Part 2
Chloe read the note that the Torch adviser left for them. She liked Mrs Grey because she never minded what they wrote. Mrs Grey just gave them possible topics to write about every week. She supposed that their adviser got into a bit of trouble whenever Chloe experimented with different radical styles of writing. Still, Mrs Grey was cool enough to leave them alone. That's what true journalism is.
"We're supposed to interview Lionel Luthor," she read to her team of reporters. "He just donated five science achievement scholarships to Smallville High."
Sports writer Pete Ross seemed put off. Chloe knew why but for the life of her, she wouldn't understand as much as her other friends told Pete they did. After all, Pete always talked about how the Luthors cheated them out of a cream corn factory. From what she found out from the town records, the Rosses went to the Luthors to sell their cream corn factory. It was all a matter of business that Pete was sourgraping about.
Clark Kent still looked a bit nervous and at the same time betrayed. Chloe was certain that it wasn't about the interview though. If she asked Clark later what she just said, Chloe would bet her nice collection of rock samples that he would not be able to tell her. Clark tended to brood about something to the exclusion of the rest of the world. Right now, the nervous most likely was because of Lana and the betrayed because Chloe did not want to kiss him. Clark would want an apology of course. Chloe would have to practice kneeing him.
Contributor Lana Lang glared at Clark in the intervals between looking at Chloe and taking down notes. If she asked Lana, Lana would give her the minutes of this unofficial meeting. Lana Lang tended to do everything without being asked, simply because she thought if she did not, then everything would fall apart. In the area of self-esteem, Chloe could vote Lana queen. Of course, it was not as apparent to those who only listened to Lana, because of what Lana usually shared about being left by those she loved. Heaven forbid Clark completely leave Lana Lang! She would have another notch on the 'Feel sorry for me' bedpost.
Last but not the least, Whitney Fordman settled back in his chair with a look of sheer relaxation. He took note of nothing and did not react at the assignment. Sometimes, Chloe just wanted to kick Whitney out of the Torch office, because the only thing he did was take up space. Really, if Whitney did not know a lot of her dirty laundry, Chloe would have banned him from using the Torch's resources.
"I know that you all have a lot of homework because finals week is approaching, but this is the rush of being part of a newspaper. Enjoy the adrenaline while you can," Chloe began before handing out the assignments.
"Pete, you will cover the try outs for a new quarterback."
Pete glanced at Whitney Fordman, who was still slouching there. Whitney raised his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. "Don't look at me, man. I don't care. It's not like the coach will find anyone better than me."
Lana placed her pen down and cocked her head to the side prettily, so that the hair on the side of her head fell to her shoulder, curtaining in a way that covered a quarter of her face. "The coach really kicked you out for unseemly behavior?"
Whitney shrugged. "They expect us to charge and trample on the opposite team while we're playing but we're not allowed to have a brawl every now and then? How fair is that?"
Lana nodded in understanding. Chloe arched an eyebrow at Whitney and said, "I'm sure it's a delightful and action-packed story."
"You bet it is!"
"Moving on," Chloe cut off. "Lana will of course be in charge of covering everything about the dance, from the preparation to whatever happens at least a day after."
Again, Lana pumped her head is approval and scribbled away.
"Well that's it. Let's go to our classes."
Everyone stood up except for Whitney, who still sat slack. Pete and Lana left the room. Chloe eyed Clark, who hung by the door, blocking the way.
"Chloe, we need to talk," Clark told her. He looked at Whitney. "In private." Whitney ignored him, so Clark just frowned and continued, "You didn't assign anything to me. I assume the two of us are interviewing Lionel Luthor."
"Oh no Clark," Chloe responded. "I'm taking the unemployed jock over here." Chloe ignored the small ball of paper that hit her on the elbow from Whitney's direction.
"He's not even part of the Torch!"
"Oh he is until you shape up and fix things with Lana. I don't care how you do it, but you're off big projects until you make certain that you don't cause tension inside the staff. It's what we call teamwork."
Clark stomped his foot down. "That isn't fair and you know it!"
Finally, Whitney unfolded his height from the chair and approached Clark, patted him on the back. "It's not like you were very fair to Lana Lang, Kent."
"This conversation doesn't include you," Clark retorted sharply to him.
Chloe watched dispassionately as the two glared at each other. The door of the office opened and Lucas Luthor walked in with a wad of crumpled papers. Chloe's gaze drifted to the yummy A-hole, as she referred to him in her brain. Lucas did not pay attention to any of the occupants of the room. He went straight for the trash bin and dumped his burden there, and then just as smoothly left the room.
"You don't even belong here. I don't know why you keep hanging around Chloe so much!"
"Chloe, can you tell Kent why I'm here."
"Sure, run to the girl."
"Really. Tell me Kent, who's scampering after the girl?"
"Scamper. Hey, that's an SAT word. Guess you're not as football brained as I thought!"
Chloe took a deep breath and smiled. Lucas used the trash can in the Torch. And for the first time, it was an encounter where he didn't say anything mean about her and her friends. Her day was made.
Chloe read the note that the Torch adviser left for them. She liked Mrs Grey because she never minded what they wrote. Mrs Grey just gave them possible topics to write about every week. She supposed that their adviser got into a bit of trouble whenever Chloe experimented with different radical styles of writing. Still, Mrs Grey was cool enough to leave them alone. That's what true journalism is.
"We're supposed to interview Lionel Luthor," she read to her team of reporters. "He just donated five science achievement scholarships to Smallville High."
Sports writer Pete Ross seemed put off. Chloe knew why but for the life of her, she wouldn't understand as much as her other friends told Pete they did. After all, Pete always talked about how the Luthors cheated them out of a cream corn factory. From what she found out from the town records, the Rosses went to the Luthors to sell their cream corn factory. It was all a matter of business that Pete was sourgraping about.
Clark Kent still looked a bit nervous and at the same time betrayed. Chloe was certain that it wasn't about the interview though. If she asked Clark later what she just said, Chloe would bet her nice collection of rock samples that he would not be able to tell her. Clark tended to brood about something to the exclusion of the rest of the world. Right now, the nervous most likely was because of Lana and the betrayed because Chloe did not want to kiss him. Clark would want an apology of course. Chloe would have to practice kneeing him.
Contributor Lana Lang glared at Clark in the intervals between looking at Chloe and taking down notes. If she asked Lana, Lana would give her the minutes of this unofficial meeting. Lana Lang tended to do everything without being asked, simply because she thought if she did not, then everything would fall apart. In the area of self-esteem, Chloe could vote Lana queen. Of course, it was not as apparent to those who only listened to Lana, because of what Lana usually shared about being left by those she loved. Heaven forbid Clark completely leave Lana Lang! She would have another notch on the 'Feel sorry for me' bedpost.
Last but not the least, Whitney Fordman settled back in his chair with a look of sheer relaxation. He took note of nothing and did not react at the assignment. Sometimes, Chloe just wanted to kick Whitney out of the Torch office, because the only thing he did was take up space. Really, if Whitney did not know a lot of her dirty laundry, Chloe would have banned him from using the Torch's resources.
"I know that you all have a lot of homework because finals week is approaching, but this is the rush of being part of a newspaper. Enjoy the adrenaline while you can," Chloe began before handing out the assignments.
"Pete, you will cover the try outs for a new quarterback."
Pete glanced at Whitney Fordman, who was still slouching there. Whitney raised his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. "Don't look at me, man. I don't care. It's not like the coach will find anyone better than me."
Lana placed her pen down and cocked her head to the side prettily, so that the hair on the side of her head fell to her shoulder, curtaining in a way that covered a quarter of her face. "The coach really kicked you out for unseemly behavior?"
Whitney shrugged. "They expect us to charge and trample on the opposite team while we're playing but we're not allowed to have a brawl every now and then? How fair is that?"
Lana nodded in understanding. Chloe arched an eyebrow at Whitney and said, "I'm sure it's a delightful and action-packed story."
"You bet it is!"
"Moving on," Chloe cut off. "Lana will of course be in charge of covering everything about the dance, from the preparation to whatever happens at least a day after."
Again, Lana pumped her head is approval and scribbled away.
"Well that's it. Let's go to our classes."
Everyone stood up except for Whitney, who still sat slack. Pete and Lana left the room. Chloe eyed Clark, who hung by the door, blocking the way.
"Chloe, we need to talk," Clark told her. He looked at Whitney. "In private." Whitney ignored him, so Clark just frowned and continued, "You didn't assign anything to me. I assume the two of us are interviewing Lionel Luthor."
"Oh no Clark," Chloe responded. "I'm taking the unemployed jock over here." Chloe ignored the small ball of paper that hit her on the elbow from Whitney's direction.
"He's not even part of the Torch!"
"Oh he is until you shape up and fix things with Lana. I don't care how you do it, but you're off big projects until you make certain that you don't cause tension inside the staff. It's what we call teamwork."
Clark stomped his foot down. "That isn't fair and you know it!"
Finally, Whitney unfolded his height from the chair and approached Clark, patted him on the back. "It's not like you were very fair to Lana Lang, Kent."
"This conversation doesn't include you," Clark retorted sharply to him.
Chloe watched dispassionately as the two glared at each other. The door of the office opened and Lucas Luthor walked in with a wad of crumpled papers. Chloe's gaze drifted to the yummy A-hole, as she referred to him in her brain. Lucas did not pay attention to any of the occupants of the room. He went straight for the trash bin and dumped his burden there, and then just as smoothly left the room.
"You don't even belong here. I don't know why you keep hanging around Chloe so much!"
"Chloe, can you tell Kent why I'm here."
"Sure, run to the girl."
"Really. Tell me Kent, who's scampering after the girl?"
"Scamper. Hey, that's an SAT word. Guess you're not as football brained as I thought!"
Chloe took a deep breath and smiled. Lucas used the trash can in the Torch. And for the first time, it was an encounter where he didn't say anything mean about her and her friends. Her day was made.