*~I am so sorry everyone! I have meant to update sooner, I just got caught up in a mix of exams, job hunting, and millions of other things. Also, I know this hasn't really had much plot movement yet, but like I always say, it'll be coming in the next chapters. Hopefully, I'll be able to update as soon as tomorrow, but till then, read up, and enjoy!~*
Oh, and P.S., I had to throw the jasmine thing in there. I'm a sucker for the smell. :)
Chapter 3
Jasmines and Sunset 'Hayrides'
'Mama?'
'Yes, Clark?'
'Um...I want Lana for Christmas.......'
Clark couldn't help but laugh at the memory of that. It had seemed so innocent at the time; yet, not a day had passed since then that his mother had not failed to mention this to him time and time again.
'It was just so cute, how can I forget a moment like that?' she would always tell him. 'Or even more so, how can I let you forget it?'
"And of course, I remember not long after that, a certain Mr. Peter Ross came by and took you away from me." Lana said, letting out a little more than she meant to. Noticing Lana blushing profusely, Clark decided to move in and strike.
"Took me away? How so? It's not like I never saw you, Lana," he said, smiling at the deeper crimson her cheeks turned, and relishing the fact the roles were now completely reversed. He liked this shy Lana. "Actually, I thought it was what you wanted. You always called me names and tattled on anything Pete and I did."
At this, Lana smiled, knowing full well how to turn the tables back in her favor. "Like the time 'someone' filled Mrs. Wellman's desk with crickets and god knows what else on the last day of fifth grade?"
Immediately, Clark threw his hands up in defense. "Hey, that was Pete's idea. If he hadn't done it, anyone else in that class would have. Everyone hated her."
"Well, regardless, you had it coming. That's just what girls do at that age to cute boys," she replied, mentally notching the points back in her favor as he suddenly blushed deep enough to resemble the apple tree next to him.
It got quiet between the two not long after that. They made it to the stables, and Clark managed to round up the horses in only the strange way Clark could. After a small thank you by her, the conversation all but died between them. Here they were, all alone for miles amidst a beautiful sunset, and he couldn't even look her way. She was on the verge of just reaching around and smacking the crap out of him for not capitalizing on that moment, when he suddenly spoke up. "Lana....." he said, looking up towards her, his voice somewhat quivering.
"Yes, Clark?" she answered. Sensing the nervousness in his voice, she stopped.
"Um.....you probably wouldn't want to, but I was wondering if.....well, maybe you might want to....that is, you don't have to..." he stammered. 'Dammit, this was so much easier five minutes ago in my head.'
She giggled at his discomfort. She knew full well what he was trying to do; he had been doing this for the past two weeks. The Smallville Annual Fall Festival & Carnival was tomorrow, and he had been working up the courage to ask her to go with him
for weeks now. Pete was a good friend to Clark, but he never failed to mention to her how badly Clark had wanted to go with her. However, at the present rate he was going, she was more likely to see cows fly than have him finish his sentence.
"You see, Lana, the Festival's coming, and....um..." he stuttered out.
'Okay, he's trying, I'll give him that,' she thought amusedly. "You want to me to go with you, Clark?" she finished, knowing full well he'd shy up on that note. Then an idea struck. "Well, the answer is no."
Seeing the look of utter rejection upon his face, she smiled at him, and grabbed his hand. "I won't go with you, but you can be my date," she said, trying her hardest not to laugh as he went from Mopey Clark to Ecstatic Clark in less than a sigh.
"That was so uncool. I was ready to peg you for just jumping ship on me for a second there." he said, looking down at her hand in his. God knows he had waited for moments like this so long, but is this it? What if she pushes him away?
"I'd never leave, you know that. You may not exactly hold the best track record for being there when I want you, but you're always there for me when I need you." she said softly. It was so true, too. She couldn't even count on two hands how many times he had stood her up, or just simply left her somewhere to go and do God knows what. Yet, she knew he always had good reason, even though he wouldn't (or couldn't, as he says) tell her. Add in the countless number of times he had mysteriously been there to save her from some of the situations she's been in, and it's just makes the enigma of Clark Kent not only that much more mysterious, but intriguing, as well.
"Lana, I want to always be there, I do." he said, taking both of her hands while he looked down into her eyes. God, she was so close. All he had to do was move not even a foot down, and...
"Then why aren't you?"
"W-What?" he stammered, suddenly jerked out of his thoughts at the question he had long feared.
"Why aren't you there? I haven't exactly pushed you away, nor have you really been all that introverted about how you feel.....about me." she said, not even believing her own words. 'Did I just say what I think I did?'
Right then, the memory of what Lex had told Clark the week before popped up. He remembered telling Lex about how he was determined to go for it, and all his friend could do is clap a hand on his shoulder and tell him. "It's not easy telling the person you love how you feel. I've made multibillion dollar deals that would probably be easier to make for you than this. However, you also have to realize when you bet on love, you can't play to get ahead; you play to win. It's all or nothing, and you have to be willing to take that risk if you even expect a chance at survival."
'Yea, no pressure. Thanks, Lex.' he thought to himself.
"Clark...? Hello?" Lana asked, looking up at his face.
"Lana..." he sighed. "I know I am not always the most open person in the world, and at times it will seem like I have shut you out; however, you are right. I haven't been honest about the most important thing to me, and...." he gulped, and finally moved a little closer. "I should. I just never really knew how to say it. I've rehearsed this a thousand times in my loft, and probably ten times that in my head. I actually had most of it planned out, and was ready for all of it, but..."
"But what, Clark?" she asked, moving closer. He was so close, she could smell the sweet scent of his cologne. "Please don't close up on me now."
"But....life never really works out that. Sometimes you miss your chance, sometimes you're too afraid to take them. Sometimes you just have to take it." he said, mentally noting the smell of her. 'Jasmines......God, is anything on this woman flawed?'
She gulped, trying to contain her anticipation. "And what chance is that?"
"The chance of a lifetime. The risk of losing the one person in your life that gives you the strength to continue. I don't want to lose that......I don't want to lose you, Lana." he said. 'There it is....and now, we wait.' he thought to himself.
He didn't have to wait long. Within five seconds of finishing the sentence, Lana pulled his head down, pressing his lips to hers. Immediately, they wrapped their arms around each other, and began kissing each other with growing intensity. Clark couldn't believe it. There he was, not even twelve hours ago, on the verge of having blown out his facade by Lana Lang, and now he's here, enjoying a literal 'roll in the hay'. Truly, this was an interesting day.
After a very long make-out session, he finally opened his eyes and looked at her. "God, you're so beautiful." he thought out loud, tracing a finger along her jawline. Not that he could help it. "But you just had to kiss me first, huh? I can't ask you out first, I can't bring up my own feelings first, I could have at least been granted this one."
Lana laughed at him, adding, "Well, do you regret me kissing you?"
"Are you kidding? Of course not." he said, giving her a quick kiss. "I just wish I could have done it first."
"Men. Always have to be first at everything." she replied, playfully hitting him on the arm.
"You know, Lana...." he stopped suddenly, his head jerking up.
"What is it?" Lana asked, noticing him tense up.
"Someone's coming." he said, standing up and walking over to the entrance to the stables.
A faded blue truck came barreling up the road towards them, and they could both recognize it easily as the Kents' truck. Seeing the speed which it was coming, he ran towards it, fear gripping his stomach. As he neared, the truck slowed, and Mrs. Kent's head popped out of the window.
"Mom, what's wrong?" he asked.
"Clark, Lana, come quick. Your father's in the hospital. He was attacked out in the fields." she said, tears streaming down her face.
'No, not now. Please, God. Not now.' he thought, looking over as he knew Lana was thinking the same thing.
"How bad is it? What happened?" Lana asked.
"I'm not sure what happened. I called him in for dinner, and after an hour, I went out and looked for him, and I found him in one of the pastures.....he was bleeding, and....oh, Clark...." she said, breaking down into uncontrollable sobs.
"Mom...." he quickly came to her, and wrapped his arms around her, offering her the best comfort he could think of, but he couldn't afford much, as he himself was beginning to cry.
Lana moved over and put her arms around them both, trying to hold both of their composure's together by sheer will alone, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't. She looked up at Clark, and with one look, she knew why. It was an echo of her own thoughts.
Why Now?
Here's where it's gonna start getting interesting, too. :P Tune in tomorrow, and you'll find out just what happened....for the most part.
Spyro - You rock, you know it. My first reviewer on here. Glad to know it's a fellow Sweeter. see ya on the MB. (most of the time, I upload there first, just 2 let ya kno.)
sheree - thank you for the lovely comment! you rock, too. hehe
A - I hope that will meet your Clana fix for now, I'll be trying to put some more later.
love you all, keep reviewing!
Crise
Oh, and P.S., I had to throw the jasmine thing in there. I'm a sucker for the smell. :)
Chapter 3
Jasmines and Sunset 'Hayrides'
'Mama?'
'Yes, Clark?'
'Um...I want Lana for Christmas.......'
Clark couldn't help but laugh at the memory of that. It had seemed so innocent at the time; yet, not a day had passed since then that his mother had not failed to mention this to him time and time again.
'It was just so cute, how can I forget a moment like that?' she would always tell him. 'Or even more so, how can I let you forget it?'
"And of course, I remember not long after that, a certain Mr. Peter Ross came by and took you away from me." Lana said, letting out a little more than she meant to. Noticing Lana blushing profusely, Clark decided to move in and strike.
"Took me away? How so? It's not like I never saw you, Lana," he said, smiling at the deeper crimson her cheeks turned, and relishing the fact the roles were now completely reversed. He liked this shy Lana. "Actually, I thought it was what you wanted. You always called me names and tattled on anything Pete and I did."
At this, Lana smiled, knowing full well how to turn the tables back in her favor. "Like the time 'someone' filled Mrs. Wellman's desk with crickets and god knows what else on the last day of fifth grade?"
Immediately, Clark threw his hands up in defense. "Hey, that was Pete's idea. If he hadn't done it, anyone else in that class would have. Everyone hated her."
"Well, regardless, you had it coming. That's just what girls do at that age to cute boys," she replied, mentally notching the points back in her favor as he suddenly blushed deep enough to resemble the apple tree next to him.
It got quiet between the two not long after that. They made it to the stables, and Clark managed to round up the horses in only the strange way Clark could. After a small thank you by her, the conversation all but died between them. Here they were, all alone for miles amidst a beautiful sunset, and he couldn't even look her way. She was on the verge of just reaching around and smacking the crap out of him for not capitalizing on that moment, when he suddenly spoke up. "Lana....." he said, looking up towards her, his voice somewhat quivering.
"Yes, Clark?" she answered. Sensing the nervousness in his voice, she stopped.
"Um.....you probably wouldn't want to, but I was wondering if.....well, maybe you might want to....that is, you don't have to..." he stammered. 'Dammit, this was so much easier five minutes ago in my head.'
She giggled at his discomfort. She knew full well what he was trying to do; he had been doing this for the past two weeks. The Smallville Annual Fall Festival & Carnival was tomorrow, and he had been working up the courage to ask her to go with him
for weeks now. Pete was a good friend to Clark, but he never failed to mention to her how badly Clark had wanted to go with her. However, at the present rate he was going, she was more likely to see cows fly than have him finish his sentence.
"You see, Lana, the Festival's coming, and....um..." he stuttered out.
'Okay, he's trying, I'll give him that,' she thought amusedly. "You want to me to go with you, Clark?" she finished, knowing full well he'd shy up on that note. Then an idea struck. "Well, the answer is no."
Seeing the look of utter rejection upon his face, she smiled at him, and grabbed his hand. "I won't go with you, but you can be my date," she said, trying her hardest not to laugh as he went from Mopey Clark to Ecstatic Clark in less than a sigh.
"That was so uncool. I was ready to peg you for just jumping ship on me for a second there." he said, looking down at her hand in his. God knows he had waited for moments like this so long, but is this it? What if she pushes him away?
"I'd never leave, you know that. You may not exactly hold the best track record for being there when I want you, but you're always there for me when I need you." she said softly. It was so true, too. She couldn't even count on two hands how many times he had stood her up, or just simply left her somewhere to go and do God knows what. Yet, she knew he always had good reason, even though he wouldn't (or couldn't, as he says) tell her. Add in the countless number of times he had mysteriously been there to save her from some of the situations she's been in, and it's just makes the enigma of Clark Kent not only that much more mysterious, but intriguing, as well.
"Lana, I want to always be there, I do." he said, taking both of her hands while he looked down into her eyes. God, she was so close. All he had to do was move not even a foot down, and...
"Then why aren't you?"
"W-What?" he stammered, suddenly jerked out of his thoughts at the question he had long feared.
"Why aren't you there? I haven't exactly pushed you away, nor have you really been all that introverted about how you feel.....about me." she said, not even believing her own words. 'Did I just say what I think I did?'
Right then, the memory of what Lex had told Clark the week before popped up. He remembered telling Lex about how he was determined to go for it, and all his friend could do is clap a hand on his shoulder and tell him. "It's not easy telling the person you love how you feel. I've made multibillion dollar deals that would probably be easier to make for you than this. However, you also have to realize when you bet on love, you can't play to get ahead; you play to win. It's all or nothing, and you have to be willing to take that risk if you even expect a chance at survival."
'Yea, no pressure. Thanks, Lex.' he thought to himself.
"Clark...? Hello?" Lana asked, looking up at his face.
"Lana..." he sighed. "I know I am not always the most open person in the world, and at times it will seem like I have shut you out; however, you are right. I haven't been honest about the most important thing to me, and...." he gulped, and finally moved a little closer. "I should. I just never really knew how to say it. I've rehearsed this a thousand times in my loft, and probably ten times that in my head. I actually had most of it planned out, and was ready for all of it, but..."
"But what, Clark?" she asked, moving closer. He was so close, she could smell the sweet scent of his cologne. "Please don't close up on me now."
"But....life never really works out that. Sometimes you miss your chance, sometimes you're too afraid to take them. Sometimes you just have to take it." he said, mentally noting the smell of her. 'Jasmines......God, is anything on this woman flawed?'
She gulped, trying to contain her anticipation. "And what chance is that?"
"The chance of a lifetime. The risk of losing the one person in your life that gives you the strength to continue. I don't want to lose that......I don't want to lose you, Lana." he said. 'There it is....and now, we wait.' he thought to himself.
He didn't have to wait long. Within five seconds of finishing the sentence, Lana pulled his head down, pressing his lips to hers. Immediately, they wrapped their arms around each other, and began kissing each other with growing intensity. Clark couldn't believe it. There he was, not even twelve hours ago, on the verge of having blown out his facade by Lana Lang, and now he's here, enjoying a literal 'roll in the hay'. Truly, this was an interesting day.
After a very long make-out session, he finally opened his eyes and looked at her. "God, you're so beautiful." he thought out loud, tracing a finger along her jawline. Not that he could help it. "But you just had to kiss me first, huh? I can't ask you out first, I can't bring up my own feelings first, I could have at least been granted this one."
Lana laughed at him, adding, "Well, do you regret me kissing you?"
"Are you kidding? Of course not." he said, giving her a quick kiss. "I just wish I could have done it first."
"Men. Always have to be first at everything." she replied, playfully hitting him on the arm.
"You know, Lana...." he stopped suddenly, his head jerking up.
"What is it?" Lana asked, noticing him tense up.
"Someone's coming." he said, standing up and walking over to the entrance to the stables.
A faded blue truck came barreling up the road towards them, and they could both recognize it easily as the Kents' truck. Seeing the speed which it was coming, he ran towards it, fear gripping his stomach. As he neared, the truck slowed, and Mrs. Kent's head popped out of the window.
"Mom, what's wrong?" he asked.
"Clark, Lana, come quick. Your father's in the hospital. He was attacked out in the fields." she said, tears streaming down her face.
'No, not now. Please, God. Not now.' he thought, looking over as he knew Lana was thinking the same thing.
"How bad is it? What happened?" Lana asked.
"I'm not sure what happened. I called him in for dinner, and after an hour, I went out and looked for him, and I found him in one of the pastures.....he was bleeding, and....oh, Clark...." she said, breaking down into uncontrollable sobs.
"Mom...." he quickly came to her, and wrapped his arms around her, offering her the best comfort he could think of, but he couldn't afford much, as he himself was beginning to cry.
Lana moved over and put her arms around them both, trying to hold both of their composure's together by sheer will alone, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't. She looked up at Clark, and with one look, she knew why. It was an echo of her own thoughts.
Why Now?
Here's where it's gonna start getting interesting, too. :P Tune in tomorrow, and you'll find out just what happened....for the most part.
Spyro - You rock, you know it. My first reviewer on here. Glad to know it's a fellow Sweeter. see ya on the MB. (most of the time, I upload there first, just 2 let ya kno.)
sheree - thank you for the lovely comment! you rock, too. hehe
A - I hope that will meet your Clana fix for now, I'll be trying to put some more later.
love you all, keep reviewing!
Crise