Through Lana's Eyes

Chapter 2 Metamorphosis

'This was a fun night.' Lana thought as she went into her room, and began getting ready for bed. She took off her shall and hung it in the closet, then she walked over to her dresser. She opened the bottom drawer and added her crown and corsage from that night to all the others she had in that drawer. As she looked up, something caught her eye; there was gold box on her bed with a blue ribbon tied around it. 'I wonder who that's from.' She sat down on the bed and pulled the ribbon. She lifted the lid off the box and all of a sudden her room was filled with blue and green butterflies. 'Wow. How did they know I love butterflies?' She mused. She put her finger in the box and one of them flew onto her finger. She lifted it out gently, and if flew off around the room. She got up, walked over to her window, and opened it so that the butterflies could fly out into the night. After the last of them had flown out, she went over to her closet and got her pajamas and changed out of her dress. 'I've got to get some sleep. I'm going to the farmer's market tomorrow, with Whitney.' she thought happily as she slipped into a deep sleep.

'I love the farmers market,' she thought as she and Whitney drove. 'Everyone's there, and it's so much fun.'

"Don't let me forget," she said to Whitney, "Nell asked me to pick up some tulips for her."

"Ok." said Whitney. 'He seems preoccupied with something.' They turned onto the dirt road that lead to the empty field; that today was swimming with people. The two walked hand in hand through the market and they were chatting amongst themselves until Lana heard someone say,

"All hail the homecoming king and queen." She looked up, and saw that Chloe and Pete were helping the Kents with their organic produce booth.

"Clark," she said walking over, "I didn't see you at the dance last night."

"Oh, I was a little tied up." he said with a strange look at Whitney.

"Hey," said Mr. Kent, shaking Whitney's hand. "That was one heck of a game. I haven't seen an offense so good since I played."

"Thank you Mr. Kent." Whitney replied.

"I'll get the rest of the boxes out of the truck." said Clark. 'He obviously doesn't want to be around everyone, but why?' Whitney looked around and said,

"I'll help." 'That's nice of him.'

"Lana." said Mr. Kent as he handed her an apple.

"Thank you." she said and smiled. She turned and saw Whitney catch up to Clark. Whitney said something to Clark, and Clark said something back; both boys walked off in separate direction. 'I wonder what that was about.'

Lana walked over to a booth that had glass figurines displayed. There was one that caught her eye. It was a mobile with butterflies on it. Someone came up behind her,

"Beautiful, isn't it?" 'Why does this keep happening to me? I mean people used to say "hi Lana" now they just sneak up on me.'

"Greg! I didn't recognize you without your glasses."

"Did you know the average butterfly only lives for about eight hours."

"Live fast, die young. They're the rock stars of the insect world."

" I was wondering if you could you help me with my Lit. Paper?"

"Homework giving you brain freeze?"

"Yeah, it's kicking my ass."

"Sure, ok."

"How about my house, after school?"

"Library might be easier." 'And there'll be other people around in case he tries to do anything.'

"It's a date." She saw Whitney come up behind Greg.

"Lana, your aunt's looking for you." Lana nodded and when off to find Nell. She saw here talking to Mrs. Kent, and she walked over.

"Whitney said you were looking for me."

"Oh, yes." said Nell. "Did you get those tulips?"

"Not yet, but I can go now."

"No, it's okay. I actually wanted to tell you that I changed my mind."

"Hey, Lana." said Whitney coming over. "I gotta jet, but I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll walk you to the truck." They walked the few feet to the parking lot, Whitney gave her a quick good bye kiss, got in his truck, and drove away.

Lana got went to get some cider from the booth selling it and then went back to Nell.

"Lana, can you stay here for a while."

"Sure. Where are you going."

"Just to have a look around." She sat down and watched Nell walk off with some of her friends, chatting quietly. A few minutes later Nell's cell phone rang, and since she was still wandering around Lana answered it.

"Hello."

"Hi, Nell?"

"No, this is Lana."

"Hi Lana. This is Mrs. Fordman. I was actually calling to talk to you."

"Well it's your lucky day." Lana said, and laughed. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I want to tell you something."

"Ok." Lana said slowly. 'She doesn't seem herself.'

"You can't freak out, though, because he's alright."

"Mrs. Fordman," said Lana nervously, "what's going on? Is Whitney alright?"

"He was in a car accident, but he's fine. Clark Kent pulled him out of the car before it exploded."

"Wow." said Lana. 'Eventhough Whitney wasn't being particularly nice to Clark, he still saved his life. I guess people can surprise you sometimes.' "Where is he?"

"He's at the hospital. They called and asked if someone could pick him up. Would you like to come?"

"Sure. I'm at the farmer's market." Ten minutes later she and Mrs. Fordman were walking into the Smallville Medical Center's Emergency Room. She saw Whitney sitting in a chair in the waiting area. She ran over to him, and hugged him tightly. "Are you alright?" she asked him.

"I'm fine, Lana. It's just a few cuts and bruises." The two of them walked out to the car while Whitney's mom signed him out. There was no point for Lana to stay around the house, as Mrs. Fordman pointed out, the pain killers had made Whitney very drowsy and so he was sleeping. To take her mind off things Lana went to take Donatello for a ride. While she was dismounting she heard someone talking to her.

"Your form's good, but his gait's off. You might want to check his shoes. Lex Luthor, I'm a friend of your aunt."

"Sneaking up like that, you're lucky you didn't get kicked." 'People just keep sneaking up on me lately.'

"You must be Lana. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"We've already met." 'I wonder if he remembers.' She tied the reigns to a post.

"I seriously doubt I'd forget meeting you."

"You were a little preoccupied at the time." She started to put up the stirrups.

"I get the feeling I didn't make a great first impression."

"When I was ten, I went to Metropolis for a riding competition. Your father invited us to stay over. My aunt said you had an indoor pool. I went to check it out, and I found you and a girl skinny-dipping. I think you were teaching her the breaststroke."

"That was you?" he asked, looking embarrassed. "Wow. You're all grown up now." 'He really is embarrassed.' He walked over to the case with all of her ribbons in it. "Very impressive."

"It's tacky, but it makes my aunt happy." He pointed to a picture.

"That's an unusual necklace."

"Thanks, it's very special to me."

"How come you're not wearing it?"

"I lent it to my boyfriend."

"Lucky guy. What's his name?"

"Whitney Fordman."

"The kid that Kent saved today?"

"Just came back from seeing him. He's lucky Clark was there."

"I know the feeling." 'That's right. You should' "Kind of makes you wonder if you're with the right guy." She untied the reigns and led the horse into his stall. "One chucks footballs, the other helps save lives." 'Why are you attacking him?'

"For someone who just moved into town, you've got a lot of opinions."

"You just seem more interesting than that. While you're nursing your boyfriend back to health, ask him what he was doing before the big game."

"He was with me." 'I don't really know where he was, but why should Lex care?'

"Are you sure? Tell your aunt I stopped by." He walked towards the door leaving Lana with some things to think about.

The next day after school she went over to Whitney's locker. 'Just ask him.' she reminded herself.

"Where were you before the game on Saturday?"

"Can we talk about this later?"

"It's a simple question, Whitney."

"I was worming up."

"So you didn't grab Clark and hang him up in a field."

"Lana, it was just a prank." She shook her head. 'Why did Lex have to be right.'

"Could I please have my necklace back?"

"I lost it." 'What? You lost my favorite necklace! Didn't he know how important it was to me! I can't believe this.'

"Were you planning to tell me? Or was that a prank too?" 'Were you just going to hope I'd forget about it. I hope he feels guilty.' She walked away trying not to cry. She headed for the stairs when she saw Greg.

"Lana! I thought you'd forgotten. I've been waiting for like and hour. You remember, the English paper? " 'Oh, no. Now I have to blow him off.'

"Sorry, Greg, something really important came up. Can we do it some other time?"

"Hey," he grabbed her arm as she started to turn away. "Are you blowing me off for your boyfriend?"

"I'm not blowing you off, I need to see Clark."

"Kent? So, you'd rather spend time with him? Is he more important than me?" 'What's gotten into him?'

"Greg, I can't talk about this right now. I have to go. She turned and walked down the stairs. She went outside and got a ride to Clark's house. When she got to the house Mrs. Kent said that Clark would be home and she could wait in the barn. She walked over to the barn and into the loft. She was amazed to see a telescope. 'I didn't know he was into astronomy.' A few minutes later she heard someone coming up the stairs.

"Lana."

"Your mom said I could wait up here. I hope you don't mind. This is an amazing place."

"My dad built it. He calls it my 'fortress of solitude.'" She laughed.

"I didn't know you were into astronomy."

"That's just a hobby."

"Did you know you can see my house from here?" 'I think he did, considering it was pointed in that direction. But that could just be coincidence.'

"No, really?"

"You know we've lived a mile apart our whole lives and you've never come over."

"And you're wondering what I'm doing here now." 'That's understandable.'

"Not that I don't enjoy the company, but yes." 'So you do like spending time with me.'

"I found out about what Whitney did to you, the whole scarecrow thing, and I came to apologize." 'I'm really sorry Clark.'

"It's not your fault. Just forget about it."

"I can't. He had no right to do that to you. And you turn around and save his life."

"I appreciate you coming over here, but you're not the one who should be apologizing."

"I didn't come here to defend him, I came here to see you." 'I need to be around someone else right now, and Greg just wasn't going to cut it.'

"Who told you?"

"Lex Luthor. Dropped some bread crumbs and I followed the trail." 'I'm glad that he did, cause if he didn't nobody would have apologized to you.' "I'm glad he did, Clark. HE was just being a good friend. You're luck, it's rare."

"Lex is definitely one of a kind." 'You don't even know the half of it.'

"What are you gonna do?"

"I'm not sure. I thought I knew Whitney. Now I wonder what else I've been blind to in my life. He even lost my favorite necklace."

"Can't you get it replaced?" 'How sweet. He's trying to make me feel better."

"Sounds kind of weird, but it's made from a fragment of the meteor that killed my parents. Nell had it made, gave it to me the day she officially adopted me. Told me that life is about change. Sometimes it's painful, sometimes it's beautiful, but most of the time it's both. I'd better go. I'm glad you're okay Clark." She walked down the stairs to the loft and back towards her house. 'He's got a nice way of making someone feel better without meaning to.'

Later that day Lana went to the barn to muck out some stalls and feed the horses. When she was feeding them she heard someone come into the barn. It was Whitney.

"Your aunt said you were out here." 'Let's hope he came here to apologize.'

"How you feeling?"

"Better. That's not why I'm here, though. Lana, when I saw you and Clark outside your house that night, I just freaked out."

"What did you think we were doing?"

"I guess I got scared and did something stupid." 'Yeah you did, but it makes a little sense now.' "I'd do anything to take that back."

"It's too late, Whitney. She's mine now." They both turned and saw Greg standing in the doorway.

"Greg?" Lana asked.

"Get away from her." Whitney said walking over to him. Before Whitney could do anything, Greg pushed him out of the way like it was nothing. That sent Whitney over the half wall next to them.

"Greg, what's going on?" Lana asked nervously. 'He doesn't look like himself.'

"It's time." he said.

"Time for what?"

"For us." 'Oh, my God. What's he going to do to me?' The next thing she knew she was plunged into blackness. As she drifted in and out of consciousness, Lana thought she heard someone say,

"You're not taking her!" 'Great,' she thought, ' someone's going to rescue me.' Then everything went black again. All of a sudden she felt someone's had on the back of her head, and she opened her eyes.

"Hey," she heard someone say. "It's okay. It's me."

"Whitney?"

"You're safe. You're safe. Come on." She sat up and just let him hold her.

"I didn't think I was ever gonna see you again."

"Don't say that, you know I'd never let anything happen to you."

"I know that now." They walked to the truck together, Whitney had his arm around her waist and she had hers around his shoulder. He took her home and when Nell came home she made him leave, thinking that he had been there the whole time. After he left she took a long hot shower. 'I've had quite a day. And to think that I almost died.' Once she got out of the shower she went downstairs to read. A little while later she thought she heard someone at the door, but when she went outside there was no one there. At first she thought that it was Whitney, 'but I guess it's not.'she told herself. She turned around to go back inside and saw her necklace hanging on the door knob. 'Thank you, whoever you are.' She smiled to herself and went back inside.