Chapter Three

Chloe was the editor and ace reporter of the school paper, The Torch, and Clark was a staff writer. Chloe thought he was good, but what sucked in her opinion was that he was late with nearly every story he wrote for her. She thought she really needed a way to get his stories in on time; she almost blew every deadline because of him. Pete was the sometimes photographer; 'sometimes' because he'd rather be behind the camera if the story involved girls, and if it didn't, he was behind his desk at home. Somehow, the paper did meet its schedule and was considered to be the best high school paper around, better than Grandville's, Tabbiton's, and Kaitisnertown's. Other than the usual, boring stories concerning the school, Chloe and Clark used the media resources in the Torch office to research "meteor freaks." For Chloe and Clark, Torch was their haven, their home.

"Do I have to tell you to meet me there later?" Chloe said with a smile.

"Do I have to tell you that of course I will be there?" Clark smiled back.

"Do I have to tell you two to stop? This drink is already making my stomach queasy," Pete said, shaking the Thermos. Clark and Chloe looked at him with some fear, as they both confided in him about each other. Pete knew he should back off a bit, but he hated to see his friends just suffer silently. "I mean...you two KNOW you will be together at the Torch later. Then you two will go to the Talon and sit in a corner booth and share a piece of pie, Chloe gets a coffee, Clark gets a juice. Then you two will go home and either call each other or talk on AIM until bedtime. Then you two call each other in the morning to 'check' if the other is going to school."

"That's what friends do," Clark said defensively, for reasons he didn't know.

"Yeah, friends," Chloe agreed, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Guys," Pete looked his friends solemnly, "I'm dating girls that I don't see THAT OFTEN!"

Chloe and Clark looked stunned. Pete just called them out on how much they saw of each other.

"We're not dating," Clark said. And wondered why.

"Yeah, Pete," Chloe said. And couldn't figure it out.

"Just making sure you two are at certain places at certain times, right?" Pete shot back. "Clark...what's Chloe's fourth period class?'

"Espanol con Senor Swartz," Clark said with a perfect spanish accent. Chloe clapped. "Gracias, bonita."

"Chloe...what's Clark's first period class?" Pete asked.

"Home Econ with Miss Evans," Chloe said with a giggle. "Clark in a little pink apron is a sight."

"Hey...," Clark frowned.

"You two know each other too much," Pete said interrupted, telling Clark and Chloe what they didn't know. "I bet Clark has an extra muffin just in case you didn't have a snack, Chloe."

Chloe looked at Clark. "Well?" Pete asked.

"Umm...did you bring a snack, Chloe?" Clark asked quietly.

"Daddy was in a rush...," She said shaking her head, her voice trailing off as Clark pulled a biscuit out. "And I forgot a snack again." Chloe took the biscuit shyly, unwrapped it, and bit into it.

"Since you were all-county on the chess team last year, Clark," Pete said with a smile, "you'd understand it when I say...check and mate!"

"Oh man...I can't stay!" Chloe said after swallowing. She jumped up. "I have to get Principal Kwan's permission to leave campus to do a story on Beppo." She looked at Clark. "You be ready to ...go with me," she finished slowly as Pete was already chuckling. "As for you." She looked at Pete. "Hush!"

"Later!" Chloe said, giving Clark the biscuit.

"Of course!" Clark said and watched her leave.

"Bye, Chloe," Pete noticed that Clark set the biscuit he was eating aside and ate the one she gave him. Pete chuckled and finally finished the shake.

Chloe scampered away from her friends. Actually, she scampered from her friend, Pete and the boy she really liked, Clark. 'No,' She thought. 'really loved.' She opened the door to go back into the school and felt the seat of her new cargo pants warm up. She stopped. She looked over her shoulder and Clark was looking at her. When she turned to completely face him, the warmth traveled all over her body. She waved bye to him. Clark waved back and looked at Pete. The warmth faded. 'That's odd,' She thought for a second, went inside, and waited to talk with Principal Kwan.