Chapter 13

Clark walked into school, skipping first period. He really didn't care anymore, if he skipped, Lionel took care of it. Kids were scrambling to 2nd period, and Clark bumped into a kid, practically knocking him over, and kept walking past him.

"Hey!" The kid shouted at Clark, Clark turned around finding himself face to face with Pete. "Clark? I haven't heard from you in two weeks. Are you okay?"

Clark didn't know why, but he hated Pete right now... no, he hated that he had to lie to him, but it was easier to just be angry and not think about it.

"I'm fine." Clark said as he was going to walk away again, Pete grabbed his arm,

"Clark, what is going on? Come on, you can tell me. I tried to give you some space at first, but it's obvious you aren't going to let me in. What's your deal?" Pete said trying to be considerate of his friend.

"Just stay out of it." Clark said getting angrier.

"No, you're my best friend" Pete grabbed Clark's arm.

Clark just threw Pete away from him, sending him to the floor and walked away.

Clark decided he was going to confront another one of his "friends".

"Hey Chloe" He said as he walked into the torch smiling.

"Hi Clark... what are you doing here?" Clark had quit the torch when he moved out of his parents house. "I mean, not that I don't want to see you, I just-"

"Really? You sure you don't want to see me? I mean, because we have only talked about 4 times since I moved, 2 months ago." Clark said, watching Chloe's reaction. She froze up a bit, and he walked closer to her, "What's the matter Chloe? Are you trying to hide something from me?" Clark almost whispered in her ear.

Chloe was close to tears, "What would I hide from you?"

Clark laughed, "Hmm... let's think... what could you be hiding from me?" Clark walked around Chloe, "If it comes to me, I'll tell you." Clark started to walk out of the torch, and just before he left, he turned and said, "Oh, and Chloe."

"Ya, Clark?"

"Lionel says hi." And Clark exited the torch.

Chloe felt her heart drop, and she felt like she was having a panic attack. It was so hard to breath...

"Chloe, are you feeling okay? You don't look so good." Lana said walking up to her.

"Lana, ...Clark...knows." Chloe could barely get out, between deep breaths.

"Knows? Knows about...." Lana hoped for Chloe's sake, that she was the one who told him.

"He knows about me and Lionel... I don't know how he knew... I was going to tell him, Lana, but I just couldn't and now he knows..." Chloe was freaking out.

"I'm going to go talk to him."

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"Clark!" Lana called out to Clark, catching up to him after school.

"Hey, Lana, are you going to come back to my place?" Clark said putting his arm around Lana.

"Sure, I have to stop by the Talon first. Clark, how long have you known about Chloe and Lionel?"

Clark was surprised, "How long have you known?"

"Chloe told me 2 weeks ago, and she said she wanted to tell you herself."

"I've known for 2 months." Clark said calmly.

"You knew..." Lana didn't understand Clark, he was so... calm about the whole thing.

"Ya, I wanted her to tell me, but she obviously wasn't going to."

"Clark, you don't seem mad."

"Well, Chloe is officially in my past now. I'm not going to hurt her by staying friends with her, letting her get close. Lana, Lionel is a very persuasive person... it was a weak moment for her. Don't get me wrong, When I first found out, I wanted to kill her, I blamed her for Lionel finding out the truth about me. But it's not her fault." Clark explained.

"I'll see you after later." Clark kissed Lana and walked away.

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"Lana." Jonathan said, as she walked into the Talon, "I was hoping to run into you. I need to talk to you about Clark."

"Mr. Kent, um... sure." Lana was nervous, but sat down.

"Clark has changed... something more is going on with him, Lana. I know you know what it is... please, I need to know." Jonathan said.

"I only know as much as you." Lana lied.

"Lana, please. He won't even speak to us, you saw how he was to us the other day on the street. He...his grades are worse. I have reason to believe there are other incidents in school. It's more than just the transfer, we both know how strong and brave Clark is."

"Mr. Kent..." Lana could see the pain in his eyes, "He loves you, he just..."

"What Lana?" Jonathan grasped for information.

"He is just going threw so much and he doesn't want to hurt you." Lana felt as though she was betraying Clark, just by saying that much.

"What's going on with him, Lana?"

"Mr. Kent, if Clark was seriously in trouble, I would come to you." Lana looked at him. Jonathan knew she knew the whole truth, and that if Clark was in real trouble, she would contact him.

"Alright, Lana." He walked out frustrated.

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"What are you doing here?" Clark asked Lionel, as he walked into his apartment.

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened last week." Lionel said.

"Oh, you mean how you almost killed me, I don't really see what part you want to talk about."

"Clark, I didn't mean to hurt you... I didn't know the meteor rocks worked so fast on you... I never would have done it, but I was desperate." Lionel sounded to vulnerable, Clark had never seen him like this before.

"What do you mean desperate?" Clark sat down.

"Clark... I'm dying. I have a rare liver disease and... I thought that maybe something inside you could save me." Lionel confessed.

"So... you mean, you did all this, brought me here, so I could save you. Lionel... I honestly can't save you. I can't heal people." Clark didn't understand why he felt sad at this news, or why he wanted to help Lionel. He should have been so happy to hear he was dying.

"I just had to see... I'm sorry for what I did." Lionel exited the apartment. Clark was so confused. Lionel Luther had just apologized to him, and in a small way regained his trust. After so many speeches of "survival of the fittest", he had actually regretted hurting him.

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&TBC