Well, since tonight's Smallville seems like it's going to have someone find out a certain something, I'm going to have to post that part of my story, which is mostly written, so it doesn't seem like I'm trying to copy off of them. Thanks for your imput, guys! I really appreciate it!

Ch. 12

"Rumor is all my favorite people have been avoiding each other."

Lana looked up and smiled as she saw Lex enter the Talon, only to have her smile fade once she heard his comment. "Does this surprise you?"

"You all act like you're in high school or something."

"That was a Clark joke, Lex."

Lex chuckled a little. "That still doesn't satisfy my curiosity."

"You even have to ask why we're all mad at each other?"

"So the rumor's true."

Lana didn't answer for a while, scared of what to say. She knew Lex cared about her, but she wasn't sure how trustworthy he could be. "We all of our issues."

Lex laughed again. "Issues… that would be a word for it."

"Lex—I'm kind of busy right now."

"I can see that." Lex picked up one of the books Lana was "studying." "What's the chapter about?"

Lana grabbed the book from him. "I haven't gotten that far yet."

Lex sat down next to her. "That surprises me. The stalk boy said you've been sitting here for over an hour."

"Well the stalk boy is just going to have to find something else to do with his free time than watch me study."

"Want me to fire him?"

Lana stopped, wondering if Lex was serious. "What is it you want to know, Lex?"

"I don't want to know anything. I want my friends to talk to each other again."

Lana started gathering her books. "Talk to Clark. I hear you two have been pretty close lately."

"I have talked to him. He seems stuck in the same place you're in."

Lana stopped. She wasn't sure how to read Lex's concern. "It's his choice, Lex. I don't know what else to tell him."

"You act like he wants to keep secrets from you," Lex commented. Lana looked at Lex. "Maybe you're the one who needs to have more faith in him." Lex walked towards the exit. He stopped when he saw fliers for the Valentine's Dance. "Are you taking Jason?"

Lana shrugged. "I want to go, but he doesn't seem very comfortable in my high school anymore."

Lex stopped for a second, feeling a little guilty. Finally he nodded. "I wouldn't either." He opened the Talon door and stopped again. "You might want to go anyway. You never know when you'll get what you've been asking for."

Lana looked at him, wondering if he knew something she didn't. But his face was unreadable as he opened the door more and left.