Chapter 3
Lex readjusted the tie on his tux for the seventh time. He knew it looked fine, but he was beginning to fidget, growing tired of waiting. Chloe was still getting dressed for the opera. They weren't scheduled to leave for another fifteen minutes, so technically she wasn't late, but after their fight the day before she'd been uncharacteristically silent and he was a little concerned.
Just as he was about to re-check the tie, her bedroom door opened and she came out. Lex turned quickly to greet her and promptly choked. "Does it look okay?" she asked him, mistaking his reaction. Lex nodded dumbly and allowed his eyes to rake up and down her body once before pulling himself together.
"You look great," he told her, feeling about as smooth as Clark Kent at that moment. She actually did look great. The dress was black, fine silk, and perfectly skimmed over her curves. She'd pulled her hair into an elegant twist, and had left her neck unadorned. The contrast of ample amounts of white skin against the black dress was striking.
"Oh wait," she ran back into the room and emerged with a small clutch and a pair of gloves. "I almost forgot," she flashed him a devilish grin he couldn't help but return. "I was told that opera gloves aren't just an Audrey Hepburn cliché, they are a must." She slid on the gloves, pulling them on all of the way to rest between her elbows and shoulders. "So, it's okay?"
She turned around slowly, letting him see that the dress was practically backless, yet still very classy. "It's amazing, "Lex assured her. "You look perfect."
"Good," she laughed. "I was scared I'd embarrass you. I didn't want anyone to think I was tacky."
"You've never been tacky," Lex chuckled. He gestured to the door. "Shall we?" Chloe nodded and, picking up the small clutch, made her way to the door. They took the elevator down and when the doors opened her offered his arm.
"Thank-you," she slipped her hand through his elbow and let him lead the way to the awaiting limo. Lex smiled when she greeted the driver. She was already better than the last four dated he'd had.
Limo rides didn't hold as much awe for Chloe as they once did; she'd been in Lex's limo several times already. But when they arrived at the opera house she was impressed by the large display. Apparently the show was a bigger deal than Lex had let on, because the building had several reporters standing outside of it, flashing pictures at the arriving guests.
White and blue floodlights lit the sides of the buildings and gave Chloe the feeling like she was at an awards show. Their limo pulled up behind a couple of others and waited its turn to let its passengers out on the red carpet. Lex peered out of the window and scowled at some of the more exuberant reporters.
"Paparazzi," he explained to Chloe. She frowned.
"They give the press a bad name," she was quite aware of the bitterness in her voice.
"Just smile at them and walk quickly," Lex told her. "If you don't fight them they'll usually leave you alone."
"It's always more interesting if you've got something to hide," Chloe nodded, understanding what he meant.
Once it was their turn, the driver stopped the limo in front of the carpet and two ushers stepped up to the car. One of them opened the door, holding it open for Lex. He climbed out gracefully amid several camera flashes, and offered his hand to help her out.
The sudden flurry of flashes blinded her for a second, but she immediately plastered on a smile. He offered his arm again and she slipped her hand through it, resting it on the crook of his elbow. They smiled quickly for the cameras before the second usher led them inside. Once they cleared the doorway Chloe let her smile drop.
"My cheeks hurt," she told him quietly. He smirked and continued to follow the usher up to the private boxes.
"You'll get used to it," he assured her. She wasn't sure if that would even be possible.
"It was possible," Chloe told Lana the next day. They were walking along the Champs Elysees, meeting Lex for lunch. Lana and Amy (who was listening to the story intently) had taken the day off from school to do the tourist thing with her. "By the end of the night I didn't even have to try to smile anymore, my face was practically stuck like that."
"It sounds like it was fabulous," Lana cooed dreamily.
"Were there any famous people there?" Amy asked her eagerly.
"I thought I saw Elton John," Chloe grinned. "But it just turned out to be a guy wearing rhinestones. Mostly it was just business men and politicians...I heard that the French president was there though."
"Cool," Amy told her decidedly.
"Oh this is the place," Chloe stopped them suddenly and gestured to the sign on an awning in front of a fancy looking restaurant.
"Are you sure?" Lana asked her sceptically, and Amy looked just as uncertain.
"Why do you keeping asking me that?" Chloe pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, hotel stationary with the restaurant name and the time (noon) scrawled in Lex's handwriting. She gave the paper to Lana. "I don't speak French but I can still read. Isn't this it?"
Lana's grin widened. "She's right," Lana told Amy. "This is the place." They both looked eager to go in, though Chloe didn't know why.
"We're eating here?" Amy grinned. "Lex Luthor I just put in a vote in favour of capitalism? Because, wow..."
"Okay let's go in," Chloe pulled the door open and they all walked up to where a man, presumably the host, was standing. He was decked out in a black and white suit and looked singularly unimpressed at the girl's attire.
"Bonjour Mademoiselles," he greeted them with a polite nod. Chloe looked at Lana expectantly; neither of them really knew French. Amy smiled at the man.
"Bonjour," she replied smoothly. "Nous rencontrons un ami ici."
"Nom?" the man looked down at something on his podium.
"Luthor," Amy replied smoothly, daring him to doubt her. The man nodded once and smiled politely.
"Oui Mademoiselles," he gestured for them to follow. "S'il veut- plait." Amy began to follow him and Chloe and Lana hurried along behind them. The host led them around a few decorative plants to a cozy dining area. They spotted Lex sitting at a round table in the corner, reading a menu and sipping a glass of wine. Noticing them approach, he put the menu down and stood.
"You found it," he greeted them and held Chloe's chair for her.
"They didn't believe me," Chloe grinned at him. "Thank-you." He did the same for Lana and the host held Amy's chair for her as well.
"Merci," Lex told the host once they were all seated again.
"So Amy," Chloe looked at the other blonde. "Your French is really good. Are you fluent?"
"Technically," Amy shrugged and pulled her napkin out of its ring, spreading it over her lap. "I was in French Immersion in school."
"Chloe didn't know what that meant, neither did Lana, but they both nodded politely and mimicked her actions with their napkins. Lex took a sip of water, hiding a smirk, and Chloe took that to mean that he did know what French Immersion was. Somehow that didn't surprise her.
"Doesn't everyone in Canada speak French?" Lana laughed. Chloe blinked at her a couple of times and Amy bit her lip.
"So," Lex cleared his throat slightly and chose to ignore Lana. "What did you do this morning?"
"We went to the Eiffel Tower," Chloe beamed at him, fondly remembering the dozen's on pictures she'd taken.
"Good view," Lex nodded. "I haven't been in years."
"You should have come with us," Lana pouted slightly. "We're going to the Louvre after lunch. Do you want to come?"
Lex tried not to chuckle at the expression on Chloe's face. The four of them were standing in a throng of eager tourists, trying to get a look at the Mona Lisa. Chloe grimaced again when an overzealous man beside her managed to elbow her for the third time.
Deciding they'd waited long enough, Lex began to push his way through the crowd, trusting the girls to follow. Once they were close enough to get a good view of the painting, he stopped. He hid another smirk when all three girls frowned slightly and cocked their heads to the side.
"I thought it would be..."
"Bigger?"
"Yeah..."
"More impressive?"
"Yes!"
"I guess size does matter," Chloe snarked, prompting snickers from Amy and Lex. Lana continued to stare at the painting.
"Does anyone else get the strange feeling," she leaned slightly to the left, and then to the right. "That she's watching you?"
Amy frowned and then copied her roommate's actions. "Creepy," she remarked. They spent a few more minutes looking at the Mona Lisa before the surrounding tourists got to be too much.
"Now what?" Lana asked, examining her map. "We could go see the Venus de Milo, or maybe Napoleon's Apartments."
"I haven't seen the apartments yet," Amy suggested. Lana began to pout.
"I was hoping to see the Venus de Milo," she sighed. Chloe ground her teeth slightly at the sound.
"Why don't you guys go see the Venus de Milo," Chloe suggested to Lex and Lana. "I'll go with Amy to the apartments."
"Oh no, you should see it too," Amy protested. "I have all summer to see them."
"I don't mind," Chloe assured her. "I want to see how the filthy rich lived...present company excluded." Lex smirked.
"Okay, that'll give Lex and I some time to talk," Lana nodded eagerly. Chloe bit back a clever retort, wondering for the hundredth time why she'd been so eager to see her again.
"Great," Chloe clapped her hands. "Let's go then. Meet you back in the middle in...what and hour? Under the pyramid?" Without really waiting for a response, Chloe grabbed Amy's arm and began to drag her away, eager to escape Lana's constantly fluttering eyelashes.
"Slow down," Amy laughed, stumbling slightly to keep up. "She's not going to follow."
Chloe released her arm and looked at Amy seriously. They both began to laugh.
Lex struggled with unconsciousness as Lana droned on about various things she'd noticed in France. Ridiculous phrases, such as "no one here speaks English" and "the money is weird colours" made him wish that he'd suffered some type of hearing damage. Thank god she was attractive.
Instead of a biting sarcastic remark, that would have been over her head anyways, he simply smiled supportively at her, wishing that she'd develop an original thought in that pretty head of hers. He was used to women who, even if homicidal and greedy, tended to be beautiful AND highly intelligent. He was beginning to think that maybe Lana wasn't "the girl who goes to Paris", maybe she was just "the girl who tries to be worldly before settling down with her nuclear family".
Still, a part of him had missed her, missed the attention she paid to him. Chloe wasn't as fawning as Lana was, and though he didn't need constant reassurance, it was easy on the ego for someone to look at you as if you were some kind of god.
"So, how has Chloe been doing?" Lana asked him, finally managing to grab his attention. "She says okay, but you know Chloe."
He didn't actually, but he was getting there. "She seems to be doing better," he told her confidently, leading her towards a bench in the location they were supposed to meet the others at. "I think having Pete around helped her."
Lana nodded. "He's been e-mailing me, keeping me up to date on her," she confessed, suddenly not seeming as vapid as she did a few minutes ago. "I guess I just needed to hear it from someone a little more objective than Pete. He's so head over heals for her that sometimes he only notices the good."
Lex frowned. 'Pete's in love with Chloe?' he wondered, immediately realizing that it was true. Blatantly obvious in fact.
"It's nice that you brought her here," Lana continued. "It's helped to get her mind off of things, for a while at least."
"I said I'd come," Lex told her stoically. "Things are very different now, but I still intended to keep my word."
She nodded again, getting slightly teary and obviously missing the subtext of his statement. "You always come through Lex," she told him adoringly, reminding him of his secretary. A part of him, the more arrogant part, loved that he could make Lana swoon over someone besides Clark Kent. The more logical part of him found her attentions a little nauseating.
Opting for a compromise, he gave her a smile. "My friends mean a lot to me," he told her vaguely. Being the queen of vagueness, Lana grinned hugely at him, as if he'd professed his undying love for her.
He was glad when Chloe and Amy joined them shortly after, because the speed at which Lana was fluttering her eyelashes was beginning to make him dizzy.
TBC...
A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews guys! I think this is the most I've ever had on one story before. You rock!
To crazyscientist: Sorry, I hope you're not offended. Sounds like you are and that wasn't my intention. But if you've read my previous A/N's you'll notice that I wrote that it was from my actual experience; I HAVE actually met people that asked questions like that and seemed that oblivious (Is it cold there?...Winnipeg? I thought you said you were from Canada?...Do you have McDonalds in Canada?...and my personal favourite, Do you use Euros in Canada?). I'm not saying that it's often something you'd hear, Lana's comments were only an EXTREME generalization, and of COURSE most people have seen a map and don't ask stuff like that. I would just like to point out that there are several Americans that don't know anything about North Dakota and there are TONS of Canadians that insist that there are 49 or 50 or 51 states, don't realize that New Brunswick is a province, and think that Hollywood is the capital of California. People do actually ask those questions, not most people, but some people. That's why I made Lana ask them, because she's my least favourite character and Kristen actually is Canadian.
You guys were right about the spelling mistakes, sorry. I'm going to try to be more careful about that. I should just get a beta but they slow the process down a bit (not their fault, it just takes longer), and I'm already pretty lousy with updating, so... Enjoy! And remember that this is only for entertainment it is not a comment on the society in general and it is certainly not a slight at anyone's intelligence, except maybe Lana Lang's. :0)
Oh and don't worry about Amy, she's definitely not there to move in on Lex. She's not even a Mary Sue; new characters are tricky and I just wanted everyone not to hate her. Just because Lex laughs at her jokes doesn't mean he's interested; he's just polite, and so is she. Mostly she's just there to make Lana look stupider (because honestly I don't think Lana would be able to get into a school in Paris. Does she even do art?), and for someone to keep Lex and Chloe busy when one of them is talking to Lana. My Lana is exactly how I wish she would act on the show: stupid but warm hearted, and gets out of the way after her VERY small amount of screen time. I look at her as more of a Pete character but a girl...I totally support Pete/Lana.
Lex readjusted the tie on his tux for the seventh time. He knew it looked fine, but he was beginning to fidget, growing tired of waiting. Chloe was still getting dressed for the opera. They weren't scheduled to leave for another fifteen minutes, so technically she wasn't late, but after their fight the day before she'd been uncharacteristically silent and he was a little concerned.
Just as he was about to re-check the tie, her bedroom door opened and she came out. Lex turned quickly to greet her and promptly choked. "Does it look okay?" she asked him, mistaking his reaction. Lex nodded dumbly and allowed his eyes to rake up and down her body once before pulling himself together.
"You look great," he told her, feeling about as smooth as Clark Kent at that moment. She actually did look great. The dress was black, fine silk, and perfectly skimmed over her curves. She'd pulled her hair into an elegant twist, and had left her neck unadorned. The contrast of ample amounts of white skin against the black dress was striking.
"Oh wait," she ran back into the room and emerged with a small clutch and a pair of gloves. "I almost forgot," she flashed him a devilish grin he couldn't help but return. "I was told that opera gloves aren't just an Audrey Hepburn cliché, they are a must." She slid on the gloves, pulling them on all of the way to rest between her elbows and shoulders. "So, it's okay?"
She turned around slowly, letting him see that the dress was practically backless, yet still very classy. "It's amazing, "Lex assured her. "You look perfect."
"Good," she laughed. "I was scared I'd embarrass you. I didn't want anyone to think I was tacky."
"You've never been tacky," Lex chuckled. He gestured to the door. "Shall we?" Chloe nodded and, picking up the small clutch, made her way to the door. They took the elevator down and when the doors opened her offered his arm.
"Thank-you," she slipped her hand through his elbow and let him lead the way to the awaiting limo. Lex smiled when she greeted the driver. She was already better than the last four dated he'd had.
Limo rides didn't hold as much awe for Chloe as they once did; she'd been in Lex's limo several times already. But when they arrived at the opera house she was impressed by the large display. Apparently the show was a bigger deal than Lex had let on, because the building had several reporters standing outside of it, flashing pictures at the arriving guests.
White and blue floodlights lit the sides of the buildings and gave Chloe the feeling like she was at an awards show. Their limo pulled up behind a couple of others and waited its turn to let its passengers out on the red carpet. Lex peered out of the window and scowled at some of the more exuberant reporters.
"Paparazzi," he explained to Chloe. She frowned.
"They give the press a bad name," she was quite aware of the bitterness in her voice.
"Just smile at them and walk quickly," Lex told her. "If you don't fight them they'll usually leave you alone."
"It's always more interesting if you've got something to hide," Chloe nodded, understanding what he meant.
Once it was their turn, the driver stopped the limo in front of the carpet and two ushers stepped up to the car. One of them opened the door, holding it open for Lex. He climbed out gracefully amid several camera flashes, and offered his hand to help her out.
The sudden flurry of flashes blinded her for a second, but she immediately plastered on a smile. He offered his arm again and she slipped her hand through it, resting it on the crook of his elbow. They smiled quickly for the cameras before the second usher led them inside. Once they cleared the doorway Chloe let her smile drop.
"My cheeks hurt," she told him quietly. He smirked and continued to follow the usher up to the private boxes.
"You'll get used to it," he assured her. She wasn't sure if that would even be possible.
"It was possible," Chloe told Lana the next day. They were walking along the Champs Elysees, meeting Lex for lunch. Lana and Amy (who was listening to the story intently) had taken the day off from school to do the tourist thing with her. "By the end of the night I didn't even have to try to smile anymore, my face was practically stuck like that."
"It sounds like it was fabulous," Lana cooed dreamily.
"Were there any famous people there?" Amy asked her eagerly.
"I thought I saw Elton John," Chloe grinned. "But it just turned out to be a guy wearing rhinestones. Mostly it was just business men and politicians...I heard that the French president was there though."
"Cool," Amy told her decidedly.
"Oh this is the place," Chloe stopped them suddenly and gestured to the sign on an awning in front of a fancy looking restaurant.
"Are you sure?" Lana asked her sceptically, and Amy looked just as uncertain.
"Why do you keeping asking me that?" Chloe pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, hotel stationary with the restaurant name and the time (noon) scrawled in Lex's handwriting. She gave the paper to Lana. "I don't speak French but I can still read. Isn't this it?"
Lana's grin widened. "She's right," Lana told Amy. "This is the place." They both looked eager to go in, though Chloe didn't know why.
"We're eating here?" Amy grinned. "Lex Luthor I just put in a vote in favour of capitalism? Because, wow..."
"Okay let's go in," Chloe pulled the door open and they all walked up to where a man, presumably the host, was standing. He was decked out in a black and white suit and looked singularly unimpressed at the girl's attire.
"Bonjour Mademoiselles," he greeted them with a polite nod. Chloe looked at Lana expectantly; neither of them really knew French. Amy smiled at the man.
"Bonjour," she replied smoothly. "Nous rencontrons un ami ici."
"Nom?" the man looked down at something on his podium.
"Luthor," Amy replied smoothly, daring him to doubt her. The man nodded once and smiled politely.
"Oui Mademoiselles," he gestured for them to follow. "S'il veut- plait." Amy began to follow him and Chloe and Lana hurried along behind them. The host led them around a few decorative plants to a cozy dining area. They spotted Lex sitting at a round table in the corner, reading a menu and sipping a glass of wine. Noticing them approach, he put the menu down and stood.
"You found it," he greeted them and held Chloe's chair for her.
"They didn't believe me," Chloe grinned at him. "Thank-you." He did the same for Lana and the host held Amy's chair for her as well.
"Merci," Lex told the host once they were all seated again.
"So Amy," Chloe looked at the other blonde. "Your French is really good. Are you fluent?"
"Technically," Amy shrugged and pulled her napkin out of its ring, spreading it over her lap. "I was in French Immersion in school."
"Chloe didn't know what that meant, neither did Lana, but they both nodded politely and mimicked her actions with their napkins. Lex took a sip of water, hiding a smirk, and Chloe took that to mean that he did know what French Immersion was. Somehow that didn't surprise her.
"Doesn't everyone in Canada speak French?" Lana laughed. Chloe blinked at her a couple of times and Amy bit her lip.
"So," Lex cleared his throat slightly and chose to ignore Lana. "What did you do this morning?"
"We went to the Eiffel Tower," Chloe beamed at him, fondly remembering the dozen's on pictures she'd taken.
"Good view," Lex nodded. "I haven't been in years."
"You should have come with us," Lana pouted slightly. "We're going to the Louvre after lunch. Do you want to come?"
Lex tried not to chuckle at the expression on Chloe's face. The four of them were standing in a throng of eager tourists, trying to get a look at the Mona Lisa. Chloe grimaced again when an overzealous man beside her managed to elbow her for the third time.
Deciding they'd waited long enough, Lex began to push his way through the crowd, trusting the girls to follow. Once they were close enough to get a good view of the painting, he stopped. He hid another smirk when all three girls frowned slightly and cocked their heads to the side.
"I thought it would be..."
"Bigger?"
"Yeah..."
"More impressive?"
"Yes!"
"I guess size does matter," Chloe snarked, prompting snickers from Amy and Lex. Lana continued to stare at the painting.
"Does anyone else get the strange feeling," she leaned slightly to the left, and then to the right. "That she's watching you?"
Amy frowned and then copied her roommate's actions. "Creepy," she remarked. They spent a few more minutes looking at the Mona Lisa before the surrounding tourists got to be too much.
"Now what?" Lana asked, examining her map. "We could go see the Venus de Milo, or maybe Napoleon's Apartments."
"I haven't seen the apartments yet," Amy suggested. Lana began to pout.
"I was hoping to see the Venus de Milo," she sighed. Chloe ground her teeth slightly at the sound.
"Why don't you guys go see the Venus de Milo," Chloe suggested to Lex and Lana. "I'll go with Amy to the apartments."
"Oh no, you should see it too," Amy protested. "I have all summer to see them."
"I don't mind," Chloe assured her. "I want to see how the filthy rich lived...present company excluded." Lex smirked.
"Okay, that'll give Lex and I some time to talk," Lana nodded eagerly. Chloe bit back a clever retort, wondering for the hundredth time why she'd been so eager to see her again.
"Great," Chloe clapped her hands. "Let's go then. Meet you back in the middle in...what and hour? Under the pyramid?" Without really waiting for a response, Chloe grabbed Amy's arm and began to drag her away, eager to escape Lana's constantly fluttering eyelashes.
"Slow down," Amy laughed, stumbling slightly to keep up. "She's not going to follow."
Chloe released her arm and looked at Amy seriously. They both began to laugh.
Lex struggled with unconsciousness as Lana droned on about various things she'd noticed in France. Ridiculous phrases, such as "no one here speaks English" and "the money is weird colours" made him wish that he'd suffered some type of hearing damage. Thank god she was attractive.
Instead of a biting sarcastic remark, that would have been over her head anyways, he simply smiled supportively at her, wishing that she'd develop an original thought in that pretty head of hers. He was used to women who, even if homicidal and greedy, tended to be beautiful AND highly intelligent. He was beginning to think that maybe Lana wasn't "the girl who goes to Paris", maybe she was just "the girl who tries to be worldly before settling down with her nuclear family".
Still, a part of him had missed her, missed the attention she paid to him. Chloe wasn't as fawning as Lana was, and though he didn't need constant reassurance, it was easy on the ego for someone to look at you as if you were some kind of god.
"So, how has Chloe been doing?" Lana asked him, finally managing to grab his attention. "She says okay, but you know Chloe."
He didn't actually, but he was getting there. "She seems to be doing better," he told her confidently, leading her towards a bench in the location they were supposed to meet the others at. "I think having Pete around helped her."
Lana nodded. "He's been e-mailing me, keeping me up to date on her," she confessed, suddenly not seeming as vapid as she did a few minutes ago. "I guess I just needed to hear it from someone a little more objective than Pete. He's so head over heals for her that sometimes he only notices the good."
Lex frowned. 'Pete's in love with Chloe?' he wondered, immediately realizing that it was true. Blatantly obvious in fact.
"It's nice that you brought her here," Lana continued. "It's helped to get her mind off of things, for a while at least."
"I said I'd come," Lex told her stoically. "Things are very different now, but I still intended to keep my word."
She nodded again, getting slightly teary and obviously missing the subtext of his statement. "You always come through Lex," she told him adoringly, reminding him of his secretary. A part of him, the more arrogant part, loved that he could make Lana swoon over someone besides Clark Kent. The more logical part of him found her attentions a little nauseating.
Opting for a compromise, he gave her a smile. "My friends mean a lot to me," he told her vaguely. Being the queen of vagueness, Lana grinned hugely at him, as if he'd professed his undying love for her.
He was glad when Chloe and Amy joined them shortly after, because the speed at which Lana was fluttering her eyelashes was beginning to make him dizzy.
TBC...
A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews guys! I think this is the most I've ever had on one story before. You rock!
To crazyscientist: Sorry, I hope you're not offended. Sounds like you are and that wasn't my intention. But if you've read my previous A/N's you'll notice that I wrote that it was from my actual experience; I HAVE actually met people that asked questions like that and seemed that oblivious (Is it cold there?...Winnipeg? I thought you said you were from Canada?...Do you have McDonalds in Canada?...and my personal favourite, Do you use Euros in Canada?). I'm not saying that it's often something you'd hear, Lana's comments were only an EXTREME generalization, and of COURSE most people have seen a map and don't ask stuff like that. I would just like to point out that there are several Americans that don't know anything about North Dakota and there are TONS of Canadians that insist that there are 49 or 50 or 51 states, don't realize that New Brunswick is a province, and think that Hollywood is the capital of California. People do actually ask those questions, not most people, but some people. That's why I made Lana ask them, because she's my least favourite character and Kristen actually is Canadian.
You guys were right about the spelling mistakes, sorry. I'm going to try to be more careful about that. I should just get a beta but they slow the process down a bit (not their fault, it just takes longer), and I'm already pretty lousy with updating, so... Enjoy! And remember that this is only for entertainment it is not a comment on the society in general and it is certainly not a slight at anyone's intelligence, except maybe Lana Lang's. :0)
Oh and don't worry about Amy, she's definitely not there to move in on Lex. She's not even a Mary Sue; new characters are tricky and I just wanted everyone not to hate her. Just because Lex laughs at her jokes doesn't mean he's interested; he's just polite, and so is she. Mostly she's just there to make Lana look stupider (because honestly I don't think Lana would be able to get into a school in Paris. Does she even do art?), and for someone to keep Lex and Chloe busy when one of them is talking to Lana. My Lana is exactly how I wish she would act on the show: stupid but warm hearted, and gets out of the way after her VERY small amount of screen time. I look at her as more of a Pete character but a girl...I totally support Pete/Lana.