Just to let you know, I'm planning to update this everyday at about 8 PM central time. Gives me a good 24 hours to make sure the next part is as good as I can get it.

Thanks for the replies so far!

SonicH2O: Jason and Lois do exist as this fic is going on, but neither one are actually in the fic. lol. Hopefully as you keep reading you'll get what I mean. lol

A week passed and still Clark felt stupid about the unexpected kiss after the game last Friday. Lana hadn't spoken to him since and avoided standing, sitting, or even being in the same room as him for as much as possible. He didn't know why she was this negative about it. Maybe that kiss really did something to her. Then again, she was a girl. He never understood girls. Not even with Lex's help.

During fourth hour that day, Clark found his way to the Torch office to finish a story he'd been typing up for the newspaper. As he opened the door, he noticed Chloe's excited face beaming up at him from the nearest computer.

"Why do you look so happy?" he wondered, dropping his backpack on the couch.

"The new student."

"Mikail?"

"No, the other one," Chloe explained, still smiling. She looked at the screen and then added, "His name's Ira Billings."

"And I'm guessing from the smirk on your face that you two are pretty friendly," Clark teased with a grin.

"Not yet…but I can hope."

Clark shook his head and sat down in front of the computer next to Chloe. He sighed as the last remnants of his smile faded.

"What's up?" Chloe asked with worry.

Clark looked at her and then quickly looked back at the back monitor. "It's just Lana…I've been trying to talk to her – to apologize for last Friday – but she keeps avoiding me."

"Not that I'm picking sides here, but don't you think Lana has a point? I mean you've changed the game so many times. How is she suppose to keep up with your feelings?" Chloe asked, hoping she wasn't touching any sensitive nerves.

"I know. I know…but honestly, I didn't mean to kiss her. It was like my mouth just…had a will of it's own." Clark stopped talking when he realized how stupid he sounded. "I don't know…she's right I guess. I don't blame her…"

There was a long pause in which both Chloe and Clark felt very uncomfortable. Finally, a sharp knock at the door broke the silence.

"It's open," Chloe shouted.

The door opened slowly and a guy with dark hair and a tired expression poked his head into the office. He then walked fully in and shut the door behind him. He smirked dumbly as he uttered, "Hi, I'm Ira. The new kid." His voice was deep and almost mysterious.

Clark stood and shook Ira's hand. "Hey, I'm Clark Kent."

"And I'm Chloe Sullivan. I've been waiting for you," Chloe said, laughing for no apparent reason. Ira laughed also, just to seem polite.

Clark swallowed, feeling as though he had just become the third wheel. "Well, um, I suppose I should let Chloe help you around school. I'll see ya." He turned back towards Chloe and added, "Would you mind talking to Lana about you know what? She'll listen to you…"

Chloe sighed with a grin. "Sure, Clark. You owe me one though."

"Thanks, Chloe." And with that, Clark grabbed his bag and left.

"So…" she began shutting off the computer she'd just been on, "I heard you were home-schooled until now."

"Yeah. I've never been to a public school. It sounded kinda scary. I didn't really wanna go, but my parents are getting older and can't teach me as well anymore," Ira explained in his almost hypnotic tone of voice.

"Well, trust a girl who's been going to public school since kindergarten – unless you wear plaid and go ga-ga over a cheerleader you can't have, you won't have any problems here," Chloe joked.

"Wasn't your friend Clark wearing plaid?" Ira asked pointing his thumb back at the door.

"Yeah…kind of an inside joke. Sorry."

"It's okay." Ira began to walk around the office until he spotted a wall covered with newspaper clippings and magazine covers. "What's this?"

"It's called the Wall of Weird. Anything and everything strange that has happened in Smallville is up there. Most of it was caused by the meteor showers that hit fifteen years ago, but some of it has yet to be connected." She noticed Ira's confused look. "I guess I'm a little obsessed…"

"No, I think it's amazing." He gazed at the pictures and then stopped at one, putting a finger on it. "You have Mikail on here?"

"Yeah. You know him?"

Ira swallowed and explained. "Yes. We've spoken from time to time."

"Well, he hasn't actually done anything yet, but he's pretty closed off, gambles and never loses. There has to be something behind that story," Chloe explained walking up next to Ira.

"Of course." He turned toward Chloe and smiled softly. "And I suppose within the next few days you're going to have a picture of me put up there, eh?"

Chloe laughed. "Maybe. Can you freeze things with your hands or morph into anyone you'd like?"

Ira shook his head with humor. "No, not exactly."

"Then I guess I have no reason to pin you up there."

"Are you sure?"

Just then, Chloe turned and found herself completely surrounded by hissing rattlesnakes. Each one was long and slimy, glaring it's beady yellow eyes upon her. Ira was no where to be seen. Her eyes widened and she looked in all directions in hysteria.

"Oh my God! W-what the hell? What's going on! How did I – " Chloe's head was spinning and she instantly grabbed her digital camera, snapping pictures of the fork-tongued creatures as if her life depended on it. She wasn't leaving the Torch without proof.

After about the hundredth picture she took, Chloe felt a hand grab her arm and shake her. A voice went along with it.

"Chloe! Chloe, what's the matter?"

And, just a magically as they appeared, the snakes were gone. Not one was at her feet. Her hands shook as she looked up at Ira who had been calling her earlier.

"What's wrong? You just got really weird and started taking pictures of everything," Ira said, looking at her strangely.

Chloe looked down at her camera and flipped through the pictures she'd just taken. All of them were empty photos of the couch, the computers, half of Ira's face…not one had a rattlesnake in it.

"I…I…I don't know…"

"Why don't you go down to the nurse. I can find my way around the school."

Chloe, still dazed, nodded and slowly made her way out of the office. As soon as she left, Ira's fake concerned look pulled back into an evil grin.

He then left the office himself in search for his best friend, Mikail.