Chapter Two
"Lois Lane," Clark said to Lex at the Luthor mansion the next day. "She's twenty and just received her masters from Metropolis U. She's majoring in business journalism."
"Her masters? At twenty?" came Lex's response.
"Yeah, she graduated high school at sixteen. High school wasn't exactly wonderful for her, so she figured what the hell. The fact that her dad was pushing didn't help matters. Anyway, she said that she took extra courses each semester and even during the summer."
Lex chuckled. He could definitely relate to nearly everything Lois had been through.
"So, what is it, spring break right now or is she skipping?"
"Spring break. She said she'd been working on the first year of her doctorate but she needed a break. This is the first time she's been out of the city in five years," Clark replied.
"So what do you think of her?" Lex asked.
Clark shrugged. "She seems really nice; not a snobby city girl by any means. And she's definitely attractive."
"I feel a 'but' coming on."
"Well, its just...I don't know." Clark struggled for the right words. "She just seems like she doesn't ever have any fun. I don't know how anyone could live like that. I mean she doesn't travel. And she studies all the time. A complete over-achiever, that Lois Lane."
Lex didn't respond right away. "Nothing bad can be said about the straight and narrow, Clark," he said.
"What would you know about the straight and narrow?" Clark said with a laugh.
Lex joined in on the laughter. 'Nothing much,' he thought.
~*~
"Lana, this place is beautiful!" Lois gushed as Lana and Chloe gave her the tour of The Talon. "How long has it been open?"
"Thanks," Lana said with a smile. "Its been going almost two years now."
"Well I'm impressed. Excellent job."
"Thank you," Lana said modestly. "But I could not have done it with out Lex Luthor's help."
"Luthor?"
"Yeah. Do you know him?" Lana asked.
"Is he Lionel Luthor's son?"
"Yeah."
"I've never met him, but I know of Lionel," Lois said.
Lana nodded knowingly. "He's pretty...well known"
There was an awkward silence before a voice behind Lois and Lana said, "Hey you guys! Look who stopped by!"
Lois and Lana turned around to see Chloe standing with Clark and Lex.
"Hey Clark," Lana said. "And Lex. We were just talking about you."
Lex's eyebrows raised and he opened his mouth to reply but Chloe said, "Lois, this is Lex Luthor. Lex, this is my cousin Lois Lane."
"Miss Lane, it is a pleasure to meet you," Lex said, extending his hand. "Welcome to Smallville."
Keeping eye contact, Lois took his hand and replied, "Thank you. And call me Lois."
"Lois," Lex repeated, a slight smile on his lips. His eyes turned to Lana. "I hope Lana wasn't making up dirty lies about me."
Lois laughed, loosening a bit.
Lex couldn't help but smile. "So I hear you're into business journalism. That's great. That was one of my interests in college."
Lois and Lex fell into a conversation full of big words that the high schoolers present could barely make out let alone understand.
~*~
"Well, that was interesting, don't you think?" Chloe said to Lana that night as they prepared for bed.
"What?" Lana questioned as she folded her shirt.
"Lois and Lex."
Lana let the shirt drop. "I thought I was dreaming. I mean, it hasn't been that long since.you know, Helen, and I thought maybe I was seeing things. At least I'm not crazy!"
"Well, I wouldn't go that far..."
Lana tossed the shirt at Chloe.
Chloe laughed. "Yeah I thought there was definitely something going on," she said. "But when I...casually asked Lois about it--"
"You asked her? Do you really think she'd tell you?"
"You don't know Lois. She's the most honest, sincere person alive. She's incapable of being mean or lying," Chloe said.
"And let me guess, she said there's 'nothing' there."
"Well, that's what she said. And I believe her." Lana was about to interrupt but Chloe continued with a strong, "But--and there is a but. But, I can't honestly say there was nothing...for him!"
Lana's eyes widened and she nodded knowingly.
"There's a big reason I say this, you know," Chloe went on.
"What's that?"
Chloe smiled slyly and said, "He wants to see her for lunch tomorrow."
Lana stared at her in disbelief. "He's quick."
"'Business talk,' he said," Chloe stated skeptically.
Lana grinned knowingly.
~*~
It was about 12:45 the next afternoon when Lois arrived at the Luthor mansion and was escorted to Lex's office.
They enjoyed a light lunch and then Lex got down to business.
"The reason I asked you here is because I want to offer you a job. Here. At Lex Corp." Lex said.
Lois stared at the bald-headed man. "A-a job. Here? Wow, I don't know what to say--"
"I didn't explain myself very well," Lex interjected. "I'm sorry about that. Will you hear me out?"
Lois smiled and nodded for him to continue.
"After talking to you yesterday, I could tell that you were extremely intelligent and that we, here, could use a mind like yours. And we are in desperate need of a PR reporter. That's why Luthor Corp gets such a bad rap sometimes; because there is no one to explain the truth." He paused. "I think--I know--you're the right one for the job, Lois."
Lois didn't reply right away, trying to take it all in. "That is a very generous offer, Mr. Luthor--"
"Lex."
"Lex," Lois said. "And lord knows it's tempting, but, you seem to have forgotten that I'm in school. I could use a break, but my dad.I'm just not sure." she trailed off.
"If you're ever going to be ready for the workplace, you're going to need some experience, your dad has to know that. It can be an internship for you to get the needed training," Lex petitioned. "I'll take care of everything. I'll call Met U and arrange for your sabbatical."
Lois looked at Lex in disbelief.
"So what do you say?"
~*~
"He offered you a job?" Chloe asked that evening as she, Clark, Lana, and Lois sat in The Talon.
Lois nodded.
"And you accepted, right?" Chloe said.
"There was no way I could refuse. I mean, this is an amazing opportunity for me," Lois said. "And Lex said he would even work it out with Met U. It was a perfect offer."
Lana and Chloe exchanged discreet glances.
"That's great, Lois!" Lana said. "So you'll be in town for awhile, then?"
"It looks that way," Lois replied. "Which is why I think I should look for a place in town somewhere--"
"No way." Chloe cut her off. "You can stay with us as long as you're here."
"Thanks, Chloe, but I if I do, I insist to room with you so Lana can have her room back," Lois offered.
Lana shook her head. "Forget about it, Lo, you can have the room as long as you want."
'Lo?' Clark thought. 'Now Lana's even closer to Chloe's cousin than to me.' He had been quiet most of the night, but after Lana used a nickname for Lois, he suddenly found his voice.
"Well, I think I'm going to call it a night," he said, stretching and moving to stand up.
"It's 8:30," came Chloe's puzzled response.
"Yeah, well, I just feel like heading home. Congratulations Lois. 'Night all."
Everyone mumbled their goodnights and all the while Clark's eyes never left Lana's.
~*~
"You were pretty quiet last night."
Clark turned from his seat in his loft to see Lana standing on the steps. A quiet smile danced on her perfect lips.
"I could say the same about you." Clark paused. "For awhile now."
Lana bit her bottom lip. It was a situation she was trying to ignore. It was unfair to call Clark Kent a 'situation.' It was a lie to say that she could ignore him.
"Clark," she began hesitantly. "This isn't easy for either of us. But I am trying to move on the best way I know how."
"Yeah, acting like we're not even friends."
"Clark, this isn't easy for either of us. But I have to do something to get on with my life. Distancing myself from you seemed like the only way," Lana explained. "I'm not saying we can never be close again, but for now I think the less we see of each other the better."
That ranked pretty high on Clark's list of blows to the heart.
And they all came from Lana Lang.
"Lois Lane," Clark said to Lex at the Luthor mansion the next day. "She's twenty and just received her masters from Metropolis U. She's majoring in business journalism."
"Her masters? At twenty?" came Lex's response.
"Yeah, she graduated high school at sixteen. High school wasn't exactly wonderful for her, so she figured what the hell. The fact that her dad was pushing didn't help matters. Anyway, she said that she took extra courses each semester and even during the summer."
Lex chuckled. He could definitely relate to nearly everything Lois had been through.
"So, what is it, spring break right now or is she skipping?"
"Spring break. She said she'd been working on the first year of her doctorate but she needed a break. This is the first time she's been out of the city in five years," Clark replied.
"So what do you think of her?" Lex asked.
Clark shrugged. "She seems really nice; not a snobby city girl by any means. And she's definitely attractive."
"I feel a 'but' coming on."
"Well, its just...I don't know." Clark struggled for the right words. "She just seems like she doesn't ever have any fun. I don't know how anyone could live like that. I mean she doesn't travel. And she studies all the time. A complete over-achiever, that Lois Lane."
Lex didn't respond right away. "Nothing bad can be said about the straight and narrow, Clark," he said.
"What would you know about the straight and narrow?" Clark said with a laugh.
Lex joined in on the laughter. 'Nothing much,' he thought.
~*~
"Lana, this place is beautiful!" Lois gushed as Lana and Chloe gave her the tour of The Talon. "How long has it been open?"
"Thanks," Lana said with a smile. "Its been going almost two years now."
"Well I'm impressed. Excellent job."
"Thank you," Lana said modestly. "But I could not have done it with out Lex Luthor's help."
"Luthor?"
"Yeah. Do you know him?" Lana asked.
"Is he Lionel Luthor's son?"
"Yeah."
"I've never met him, but I know of Lionel," Lois said.
Lana nodded knowingly. "He's pretty...well known"
There was an awkward silence before a voice behind Lois and Lana said, "Hey you guys! Look who stopped by!"
Lois and Lana turned around to see Chloe standing with Clark and Lex.
"Hey Clark," Lana said. "And Lex. We were just talking about you."
Lex's eyebrows raised and he opened his mouth to reply but Chloe said, "Lois, this is Lex Luthor. Lex, this is my cousin Lois Lane."
"Miss Lane, it is a pleasure to meet you," Lex said, extending his hand. "Welcome to Smallville."
Keeping eye contact, Lois took his hand and replied, "Thank you. And call me Lois."
"Lois," Lex repeated, a slight smile on his lips. His eyes turned to Lana. "I hope Lana wasn't making up dirty lies about me."
Lois laughed, loosening a bit.
Lex couldn't help but smile. "So I hear you're into business journalism. That's great. That was one of my interests in college."
Lois and Lex fell into a conversation full of big words that the high schoolers present could barely make out let alone understand.
~*~
"Well, that was interesting, don't you think?" Chloe said to Lana that night as they prepared for bed.
"What?" Lana questioned as she folded her shirt.
"Lois and Lex."
Lana let the shirt drop. "I thought I was dreaming. I mean, it hasn't been that long since.you know, Helen, and I thought maybe I was seeing things. At least I'm not crazy!"
"Well, I wouldn't go that far..."
Lana tossed the shirt at Chloe.
Chloe laughed. "Yeah I thought there was definitely something going on," she said. "But when I...casually asked Lois about it--"
"You asked her? Do you really think she'd tell you?"
"You don't know Lois. She's the most honest, sincere person alive. She's incapable of being mean or lying," Chloe said.
"And let me guess, she said there's 'nothing' there."
"Well, that's what she said. And I believe her." Lana was about to interrupt but Chloe continued with a strong, "But--and there is a but. But, I can't honestly say there was nothing...for him!"
Lana's eyes widened and she nodded knowingly.
"There's a big reason I say this, you know," Chloe went on.
"What's that?"
Chloe smiled slyly and said, "He wants to see her for lunch tomorrow."
Lana stared at her in disbelief. "He's quick."
"'Business talk,' he said," Chloe stated skeptically.
Lana grinned knowingly.
~*~
It was about 12:45 the next afternoon when Lois arrived at the Luthor mansion and was escorted to Lex's office.
They enjoyed a light lunch and then Lex got down to business.
"The reason I asked you here is because I want to offer you a job. Here. At Lex Corp." Lex said.
Lois stared at the bald-headed man. "A-a job. Here? Wow, I don't know what to say--"
"I didn't explain myself very well," Lex interjected. "I'm sorry about that. Will you hear me out?"
Lois smiled and nodded for him to continue.
"After talking to you yesterday, I could tell that you were extremely intelligent and that we, here, could use a mind like yours. And we are in desperate need of a PR reporter. That's why Luthor Corp gets such a bad rap sometimes; because there is no one to explain the truth." He paused. "I think--I know--you're the right one for the job, Lois."
Lois didn't reply right away, trying to take it all in. "That is a very generous offer, Mr. Luthor--"
"Lex."
"Lex," Lois said. "And lord knows it's tempting, but, you seem to have forgotten that I'm in school. I could use a break, but my dad.I'm just not sure." she trailed off.
"If you're ever going to be ready for the workplace, you're going to need some experience, your dad has to know that. It can be an internship for you to get the needed training," Lex petitioned. "I'll take care of everything. I'll call Met U and arrange for your sabbatical."
Lois looked at Lex in disbelief.
"So what do you say?"
~*~
"He offered you a job?" Chloe asked that evening as she, Clark, Lana, and Lois sat in The Talon.
Lois nodded.
"And you accepted, right?" Chloe said.
"There was no way I could refuse. I mean, this is an amazing opportunity for me," Lois said. "And Lex said he would even work it out with Met U. It was a perfect offer."
Lana and Chloe exchanged discreet glances.
"That's great, Lois!" Lana said. "So you'll be in town for awhile, then?"
"It looks that way," Lois replied. "Which is why I think I should look for a place in town somewhere--"
"No way." Chloe cut her off. "You can stay with us as long as you're here."
"Thanks, Chloe, but I if I do, I insist to room with you so Lana can have her room back," Lois offered.
Lana shook her head. "Forget about it, Lo, you can have the room as long as you want."
'Lo?' Clark thought. 'Now Lana's even closer to Chloe's cousin than to me.' He had been quiet most of the night, but after Lana used a nickname for Lois, he suddenly found his voice.
"Well, I think I'm going to call it a night," he said, stretching and moving to stand up.
"It's 8:30," came Chloe's puzzled response.
"Yeah, well, I just feel like heading home. Congratulations Lois. 'Night all."
Everyone mumbled their goodnights and all the while Clark's eyes never left Lana's.
~*~
"You were pretty quiet last night."
Clark turned from his seat in his loft to see Lana standing on the steps. A quiet smile danced on her perfect lips.
"I could say the same about you." Clark paused. "For awhile now."
Lana bit her bottom lip. It was a situation she was trying to ignore. It was unfair to call Clark Kent a 'situation.' It was a lie to say that she could ignore him.
"Clark," she began hesitantly. "This isn't easy for either of us. But I am trying to move on the best way I know how."
"Yeah, acting like we're not even friends."
"Clark, this isn't easy for either of us. But I have to do something to get on with my life. Distancing myself from you seemed like the only way," Lana explained. "I'm not saying we can never be close again, but for now I think the less we see of each other the better."
That ranked pretty high on Clark's list of blows to the heart.
And they all came from Lana Lang.