Clark felt bitterness flood him just like pain did when he was exposed to the Kryptonite. Why did everything have to happen to him? He tried a shrug. "Nothing big."
Jonathan just looked at him and Clark couldn't take it. "It's not like there are things that you don't tell me!" he shouted and charged down the steps. Jonathan shouted something after him, sounding worried rather than angry, but that made Clark feel even worse.
*He's got the letter now, you can't run away,* mocked a voice as he kept running, not even paying attention to where he was, letting his senses take over and feel the different sensations as his feet hit the ground, soft plowed dirt, gravel, blacktop, grass, roadside weeds, the different scents that were gone so quickly that they seemed memories the instant they happened.
Or what if he did run? He couldn't run from Lionel but if he left Smallville, he wouldn't have to face everybody. God, how was he supposed to face Chloe in school tomorrow? He stopped to think, leaning on the guardrail over the dam. Could he just tell his parents and Pete that he couldn't stay around any more, it wasn't anything that they'd done, just something that he had to do? Maybe he could even tell Lana everything...it's not like it could hurt anything any more...he wondered what he'd see in her candid eyes. Would she be sorry for him or would she be angry that he hadn't told her before? Or even blame him for the death and misery he brought with him, all the lives his arrival ruined? Well, it's not like even that reaction could make him feel any worse.
He ran just a shade faster than a normal human could, repeating to himself that it couldn't get worse. Slowing as he approached the Sullivan's house, hoping that she'd be alone inside, or that he could catch her attention and get her to join him outside, he stopped and frowned as he saw what looked like movers loading things into a van. Moving closer, cautiously, he saw Chloe and her father pulling away from the sidewalk in a car jammed full, and Lana waving. The moment the car was out of sight, he walked to her at a normal pace.
"Hi, Lana, what's going on?"
"Oh, Chloe didn't say anything to you?" She looked at him curiously and he tried to grin, hoping that he could lie convincingly.
"I was running. Got a bit out of breath. Anything about what?"
"It's hard to believe. He got an incredible offer from LuthorCorp and exactly the same time, a space opened in Palmer."
"And they offered it to Chloe?" Palmer was one of the most prestigious--and expensive--private school in Metropolis, and the competition for openings was incredible.
"Yeah, they just started a journalism scholarship and she got it."
Lionel must have had everything all set up. "So what's happening with you? Hosts moving out right from under you."
Her smile sparkled at him. "I'm their house-sitter. That way, they can come back for weekends or anything like that if they want to."
"Wow, that must have been some job offer, they're heading out right now. I wonder what it is."
She must have heard the sarcasm. "Clark, she didn't tell anybody before because she didn't know before! She probably tried to get you but you were out. I think he had to give the movers his first-born son or something." She almost frowned at him. "Why do you keep making mysteries about things?"
"It's not hard, around here," he muttered. Trying to change tones, he asked, "Lana, what would you say if-" He cut himself off, pretending he had something in his throat. Not too far from the truth, since he could see she was already on the edge of being annoyed at him. "What would you say about coffee or something? Or maybe not coffee, grab a pint of Ben and Jerry's and two spoons?" That'd give him a bit of time and he'd be able to figure out how to say something.
He wasn't sure if it took a second before she smiled up at him. "I think I could stand it."
***
AN: Sheesh, finally the Muse says hello again on this one. As usual, no idea where it's going, it looks like it twisted into Clana while I wasn't looking!
I'd thwack the Muse over the head with something if I didn't know that she could probably get even in all KINDS of ways. Slip the plot bunnies fertility pills.
Plot bunny fertility pills.
I think I'm going to hide under the desk now, shove some chocolate under periodically, would you?
Jonathan just looked at him and Clark couldn't take it. "It's not like there are things that you don't tell me!" he shouted and charged down the steps. Jonathan shouted something after him, sounding worried rather than angry, but that made Clark feel even worse.
*He's got the letter now, you can't run away,* mocked a voice as he kept running, not even paying attention to where he was, letting his senses take over and feel the different sensations as his feet hit the ground, soft plowed dirt, gravel, blacktop, grass, roadside weeds, the different scents that were gone so quickly that they seemed memories the instant they happened.
Or what if he did run? He couldn't run from Lionel but if he left Smallville, he wouldn't have to face everybody. God, how was he supposed to face Chloe in school tomorrow? He stopped to think, leaning on the guardrail over the dam. Could he just tell his parents and Pete that he couldn't stay around any more, it wasn't anything that they'd done, just something that he had to do? Maybe he could even tell Lana everything...it's not like it could hurt anything any more...he wondered what he'd see in her candid eyes. Would she be sorry for him or would she be angry that he hadn't told her before? Or even blame him for the death and misery he brought with him, all the lives his arrival ruined? Well, it's not like even that reaction could make him feel any worse.
He ran just a shade faster than a normal human could, repeating to himself that it couldn't get worse. Slowing as he approached the Sullivan's house, hoping that she'd be alone inside, or that he could catch her attention and get her to join him outside, he stopped and frowned as he saw what looked like movers loading things into a van. Moving closer, cautiously, he saw Chloe and her father pulling away from the sidewalk in a car jammed full, and Lana waving. The moment the car was out of sight, he walked to her at a normal pace.
"Hi, Lana, what's going on?"
"Oh, Chloe didn't say anything to you?" She looked at him curiously and he tried to grin, hoping that he could lie convincingly.
"I was running. Got a bit out of breath. Anything about what?"
"It's hard to believe. He got an incredible offer from LuthorCorp and exactly the same time, a space opened in Palmer."
"And they offered it to Chloe?" Palmer was one of the most prestigious--and expensive--private school in Metropolis, and the competition for openings was incredible.
"Yeah, they just started a journalism scholarship and she got it."
Lionel must have had everything all set up. "So what's happening with you? Hosts moving out right from under you."
Her smile sparkled at him. "I'm their house-sitter. That way, they can come back for weekends or anything like that if they want to."
"Wow, that must have been some job offer, they're heading out right now. I wonder what it is."
She must have heard the sarcasm. "Clark, she didn't tell anybody before because she didn't know before! She probably tried to get you but you were out. I think he had to give the movers his first-born son or something." She almost frowned at him. "Why do you keep making mysteries about things?"
"It's not hard, around here," he muttered. Trying to change tones, he asked, "Lana, what would you say if-" He cut himself off, pretending he had something in his throat. Not too far from the truth, since he could see she was already on the edge of being annoyed at him. "What would you say about coffee or something? Or maybe not coffee, grab a pint of Ben and Jerry's and two spoons?" That'd give him a bit of time and he'd be able to figure out how to say something.
He wasn't sure if it took a second before she smiled up at him. "I think I could stand it."
***
AN: Sheesh, finally the Muse says hello again on this one. As usual, no idea where it's going, it looks like it twisted into Clana while I wasn't looking!
I'd thwack the Muse over the head with something if I didn't know that she could probably get even in all KINDS of ways. Slip the plot bunnies fertility pills.
Plot bunny fertility pills.
I think I'm going to hide under the desk now, shove some chocolate under periodically, would you?
