Clark stopped just before the steps leading up to Smallville High, staring up at the structure. Another first in his life, he wasn't feeling the least bit hesitant about stepping inside. Exposing himself to all of those people. Clark didn't finish that exam yesterday, he would have to please with his teacher in order to retake the test. He hadn't started on that article had had promised Chloe two days ago. He hadn't even written that essay yet, and it was due this morning.
But all of that didn't matter. At least, not as importent as it was to him before. Those things seemed more trivial now for some reason.
"Could it be?" asked Lana, appearing behind Clark.
Clark turned around to face Lana, smiling. "Hey Lana. Could it be what?"
Lana smiled back. "Could it be that the infamous Clark Kent arrived at school on time."
Kent laughed, walking with Lana up the steps and into the school. "So, how have you been?"
"I've been good, but I hear you've been better." she said, with a michievous grin.
"Huh?"
"Alex had been telling Chloe everything, Chloe was telling me everything. And I hear from Pete that you did the Tango?" she said, laughing.
"I'm just full of surprises." replied Clark as he opened his locker, still looking at Lana from the corner of his eye. He realized he still felt a strong attractyion for her, but it was nothing compared to what he felt for Alexandra.
"I guess so. So, what is she like?"
Clark turned to her. "She's very smart, very straight to the point." he said. What he meant to say was that she didn't tiptoe around her feelings and about her wants, she expressed them. Clark found that he liked that kind of directness. It took a lot more courage than Clark could ever hope to have, at least that's what he thought.
"I suppose so. Chloe says that Alex hasn't had very much sucess with guys, I guess she just needed the right kind."
"Clark!"
Both Lana and Clark looked down the crowded hallway, seeing Alex waving at the two of them.
Alex ran up to the pair. "Hey Lana!" she said joyously before turning the Clark. She gave Kent a peck on the cheek. "Hey Clark. Are we still on for tonight?"
Clark nodded. "Yep."
"Going on a date?" asked Lana.
"Yep. Clark is going to introduce me to his parents."
'Kind of quick?' thought Lana. Taking a closer look, she saw that Clark had his arm around Alex's back, and she likewise. 'They did just meet in the Talon, right?' she thought. "Well, I'd better get to class. I've see you two lovebirds later."
"She's suspicious." said Alex once Lana got out of earshot.
Clark turned to her, closing his locker with a look of amusment. "You always dig into people's thoughts?"
"Of course not." she replied, overdramatizing a hurt look. "Her eyes flickered to the left twice, and she blinked unnaturally when she said date."
"So you have super psycological instinct?" Clark asked, chuckling.
"No, not quite. When I was a kid I couldn't 'turn off' my... ability. After a while you just notice patterns you've never noticed before." she explained, starting to walk down the hallway. "For instance you cleared your throat three times during that conversation."
Clark cleared his throat again. "So what does that mean?"
Alex stepped so she could look at Clark, intimatly. "Chloe told me about your feelings for Lana before she knew about you and I." she said, with a large lack of resentment Clark would expect. "You don't have to hide it Clark. I have no problem with that, or you guys being around each other, just promise you won't betray me."
Clark paused. "Alex, I would never do that."
That was enough. Mercer smiled. "Allright, thank you. Now, I need to get to class. I guess I'll talk to you later?"
"Yep. Look for me at the cafeteria." Kent said, turning for English class.
Kent entered english class, sitting near the back of the class as usual. Clark had found that he didn't have any sort of flare for this class, making subtle connections in writing that were written centuries ago wasn't one of Kent's forts. Clark looked around, seeing everyone else with a completed four-page essay on the writings of David Harmlick. Kent looked down at four blank sheets of paper.
The bell rung, and the teacher started walking around, collecting the essays. She got to the front of Clark's row, and in a matter of seconds she would reprimand Clark and give him a zero. Suddenly it hit Clark...
Kent looked around the room, seeing everyone frozen. A paper airplane was hung in midair, flying toward the front of the class. Kent looked down at his paper, with everything else around him still. He grabbed a pen.
Mrs. Williams walked down the row, collecting sheets. "Clark, I hope you actually decided to finish this essay." she said as she was two persons away from Clark. She reached Kent, who was handing her a completely four-page essay. "Ah, I'm proud Clark. You might just turn your mark around if you keep these work habits up."
Clark smiled, looking out the window. He didn't notice the teacher starting class, his thoughts were occupied with Alexandra. Alexandra... wasn't that such a beutiful name? Clark thought so.
"Clark, are you paying attention?"
Kent blinked, looking up at the teacher. "Yes?" asked Clark. "I'm sorry. I was paying attention."
Mrs. Williams smiled. "Then why were you apologizing?"
"I... uh... didn't hear the question. Could you lease repeat it? I don't have very good hearing."
The whole class laughed at Clark.
Mrs. Williams sighed. "I said, based on our discussion, please elaborate on David Harmlick's interpretation of the emotion of love and tell the class what you think about it."
Kent froze. He hadn't been listening to the discussion, he hadn't even read the designated reading, only what he needed for the essay. How was he going to get out of this? "I'm sorry, I can't. I don't agree with it."
"Oh?" asked Mrs. Williams, suddenly interested. "Then tell me your intepretation." she said.
Clark glanced around the room, seeing people looking at him, wondering what he would do next. They all probably had guessed Clark had no idea what he was talking about. Suddenly a calm fell over him as he thought of Alex... he had only known her for a day, really known her, but was this was more than infatuation. More than love at first sight. "Love..." started Clark, "isn't something you give and take, like Mr. Harmlick states."
"Please elaborate." said Mrs. Williams, leaning against her desk.
Clark cleared his throat. "You may show someone you love them by holding them, or things bit a more personal. But that itself isn't love, that's displaying it. I think love is an extension of trust. When you really love someone, they've shown themself to you and you accept that, you like them in their entirty. And it's the same with them for you. You're bonded with them. Two people in love... they become emotionally dependant on one another until the very thought of not being around them frieghtens each. In essense they are one."
Mrs. Williams smiled. "That's very insightful Clark. I guess you are learning something in this class... good job."
Clark smiled, leaning back in his seat, whispering "thank you"s to everyone giving him a thumbs up and mouthing "good job!"
The farmboy looked at the blackboard, on there was written homework for tonight. Clark slumped back in his chair.
Lana walked towards class quickly, fighting her way through the crowd. But suddenly there were no lights illuminating the narrow passageway, there were no people. Lana peered through the dark trying to see someone. "Hello?" she called out. Nobody responded. "Is anybody there?" she tried again. But she saw someone, down the hallway. Lana started running. But then she stopped. "Mom?" asked Lana. "You're alive?" Lana ran up to her mother, throwing her small arms around the women that was so much like the teenager. "I've missed you so much." said Lana as she rested her head on her mother's shoulder.
The mother gently pushed Lana away from her. To Lana's confusion, Mrs. Lang put her hand around Lana's neck, gripping tighter and tighter...
"Excuse me." said Joshua Palsk, wondering why the girl walking in front of him had stopped. "Excuse me..." he said, his voice more irrated. "Lana, I really need to get to class." he said, the hallways completely filled with people. There was no way to move out of the way, and other people behind Josh were now complaining. "Are you allright?"
Suddenly Lana fell to the ground, shaking uncontrollably.
"Oh my god..." muttered Josh as he knelt down besides her. "Somebody get help!" he yelled, grabbing her wrist. She was having convulsions, and she didn't have a pulse.
But all of that didn't matter. At least, not as importent as it was to him before. Those things seemed more trivial now for some reason.
"Could it be?" asked Lana, appearing behind Clark.
Clark turned around to face Lana, smiling. "Hey Lana. Could it be what?"
Lana smiled back. "Could it be that the infamous Clark Kent arrived at school on time."
Kent laughed, walking with Lana up the steps and into the school. "So, how have you been?"
"I've been good, but I hear you've been better." she said, with a michievous grin.
"Huh?"
"Alex had been telling Chloe everything, Chloe was telling me everything. And I hear from Pete that you did the Tango?" she said, laughing.
"I'm just full of surprises." replied Clark as he opened his locker, still looking at Lana from the corner of his eye. He realized he still felt a strong attractyion for her, but it was nothing compared to what he felt for Alexandra.
"I guess so. So, what is she like?"
Clark turned to her. "She's very smart, very straight to the point." he said. What he meant to say was that she didn't tiptoe around her feelings and about her wants, she expressed them. Clark found that he liked that kind of directness. It took a lot more courage than Clark could ever hope to have, at least that's what he thought.
"I suppose so. Chloe says that Alex hasn't had very much sucess with guys, I guess she just needed the right kind."
"Clark!"
Both Lana and Clark looked down the crowded hallway, seeing Alex waving at the two of them.
Alex ran up to the pair. "Hey Lana!" she said joyously before turning the Clark. She gave Kent a peck on the cheek. "Hey Clark. Are we still on for tonight?"
Clark nodded. "Yep."
"Going on a date?" asked Lana.
"Yep. Clark is going to introduce me to his parents."
'Kind of quick?' thought Lana. Taking a closer look, she saw that Clark had his arm around Alex's back, and she likewise. 'They did just meet in the Talon, right?' she thought. "Well, I'd better get to class. I've see you two lovebirds later."
"She's suspicious." said Alex once Lana got out of earshot.
Clark turned to her, closing his locker with a look of amusment. "You always dig into people's thoughts?"
"Of course not." she replied, overdramatizing a hurt look. "Her eyes flickered to the left twice, and she blinked unnaturally when she said date."
"So you have super psycological instinct?" Clark asked, chuckling.
"No, not quite. When I was a kid I couldn't 'turn off' my... ability. After a while you just notice patterns you've never noticed before." she explained, starting to walk down the hallway. "For instance you cleared your throat three times during that conversation."
Clark cleared his throat again. "So what does that mean?"
Alex stepped so she could look at Clark, intimatly. "Chloe told me about your feelings for Lana before she knew about you and I." she said, with a large lack of resentment Clark would expect. "You don't have to hide it Clark. I have no problem with that, or you guys being around each other, just promise you won't betray me."
Clark paused. "Alex, I would never do that."
That was enough. Mercer smiled. "Allright, thank you. Now, I need to get to class. I guess I'll talk to you later?"
"Yep. Look for me at the cafeteria." Kent said, turning for English class.
Kent entered english class, sitting near the back of the class as usual. Clark had found that he didn't have any sort of flare for this class, making subtle connections in writing that were written centuries ago wasn't one of Kent's forts. Clark looked around, seeing everyone else with a completed four-page essay on the writings of David Harmlick. Kent looked down at four blank sheets of paper.
The bell rung, and the teacher started walking around, collecting the essays. She got to the front of Clark's row, and in a matter of seconds she would reprimand Clark and give him a zero. Suddenly it hit Clark...
Kent looked around the room, seeing everyone frozen. A paper airplane was hung in midair, flying toward the front of the class. Kent looked down at his paper, with everything else around him still. He grabbed a pen.
Mrs. Williams walked down the row, collecting sheets. "Clark, I hope you actually decided to finish this essay." she said as she was two persons away from Clark. She reached Kent, who was handing her a completely four-page essay. "Ah, I'm proud Clark. You might just turn your mark around if you keep these work habits up."
Clark smiled, looking out the window. He didn't notice the teacher starting class, his thoughts were occupied with Alexandra. Alexandra... wasn't that such a beutiful name? Clark thought so.
"Clark, are you paying attention?"
Kent blinked, looking up at the teacher. "Yes?" asked Clark. "I'm sorry. I was paying attention."
Mrs. Williams smiled. "Then why were you apologizing?"
"I... uh... didn't hear the question. Could you lease repeat it? I don't have very good hearing."
The whole class laughed at Clark.
Mrs. Williams sighed. "I said, based on our discussion, please elaborate on David Harmlick's interpretation of the emotion of love and tell the class what you think about it."
Kent froze. He hadn't been listening to the discussion, he hadn't even read the designated reading, only what he needed for the essay. How was he going to get out of this? "I'm sorry, I can't. I don't agree with it."
"Oh?" asked Mrs. Williams, suddenly interested. "Then tell me your intepretation." she said.
Clark glanced around the room, seeing people looking at him, wondering what he would do next. They all probably had guessed Clark had no idea what he was talking about. Suddenly a calm fell over him as he thought of Alex... he had only known her for a day, really known her, but was this was more than infatuation. More than love at first sight. "Love..." started Clark, "isn't something you give and take, like Mr. Harmlick states."
"Please elaborate." said Mrs. Williams, leaning against her desk.
Clark cleared his throat. "You may show someone you love them by holding them, or things bit a more personal. But that itself isn't love, that's displaying it. I think love is an extension of trust. When you really love someone, they've shown themself to you and you accept that, you like them in their entirty. And it's the same with them for you. You're bonded with them. Two people in love... they become emotionally dependant on one another until the very thought of not being around them frieghtens each. In essense they are one."
Mrs. Williams smiled. "That's very insightful Clark. I guess you are learning something in this class... good job."
Clark smiled, leaning back in his seat, whispering "thank you"s to everyone giving him a thumbs up and mouthing "good job!"
The farmboy looked at the blackboard, on there was written homework for tonight. Clark slumped back in his chair.
Lana walked towards class quickly, fighting her way through the crowd. But suddenly there were no lights illuminating the narrow passageway, there were no people. Lana peered through the dark trying to see someone. "Hello?" she called out. Nobody responded. "Is anybody there?" she tried again. But she saw someone, down the hallway. Lana started running. But then she stopped. "Mom?" asked Lana. "You're alive?" Lana ran up to her mother, throwing her small arms around the women that was so much like the teenager. "I've missed you so much." said Lana as she rested her head on her mother's shoulder.
The mother gently pushed Lana away from her. To Lana's confusion, Mrs. Lang put her hand around Lana's neck, gripping tighter and tighter...
"Excuse me." said Joshua Palsk, wondering why the girl walking in front of him had stopped. "Excuse me..." he said, his voice more irrated. "Lana, I really need to get to class." he said, the hallways completely filled with people. There was no way to move out of the way, and other people behind Josh were now complaining. "Are you allright?"
Suddenly Lana fell to the ground, shaking uncontrollably.
"Oh my god..." muttered Josh as he knelt down besides her. "Somebody get help!" he yelled, grabbing her wrist. She was having convulsions, and she didn't have a pulse.