Chapter 1
"Lana Kent, you're going to be late for the bus." Martha Kent called up to her daughter.
"Okay mom!" Lana called down to her mother.
She logged off her computer and ran downstairs to the kitchen and opened the fridge. She grabbed the milk and began drinking it directly from the bottle.
"Uh-uh." Martha said coming to take the bottle away from her daughter.
"It tastes good right out of the bottle," Lana complained.
"Where'd you learn your manners?" Her mother asked her.
"On the farm," Lana replied.
Just then Jonathon Kent came in the door.
"Good afternoon sleepyhead," he said to Lana.
As her mother and father discussed what was happening that evening, Lana looked at the permission slip to join the cheerleading squad.
"Whatcha got there?" Jonathon asked her.
"It's a permission slip. For the cheerleading squad." Lana replied. "I was thinking of trying out this afternoon."
"I'm sorry but you know you can't join," Jonathon said.
"Why not?" Lana protested.
"You know why," Jonathon replied.
"Ah come on it's not like anything is going to happen." Lana said.
"Lots of things can happen in the heat of the game," Jonathon said.
"But I'll be really careful." Lana said.
"I know that you'll be careful," Jonathon said. "But what if there's an accident?"
Lana sighed unable to come up with a response.
"Lana I know this is gonna be really hard for you," Jonathon said patting his daughter on the back. "But you gotta just hang in there. You promise?"
Lana tried to hold back the disappointment that was welling up inside her, "I'm sick of just hanging in there. All I want to go through high school without being a total loser."
With that she grabbed her bag and walked out the door to catch the school bus, leaving her parents watching her unsure if they had made the right decision.
As Lana got to the driveway she saw the school bus pulling away. She ran to the end of the driveway but it was too late the bus was speeding off towards school. Lana sighed with disappointment having missed the bus once again. Then, as the bus was pulling enough out of sight, she took off with inhuman speed through the cornfields.
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On board the bus, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross were having a laugh and Chloe handed a dollar bill to Pete.
"I can't believe you would bet against her," Chloe said.
"It's a statistical fact," Pete said, "If Lana were any slower she'd be a stick."
As the bus slowed to the next stop Chloe thought she heard something on top of the bus.
"Did you hear that?" She asked Pete.
Pete shrugged some what oblivious.
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"So, has anyone asked you to the dance yet?" Pete asked Chloe.
"Not yet," Chloe replied.
"Well if nothing pans out with you know who maybe you know…"
"Pete," Chloe interrupted. "Do you want to take the commercial break from the soap opera you're living in your head? I told you a thousand times I'm not interested in Clark."
"You vehement denial has been dually noted," Pete said. "Hey maybe you and I can go together. I mean not as a date, date thing; more of a friend, friend thing."
"Hi guys," Lana said coming up from behind them.
"Didn't you just, uh, weren't you…" Chloe stammered.
"I took a shortcut," Lana replied simply.
"Through what a black hole?" Chloe asked.
"Lana, you'll have to excuse our intrepid reporter. Seems here weird-ar is on DEFCOM 5. She thought someone was attacking the bus," Pete said.
"Okay," Chloe said jumping in again. "Just because everyone else chooses to ignore the strange things that go on in this leafy little hamlet doesn't mean that they don't happen."
"You know we'd love to join you and Scooby inside the mystery machine for another zany adventure we gotta hand in some permission slips before homeroom." Pete said.
"Actually Pete I'm having second thoughts. I don't think I want to join the cheerleading squad, it doesn't seem like such a great idea." Lana said.
"Lana listen this is the only way for me," Pete said. "If you don't want to join the squad, fine."
"Wait, wait," Chloe said, "You're trying out for the football team? What is this some sort of teen suicide idea?"
A look of anger and fear crossed Pete's face. He grabbed Chloe and pulled her aside
"We're trying to avoid being this year's scarecrow." Pete explained in a low voice.
"What are you talking about?" Chloe asked. "And why are we whispering?"
"It's a homecoming tradition. Every year before the big game the football player select a freshman. They take him out to Riley field, strip'em down to his boxers and paint and S on his chest." Pete explained.
"Then they string him up like a scarecrow," Lana finished.
"Jeez that sounds like years of therapy waiting to happen." Chloe said.
"Why do you think I'm trying out for the team?" Pete asked. "I figure they won't choose one of their own."
However Lana was no longer in on the conversation. Standing about 40 feet away was Clark Lang, quite possibly the best looking guy in the entire high school.
"I'll see you guys in class," Lana said some what dreamily as she wandered off towards Clark.
"I give her ten seconds," Pete said pulling out the dollar bill.
"Five," Chloe retorted.
"1… 2… 3… 4… 5." Pete counted.
Almost as if on command Lana stumbled and dropped her books on the ground.
"Statistical fact," Chloe said. "Lana Kent can't get within 5 feet of Clark Lang with out turning into a total freak show."
"Nietzsche," Clark said handing a book to Lana.
Lana stared at the little green chunk of rock that hung from the chain around Clark's neck like a sort of cross.
"I didn't realize you had a dark side Lana," Clark commented with a smile.
"Doesn't everybody?" Lana replied weakly.
"Yeah I guess so," Clark agreed. "So what are you woman or superwoman?"
"I haven't figured it out yet," Lana replied.
"Clark there you are," someone called.
Lana looked up to see Whitney the captain of the football team and starting quarterback.
"I hear you're trying to take my job this year," Whitney said.
"Well someone has to replace you when you leave at the end of the year," Clark said.
"Hi Lana," Whitney said off-handed to Lana who was picking up her books now that she was being ignored.
Lana felt ill. There was something about that rock the hung around Clark's neck that just didn't sit right. She could get near him if he didn't wear but that wasn't very frequent. Lana picked herself up and sat on the low fence that surrounded the schools small garden.
"Are you feeling alright?" Whitney asked Lana in a very uncaring tone. "You look like you're about to hurl."
"I'm fine," Lana replied.
Whitney and Clark turned to walk away. "You forgot one Lana," Whitney said tossing a book to Lana.
Lana fumbled to try and catch it and ended up dropping all her other books again. She sighed and breathed heavily as she tried to regain her strength.