch.
Not wanting to seem like the default, Trev had asked again for Chloe to go with him to the party.
Chloe had to give him credit for keeping his word. The last time he had asked was Tuesday night and she was not able to give him an answer then. Not once during the countless hours they spent together did he press the issue. In the light of her recent circumstance, Chloe didn't hesitate to say yes.
So here she was, Trev's date with her mind on Clark.
Clark, so adorably handsome and seated right next to her, smiling and being charming as if nothing happened, as if a couple of hours ago he didn't yell at her. Over dinner she noticed he made many attempts to start a conversation. Thinking she wasn't ready to face Clark, she diffused each one with feigned disinterest.
He had wronged her. If he only knew what she had been through the past days, if he only knew how much his words had hurt, if he only knew that she had not cried like that as far as she could remember.
But why couldn't she look into his wonderful blue eyes? Because they were simply that - wonderful. No, she thought, it was because she wronged him, too.
She saw now what she did and how it would seem to Pete and Clark. She had unknowingly tossed them aside, abandoned them, and stopped being their friend. Oh, how could she have let this happen?
Two places: Metropolis and Smallville; two names: Sully and Chloe; two passions: the band and the Torch; two loves: Trev and Clark. Was she being made to choose? Did it have to come to a choice?
"And what's your choice?" The sad image in the mirror asked.
She stared back into her own eyes and her memory showed her images. She closed her eyes to see them in full view. Her following Clark around, her hanging on to his every word wishing to hearing something that would give her hope, them laughing together in his loft wondering if this would go somewhere, him peering into his telescope across the field, his sheepish look whenever she'd catch him looking at Lana. Still, there she was, wanting, wishing, wondering.waiting.
Then there it was - the image of a good friend. Standing at her front porch he had said, "I'll be back for you." Crying in his arms he had said, "I'm here." Staring into his eyes he had said, "I miss you."
Chloe became certain of her choice. Tired of waiting, tired of putting herself on hold, tired of blinding herself with false hope, tonight she will put that all away and enjoy herself. No more hiding who she was with who she is. Tonight, she will step out into familiar territory yet somehow, start anew.
She applied a fresh coat of lipstick and checked her appearance. With fresh confidence she pulled the door to rejoin the party and enjoy the rest of the night.
***
Trev and Clark regarded each other like two opponents in a duel.
A gem, yes, that's what she was and regretfully Clark had done something that tarnished her luster. Tonight, he vowed to make amends. Clark was not allowing the night to end until he had his Chloe back in his life.
His Chloe. No, Chloe Sullivan is her own girl. No one can own her. Oh, but how he loved that girl.
Love? Yes, for all that she is and all that she can be.
The only thing in his way was something that none of his powers could help him to overcome - not his x-ray vision, not his speed, nor his physical strength.
"I gather that Chloe didn't tell you much about her life in Metropolis." Trev stated before taking a sip of his drink.
Clark nodded in agreement. "She throws herself too much into what she's doing in the here and now that she doesn't afford herself time to dwell in the past."
"That, my friend, has not changed." Trev pointed. "Chloe could really give her all in what she does."
"And the rest of us simply enjoy getting sucked into her world." Clark supplied with honesty and pride.
Clark glanced around the room. More couples had taken to the dance floor and the live music bathed the hall with its mellow rhythm.
For a while Trev had his gaze also on the dancing pairs. "Though, she wasn't always like that."
Clark had to take a chance. "I know how she always has to think through all the possibilities and run her theories on us. That tells me she's cautious."
"Cautious and calculating, yet brave enough to rush head-long into a challenge."
"What a wonderful enigma."
"Yeah," it was Trev's turn to agree. "Don't let her get into analysis paralysis, though."
The remark made Clark look at Trev with a questioning furrow across his brow. Don't let her?
Trev met that look and continued, "We both know she's too good to stay on a comfort zone. In many ways, this town, the Torch is her comfort zone."
"How so?"
"No matter how she denies it, this place has allowed her to forget who she was."
Clark just had to disagree. "Maybe she decided to start over."
Trev was shaking his head. "Not at the expense of limiting and pulling back on yourself."
"What are you saying? Chloe's the head of the Torch. She's the best editor they've had in five years." Truly Trev, in his short stay, could not have seen how great Chloe has been in Smallville.
"Is there anything else in her life aside from school and the Torch? Did you know that if she wanted, she could be the school valedictorian? She was surely that close in Metropolis High when she left." Trev drew his breath. "I have to hand it to her determination. I know she's doing all that to get in the Daily Planet. But heck, there's more to life than that. The Chloe I know has definitely more to her than just that."
Clark was starting to see Trev's point. Chloe's heart and mind was too much into the Torch and writing articles that could get her to the Planet that he knew she was slacking off in some subjects. But since Trev's arrival Clark had realized she had a passion she kept from them. Who knows what other passions she held back? "None of us knew she could play the drums."
"I suspected." Trev saw Chloe re-enter the hall. "But there's more, buddy." He said with a chuckle.
Clark also saw Chloe walking towards them. "What do you mean?"
Sill with his eyes on the approaching beauty, Trev smiled. "I'll show you."
At that moment Chloe reached their table. "I'm back!" She announced.
Both boys stood up at the same time and pulled her chair. Trev and Clark pretended not to notice that but it was hard to ignore the expression on Chloe's face, her eyes darting from Trev's to Clark's.
Much to Trev's relief, the band started to play a Salsa. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "May I have this dance?"
Clark watched the scene unfold like a slow-moving nightmare where he was reduced to a mere spectator.
A warm, breath-taking smile broke across her lovely face. The blush that made her complexion glow and the rapid rise and fall of her chest betrayed a heart pounding in excitement. Her eyelids fluttered for a moment as if to wake from a dream. Eyes of green embers gazed upon the young man offering to take her away.
After releasing a breath from her slightly parted lips, Clark heard her soft voice say "I'd love to."
TBC.
"Calm down, Chloe, calm down." Chloe told her reflection as she padded powder on her cheeks. In a whisper she added a soft reprimand, "Great going there Sullivan."
In her attempt to get her mind off things, she had successfully managed to make a fool of herself, earning chuckles from Trev and Clark.
Trev and Clark.she just had to close her eyes tightly at the thought of those two. It was a miracle that she got through dinner so smoothly. It was more a miracle how she was able to collect herself from a breakdown and prepare to go to this party.
Just a few hours ago Trev had brought her home. The rest of the afternoon prior to the part was spent jamming song after song in an attempt to momentarily forget the trauma of what transpired at the Torch.
Not wanting to seem like the default, Trev had asked again for Chloe to go with him to the party.
Chloe had to give him credit for keeping his word. The last time he had asked was Tuesday night and she was not able to give him an answer then. Not once during the countless hours they spent together did he press the issue. In the light of her recent circumstance, Chloe didn't hesitate to say yes.
So here she was, Trev's date with her mind on Clark.
Clark, so adorably handsome and seated right next to her, smiling and being charming as if nothing happened, as if a couple of hours ago he didn't yell at her. Over dinner she noticed he made many attempts to start a conversation. Thinking she wasn't ready to face Clark, she diffused each one with feigned disinterest.
He had wronged her. If he only knew what she had been through the past days, if he only knew how much his words had hurt, if he only knew that she had not cried like that as far as she could remember.
But why couldn't she look into his wonderful blue eyes? Because they were simply that - wonderful. No, she thought, it was because she wronged him, too.
She saw now what she did and how it would seem to Pete and Clark. She had unknowingly tossed them aside, abandoned them, and stopped being their friend. Oh, how could she have let this happen?
Two places: Metropolis and Smallville; two names: Sully and Chloe; two passions: the band and the Torch; two loves: Trev and Clark. Was she being made to choose? Did it have to come to a choice?
"And what's your choice?" The sad image in the mirror asked.
She stared back into her own eyes and her memory showed her images. She closed her eyes to see them in full view. Her following Clark around, her hanging on to his every word wishing to hearing something that would give her hope, them laughing together in his loft wondering if this would go somewhere, him peering into his telescope across the field, his sheepish look whenever she'd catch him looking at Lana. Still, there she was, wanting, wishing, wondering.waiting.
Then there it was - the image of a good friend. Standing at her front porch he had said, "I'll be back for you." Crying in his arms he had said, "I'm here." Staring into his eyes he had said, "I miss you."
Chloe became certain of her choice. Tired of waiting, tired of putting herself on hold, tired of blinding herself with false hope, tonight she will put that all away and enjoy herself. No more hiding who she was with who she is. Tonight, she will step out into familiar territory yet somehow, start anew.
She applied a fresh coat of lipstick and checked her appearance. With fresh confidence she pulled the door to rejoin the party and enjoy the rest of the night.
***
Trev and Clark regarded each other like two opponents in a duel.
A gem, yes, that's what she was and regretfully Clark had done something that tarnished her luster. Tonight, he vowed to make amends. Clark was not allowing the night to end until he had his Chloe back in his life.
His Chloe. No, Chloe Sullivan is her own girl. No one can own her. Oh, but how he loved that girl.
Love? Yes, for all that she is and all that she can be.
The only thing in his way was something that none of his powers could help him to overcome - not his x-ray vision, not his speed, nor his physical strength.
"I gather that Chloe didn't tell you much about her life in Metropolis." Trev stated before taking a sip of his drink.
Clark nodded in agreement. "She throws herself too much into what she's doing in the here and now that she doesn't afford herself time to dwell in the past."
"That, my friend, has not changed." Trev pointed. "Chloe could really give her all in what she does."
"And the rest of us simply enjoy getting sucked into her world." Clark supplied with honesty and pride.
Clark glanced around the room. More couples had taken to the dance floor and the live music bathed the hall with its mellow rhythm.
For a while Trev had his gaze also on the dancing pairs. "Though, she wasn't always like that."
Clark had to take a chance. "I know how she always has to think through all the possibilities and run her theories on us. That tells me she's cautious."
"Cautious and calculating, yet brave enough to rush head-long into a challenge."
"What a wonderful enigma."
"Yeah," it was Trev's turn to agree. "Don't let her get into analysis paralysis, though."
The remark made Clark look at Trev with a questioning furrow across his brow. Don't let her?
Trev met that look and continued, "We both know she's too good to stay on a comfort zone. In many ways, this town, the Torch is her comfort zone."
"How so?"
"No matter how she denies it, this place has allowed her to forget who she was."
Clark just had to disagree. "Maybe she decided to start over."
Trev was shaking his head. "Not at the expense of limiting and pulling back on yourself."
"What are you saying? Chloe's the head of the Torch. She's the best editor they've had in five years." Truly Trev, in his short stay, could not have seen how great Chloe has been in Smallville.
"Is there anything else in her life aside from school and the Torch? Did you know that if she wanted, she could be the school valedictorian? She was surely that close in Metropolis High when she left." Trev drew his breath. "I have to hand it to her determination. I know she's doing all that to get in the Daily Planet. But heck, there's more to life than that. The Chloe I know has definitely more to her than just that."
Clark was starting to see Trev's point. Chloe's heart and mind was too much into the Torch and writing articles that could get her to the Planet that he knew she was slacking off in some subjects. But since Trev's arrival Clark had realized she had a passion she kept from them. Who knows what other passions she held back? "None of us knew she could play the drums."
"I suspected." Trev saw Chloe re-enter the hall. "But there's more, buddy." He said with a chuckle.
Clark also saw Chloe walking towards them. "What do you mean?"
Sill with his eyes on the approaching beauty, Trev smiled. "I'll show you."
At that moment Chloe reached their table. "I'm back!" She announced.
Both boys stood up at the same time and pulled her chair. Trev and Clark pretended not to notice that but it was hard to ignore the expression on Chloe's face, her eyes darting from Trev's to Clark's.
Much to Trev's relief, the band started to play a Salsa. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "May I have this dance?"
Clark watched the scene unfold like a slow-moving nightmare where he was reduced to a mere spectator.
A warm, breath-taking smile broke across her lovely face. The blush that made her complexion glow and the rapid rise and fall of her chest betrayed a heart pounding in excitement. Her eyelids fluttered for a moment as if to wake from a dream. Eyes of green embers gazed upon the young man offering to take her away.
After releasing a breath from her slightly parted lips, Clark heard her soft voice say "I'd love to."
TBC.