Disclaimer: While I love having the opportunity to take these characters
out and play with them for a while, none of them are really mine and I
promise to put them back where I found them - a little more rumpled maybe,
but definitely intact.
b Part One /b
It seemed as though it had been a lifetime ago since Chloe had last been here. She shifted her shoulder bag restlessly as she stood on the sidewalk, gazing up at the large lettering on the side of the building - The Talon. Yep, she was definitely back in Smallville.
Since departing her house no more than half an hour ago, Chloe had walked slowly up the main street, reorientating herself to small town life. Nothing had changed, not really. The storefronts were still the same from what they had been before she had left. There was the same gentle breeze that wafted down the main street, ruffling her hair slightly. It wasn't as though she had expected anything to have really changed since her departure - nothing in Smallville ever did.
In fact, Chloe wasn't too sure i what /i she had been expecting.
All she knew was that she felt different from who she had been when she had last stood in this exact spot. Older. Perhaps a bit wiser. She had her time in Metropolis to thank for that.
Gazing through glass door of The Talon, Chloe could see that the coffee shop was as busy as ever. Crowds of teenagers and adults alike intermingled holding mugs of caffeine laden drinks and wearing broad smiles. From here, she could tell the buzz of conversation was loud, an occasional high pitched laugh interspersing with the talk of patrons. The Talon looked as inviting as ever, yet Chloe still hesitated to go in.
She knew the reason behind the hesitation. Like Smallville, it hadn't changed.
It was the same thing that had sent her scurrying from the town like a dog with its tail between its legs, trying to escape the hurt that even now still had a slight edge to it. It had taken her some time to get over the pain and focus on the reason behind it.
Chloe had had to face, head on, the bitter truth. She was never going to be anything more than friends with Clark Kent. It had been time to accept it, deal with it and move on.
It was hard. Chloe, her temperament always having been one of fiery determination, was not one to back off from something that she wanted, and she had really wanted him. But the subject of her affection didn't want her back, not really. That kind of rejection was always difficult to swallow.
But swallow Chloe did and eventually, as the days ran into weeks, she began to look at the world around her in a brand new light. She began to feel as though a giant weight had been taken from her shoulders and she felt.free.
Chloe came to realise that, because of her unrequited feelings for Clark, she had kept her eyes closed to most possibilities that had been before her, possibilities that had passed her by. So, empowered with the knowledge, she had dated while in Metropolis, got back into the swing of things. She didn't date anyone special and she hadn't really expected to, but the extra attention had been nice.and just what she had needed.
Chloe still smiled when she remembered the moment she had first realised looks of admiration had actually been directed at her - not someone else with long brown hair and a tendency to stumble into danger, but her.
So, when the time came for the new school year, Chloe felt completely ready to return to Smallville.
The jury was still out on whether she felt ready to face Clark Kent.
She took a moment to close her eyes and breathe deep, the sweet scent of fresh air enthralling her senses after the heavy pollution of Metropolis. For the first time in weeks, Chloe enjoyed being able to stand on a sidewalk without being pushed or bumped against. Metropolis was a city that she loved, true, but being of small stature did have its disadvantages. The city streets had been crowded with people rushing in their daily work and more than once Chloe had arrived home at night with a collection of bruises.
Unable to put it off any longer, Chloe walked briskly to the door and jerked it open. She paused for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust from the bright sunshine to the darker interior before striding inside with a confidence that she didn't entirely feel. Had anyone looked up, they would have seen a pretty, petite blond walk into the café as though she owned the place.
Of course, no one looked up. As always, Chloe's entrance into The Talon was largely ignored by the mass of teenagers Chloe recognised from her school. No one was ever much interested in the strange blond who always seemed to be poking her nose where it didn't belong. And, most agreed, her nose - or any other part of her body for that matter - definitely didn't belong in the circle elite of Smallville High.
As always, she told herself she didn't care as she grabbed a coffee at the counter and then made her way to a vacant table. Her eyes darted behind her and, noting the absence of the dark haired ex-cheerleader, breathed a sigh of relief. Either by intent or design, she wasn't too sure which, Chloe ended up seating herself so that her direct line of vision was to the front door. It wasn't because the possibilities of running into Clark Kent were high at The Talon, she told herself but knew that she lied. Sitting back, she flung her shoulder bag carelessly onto the floor beside her chair. Tension that she didn't know she had drained from her shoulders and, for the first time since she left her house just a half hour ago, she felt herself relax.
As much as she loved Metropolis, it still felt good to be home.
Chloe lent forward and rummaged through her bag, her seeking fingers finally emerging. They clutched a well worn notebook, its pages rumpled and somewhat torn from use. She dug a little further and brought forth a pen, a particular favourite of hers and one that she used whenever she needed a little confidence.
She sat back in her chair, wiggling slightly to get comfortable. Propping the notebook on her knee, she became deep in thought as she tapped her pen against her head in a habit she had only recently picked up while working for The Daily Planet.
School was starting in a couple of days, and Chloe wanted to get a head start on the Torch this year. She had been brainstorming some possible articles while away and there was no time like the present to get started on some of them.
As Chloe sat, her eyes fixed with fierce concentration on the notebook in front of her, she had no idea that she was the subject of intense observation. Nor that she had been since she had first walked through the door.
She had no idea at all.
***********
Thanks to all those who reviewed, either through this site or through my email. Your comments are appreciated and encourage me to write faster!
b Part One /b
It seemed as though it had been a lifetime ago since Chloe had last been here. She shifted her shoulder bag restlessly as she stood on the sidewalk, gazing up at the large lettering on the side of the building - The Talon. Yep, she was definitely back in Smallville.
Since departing her house no more than half an hour ago, Chloe had walked slowly up the main street, reorientating herself to small town life. Nothing had changed, not really. The storefronts were still the same from what they had been before she had left. There was the same gentle breeze that wafted down the main street, ruffling her hair slightly. It wasn't as though she had expected anything to have really changed since her departure - nothing in Smallville ever did.
In fact, Chloe wasn't too sure i what /i she had been expecting.
All she knew was that she felt different from who she had been when she had last stood in this exact spot. Older. Perhaps a bit wiser. She had her time in Metropolis to thank for that.
Gazing through glass door of The Talon, Chloe could see that the coffee shop was as busy as ever. Crowds of teenagers and adults alike intermingled holding mugs of caffeine laden drinks and wearing broad smiles. From here, she could tell the buzz of conversation was loud, an occasional high pitched laugh interspersing with the talk of patrons. The Talon looked as inviting as ever, yet Chloe still hesitated to go in.
She knew the reason behind the hesitation. Like Smallville, it hadn't changed.
It was the same thing that had sent her scurrying from the town like a dog with its tail between its legs, trying to escape the hurt that even now still had a slight edge to it. It had taken her some time to get over the pain and focus on the reason behind it.
Chloe had had to face, head on, the bitter truth. She was never going to be anything more than friends with Clark Kent. It had been time to accept it, deal with it and move on.
It was hard. Chloe, her temperament always having been one of fiery determination, was not one to back off from something that she wanted, and she had really wanted him. But the subject of her affection didn't want her back, not really. That kind of rejection was always difficult to swallow.
But swallow Chloe did and eventually, as the days ran into weeks, she began to look at the world around her in a brand new light. She began to feel as though a giant weight had been taken from her shoulders and she felt.free.
Chloe came to realise that, because of her unrequited feelings for Clark, she had kept her eyes closed to most possibilities that had been before her, possibilities that had passed her by. So, empowered with the knowledge, she had dated while in Metropolis, got back into the swing of things. She didn't date anyone special and she hadn't really expected to, but the extra attention had been nice.and just what she had needed.
Chloe still smiled when she remembered the moment she had first realised looks of admiration had actually been directed at her - not someone else with long brown hair and a tendency to stumble into danger, but her.
So, when the time came for the new school year, Chloe felt completely ready to return to Smallville.
The jury was still out on whether she felt ready to face Clark Kent.
She took a moment to close her eyes and breathe deep, the sweet scent of fresh air enthralling her senses after the heavy pollution of Metropolis. For the first time in weeks, Chloe enjoyed being able to stand on a sidewalk without being pushed or bumped against. Metropolis was a city that she loved, true, but being of small stature did have its disadvantages. The city streets had been crowded with people rushing in their daily work and more than once Chloe had arrived home at night with a collection of bruises.
Unable to put it off any longer, Chloe walked briskly to the door and jerked it open. She paused for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust from the bright sunshine to the darker interior before striding inside with a confidence that she didn't entirely feel. Had anyone looked up, they would have seen a pretty, petite blond walk into the café as though she owned the place.
Of course, no one looked up. As always, Chloe's entrance into The Talon was largely ignored by the mass of teenagers Chloe recognised from her school. No one was ever much interested in the strange blond who always seemed to be poking her nose where it didn't belong. And, most agreed, her nose - or any other part of her body for that matter - definitely didn't belong in the circle elite of Smallville High.
As always, she told herself she didn't care as she grabbed a coffee at the counter and then made her way to a vacant table. Her eyes darted behind her and, noting the absence of the dark haired ex-cheerleader, breathed a sigh of relief. Either by intent or design, she wasn't too sure which, Chloe ended up seating herself so that her direct line of vision was to the front door. It wasn't because the possibilities of running into Clark Kent were high at The Talon, she told herself but knew that she lied. Sitting back, she flung her shoulder bag carelessly onto the floor beside her chair. Tension that she didn't know she had drained from her shoulders and, for the first time since she left her house just a half hour ago, she felt herself relax.
As much as she loved Metropolis, it still felt good to be home.
Chloe lent forward and rummaged through her bag, her seeking fingers finally emerging. They clutched a well worn notebook, its pages rumpled and somewhat torn from use. She dug a little further and brought forth a pen, a particular favourite of hers and one that she used whenever she needed a little confidence.
She sat back in her chair, wiggling slightly to get comfortable. Propping the notebook on her knee, she became deep in thought as she tapped her pen against her head in a habit she had only recently picked up while working for The Daily Planet.
School was starting in a couple of days, and Chloe wanted to get a head start on the Torch this year. She had been brainstorming some possible articles while away and there was no time like the present to get started on some of them.
As Chloe sat, her eyes fixed with fierce concentration on the notebook in front of her, she had no idea that she was the subject of intense observation. Nor that she had been since she had first walked through the door.
She had no idea at all.
***********
Thanks to all those who reviewed, either through this site or through my email. Your comments are appreciated and encourage me to write faster!
