Stupid, stupid, stupid. Chloe Sullivan, you have a chronic case of foot-in-mouth disease.

Chloe swiveled around 360 degrees and stared absent-mindedly at the printer as it spit out copy after copy of the Torch. She was replaying her latest encounter with Lex Luthor in her head. She had asked him out. Well, as good as asked him out. Asking him to continue a conversation over coffee...who do you think you are? And Lex, king of nuance and innuendo, had certainly picked up on what was behind her invitation.

Chloe sighed. What would make Lex, who could have any woman he wanted in Smallville—or, for that matter, Metropolis—interested in Smallville High's mutant magnet? One who was, as far as most other men were concerned, professionally unrequited? It wasn't like she was much of a challenge. Flash her a smile and watch her knees turn to Jell-O. She was sure Lex had enough self-confidence that he didn't need to play susceptible high school girls to get an ego boost.

But what if he was serious?

What if when he looked at her he saw that she was genuine, and open, and honest, and all the things he had missed in his life by growing up a Luthor (and being best friends with Clark, for that matter)? What if he liked that she wasn't afraid of him?

Helen was never afraid of him.

Neither was Desiree, for that matter.

Or Victoria.

Face it, Chloe...he's been burned more than you have.

At least that was something they had in common.

Chloe sighed. Beyond that, they didn't have that much in common. Born in Metropolis, lived in Smallville, friends with Clark and Lana.... Motherless. A passion for investigation, for knowing the truth about things. Sarcasm and a talent for bantering. Nothing important.

When Clark walked in, Chloe was writing out a list of reasons she and Lex would never be "she and Lex." It was a long list, centering on her faults and personal issues. She was getting more and more depressed with every item she added, but she had kicked into impartial observer mode and she couldn't stop herself. "Dangerously obsessive," she wrote. "Focus on minutiae to the exclusion of the big picture. Messiah complex."

"Hey," said Clark, holding up a paper bag. "I brought you a sandwich from the Talon." He set it on the corner of her desk.

"Thanks," said Chloe, smiling feebly. "I was so busy, I didn't even notice how hungry I was." She added "blatantly transparent" to her list.

"For someone who's hungry," said Clark, "you're not too eager to eat."

Chloe looked up from her list. "Huh?"

"What are you working on?" he asked, turning his head to look at the paper.

Chloe flipped the paper over swiftly. "Nothing. Just wasting time while I'm waiting for this thing to print." She smiled again, her intentionally distracting smile. She had used it on Lex once. He had said, "You're not fooling me...is it working for you?"

Clark said, "Okay. Well, I have to go. I told Lana I'd be back before her shift was over."

"Bye," said Chloe.

Clark turned away.

"Oh, wait, Clark!" Chloe said, waving at him even though his back was turned and he obviously couldn't see her. "I almost forgot...Lex stopped by looking for you."

Clark frowned. "When?"

Chloe glanced at the clock on her computer. "About an hour ago."

"That's strange," said Clark, checking his watch. "That's about when he left the Talon."

Chloe couldn't suppress her grin. "Yeah," she said. "Weird. Well, who can fathom the mind of Lex Luthor, huh?"

"Not me, that's for sure," said Clark.

Suddenly Chloe wanted to be alone again. "Hey, when does Lana get off work tonight?"

Clark looked at his watch again. "Any minute now. Thanks for reminding me!"

"What are friends for?"

As Clark left, Chloe turned over the sheet of paper and wrote one more line.

"Hope springs eternal...."

She stared at that last line for a long moment. Then she laughed and tore the list into confetti.