Lana joined Clark on the bus where he'd saved a seat for her.
"I almost didn't make it. I forgot to set my alarm, I guess I'm still used to Whitney picking me up."
"I'll pick you up tomorrow."
"Are you even old enough to drive?"
"As long as I'm going to school or on official farm business, then it's allowed. The rest of the time, I walk."
Lana laughed. Then her voice became hushed. "So, do they know?" she asked, motioning to Chloe and Pete sitting a few rows behind them.
"No, but I think they got sort of suspicious when I told them I was saving a seat for you. You don't usually ride the bus. I told my parents about us though," he said quietly, so his friends couldn't overhear.
"And…"
"Oh come on Lana, they love you. They were thrilled. My mom practically started planning the wedding," he said sarcastically.
Lana blushed a deep scarlet.
"They also told me to be careful. They think this is some sort of rebound relationship—."
"It's not," she responded quickly, cutting him off.
"I know that. They just want me to be careful."
"I just wish everyone would stop treating me as if I was this fragile, delicate thing. It's like I'm made out of glass or something. And everyone has to walk around on eggshells. Am I wearing a sign that says, "Careful, I'm breakable on it?"
"Of course not. Lana, no one thinks about you that way."
"Nell does."
He squeezed her hand. She smiled momentarily before her face fell.
"I talked with Nell," she explained. "She was completely unsupportive. She says that this is high school and that I'll have plenty of time for boyfriends later. She doesn't want me to rush into anything because Whitney and I have only been broken up for a few weeks. See the thing is, when we were together Nell thought everything about Whitney was perfect. Handsome, star of the football team, good grades, bright future, all around nice guy. Only he wasn't, really. I didn't love him. Sometimes, I didn't even like him. It's just that everything was okay, so we stayed together. And now, with you everything's great, and she doesn't even understand that I could possibly be happy. Sufficed to say, she was less then enthused about the whole thing. Maybe it's because she doesn't know you very well. You could come over for dinner tomorrow night. I could ask," she suggested.
Clark nodded. "Sure, that sounds great. Maybe she'll warm up to me."
"Of course she will. Nell always did have a thing for the famous Kent charm," Lana said smirking.
"Ahh, good point."
"I wonder what happened between your dad and Nell."
"I don't know. He's never mentioned it. Maybe she'll tell us at dinner."
"Oh, I doubt it."
The bus lurched forward and came to a stop in front of Smallville High. Clark joined his friends outside and gave Lana a parting look.
"Meet me at lunch. I'm going to tell them now," he said secretively.
She nodded and walked off, leaving Clark standing with Pete and Chloe.
"So, what was that little display on the bus all about?" Pete questioned.
"Actually, I kind of wanted to talk to you guys about that."
"Oh hey," Chloe chimed in. "Guess who has a date for Winter Formal."
"You?" Pete asked.
"Uh, yeah," she said sarcastically. "Joel Westcott, star of the track team."
"You're dating a jock?" Pete exclaimed.
"Well, no not exactly. We're in English together. He's cute and nice, but sort of shy. Anyway, we started talking yesterday, during our Macbeth project, and he asked me. And I said yes."
"That's great Chloe!" said Clark.
"Yeah," Pete agreed. "I've got a date too, actually. Lillian Moy. Asked her yesterday and she said yes. What about you Clark?"
"That's kind of what I was trying to tell you. I'm going with Lana."
They both looked slightly dazed.
Wow," Pete said. "So, she said yes?"
Clark nodded.
"Wow," Chloe repeated.
"And not just to the dance. We're dating."
"Whoa, isn't this kind of sudden?" Chloe asked.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
"It's just that, she just broke up with Whitney. And now suddenly, you two are going out?"
"I thought you guys would be happy for me."
"We are happy for you Clark. You've been pining over Lana for years. I guess we just can't believe this is happening," Chloe said agreeably.
Clark nodded. "Yeah, I guess it's still kind of hard for me to believe too." The bell rang, and people around them scattered.
"Got to go, I'm going to be late," Pete said. Chloe nodded and followed him, leaving Clark standing alone, thinking.
At lunch Lana met up with Clark who was sitting talking to Chloe and Pete.
"Hi guys," she said sweetly.
"I told them Lana."
"Oh, great," Lana breathed a sigh of relief. She looked over at Chloe who seemed slightly upset, but certainly not devastated, by the news. "She probably wasn't even surprised," Lana thought.
"Congratulations you guys," Pete said, breaking the awkward silence.
Lana grinned. "Yeah, thanks. Oh Chloe, guess who was talking about you in World History this morning?"
"Who?"
"Joel Westcott, who was gushing about a certain beautiful reporter he gets to take to Winter Formal."
Chloe blushed and smiled. "Really, he said that?"
"Yeah, he seems very excited about it. What are you going to wear?"
As Chloe and Lana began a seemingly long conversation about dresses, stockings, and mascara Pete rolled his eyes. Clark nodded in agreement.
Lana stopped the conversation abruptly. "Hold on a sec Chloe, I have to go buy a –."
"Diet Pepsi?" Clark asked and handed her one.
"You read my mind."
"Yeah, right," Chloe said laughing. The highlight of Clark's day used to be watching you get up from your table and walk over to the soda machines. He probably knows more about you than you do."
"Probably," Lana said softly. Clark was smiling, embarrassedly, and staring at the floor.
Later on that day Clark and Lana sat on her porch and talked.
"Chloe kept staring at me strangely all through lunch," Lana stated uncomfortably.
"They aren't used to this. Give them time. I think they feel like someone's infiltrated their inner circle. You used to eat with Whitney, but now you eat with us. Maybe they're just having boundary issues or something."
"Maybe I am."
He shook his head. "Lana, stop worrying. They'll be fine." He looked down at his watch. "Oh, I have to go. I'm going to go negotiate with Lex to let us borrow a limo for next Saturday night."
"Wow," she said, obviously impressed. He stood up and she kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you later then."
Clark nodded in agreement and headed to Lex's mansion.
"Hey Lex."
"Clark! I wasn't expecting you today," he said, sounding surprised.
"Actually, I'm here because I have a favor to ask of you. I was wondering if I could borrow a limo for next Saturday."
"What's next Saturday?"
"Winter Formal."
"You're going with Lana, I hope."
"Actually, I am."
"Well this is a surprise. Congratulations Clark, when did this happen?"
I don't know exactly. It just sort of happened, you know? One minute I was rescuing her from her asshole boyfriend, and the next minute I WAS her boyfriend.
"Ahh, Whitney. Yes, I heard about that. How is Lana?"
"She's fine. She's great."
"Perfect?" Lex mused.
"Yes."
"Getting over the quarterback, I assume."
"Already very much over him."
"I'll bet. So," Lex paused, "What color do you want?"
"What color what?"
"Limousine," he said plainly.
"There are different colors to choose from?"
"Of course Clark. There are perks to having my father's money. I have limos in black, white, and even one in cerulean blue. Don't ask. There are also different kinds…" his voice trailed off.
Clark looked a bit bewildered.
Lex sighed. "What color is your tux?"
"Um…"
Okay Clark, what color is Lana's dress?"
"I don't know. Is that really important?"
"Very. You need to know what color the dress is so you can buy her the right color corsage."
"Oh god, this is getting complicated. I don't think Lana wants a corsage."
"Besides, your tux has to match the dress Clark. Everyone knows that," he said pretentiously. "You do have a tux right?"
"Actually…"
"Don't worry about it. I've got hundreds. I'll lend you one." Lex reached into his pants pocket, pulled out a cell phone, and threw it to Clark. "Here, call Lana and ask her what color her dress is."
Clark dialed Lana's number.
"Hello?"
"Hey…it's me."
"Hi," she said brightly. "I thought you were over at Lexs'."
"I am. He says I need to know the color of your dress. Something about it matching the tux and the limo…"
Lana laughed. "It's black."
"Black?" Clark repeated dubiously.
"Yes, black."
"That doesn't seem like you Lana," he said, sounding slightly puzzled.
"Everybody has a dark side Clark. Even me. Oh, and no corsage please," she added, careful to avoid hurting his feelings. "Whitney used to buy me one, and I hated them. Anyway, what flower matches with black?"
"Good point."
Clark ended the conversation and went upstairs to look for a tuxedo. Lex led him into a huge open room, a giant closet, filled with expensive suits.
"This closet is five times bigger than my room!" Clark exclaimed.
"Well, I have a lot of suits. Designers send them to me every season. I guess they always hope I'll wear them at gala balls and museum openings, but the truth is, most of them with just lie around in this "closet" until I decide to donate them to charity. I barely even go to Metropolis anymore. I'll probably never even look at half of these suits. Pick out whatever you like."
"Aren't they kind of expensive?"
"Very. Hugo Boss is nice, and my last girlfriend had an obsession with the dark gray Ralph Lauren ones over there," he commented.
"What if I spill something on it?"
"Then I'll have it sent out to be dry-cleaned. It's not a big deal Clark. It's just a tux."
Clark nodded, still unconvinced. He smiled. "Thanks Lex."
"Not a problem. Your size is probably on that side," Lex said motioning to the far wall. Clark's eyes widened. There were about fifty different suits to choose from. He sighed and got to work.
"I almost didn't make it. I forgot to set my alarm, I guess I'm still used to Whitney picking me up."
"I'll pick you up tomorrow."
"Are you even old enough to drive?"
"As long as I'm going to school or on official farm business, then it's allowed. The rest of the time, I walk."
Lana laughed. Then her voice became hushed. "So, do they know?" she asked, motioning to Chloe and Pete sitting a few rows behind them.
"No, but I think they got sort of suspicious when I told them I was saving a seat for you. You don't usually ride the bus. I told my parents about us though," he said quietly, so his friends couldn't overhear.
"And…"
"Oh come on Lana, they love you. They were thrilled. My mom practically started planning the wedding," he said sarcastically.
Lana blushed a deep scarlet.
"They also told me to be careful. They think this is some sort of rebound relationship—."
"It's not," she responded quickly, cutting him off.
"I know that. They just want me to be careful."
"I just wish everyone would stop treating me as if I was this fragile, delicate thing. It's like I'm made out of glass or something. And everyone has to walk around on eggshells. Am I wearing a sign that says, "Careful, I'm breakable on it?"
"Of course not. Lana, no one thinks about you that way."
"Nell does."
He squeezed her hand. She smiled momentarily before her face fell.
"I talked with Nell," she explained. "She was completely unsupportive. She says that this is high school and that I'll have plenty of time for boyfriends later. She doesn't want me to rush into anything because Whitney and I have only been broken up for a few weeks. See the thing is, when we were together Nell thought everything about Whitney was perfect. Handsome, star of the football team, good grades, bright future, all around nice guy. Only he wasn't, really. I didn't love him. Sometimes, I didn't even like him. It's just that everything was okay, so we stayed together. And now, with you everything's great, and she doesn't even understand that I could possibly be happy. Sufficed to say, she was less then enthused about the whole thing. Maybe it's because she doesn't know you very well. You could come over for dinner tomorrow night. I could ask," she suggested.
Clark nodded. "Sure, that sounds great. Maybe she'll warm up to me."
"Of course she will. Nell always did have a thing for the famous Kent charm," Lana said smirking.
"Ahh, good point."
"I wonder what happened between your dad and Nell."
"I don't know. He's never mentioned it. Maybe she'll tell us at dinner."
"Oh, I doubt it."
The bus lurched forward and came to a stop in front of Smallville High. Clark joined his friends outside and gave Lana a parting look.
"Meet me at lunch. I'm going to tell them now," he said secretively.
She nodded and walked off, leaving Clark standing with Pete and Chloe.
"So, what was that little display on the bus all about?" Pete questioned.
"Actually, I kind of wanted to talk to you guys about that."
"Oh hey," Chloe chimed in. "Guess who has a date for Winter Formal."
"You?" Pete asked.
"Uh, yeah," she said sarcastically. "Joel Westcott, star of the track team."
"You're dating a jock?" Pete exclaimed.
"Well, no not exactly. We're in English together. He's cute and nice, but sort of shy. Anyway, we started talking yesterday, during our Macbeth project, and he asked me. And I said yes."
"That's great Chloe!" said Clark.
"Yeah," Pete agreed. "I've got a date too, actually. Lillian Moy. Asked her yesterday and she said yes. What about you Clark?"
"That's kind of what I was trying to tell you. I'm going with Lana."
They both looked slightly dazed.
Wow," Pete said. "So, she said yes?"
Clark nodded.
"Wow," Chloe repeated.
"And not just to the dance. We're dating."
"Whoa, isn't this kind of sudden?" Chloe asked.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
"It's just that, she just broke up with Whitney. And now suddenly, you two are going out?"
"I thought you guys would be happy for me."
"We are happy for you Clark. You've been pining over Lana for years. I guess we just can't believe this is happening," Chloe said agreeably.
Clark nodded. "Yeah, I guess it's still kind of hard for me to believe too." The bell rang, and people around them scattered.
"Got to go, I'm going to be late," Pete said. Chloe nodded and followed him, leaving Clark standing alone, thinking.
At lunch Lana met up with Clark who was sitting talking to Chloe and Pete.
"Hi guys," she said sweetly.
"I told them Lana."
"Oh, great," Lana breathed a sigh of relief. She looked over at Chloe who seemed slightly upset, but certainly not devastated, by the news. "She probably wasn't even surprised," Lana thought.
"Congratulations you guys," Pete said, breaking the awkward silence.
Lana grinned. "Yeah, thanks. Oh Chloe, guess who was talking about you in World History this morning?"
"Who?"
"Joel Westcott, who was gushing about a certain beautiful reporter he gets to take to Winter Formal."
Chloe blushed and smiled. "Really, he said that?"
"Yeah, he seems very excited about it. What are you going to wear?"
As Chloe and Lana began a seemingly long conversation about dresses, stockings, and mascara Pete rolled his eyes. Clark nodded in agreement.
Lana stopped the conversation abruptly. "Hold on a sec Chloe, I have to go buy a –."
"Diet Pepsi?" Clark asked and handed her one.
"You read my mind."
"Yeah, right," Chloe said laughing. The highlight of Clark's day used to be watching you get up from your table and walk over to the soda machines. He probably knows more about you than you do."
"Probably," Lana said softly. Clark was smiling, embarrassedly, and staring at the floor.
Later on that day Clark and Lana sat on her porch and talked.
"Chloe kept staring at me strangely all through lunch," Lana stated uncomfortably.
"They aren't used to this. Give them time. I think they feel like someone's infiltrated their inner circle. You used to eat with Whitney, but now you eat with us. Maybe they're just having boundary issues or something."
"Maybe I am."
He shook his head. "Lana, stop worrying. They'll be fine." He looked down at his watch. "Oh, I have to go. I'm going to go negotiate with Lex to let us borrow a limo for next Saturday night."
"Wow," she said, obviously impressed. He stood up and she kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you later then."
Clark nodded in agreement and headed to Lex's mansion.
"Hey Lex."
"Clark! I wasn't expecting you today," he said, sounding surprised.
"Actually, I'm here because I have a favor to ask of you. I was wondering if I could borrow a limo for next Saturday."
"What's next Saturday?"
"Winter Formal."
"You're going with Lana, I hope."
"Actually, I am."
"Well this is a surprise. Congratulations Clark, when did this happen?"
I don't know exactly. It just sort of happened, you know? One minute I was rescuing her from her asshole boyfriend, and the next minute I WAS her boyfriend.
"Ahh, Whitney. Yes, I heard about that. How is Lana?"
"She's fine. She's great."
"Perfect?" Lex mused.
"Yes."
"Getting over the quarterback, I assume."
"Already very much over him."
"I'll bet. So," Lex paused, "What color do you want?"
"What color what?"
"Limousine," he said plainly.
"There are different colors to choose from?"
"Of course Clark. There are perks to having my father's money. I have limos in black, white, and even one in cerulean blue. Don't ask. There are also different kinds…" his voice trailed off.
Clark looked a bit bewildered.
Lex sighed. "What color is your tux?"
"Um…"
Okay Clark, what color is Lana's dress?"
"I don't know. Is that really important?"
"Very. You need to know what color the dress is so you can buy her the right color corsage."
"Oh god, this is getting complicated. I don't think Lana wants a corsage."
"Besides, your tux has to match the dress Clark. Everyone knows that," he said pretentiously. "You do have a tux right?"
"Actually…"
"Don't worry about it. I've got hundreds. I'll lend you one." Lex reached into his pants pocket, pulled out a cell phone, and threw it to Clark. "Here, call Lana and ask her what color her dress is."
Clark dialed Lana's number.
"Hello?"
"Hey…it's me."
"Hi," she said brightly. "I thought you were over at Lexs'."
"I am. He says I need to know the color of your dress. Something about it matching the tux and the limo…"
Lana laughed. "It's black."
"Black?" Clark repeated dubiously.
"Yes, black."
"That doesn't seem like you Lana," he said, sounding slightly puzzled.
"Everybody has a dark side Clark. Even me. Oh, and no corsage please," she added, careful to avoid hurting his feelings. "Whitney used to buy me one, and I hated them. Anyway, what flower matches with black?"
"Good point."
Clark ended the conversation and went upstairs to look for a tuxedo. Lex led him into a huge open room, a giant closet, filled with expensive suits.
"This closet is five times bigger than my room!" Clark exclaimed.
"Well, I have a lot of suits. Designers send them to me every season. I guess they always hope I'll wear them at gala balls and museum openings, but the truth is, most of them with just lie around in this "closet" until I decide to donate them to charity. I barely even go to Metropolis anymore. I'll probably never even look at half of these suits. Pick out whatever you like."
"Aren't they kind of expensive?"
"Very. Hugo Boss is nice, and my last girlfriend had an obsession with the dark gray Ralph Lauren ones over there," he commented.
"What if I spill something on it?"
"Then I'll have it sent out to be dry-cleaned. It's not a big deal Clark. It's just a tux."
Clark nodded, still unconvinced. He smiled. "Thanks Lex."
"Not a problem. Your size is probably on that side," Lex said motioning to the far wall. Clark's eyes widened. There were about fifty different suits to choose from. He sighed and got to work.