Chapter 5: Stares

Alicia stands in the shower, the lukewarm water falling in torrents over her body. The soap in her long blonde hair washes out, and after she is all cleaned, she grabs a towel, and dries her hair, and then her body. She wraps the towel around her body, careful to hide her "privates." She opens the door and sees Clark, waiting patiently against the wall. He smiles his classic smile, and as he stands up, they pass each other, and Alicia grabs Clark's butt. He smiles again, and they kiss softly, before Clark enters the bathroom. He leaves the door open, and doesn't notice that Alicia is peeking in from behind the door in Clark's room. She watches as Clark takes off his pajamas, and smiles at his package. Clark jumps into the tub, pulling the shower curtain to the side of him.

Carefully, and quietly, Alicia moves to the stairs, when Clark calls out.

"Did you get a good look, Alicia?" He asks, and gives a slight laugh after he asks it.

She smiles, and walks over to the door. A questioning look crosses her face, and she leans her body against the bathroom wall.

"How could you hear me? I almost made no sound at all."

"Oh, a while back, a man tried to rob a jewelry store, and his buddy of his could make a really high pitched scream. I tried to stop him by using my heat vision, but one of my beams collided with a piece of meteor rock, and A flash hit my eyes and blinded me temporarily. I gained superhuman hearing to replace my sight, but when I got my sight back, I guess it stayed with me."

"That's amazing Clark." Alicia says, almost a whisper. Clark heard her perfectly, the sound of her voice, quiet and soft spoken, rings through his ears.

"You'd be amazed at what else I can do." He says with a smile, washing of the remnants of the soap from his hair.

Smallville High School

½ hour later...

Clark drives up the school parking lot, Alicia in the passenger seat of his truck. She is holding her papers to the school, many saying that she is cured from all mental illness, and that she is ready to finish junior year. As Clark parks the truck, they both leave the truck, and after locking it, they walk towards the school, hand in hand. Several people look shocked to see Clark and Alicia, and several mutters and whispers spread around them. Clark can hear every remark, one the most potent;

"The freak is back? What is Clark doing with that psycho? What can he be thinking?"

Alicia holds onto Clark's hand tightly, and they make their way towards the office, when Lana stops them. She looks furious at Alicia, and then looks disappointed in Clark.

"How could you do this Clark? What's wrong with you? She's obviously unstable."

Alicia looks down at the floor, and Clark continues to hold her hand.

"Why don't you check her records, Lana. They say that she's cured. A cured person doesn't belong in Belle Reeve. You should know that."

Lana looks hurt at Clark's response, when Alicia reaches out to Lana.

"Lana, I'm sorry for what I did. I didn't mean it, and Clark is right. I am cured. I just want to show everyone who I really am. That even though I was changed by the meteor rocks, I'm not a freak. I'm just different."

Lana pulls back before Alicia can touch her hand. She looks furious at Alicia.

"You already showed us who you really are." Lana says, spitting on the ground in front of Alicia.

Alicia flinches at the action Lana took, and Clark looks furiously from Lana, to Alicia, and then back at Lana again. Lana walks off, past them, and Clark holds Alicia as she starts to cry. They walk into the Torch office, and sit on the couch. Alicia continues to cry terribly as Clark holds her. Her tears absorb into his shirt, and he kisses her on her forehead lightly. Alicia's sobs start to wither away, and she quiets down to Clark's light "Shhh... It's gonna be okay, Alicia."

"No one believes that I'm cured, Clark. Maybe this was a bad idea, you breaking me out."

Clark looks into Alicia's eyes, and kisses her softly.

"The only bad idea I made was sending you to Belle Reeve. I will not forgive myself for doing that."

Alicia kisses him lightly, and they embrace each other.

"Clark, I forgive you for sending me to Belle Reeve. I was confused, and I promise I will never abuse my power to hurt people ever again."

"I know... I trust you with everything I have, Alicia."

They continue holding each other, until the door opens, and the infamous Chloe Sullivan walks in. She stares at them, and walks over to one of her computers, and logs in. She has nothing to say to Clark or Alicia, and starts to type on the computer.

"Chloe... are you mad at me?" Clark asks.

Chloe continues to type on her computer, ignoring Clark's question.

"Chloe? Please don't be mad at Clark. If you want, you can be mad at me." Alicia

Chloe looks up from her computer, and watches Alicia.

"I already am mad at you, Alicia. You tried to kill Lana. But I am even madder at Clark, for breaking you out. That, in its self is unforgivable."

"She's cured, Chloe. And if you don't believe that, fine. I don't care what you think anymore."

Clark and Alicia walk out of the Torch office, and drop off Alicia's papers at the school office.

Later that day, Clark and Alicia sat in Geometry class.

"Now, can anyone tell me what the definition of a Pythagorean Theorem is?"

Alicia raises her hand, but Mr. Richard ignores her. "Anyone? Definition of Pythagorean Theorem? Anyone at all? Come on, this isn't a hard question."

Alicia still holds up her hand, but Mr. Richard still ignores her.

"I think Alicia has the answer." Clark states, almost half the class stares at them.

"I know that, Mr. Kent. Unfortunately, I don't listen to freaks in my class."

Clark stares, furious at the word that Richard used. Alicia sets down her hand, and silently cries to herself. Clark comforts her by holding her hand.

"Racist." Clark mumbles.

The class goes quiet, silent whispers and stares slowly fill the void of quietness.

"What did you call me, Mr. Kent?"

Clark looks from Alicia, back towards Mr. Richard.

"I called you a racist, Richard. What, don't like that word? Alicia is NOT a FREAK. Yes, she's different, but you are the worst things in the world. You hate what you don't understand. That's how it always was. You destroyed and killed what you didn't understand. Because you were scared. If you don't like the fact that Alicia and I are together, you can all just go to Hell."

Clark moves out of his seat, and Alicia leaves with him, to the shock of all the students.