Chapter 2: Alicia's Secret
Alicia and Clark continue reading Clark's Warrior Angel comics, even as the Smallville High School bus pulls into the Luthor-Corp parking lot. The bus pulls to a stop, and students start getting out. Clark stands up, and holds his hand out for Alicia. She grabs hold of it, and gets up, smiling at the nice gesture Clark made. He moves out of the way, making room for Alicia, as she walks off the bus.
"Thank you, Clark. I hope we have fun tonight."
Clark smiles at Alicia, and blushes a little. She smiles back, and she hands him his comic book.
"No, you keep it. I have plenty more at home." Clark states, handing it back to her.
Mr. Kliene waves his hands in desperation, trying to calm his class down. Chloe and Pete are busy talking about the Torch. Suddenly, the doors to the Luthor-Corp facility open, as Lionel Luthor walks out towards the class. His hair is greying, and he is wearing a business suit. Mr. Kliene walks over to Lionel and shakes his hand.
"Hello, Mr. Luthor. Thank you again for allowing our class to have a field trip to your company, and I'd just like to say-"
"Kliene, Let's hurry this up, I have a meeting in, 15 minutes, so if you please, listen to the tour guide and stay out of my way."
Lionel looks around the group, taking off his sunglasses, and notices Clark, and Alicia. Clark sees Lionel, and stares at him, eyes full of hate. Alicia notices Clark , and follows his trail of sight towards Lionel, who then looks at Alicia. He winks at her, and she one finger salutes him. Clark starts to laugh, and to his surprise, so does Alicia. Lionel smirks, and walks back inside. Mr. Kliene walks over to Clark and Alicia.
"I know what you did, Alicia, and if you two don't behave like highschool students, you can be in detention for the rest of the week."
Kliene walks back to the head of the class to take orders.
"That was priceless." Clarks states, and then starts laughing again. Alicia giggles, and suddenly holds Clark's hand. Surprised by this, but wanting it so much, he lets their fingers latch together. Clark can feel the softness in her hand, and to him, it's the best feeling in the world. The group walks into the building, and it is bustling with people.
"Hello, and welcome to the Luthor-Corp Annual tour. Today, you will find out what Luthor-Corp does, and even what the idea was that Mr. Luthor had to make this company. Hopefully you will learn a lot on this trip."
Clark scoffs, and the tour guide notices. She frowns at Clark, but continues talking. Clark ignores the tour, and leans his head next to Alicia's face.
"Since we don't care for Luthor-Corp, how about we do a little exploring on my part?"
Alicia smiles, and squeezes Clark's hand tight. She learns her face in, up to his ear, so close, that Clark can feel her breath on him.
"How are we going to get away from that tour guide, and Kliene?" She asks inquisitivly.
"When the group walks towards the elevators, we can sneak off into another elevator, and go up above where the other group is. I heard the view is perfect."
"Sounds like fun, I'm in."
Clark smiles at her, and his feelings for Alicia just jumped skyhigh. The tour guide directs the group through to the main hall entrance, a large water fountain encompasses the center of it. Alicia and Clark walk over to it, and stare into the cold water. Clark sees his reflection, and sees Alicia's as she throws a quarter in the fountain, causing the water to ripple.
"Did you make a wish?" Clark asks.
"Yeah...but I can't tell you, or it won't come true. It's getting close, though." Alicia states.
"To coming true?"
"Yep. Almost there."
Clark notices that Alicia's coin is the only one lying on the bottom of the fountain. He reaches into his front pants pocket, and pulls out a quarter. He drops it in the fountain, next to Alicia's, both of them heads up.
"So, what was your wish?" Alicia asks.
Clark moves in next to Alicia, and kisses her. She pulls back, surprised that he did that.
"What's wrong?" Clark asks, worried that he freaked her out.
"Behind you." Alicia states simply.
Clark looks behind him, and straight into the eyes of Mr. Kliene. His face is red behind his glasses.
"This is not a make out session, Clark. Congradulations, you both just made after school detention."
Mr. Kliene gives them both detention slips, and walks away. Alicia sneers at Kliene, and smiles at Clark.
"Was that your wish? To kiss me?" Alicia asks.
"You bet it was." Clark states, smiling at her beautiful face.
Alicia smiles back, and she holds his hand again.
"I have a better idea to get away from the group." Alicia states, intriguing Clarks interest.
"Ok, what's your idea?"
"Well, we're in Metropolis, so let's leave."
"Leave? Like leave the building?" Clark asks.
Alicia nods her head, a lock of golden blonde hair falls in front of her left eye, and she moves it back behind her ear.
"Ok. Let's leave. God knows how much shit I have to take from Lionel."
Hand in hand, Alicia and Clark make their way to the front door. Back in the group, Chloe pokes Pete in his side.
"Ow, what was that for?"
Chloe points over to Clark and Alicia. Pete smiles, and pokes her back.
"Why'd you do that?" Chloe asks.
"Because you're trying to pry into Clark's business, and that's not nice. We need to grab Kliene's attention, so he doesn't see them leave. Quick make a distraction!"
Pete lightly pushes Chloe ahead, and she glares at Pete. She walks up to Kliene and Lionel, camera in hand, and pokes Kliene. He turns to Chloe, and looks frustrated.
"What is it Chloe? Can't you see the tour is starting?"
"Of course I know, but I need a picture of you, and Mr. Lionel for the Torch."
"Ok, but make it quick."
Lionel and Kliene stand side by side, their backs facing the front doors where Alicia and Clark just stepped out of. Her trusty camera flashes, and she walks back over to Pete.
"Remind me why I did that?"
"Because Clark needed some time to spend with someone besides Lana."
Chloe watches as the doors close, and she stares sheepishly at her feet.
I wish he would've picked me to be with. Chloe thought.
Nobody heard Lionel's hidden ear phone as a voice talks to him.
Two subjects have just left your building, Mr. Luthor. Should we follow them?
"stay three blocks behind them, and be careful." Lionel whispers.
Outside on a street adjacent the Luthor-Corp building, Alicia and Clark make their way to downtown Metropolis. They are still holding hands, and the early summer heat starts to make Alicia sweat. Tiny beads of sweat start to trickle down her blouse, and her skirt sways lightly in a sudden, cool wind.
"So, where are we going?" Clark asks, trying to ignore the basic instincts that are urging him to kiss Alicia passionatly on her lips.
"Well, I was thinking, maybe we could go out for lunch, if you want to. I have a cousin who works at an italian restaraunt downtown, and it's really nice and cool in there."
"That's sounds great. So, after that, do you want to go to a movie at the cineplex?"
"Well, that depends...when do we have to be back on the bus?" Alicia asks, smiling at Clark.
Clark checks his watch.
"At about 3:00."
"That gives us, 3 hours...yeah, we can do that." Alicia says, as she reaches into her handbag, and pulls out a pair of sunglasses. She puts them on, and to Clark, she looks even more beautiful.
They stop at an intersection, and cross quickly, although if Clark knew where they were going, they would probably be eating their lunch right now. As the cross the street, the sun beats down on both of them, and Clark starts to sweat. Normally, he doesn't, but the combination of the heat, the sun, and the feelings he has for Alicia have done too much to his body. If male hormones and testosterone were superpowers, he'd be a gigantic, extremely powerful young man.
"Boy it's hot." Alicia states, and starts fanning herself with a copy of the Warrior Angel comic book that Clark gave her. Sweat glistens off of her face, and her hair starts to get damp and matty. Suddenly she stops, and Clark also stops.
"I know a shortcut, but if I show you, you can't tell anybody. Ever. Promise, Clark?"
"Sure, I promise I won't tell anybody. You have my word."
"Ok, follow me." Alicia says, and they start walking down a deserted alley. She stops, looking around, and Clark walks up to her.
"Hold my hands." Alicia instructs, and before Clark understands what's happening, a brilliant green flash covers them. They appear again, but in a different alley. Alicia continues to hold Clark's hand, and she leads him out of the alley, and right in front of the resturaunt. She leads him inside, and immedietly, a rush of fresh, cool air hits both of them. Immedietly, Clark stops sweating, but his hair is still slightly wet. Alicia and Clark sit at a white, metal table, a large, red and white rose sits in a vase in the center of it.
The resturaunt is almost empty, other than Clark and Alicia, there are no customers, but a young woman works the cash register, notices the two of them, and walks over. She bares a resemblance to Alicia, except her hair is brown, and her eyes are blue.
"Hi cuz, how are you doing?" the woman asks.
"Oh, wonderful, this is my date, Clark Kent. Clark, this is my cousin, Ashley Burch."
"Hi." Clark states, and Ashley smiles at him.
"Did she show you her secret yet?" Ashley asks Clark, who looks surprised.
"Ashley!" Alicia says, playfully punching her cousin's arm.
"What? I'm just making conversation. Now, what would you guys like to have?"
"Well, I'll have the Italian spaggetti and meatballs, and what would you like Clark?"
"I think I'll have the same."
"Ok, I'll be back when your orders are ready."
Ashley walks into the kitchen, leaving Alicia and Clark alone. Clark drinks from his glass of water. Alicia smiles at him, but the door to the restaraunt opens, and a masked man runs inside. He's carrying a gun, and immedietly, Clark's heat vision kicks in. The thermal energy from Clark's eyes inhales the gun, making it glow red hot. The burglar drops the gun, and in superspeed, Clark picks up the gun, runs at the guy, pounching him into a parked taxi. He runs back to his seat, just as a cop hand cuffs the burglar, and throws him in the back of the squad car. Alicia, stunned at what she had just seen, continues drinking from her glass.
"How'd you do that?" She asks, setting her glass down on the table.
