ChApTeR NiNe
"Do you need help?" Lana called through the bedroom door.
"Not from you!" Lex called back, out of breath from struggling into the formal red dress bought earlier that day. The light was fading slowly and downstairs noises of a party were going on. Everyone invited had arrived and Lex was the only one who wasn't there.
Lana had noted the blonde standing the corner as if waiting for someone. Chloe had joined Lana and Clark, who showed without his parents. A maid approached the two girls, not Lionel, to tell them "Lexiss" was having trouble getting dressed.
"Should I get Clark?" Chloe laughed, ready to run down the stairs. There was a moment of silence in the room and Lex considered his options.
"Well. . . yeah. Please?" Lex sighed and collapsed on the bed, giving up until Clark showed. Chloe ran as fast as her high heels would carry her until she reached the stairs. She made her way halfway down the stairs and leaned in to see the room. Spotting Clark she whisper yelled.
"CLARK! HEY, JAMES BOND!" Clark turned at that, revealing he was wearing his dad's old tuxedo. He rolled his eyes and came up when she beckoned him. He smiled shyly, though he had no reason to be shy, and rolled his eyes again.
"James Bond?"
"Well, it got your attention, didn't it? Anyway, Lex is having a little trouble with his dress. He won't let Lana or me help him. Could you…"
"Okay." Clark sighed and let Chloe lead him to the room all the way at the end of the hallway.
"He's in there." Chloe pointed and Lana waved a quick hello to Clark as he slipped into the room. The two girls listened through the door and cracked up at what they heard…
"What do you mean put my arm through there. . .!"
"Lex, will you stop. . ."
"How about you stop putting your hand there. . .!" (which got extra laughs out of the two girls.)
"I can't help you unless I don't! Now put. . . wait a sec. . ."
"What?" (at this point Clark mumbled something and there was silence.)
"Lex?" (more silence.)
"BACKWARDS!"
Ten minutes later, Lex finally exited the room with the dress on the right way. Chloe and Lana were stunned for the first time in awhile. He did have an amazing figure and red was a great color on him. Lex saw everyone staring at him and began walking to the stairs.
"Can we just get this over with?" Lex realized nobody was following him. "Now? Please?"
"Oh, right, right. Sorry." Clark smiled awkwardly and followed, Chloe and Lana right behind. They finally made it down the stairs and into the party room.
Lionel noticed Lexiss standing lonely in the crowded room and approached her. Lex tried to smile, he really did, but he wasn't sure he could take the way his father looked at him anymore. If he wasn't so obsessed with himself at that moment, Lex would've noticed that the look Lionel was giving wasn't one of friendship or even love. It was a "I'm-going-to-find-out-your-friend's-secret" look.
"You look. . . tense. Have a drink. Meet some of my associates. Speaking of associates. . . I wonder where my son, Lex has gone off to. He was supposed to finish up a report on the Smallville factory last night and give it to me. . ."
"crap! The report!" Lex muttered to himself.
"Hmm?" Lionel looked away from Margaret to see what Lexiss was mumbling to herself.
"Oh, noth-nothing." Lex stammered. "I guess I will have a drink. Whatever you're having." Lex laughed before his father asked what he wanted. Lionel walked off and nodded to Margaret in the corner. She took a sip of her drink and then put it on a tray. She nodded back and slipped away.
Lionel turned to everyone in the room and silenced the crowd.
"Crowd around everyone, I have a long awaited speech to make." The guests laughed and crowded around in a circle. Lex stood somewhere in the back and Lionel looked up to see Margaret sneak up behind Lex.
So did Clark, unfortunately for Lionel. Just maybe not soon enough.
(-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------)
I apologize if that was a little shorter than the other chapters.