Author: Nymph Du Pave
Title: 21 Things
Rating: PG-1
Email Address:
Note: Pete has never discovered Clark's secret. Oh, and I spelled Morissette wrong in the first chapter.
Feedback: This story feels so weird. Do any of you guys know what it is missing?
21 Things
by Nymph Du Pave

CHAPTER TWO

"I don't get it, Pete. He's been writing in that notebook all day. And he keeps muttering to himself and scratching things off."

"Yeah, I saw him rip a whole page out earlier."

"I've never seen him so involved in something. I mean even walking from class to class he's looking through the pages. So what do you think he's up to?"

"Who knows?"

"Maybe he's writing Lana a little love letter."

Clark couldn't believe the bitterness he heard in Chloe's voice, despite the bond she and Lana now shared. She still held that over everything, the fact that Clark had always been romantically interested in the ex-cheerleader. And it wasn't like he could correct her thoughts. His friends could never know the truth about his feelings.

Pete's evil laugh followed her comment, distinguished from his other laughs only by it's shortness. "I doubt that very much, Chlo."

Confused, Clark stopped writing and looked back at Pete, 6 tables behind him and 2 to the left. Because his last name started with a "K" he'd always been separated from friends, except for Lana who used to be torture to sit near until she stopped wearing the necklace. Then she was a torture for another reason, until recently his feelings for her had dissapated.

Chloe and Pete of course had the perfect last names and always sat close if not right next to each other whenever they shared a class with seats designated by alphabetical order.

He doubts it very much? What the hell does he mean by that?

"What is that supposed to mean?" Chloe whispered, echoing Clark's thoughts and oblivious to his sudden attention.

Pete nodded to Clark as both a hello and as a warning to Chloe.

Clark turned back around before Chloe met his eyes. How would she take his loss of interest in Lana and attraction/adoration/obsession of Lex? As a complete and total oblivious attitude to her beauty and kindness? Because that wasn't the case.

"Man how does he do that?" Pete whispered. "All the time."

"Yeah, I know. It's a little freaky. Like he can hear us talking or something."

"I know. Like he's got super hearing."

Clark smiled and turned back to his list.

"21 Things I Want in A Lex Lover"

Do you derive joy when someone else I succeed?
Do you play dirty when engaged in dangerous competition?
Do you have a big intellectual capacity and know
That money alone does not equate life?
Do you see everything I try to hide?
Do you have more patience with me than most?
Are you both masculine and feminine? politically scientifically interested?
And don't believe in sharing others secrets?

It looked horrible to him. He ripped out another page and balled it up, tossing it into the waste basket next to him. He looked flipped back to his list of things he liked about Lex. There were much more than 21 items.

There was something wrong with the song, but he couldn't place his finger on it. Just something he wasn't thinking of.

The bell rang and the class began to disperse. Clark grabbed his stuff and tried to slip out before his friends could catch up with him.

"Hey, Clark."

He turned around, ready with an excuse about needing to get the to the bathroom right then, when he met Chloe's eyes. Because she was shorter than him she looked too damn cute, looking up at him, eyes a little wider and sadder than usual, hair kept out of her beautiful face.

Damn it, Chloe.

"Yeah?"

She started to walk along the hall, towards both of their next classes. "What's this new project?"

"New project?"

"Yeah. Whatever the thing in your notebook is. I've seen you writing in it all day."

"Oh, that..." He thought for a minute. He could tell her the partial truth because that sounded better than full out lying. But he didn't want her to think it was about Lana. At the same time he didn't want her to think it was about her or know it was about Lex.

"A couple of things. I am making a list and-"

"Checking it twice?"

"And writing a song."

"What kind of list is it?"

"A list of things."

Chloe stopped short and looked up at him with her dark 'big duh there, Kent' eyes. Chloe's words could sear when she wanted them to, but her looks could always make any man stutter.

"Okay, okay. A list of things, you know, that I like."

"You mean like cheese and puppies and stuff?"

"Sort of."

"And the song?"

"Is about that list."

He saw her trying to hold back a laugh. "You're making a song using a list of things you like?"

"Yes."

"You're adorable, you know that?"

He smiled and resituated his backpack because she meant that as more of an insult than any sort of friendly compliment. "Thanks."

"See you during lunch."

He nodded to her and headed towards his science class feeling better about about the day even though he never really felt that bad to begin with. That was something Chloe could always do, no matter what. Just talking to her was a day-brightening activity.

Now, he just had to concentrate on the song before lunch because lunch and 5th period were going to be all about the Torch. Since he was on the newspaper's staff he had a free hour to work on the paper. And he had an article due yesterday that he wasn't quite done with.

As he entered Berklin's science class he saw Pete walking passed the lockers looking at him. A very serious expression, one of contemplation and when Clark's eyes met his, he looked away fast.

"Hmm." Clark stopped in the doorway, curious, but he was almost late and you had to be in your seat by the time the bell rang, or you were considered tardy.

He knew though that he would have to talk to Pete. Something was up.

To be continued...