Lana and Chloe turned around to see Clark Kent standing in the doorway a huge smile on his face. He was tall, so much so that he seemed to take up the entire space from broad shoulder to broad shoulder as his biceps peeked out from under the sleeves of his red t-shirt. One could tell the seasons by the shirts Clark Kent wore – tees during the spring and summer, flannel the rest of the year.
"Does Clark know what?" he said as he walked over to their table and sat down.
Chloe gave Lana a quick glance then stood up. "Look at the time, I've gotta go. Lana, I'll see you at home. Bye Clark," she said then rushed out the door.
"What was that about?" he asked, cocking his head in the direction Chloe had just left in.
"You know Chloe," Lana said then laughed uneasily. Apparently, Lex hasn't told him about us, she thought.
"So how are you?" he asked breathlessly, staring at her intently. She was beautiful. He'd stared at her picture everyday for the past year. Of course, pictures didn't do her justice. They didn't capture the sparkle in her eyes, the flush of her skin, or the lilting sound of her voice.
The way he looked at her made her uncomfortable, causing her to shift in her chair, but he didn't seem to notice. "Great," she said.
"I was wondering," Clark began then looked away. After a few seconds, he looked back up at her. "I was wondering," he said again then cleared his throat, "if you'd like to go out with me sometime," he finished then smiled.
He'd come by the airport to see her off but hadn't had the nerve to approach her. Though he had promised to ride with her to the airport, his unpredictable and chaotic life had gotten in the way. Again. At the time, he didn't think he could stomach her disappointment. So, he'd watched as Lex said goodbye to her instead. Well, he'd been kicking himself ever since. In fact, he'd spent the past year going over every aspect of their relationship. He knew without a doubt that she was the one for him. And, he'd vowed that once she returned, he'd do everything in his power to convince her of that too.
"I don't know what to say," Lana said. And she didn't. She didn't want to hurt him, but she was dating Lex now.
"Say yes," he said eagerly.
Lana scanned the room to buy time. In one corner, she saw a couple of college students bent over books talking excitedly, in another, was a mother with her three-year-old son.
Please God, give me strength to tell him, she prayed. "Clark, I'm seeing someone," she said in a rush.
Her words cut like a knife. "Someone you met in Paris?" he asked. It had crossed his mind that she may meet someone new in France but now that he'd been confronted with that reality, it was still hard to swallow.
"In a manner of speaking."
"Meaning?" he asked. "You once asked me to be honest with you, now I am asking the same of you."
Damn, Lana thought, he has me there. "It's Lex."
"What about Lex?"
"He's the guy I'm dating."
The dagger in his heart twisted again. Lex? Lex was dating Lana! But, but, but, he thought. How? When? Why? "I don't understand," he said.
Lana could see the pain etched on his face. She hadn't wanted to hurt him. But how could she preach honesty if she wasn't willing to practice it herself? "He came to Paris on business a few times …," she began then trailed off.
"I should go," he said suddenly, as if in a daze.
"Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not," he said rising. He then turned and walked out the door.
Five minutes later, Clark Kent stood in front of Luthor mansion. After ringing the bell and waiting a few minutes, the housekeeper let him in and immediately showed him to Lex's study, having recognized him from previous visits.
"Clark, what a nice surprise," Lex said looking up from Luthor Corp's quarterly earnings report. He sat behind an impressive, ornately carved mahogany desk, the top of which was piled high with file folders and paper.
"Why didn't you tell me about you and Lana?"
Lex's heart stopped. He knew that this day would come, but that didn't make it any easier. "I meant to tell you."
"I've visited you almost every day for the past year. Yet, you never foundthe time to tell me. How could you betray me like this? You know how I feel about her."
Lex sighed. He did know, but now he felt the same way about her too. There was something about Lana that drew him in. After some reflection, he'd reasoned that it was probably her innocence. She wasn't out to get something from him like everyone else in his life. Besides, he could be strong for her, her knight in shining armor, instead of the bald freak the kids used to pick on in boarding school. She looked up to and needed him, and that made him feel powerful and strong, more than besting his father or his enemies ever did.
"Clark, Lana and I just happened."
"You could have any woman you wanted, why did you have to pursue the only one I love?"
"Try to understand," Lex said as he stood and took a step toward Clark.
"Stay away from me. It's taking all the strength I have not to smash your face in."
"Can we talk about this?"
"No," Clark said turning and walking toward the study's black wooden double doors. He stopped and turned to face Lex. "Everyone told me not to trust you, they were right. We're no longer friends," he said then walked out of the room.
Lex stood for a moment staring at the double doors then he walked over to his black leather couch and plopped down. He cared deeply for Lana. But Clark was his best friend, his only real friend. Clark had literally saved his life on more than one occasion. Didn't he owe him a debt? And if that debt was to leave Lana alone, shouldn't he be willing to pay it?
But in the end, whom did he owe the most allegiance to – himself, Lana, or Clark?