A/N: Thanks for the reviews! This is my first fanfic posted in public. I'm updating the story as I write it, so updates might be a little sporadic after this one. FYI, planning much more Chloe/Lex stuff and probably some Clark/Lana too. I know many of you like to know approximately where in the Smallville storyline I picked up with this story, but I really didn't think ahead that much. Let's just say its sometime after the first prom. With time, you'll grow to accept this. :D

Disclaimer: OK, I don't own Smallville. But would it kill it to call me once in a while if it's going to stay out late! …Also, I don't own Queen or their music.

Chapter 2: In the Car

Lex practically jumped out of the driver's seat of his very costly silver car as he pushed the button to play some music. Although he was slightly familiar with the band Queen, he was certain this was not the CD he had meant to play. Here was another one of those rare downfalls to being a billionaire… He found it hard to keep his collection straight, having owned almost every type of music on the planet.

He turned the volume down to a reasonable level and regained his composure at the wheel, pulling back onto the right side of the road with ease. Good thing this was Kansas, otherwise this might have looked strange. Glancing down at the radio, he decided a song about a rock legend coming out of the closet was better than any song they were playing on the newest stations and on MTV these days. He actually hadn't even known the context of this song until Chloe had commented on it to him and Clark as it played during a commercial the last time they had gone to the movies.

That girl was a reflection of himself in many ways, like her knack for picking up and retaining little factoids about nothing in particular. Except that hers usually were more entertaining to everyone than Lex's knowledge was to anyone.

What are you saying? You're rich… You lost the need to be entertaining years ago, he assured himself. Still, Chloe never did seem at all impressed by either his money or his inbred thirst for knowledge. Honestly, that was what held his interest in her. When they engaged in their intellectual duels on rare occasion, there was always a mutual satisfaction at the end, though nothing was ever really accomplished or decided upon. It was pretty well known that Lex and Chloe were often a recipe for either awkward silence or a constant sparring of egos when left alone, even for brief intervals, but it never seemed to stop those instances from happening. Not that Lex didn't completely enjoy talking with the highschool girl, if you could even call it talking. But as much as they mirrored one another, they really had very little in common outside their keen intellects and witty remarks. In fact, the only thing that ever did bring them into eachothers presence was their friendship with Clark and Lana. Everything else was just business about donations to the Torch or things about her father's work at the plant. She was a distraction at best, nothing more.

Accepting that last thought as a fact, he tried to focus on the pale dusty road ahead, but his mind wandered back to the conversation with Chloe over his cell phone earlier. He remembered her saying something about Clark but phrasing it awkwardly so that it seemed to have sexual implications, and she had gotten flustered and ended the conversation abruptly. He couldn't help the crooked smirk that crept onto his mouth as he thought of how pink her face must have been. It wasn't often that he managed to agitate her to that point, but when he did he found it well worth the wait.

After pulling into the driveway in front of the Sullivan house, Lex turned off the engine and got out only to find Chloe stepping hurriedly outside and shutting the door behind her. Although he had talked himself into wearing something other than his favorite silk shirt (in an effort to seem a little more casual), he suddenly felt very self conscious of his apparel. Chloe was wearing an attractively short but still modest denim skirt and a green T-shirt that matched her little dangly earrings and her freakishly small purse. Even during this absent-minded staring, he wondered how she could possibly use a thing so small for storage, and also how she could walk in her tan high-heeled shoes.

At least this eliminates the question of knocking on the door, he told himself as he saw her clutch the tiny purse tighter and slow to a halt at the car.

"Sorry, the place is a mess," she said reasonably. "My dad would flip if he knew I let his boss see our housekeeping skills."

She seemed to be waiting for him to reply.

Oh, yes, talking is good… He ripped his thoughts from the questionably tiny purse and moved around the front of the car to meet her.

"Well, since I didn't come up to the door," he said smoothly, "I guess I can't give you my letter jacket or my pin."

She was obviously remembering the comment on the phone.

"Lex," she said coolly, "My dad would also flip if he knew you pinned me in our driveway."

Lex watched her brush past him and shut the car door behind herself as he tried hard not to look half as amused as he really was. This was going to be an interesting alternative to sitting in the mansion going over paperwork for the plant. Then again, what wasn't these days?

The CD player in Lex's car began drumming out the familiar Queen tune again, and Lex silently cursed himself for having not taken it out when he had the chance. As much as Chloe entertained him, he really wasn't in the mood for a history lesson on the life and times of Queen. In the passenger seat beside him, he could see even without turning fully that Chloe's eyebrows were raised in surprise.

"I didn't take you as a big fan, Lex," she commented, and he could tell she was smirking.

"Neither did I at first," he replied conversationally, "but I'd rather hear this than rap or pop music on the radio. I can't stand most of that stuff."

Chloe's smile lessened a bit and she shook her head at him.

"It's not that bad," she said impassively, "Well, not compared to your much loved opera music or classic symphonies. That stuff puts me to sleep, honestly, I don't know what the big obsession is about."

Lex frowned slightly, but kept his eyes on the road. Was she trying to push his buttons? Because it was going to be a lot harder than insulting his taste in music.

"I wouldn't expect someone your age to be able to see the intricacies at work in classical music, or to be able to understand the emotions conveyed through opera." He kept a straight face as always, thanks to years of practice, but he was laughing on the inside. She took the bait just as he expected.

"Someone my age?" she questioned, sounding rather indignant, "Lex, you're only what, twenty-two years old? You're not exactly an old man. I mean, yeah, you're older and probably a little more knowledgeable on that stuff, but let's keep in mind that some of us weren't raised by eccentric high-class billionaires…"

She let the phrase hang there, and he looked over to see that she was obviously regretting being so forward about his father. He knew she wasn't usually scared of the elder Luthor, but Lionel had always been a tricky subject and she tried not to bring him up too much.

"Something you should definitely be thankful for," he said lightly, trying to change the topic.

"I don't suppose anyone knows what movie we're seeing tonight?"

Chloe shrugged.

"Probably something extremely G-rated, if I know Clark and Lana well enough," she sighed. He could tell she was hoping for something more exciting.

"Sometimes I just wish they would throw all caution to the wind and see a horror film or something. Just something with some bad language here and there and maybe a few explosions would do it."

Lex almost laughed at this. He too had wished the same thing on several occasions.

"They're a lot alike, Clark and Lana," he said, barely thinking of where this was going. "I can see why they get along so well. However, I was glad when Clark told me he'd asked you to go to the prom with him." Was it obvious he was prying? Well, it wasn't like he was lying. He had been glad for Chloe, because he could tell she'd had feelings for Clark for quite some time. Besides, he wanted to find out what had happened that night, since Clark hadn't revealed all the details over the past couple weeks.

Chloe looked suddenly less comfortable and there was not even the slightest trace of the smile that had been on her face before.

"Yeah, well we saw how that turned out," she said gloomily. Lex didn't know what she meant, but it was obvious Clark had screwed up somehow.

"Actually, the only reason I mentioned it is because I haven't gotten the chance to ask Clark about it the past couple weeks. I take it it didn't go so well?"

She glared at him and the air in the car seemed suddenly much colder.

"Let's see, I finally get Clark to see me as more than a friend, and Smallville gets ravaged by a few gigantic twisters, simultaneously putting Lana in danger. Clark leaves dance, Clark saves Lana, Chloe goes home. Alone." There was a brief pause, then she added, "All in all, it was a magical evening."

Lex brought his eyebrows together in thought.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Chloe. I really hoped it would work out between you two." Well, the first part was true.

When Chloe just nodded, he remembered something.

"I thought of stopping by, you know," he said, but seeing the confusion on her face he added, "to the dance. Just to make sure the band I hired had made it okay, and to say hi to you and Clark, of course."

Chloe stared at him with a look that he guessed either meant she was surprised by this or that he had said something wrong again. He wasn't sure what she was thinking, but it definitely wasn't what he was hoping for. How could he tell her that he had almost stopped by the dance in hopes of stealing her away for a minute or two, just to get a good look at her in her dress? He shouldn't be thinking that, but he was. Maybe she was thinking about how glad she was he hadn't stopped by, because it would have made things worse. Or maybe she just thought he was stupid for wanting to go to a highschool dance. Lex waited silently for her to respond, thankful that the movie theater was now in sight.

Hahahha! I hate cliffhangers with a vengeance, so I'm sorry about this. For those of you Clark/Lana lovers, don't fret, there will be both of them in the next chapter. I know it's all starting out pretty slow, but I promise they will reach the movie theater in the next chapter, so sit tight! PS: Faster updates from now on, I'm making a commitment!

Reviews:

AhToLoveABat –Thankyou so much! Definitely more Chlex banter, I looove it.

WelshChicky –Yes, I too love the Chlex. More indeed!

campbti –I know, sorry this took so long, btw! Oo

EViv –Thanks! I totally read your story, it was really good! Keep writing!

asharnanae –Score! I was going for that quirky feeling, so yeah… sweet

Oranges and Cappuccino –I'm happy to hear it! I'll update faster, promise :D

misschief28 –I'm glad I got the banter right too.

ElizabethV –Yeah, I just couldn't resist making at least one chapter just Chloe/Lex interaction.

…Also, thanks to:

bluengreenswmer94, Fire of the Dragons, smallvillegurl, Lynx16