Clark had journalism class right after lunch. It was an elective that had nothing to do with the school paper, it was just a class. Mr. O'Neil didn't even know where the Torch office was. It had the makings of a perfect class. It was an easy A, and he had the class with all his friends. It was an added bonus that Lana Lang was also taking the class. However, Whitney Fordman that life-sized Ken Doll with mashed potatoes for brains was in the class as well.
While Mr. O'Neil was lecturing about the first printing press and the way it revolutionized journalism, Clark was staring at Lana who was deep in conversation with Whitney. What in the hell could she be talking to that dumbass about? Clark wondered.
"You know Clark if you keep staring at her and following her around one day she's gonna file a restraining order." Isabel whispered from where she sat in the desk behind him.
"I'm not staring at her." Clark whispered blushing.
"Clark." Isabel whispered sounding very annoyed.
"Alright," he said turning in his chair and putting his legs in the aisle.
"What do you think they're talking about?" he asked.
Clark watched his sister study the couple with out staring at them. "Sex." She answered once she'd accessed the situation.
"What?" he asked. Clark had never thought about whether Lana and Whitney had a sexual relationship. Then he started to. They've been going out for over a year they must have done it.
Isabel saw the pained expression on Clark's face and she knew exactly what he was thinking. "Maybe they haven't." Isabel tried to reassure him.
"Maybe they have." Clark said.
"Maybe who has what?"
Isabel rolled her eyes at Chloe's intrusion. She thought the girl was a pain and she knew Chloe had a thing for Clark. Clark doesn't even know Chloe has a thing for him. He doesn't even know Chloe is a girl. Isabel thought with a smirk.
"Nothing Chloe." Clark replied glumly.
Yeah mind your own business. Isabel thought.
"Oh it's a Lana thing," Chloe whispered propping her arm up on her desk and looking at Clark.
Clark looked up sharply at the nosy blonde girl. "It doesn't take genius to figure out who your talking about." Chloe said.
Isabel shrugged she did have to agree with the girl there. Clark has had a crush on Lana since nursery school.
"Oh I know you are wondering if they've done it yet made the beast with two backs?" Chloe asked casting a glance over at the happy couple.
Isabel smirked. "Yes as a matter of fact we were. I would love to hear your opinion on the subject."
"You know it. How do you think she landed him in the first place? I mean really." Chloe said.
Clark groaned and buried his face in his hands. Isabel wanted to punch Chloe for saying that but she couldn't agree with her more.
"What are ya'll doing to the poor man?" Pete asked turning around from where he sat in front of Chloe.
"Tell him the truth it's the only thing that ever helped anyone." Chloe replied.
"And that would be?" Pete asked.
"She's a whore." Chloe said shooting a death glare in Lana and Whitney's direction.
"Chloe!" Pete said.
"What?"
Isabel couldn't help but laugh. The girl hasgot no tact but she speaks her mind.
"I think all of you should shut the hell up." Michael Guerin said from where he was half asleep in the desk behind Isabel.
I wonder what he thinks about the Lana and Whitney thing. Isabel thought.
"Michael." Isabel said turning around in her chair.
"Isabel don't you see I'm trying to sleep." Michael grunted.
"That's what you were supposed to be doing last night." Isabel told him.
Michael made a crude gesture with his right hand.
"Dream on." Isabel said.
"So what do you think?" She asked.
"Does it look like I'm thinkin' Isabel?"
"No it doesn't actually, I didn't even tell you what to think about yet." Isabel said.
Chloe laughed. Isabel fought the urge to turn around and shoot her death glare.
"Do you think Whitney and Lana have done it yet?"
"What?" Michael raised his head up off the desk.
"Do you think Whitney and Lana have done it yet?" Isabel repeated.
"How in the hell should I know. Do I look like friggin' Miss Cleo?" Michael asked.
Isabel thought he sounded suspiciously angry.
Max was spitting his time between ignoring the loud conversation Isabel and Clark were having with Chloe and Pete, taking notes and trying not to stare at Whitney Fordman. He had liked Whitney since he was in middle school. They had been best friends until Whitney went to sixth grade and joined the football team got all popular and stuff while Max was still in a slightly nerdy fifth grader in elementary school.
Since then Max focused even more on his studies specifically science and math, spent all of his time with Michael, Isabel and Clark. He never really made any other friends after he stopped hanging out with Whitney.
The conversation that he was trying to ignore seemed to get louder when Isabel turned around to talk to Michael. He heard Michael make a snide comment about being Miss Cleo.
"Jeez Michael all I wanted was your opinion." Isabel said.
"Fine. If you want it you got it. Lana is a stuck up goody goody who is probably saving herself for marriage. And Whitney is fudge packer. Do you want to know my opinion on Social Security?" Michael snapped.
Michael can't be serious, Whitney isn't gay. He just can't be. Max thought.
"Max do you have anything to say on this topic." Isabel asked.
Max realized then that he'd been staring and eavesdropping.
"Uh… no." he said his eyes quickly dropping back to his paper.
"Well I think I'll believe Michael's theory it's very comforting." Clark said.
"You do know you're gonna have to marry that girl before you can get in them draws." Pete said.
"You never know." Chloe said.
"Yep she could be a closet freak sitting in the closet with her closeted boyfriend." Pete said.
Max had heard enough, "This is a classroom not a barroom. We should be discussing something relevant to the class."
"I already know everything there is to know about Journalism and there is no need to know anything else." Chloe said.
"Show ya right." Pete agreed.
"Gossip is mean and vicious and it should not be discussed with in five feet of the people you are gossiping about," Max told them.
"They can't hear us they're discussing what dresses they are gonna buy for homecoming." Michael said.
Everyone laughed at the joke but Max. That's it I'm never coming out. They'd laugh at me for weeks. Clark and Isabel are already suspicious because of what was on my computer. Max thought.
"Do you see the way they are carrying on?" Clark said.
"Yeah some people would assume they are a couple." Isabel said.
"That's what they want you to think." Michael said.
"Ooh another conspiracy." Chloe said pulling out her laptop.
"Here we go again." Max muttered.
Max shook his head and got up to sharpen his pencil.
Whitney and Lana didn't hear a single thing that was being said about them from across the room. They were much too busy discussing fashion.
"Oh did you see Mikayla's skirt, a total fashion tragedy." Lana said.
"Whitney, are you listening to me?" Lana asked.
"Uh huh," Whitney said not paying attention to his best friend at all, his eyes were following Max Kent as he went to sharpen his pencil.
He's so cute, Whitney thought.
Lana poked him hard in the ribs ruining the fantasy he was starting to have in his mind. That girl has got the boniest elbows in the free world. Whitney thought.
"You know," Lana whispered.
"If you keep ignoring me every time a cute boy walks by someone is gonna see right through our perfect couple image." Lana said.
Whitney laughed, "What?" he asked innocently.
"Don't even lie you think he's hot." Lana said.
"I'll never tell,"
"I know you better than you know yourself Whitney Fordman," Lana said.
"And you were sooo checking him out."
"Whatever Lana. Are you coming by the store this afternoon to help out?" Whitney asked changing the subject.
His family owned a department store in town and he worked there sometimes after football practice, and Lana helped.
"Yeah how else am I going to get the cash to pay for my growing affinity for frilly pink blouses," Lana said her voice dripping with disdain.
We all have to be something we're not, just to be who we are. Whitney thought. He knew Lana despised being Smallville's Fairy Princess. She hated wearing so much pink. He knew she would love to come to school one day in a tight leather mini skirt. There would have to be so many explanations and Nell would be the worst. It would be the same if Whitney came out. His father would have a fit, and the guys on the team would hate him for it.
They were both just stuck. Stuck in their wholesome small town personas. Whitney was a junior he didn't have long to wait before he could shed his image. He knew a couple of dudes at KU that would make his coming out experience memorable. Whitney smiled at thought but he immediately remembered Lana.
She'll be stuck here in the land of creamed corn and tractor pulls. Whitney thought feeling really bad for his best friend.
"I think he's into you too,"
"Who?" Whitney asked.
"Don't give me that crap Whitney you know who I'm talking about," Lana said.
"It's not possible Lana."
"I've got the best gaydar in Lowell County,"
"Oh really,"
"Well how do you think I found you out?" Lana asked.
Whitney shrugged. Might have to give her that one. Whitney thought and a second later the bell rang.