It was a normal day in the Kent household. Clark was getting ready for another big day, when all of a sudden there was a knock on the door.
'Who could that be?' Wondered Clark as he started through the kitchen to get it.
Too late. The door swung open and there was Lex Luthor. "Hey there, buddy! I just thought I'd stop by and ask some seemingly irrelevant questions and then once you answer them, I'll get out of here."
"Good morning, Clark. It's nice to see...," Mrs. Kent trailed off. "Lex! How, um, unexpected."
"Oh great! It's the spawn of Luthor! What the hell is he doing here again?"
Clark flushed. "Dad, you're embarrassing me in front of my friends again"
"Well, he's only over here every morning. He asks some dumb question or says something meaningful and then leaves. Are you telling me that's not a waste of my time?"
Martha Kent put her hand on her husband's shoulder and tried to control him. "You don't have to talk to Lex, darling. Let's let Clark talk to his friend."
"But he..."
"Come on, Jonathan."
Clark blushed a deep red as he watched his mother forcibly remove his father from the room. Sometimes it was hard living with a father who hated your friends. He turned back to Lex and sighed. "So what do you want to know about today?"
"Well, I was just wondering if you knew anything about all that stuff my father does."
"What stuff?"
"You know. The stuff he does. All those experiments that he has."
"What experiments?"
"Oh, come on! I know I told you this at some point. God, he's just obsessed with it! And I'm kind of suspicious. Well, I'm always suspicious about what my dad is doing, can't trust him at all. So, I'll catch you later, Clark."
And as suddenly as he had come, Lex Luthor disappeared. He was an enigma to Clark. Just stopping by. Walking in without being invited. They had only known each other for a couple weeks but it was already like they were married. But Clark still liked him. Which was strange because anyone else would probably find him annoying or eccentric. But Lex Luthor was just that great.
Lana Lang was at her locker before lunch. It had been a normal day and she was ready for a good lunch. But when she closed her locker, she received a shocking surprise. Such a surprise, in fact, that she gave a little shriek. Who was there? Lex Luthor.
"God, Lex. You scared me there. I didn't see you come over. In fact, I didn't really expect to see you hanging out at the high school."
Lex smiled his Luthor smile and charmed Lana into acceptance of the fact. "Well, you know me. I'm just around a lot of times."
"So, what brings you here to Smallville High?"
He shrugged, like it was nothing. "I just thought I'd stop by, you know. Maybe just happen to witness some kind of mysterious occurrence. If I'm lucky, I may be kidnapped by someone who plans to use me to get my father's money. Or maybe I'll pop some kind of strange request on Clark. You know, the usual."
She grinned at him. Lex always made her feel better. He made the ideal business partner. Handing her money, never asking for anything in return, that was how everyone should be. And, for some reason, whenever she had a problem she felt strangely propelled towards him. Of course, he always made things better. And all of those great words of wisdom always seemed to help. So, in all Lana enjoyed his company enough to continue to walk with him.
"Well, I have to go eat. I'm really hungry. Call me sometime, Lex." And with that, Lana disappeared into the thronging crowds of high school goers.
With amazing speed the halls emptied out, leaving Lex all by himself in the echoing school corridor. He glanced around uneasily. It was slightly uncanny how often he found himself in trouble's way and he was loathe to allow himself to get into such a situation again.
Footfalls were heard coming from the far end of the hall. Lex found himself paralyzed by fear. He couldn't move. He tried to recall the self-defense moves he had learned as a child when the other kids picked on him, but he seemed to be glued to one spot and utterly helpless.
They were getting closer. Lex trembled with his fear, looking on as his doom approached.
"Hey, Lex. What are you doing here?"
Lex let out a sigh of relief. It was only Clark Kent and his friend Pete. "Um, nothing really. Checking out where all the money I pour into this school is going. I see you guys have the most excellent water fountains in the state."
"Um, yeah. I guess." Clark shifted nervously. This was incredibly awkward. Lex had never spoke to Pete before. In fact, they had never met. And Clark didn't really want Pete to know he was close friends with the guy whose father ruined so many people's lives. "So, I'm gonna get going."
"Hey, wait a minute. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"
"Um, sure. Lex, this is Pete. Pete, this is Lex. See? Now you know each other. I've really got to go."
"Lex Luthor?" Pete asked incredulously.
Mission failed. Press 'Start' to begin a new game. Clark sighed. "Yeah. He's the one."
"You're friends with Lex Luthor?"
Now, sometimes Pete was a little slow, but Clark never thought he was this slow. "Yes. I've only known him for about 2 weeks now. I just saved his life. I guess he thinks he owes me some sort of life debt or something. I'm not sure how it all got started. Lex do you have anything to ask me?"
"Oh yeah, I do. I was wondering if you had found out anything else about that thing."
"Nope."
"Will you get in touch with me if you do?"
"Sure, Lex."
"Great. I feel so much better now." And with that Lex was on his way again.
Anyone else would have found it very annoying if Lex Luthor kept popping up like that, but Clark Kent enjoyed Lex's company, and he didn't want to lose a new friend. So he didn't say anything. He went to lunch and began to thoroughly enjoy every bite of a strangely minty piece of pizza from the cafeteria.
