A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
By AllegraSee first chapter for disclaimers etc.
Thank you to my reviewers - you are lovely, super-duper people! I shall try & please :)
CHAPTER 3 : THE DRIVE HOME
Lex tried hard not to look back as the door of the Kent farmhouse closed behind him. Seeing the lights at the window, so cosy and friendly, might just bring back those pangs of regret that it was something he'd never have. Instead, he concentrated on finding the keys to his Porsche. He knew he'd put them in his coat pocket but...ah, there they were.
Sparing a second's glance towards Clark's bedroom window, he put his foot on the gas and headed towards the highway. Then, as soon as he was out of hearing range from the farm, Lex chose the loudest CD he could find and stuck it in the player. He needed something to pump him up, remind himself of what he'd told Clark once - that some people are destined to be alone. That was nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to wish away. He was happy to be Lionel Luthor's son. It got him what he wanted, most of the time. If he wanted someone to wake up to in the morning there were plenty of girls ready to be his. Did it matter what their reasons were?
Pressing his foot harder on the pedal, Lex's impassive face showed a flicker of sadness, a feeling that he had learned to be a sign of weakness. What did he have to be sorry for? Nothing, that's what. Nothing.
The young man was so intent on his thoughts that he barely noticed the wrong turn he had made back at the fork. It was only when the road began to narrow into a dirt track that Lex's attention was drawn back to where he was going. He craned his neck forward, shining his fog lights to see if there were any signs to suggest where the hell he was. His efforts were fruitless and Lex slammed his hand onto the steering wheel in anger, "Damn!" His nerves were jangling as he inwardly chastised himself for being so stupid. Luthors didn't make errors, everything they did was deliberate.
Hitting the brakes, the car swerved and the tyres screeched in protest. The millionaire tried to accelerate and head back in the direction he had come, but the wheels simply spun wet mud and leaves against the back windscreen. Another expletive left his lips and Lex got out of the car, trying vainly to avoid the deepest trenches of mud. Popping the trunk, he blindly searched for a flashlight and shone it towards the forest floor. It was as he had feared, the Porsche was stuck. Frowning in irritation, he shone the light further up the road in both directions, hoping to see some sign that he was near civilisation. He didn't recognise anything about this place.
Pulling his cell phone from his pocket, Lex swore under his breath when there was no signal. He was going to have to walk as far from the trees as possible. Looking into the sky, he could see the yellow glow of streetlights in the distance and decided that would be his best bet. The last thing he wanted to do was head back towards the Kent farm and, with the night chill drawing in, he wanted to get home as quickly as possible. Giving up on any attempts to preserve his Gucci shoes, Lex strode off into the darkness.
The paper trail between the bed and desk was steadily growing and Chloe was having trouble keeping it in check. She had been working on the Torch for a couple of years now and it was getting tough to pull out the best stories for showcasing. There was the one about Principal Kwan's death but that brought up way too many bad memories about her relationship with Justin Gaines. She chewed the end of her pen, pensively. It WAS a good story but maybe it featured a bit too much about her. Would she fall apart in the interview and end up losing out because they didn't think she was professional enough?
Flinging the pen down, Chloe rubbed her sore eyes and decided to turn her attention to her personal statement instead. It had started really well, listing all her interests and qualifications, but now she was down to writing about a word an hour. She had to make herself sound enthusiastic, motivated, quick to learn, brimming with good ideas and lots of pizzazz!
"Jeez, at this rate, I'll be lucky to make the deadline," the young journalist muttered under her breath. She couldn't remember the last time she had been this stumped for fitting words. This summer position meant a lot to her and Chloe was so afraid it would slip through her grasp because she got writer's block.
It was too late to head out to the Beanery for a coffee so she turned herself back to the task at hand, praying inspiration would hit her soon.
Lex knew Smallville was a dead end town but he hadn't banked on that being literal. Yet, the ever truthful torchlight lit up the bracken and long grass ahead of him. He had been following a track that led nowhere and now he was as far from his car as he was from the distant glow of lights. Lex tried his cell phone once more with no luck. Sighing in exasperation, he took his first step into the undergrowth.
The weeds and grass quickly gave way to small trees that gradually grew bigger and the millionaire began to wonder if he hadn't made his second mistake of the evening. His sense of direction was good but Lex hadn't exactly had a great deal of experience with cross-country treks. Taking off his long, waterlogged coat, he swore again as his foot plunged into a puddle of black mud and rain water. What would his father say if he were here to see this? There would be a sly comment about the virtues of good country living and a few historical lectures to boot. More likely, Lionel would have just told his son to watch the road more carefully.
Lex inwardly chastised himself. He should never have accepted the Kent dinner invitation. Who was he kidding? Martha could play mediator all she wanted but the truth of the matter was that Jonathan was only humouring her. He was only giving him the benefit of the doubt for Martha's sake. If she disappeared tomorrow, Lex's relationship with Mr. Kent would revert right back to the way it had started - like the aftermath of a car wreck.
The Luthor family didn't go in much for examining thoughts or motives but Lex had occasionally let his feelings about Clark Kent come to the forefront of his clinical mind. What made this high school kid worth the struggle with the Kents? Was it because beneath those clear, blue eyes there was something more sinister hiding? Clark spent so much of his time trying to do good by everyone - helping Whitney sort out his problems with Lana instead of moving in for the kill. It was as if he were trying to make atonement for a past sin, something he couldn't ever make up for. Lex had battled the demons of guilt many times himself and, with the help of his father, had always come out on top. 'There are two kinds of people in this world...', Lionel often said, '...winners and losers'. Lex knew which he wanted to be but he wasn't so sure about Clark. As the heir to the Luthor estate, the millionaire certainly wasn't looking for someone to show him the moral high ground he was missing out on, but beneath Clark Kent's do-gooding there was something to be afraid of. It was like the boy was eternally holding back. Lex was used to judging people quickly but parts of Clark simply reflected back at him. The teenager wasn't all good but he wasn't all bad either.
Lost in his thoughts, Lex missed his footing once more and fell, awkwardly twisting his ankle beneath him. Hissing in a breath, he gingerly pulled himself into a sitting position. He stifled a cry of pain as he put too much pressure on his injured ankle. It was only as he fumbled for the torch in the undergrowth that he noticed a strange floral smell, pungent and bitter. It assailed his nostrils with unwelcome vigour and Lex felt in his pockets for a tissue. Moving his arm quickly alerted him to a pain shooting from fingertips to shoulder. Looking down, he noticed small gashes from the brambles surrounding him. Some dirt had got into the sores, making them sting fiercely. Choosing to put his coat back on despite the soaked hem, Lex found the flashlight and cautiously continued on.
Lana pulled the rubber band out of her raven hair, releasing a little of the tension that had been building up in her skull for the past couple of hours. Nell usually found someone to cover the late night shift and closing up on school nights but she had been battling the flu. Lana felt it was her duty as Nell's adopted daughter to offer to do it. It was Thursday night after all, nearly the end of the week. Still, Lana was looking forward to tumbling into bed right about now.
Whitney had squeezed in an extra football practice and promised he'd swing by to help his girlfriend close up. Lana glanced at her watch. He had better show because she had already turned down the offer of a lift home from her colleague. She didn't fancy the long walk back to her aunt's house.
"Lana." With perfect timing, the blonde quarterback arrived. "I'm sorry I'm late. I got caught up back at the pitch."
Lana kissed him lightly on the lips and offered him a radiant smile. "That's okay. I've only just finished."
"Good day?" he enquired.
Lana rolled her eyes. "I just want to be home in bed. Thank goodness it's Friday tomorrow."
Whitney draped his jacket over her shoulders and put one arm around her petite waist. "You and me both. We're playing the Oklahoma Ogres on Saturday and it's an away match."
Lana paused in the act of locking the shop front. "What? You didn't tell me it was away?"
Whitney was typically unperturbed by her tone. "You never asked. We didn't have anything planned, right?"
Lana tried to hide her disbelief with a nonchalant shake of the head. "No, no, I guess not. Well, good luck." Her eyes met his and all she saw reflected there was a big football. Whitney wasn't even thinking about her. She'd always known sport came before her most of the time but occasionally Lana couldn't help remembering Lex's words to her in the coffee house. 'I just think you're with the wrong guy', he had said. Maybe he was right. But Clark? Was Clark right for her? He certainly gave her his full attention and wouldn't dream of crossing the state without so much as mentioning it. God knows, the pair had had their fair share of chances to get together, but one of them always shied away. Whitney needed her - he had told her himself, even Clark had told her. Was that why she stayed with him? Out of pity? Perhaps, but what was so wrong with that?
Lana looked up at her boyfriend's animated face, telling her the ins and outs of football practice, oblivious to her internal struggle. How could she tell him it wasn't right? She cared about him, she could help him. Clark never truly needed her. The truth was, Lana could never imagine Clark needing her around. He loved her, but then she thought she had loved Whitney once. Love comes and goes just like the love her parents had shown her before they died. Lana wanted to be needed.
Whitney's arm tightened around her waist. "Come on, I'll drive you home."
OK, THAT'S PART 3. I'VE HAD A BIG CHANGE OF HEART ABOUT THE STORYLINE BUT I MIGHT STILL INCORPORATE MY ORIGINAL IDEAS IN, TOO. SUFFICE TO SAY IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE LEX ORIENTATED EXCEPT THAT I REALLY LIKE TO GIVE A ROUNDED TOWN FEEL I.E. LETTING ALL THE REGULAR CHARACTERS HAVE THEIR LITTLE MOMENTS.
I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE STILL ENJOYING IT! HOPEFULLY, I'LL GET ANOTHER PART UP WITHIN THE NEXT 2 DAYS. THANKS FOR READING :)
