Chapter 7
(Later that day, Chloe stands at the printer in the Torch waiting. Pete enters.)
Pete: "Hey, Chlo'. How's it goin'?"
Chloe (Smiling up at him): "Not bad! Finally got this edition finished."
(She picks it out of the tray when it is finished and holds it up for Pete.)
Chloe: "Not as exciting as two weeks ago exclusive 'Cave-In of Haven!' though, I have to say."
(Chloe sighs as she looks down at this week's main article. In its essence, it is a research paper meant to better develop the understanding of the areas the school would be traveling to as an end of the year trip. Chloe hated it.)
Chloe: "I just wish they hadn't forced me to put this junk on the front..."
(Pete scuffs his toe on the ground, not wanting to get in the way of Chloe's venting. Eventually, Chloe notices him and looks up.)
Chloe: "Sorry, Pete. So, you all packed for the trip?"
Pete: "My mom went through my suit case about five times. I think I'd be ready to go to Alaska if we had to."
Chloe: "Colorado, Alaska, same difference, right?"
(Pete smiles.)
Pete: "Clark's been having some trouble getting the last of his funds in, though..."
Chloe: "How short is he?"
Pete (Cringing): "Two hundred."
(They both look deep in thought for a moment before Chloe speaks up.)
Chloe: "I'm sure my dad and I could throw in a hundred between the two of us."
Pete: "And I've got eighty. But I think Clark doesn't want to leave Martha alone..."
Chloe: "What if I call Nell?"
Pete: "Maybe... Why don't you call Lana and ask her? I'll go talk to Clark. Aight?"
Chloe: "Sounds great."
(Pete turns to leave. Chloe bites her lip then steps forward and grabs his arm before he can. Hesitantly, Chloe gives Pete a peck on the cheek. She quickly turns away from him and back to her desk. Pete blushes slightly before awkwardly leaving the room, clumsily running into the door on his way out. Chloe looks over her shoulder at him and smiles.)
(Pete grins stupidly to himself as he absent mindedly walks down the hall. Clark is at his locker, piling books into his backpack to take home. Pete falls against the locker beside him letting out a heavy sigh. Clark glances over at him.)
Clark: "You alright?"
Pete: "Ever feel like you could fly, man?"
(Clark raises his eyebrows. Pete looks at him incredulously.)
Pete: "You're kiddin, right? I wasn't serious."
Clark (Shutting his locker and slinging his backpack over his shoulder): "Call it a recent development."
Pete: "How long ago this start?"
Clark: "About a month."
(Clark and Pete begin walking down the hall.)
Pete (Sounding more excited than mad): "And you didn't tell me?"
Clark: "I only got it under control a couple of days ago, Pete."
Pete: "Man, I gotta see – what am I talking about? Clark, you know that school field trip coming up in a few days?"
Clark (As they walk through the front doors): "Yeah?"
Pete: "You're goin, whether you like it or not."
Clark (The smile fading from his face): "Pete, I don't have enough money."
Pete: "Already covered."
Clark: "How?"
Pete: "Don't worry about it, it's covered."
Clark: "And what -?"
Pete: "Covered. Nell's gonna come back from Metropolis for the week."
(Clark raises an eyebrow at Pete.)
Clark: "How about my laundry?"
(Pete pushes him playfully, nearly knocking him into a car's path.)
Pete: "That's still all yours, man."
(Clark dodges out of the way at the last second then continues walking beside Pete. Pete doesn't notice.)
Clark (Jogging ahead of Pete): "Come on, I'll give you a lift."
Pete: "Na man, I've got my car right over here."
(Pete presses a button and his car beeps.)
Clark: "Then we'll take your car too."
(Pete looks at him for several seconds, trying to contemplate what he's saying. After several seconds, it dawns on him.)
Pete: "You-, but-, you won't drop her, will you?"
(Pete looks defensively at his car.)
Clark: "I promise, Pete."
Pete: "Because I know your record with cars!"
Clark: "Pete, I haven't blown up a car in at least a month. Come on, just drive behind those trees around the bend. I'll take you the rest of the way."
(Finally, Pete grins and climbs in his car. Drumming his fingers against the steering wheel nervously, he starts the car, pulls out, and drives down the street. He's going about thirty when he feels like he's lost complete control of the car. The wheels lift off the road, and Pete sees a tree swoop by the window, then another, then no more. Pete grips the wheel tighter.)
Pete: "I always hated rollercoasters! This is ten times worse!"
Clark (His voice muffled): "I've got you, Pete. Don't worry."
Pete: "It's not me I'm worried about!"
Clark: "Aw, we're almost there."
Pete: "Just... don't hurt my car!"
Clark: "Hey Pete, stop talking and look out your window."
(They are now above the clouds. Pete looks out and sees a seemingly endless expanse of white puffy clouds stretching out below him and in all directions. The sun rests twenty degrees above them to his west. To the east, the sky fades from a wonderful light turquoise to a deep azure.)
Pete: "Wow. You know, Clark, if you were a girl this'd be the perfect date."
Clark: "Glad I'm not then, Pete."
(Pete laughs.)
Clark: "Alright, that's enough for now. I'm starting to get tired..."
(The car jerks slightly, causing Pete to jump. Abruptly, it begins plummeting downwards through the clouds straight towards the earth.)
Pete: "Clark-man! My car! What're you doing?!"
(The car starts spiraling as the ground gets closer and closer. Five thousand feet. Four thousand feet. Three thousand feet. Two thousand feet.)
Clark: "Got your seat belt on, Pete?"
Pete: "AHHH!"
Clark: "I'll take that as a yes."
(One thousand feet! The car begins to slope out of its freefall. Pete clutches his stomach as they continue rotating and stop in front of his house upside down.)
Pete (Dangling, his head touching the roof of his car): "Clark! Now would be a good time to put me down!"
(Laughing, Clark rotates the car over and sets it down on its wheels. Clark hears footsteps inside the house.)
Clark: "Gotta go, later Pete!"
(Clark disappears in a swift whoosh of air, leaving Pete still sitting in his car gripping the wheel staring straight ahead.)
Mrs. Ross (Running out of the house): "Honey! Are you okay? I heard a loud thud! What happened?"
Pete: "Nothing, mom. It was nothing."
(Pete gets out of the car, stumbles slightly as he exits, then makes his way for the house. His mother stares after him, shaking her head before following him. She briefly looks up at the sky before entering the house. Large, dark stratus clouds are gathering on the horizon and a shrill wind is carrying them towards Smallville. Shielding her eyes against the setting sun, Mrs. Ross watches as they grow closer, and then lets the door shut behind her.)
