Through Lana's Eyes
Chapter 12
Leech
"Okay people, we've got fifteen minutes. Storm's on it's way, and I want to be on the road before it hits." Mr. Summers said. They had come to a old meteor sight to work on their geology. 'In other words, we're in the woods looking for rocks.' She and Chloe weren't having much luck finding anything, so she figured she'd go talk to Clark and Pete. She walked over to them.
"Hey Clark."
"Hey Lana."
"When is this whole geological scavenger hunt over?" Chloe asked, coming over.
"Not having much luck?" Pete asked.
"Someone's doing a little more ranting than digging." she told them.
"I'm sorry but I find geology even more pointless than algebra. I mean, I could just order these rocks online and have them delivered to my house, vacuum-sealed." Chloe replied.
"Let's keep looking." Lana told Chloe.
"Ten minutes, then we're leaving." Mr. Summers reminded them. Once they got on the bus Mr Summers said,
"Has anyone seen Eric, he seems to have gotten himself lost."
"I'll go find him." Clark volunteered. After about half an hour they came back.
"Where'd you find him?" Mr. Summers asked.
"Over by the dam." Clark said." Mr. Summers looked from Clark to Eric.
"We'll talk about this at home." he told Eric.
"That doesn't look good." Chloe whispered. 'She's right. What was Eric doing at the dam?" After school Lana decided to go into town to help Nell in the shop, so Whitney gave her a ride.
"Thanks for the ride." she said as he parked the car.
"You're welcome."
"Wanna come in and say hi to Nell?"
"I can't. I gotta get over to the store. Stock day."
"See you tonight?"
"I've gotta run the numbers over to my dad at the hospital." 'Am I ever gonna get to spend time with you?'
"I thought he was supposed to be recovering."
"He is, he's just. . . He needs to feel like he's in control."
"How are you doing?"
"Not that great. Can't get my homework done, I can't train. I might as well kiss my scholarship goodbye."
"Come over tonight, I'll help you with you homework." He smiled and gave her a hug.
"Hey, when did Nell put the shop up for sale?"
"What?" She looked at the door and saw a for sale sign. "I don't know. I'll let you know later." She opened the door and walked inside. "Why didn't you tell me you were selling the shop?"
"I'm sorry, I only made the decision this morning."
"When were you planing on telling me?"
"I don't understand why you're so upset. I mean, you're never shown any interest in this store before. And now I'm supposed to consult you?"
"Are you selling the movie theater as well?"
"Yes, Lana, it's part of the building." 'But that's where my parents met. How could she do this to me?'
"You know how much it means to me."
"If I'd made business decisions based on sentiment I would have gone bust a long time ago. Besides, the movie theater's been closed for months now. I'll sell the building and relocate to a smaller store."
"There has to be another way." 'I don't want you to sell the move theater. Now it's practically the only standing landmark that reminds me of my parents. Why would you want to take that away from me?'
"Look, I'm just think of our future." Lana sighed, and walked out of the shop. Then next day after school she had finally convinced Whitney to take a break from studying, so Whitney was looking for people to play basketball with. They saw Clark and Pete standing in the hall.
"Hey guys." she said.
"Hey." Clark was staring at her necklace like he'd never seen it before.
"Clark, are you okay?"
"I'm great."
"Ross, I'm getting a pickup game together in the gym. You and Kent versus me and Brent, what do you say?" Whitney asked.
"Clark doesn't really play." Pete told them.
"No, I play." Clark insisted.
"Great, bring it on." She and Whitney went to the gym. She and Holly sat on the bleachers and watched the guy play. Unfortunately Clark and Pete lost. She went over and gave Whitney a hug.
"Great game."
"Thanks." He put his arm around her shoulders.
"Eww! You're all sweaty. Go take a shower." He laughed, and walked off with Brent to the locker room. She went and waited for Whitney in the parking lot by his truck, so she could get a ride into town with him. She went into the old movie theater and started looking around. As she came down the stairs someone came in.
"Tried to score the last box of jujubes before this place is sold?" She saw Clark come in.
"Those things could probably survive a nuclear winter."
"You must have a thing about bad sound and stale popcorn."
"My parents met here. My dad worked the concession stand during college and my mom came to see Close Encounters. She got bored."
"How do you get bored watching Close Encounters?"
"I don't know. Maybe she had a thing against aliens. She hung out in the lobby and spent the entire night talking to my dad. They'd only been a few years apart in school but never noticed each other. That night, they just clicked. I know it sounds kind of crazy but I feel that whatever tangible evidence I have of my parents' existence is slowly being chipped away."
"Sometimes letting go is the only way to move forward."
"I guess you're right. Besides, there's nothing I can do to stop it. How'd you find me anyway?"
"Nell told me. I was wondering if I could borrow your English notes. I kind dozed off in class." 'Clark Kent falling asleep in class, I wish I'd noticed.' She laughed.
"Sure." She got them out of her bag. "Have you been feeling okay lately?"
"Yeah, great, why?" 'You're different.'
"Nothing, you're just less Clark Kent-like. It's kinda nice. You seem more relaxed, like you haven't got the weight of the world on your shoulders."
"Well. I guess I woke up and realized my life had changed. I decided to kick back and accept the fact that I couldn't control everything."
"Maybe I should adopt that philosophy myself."
"I should go work on trying to understand these." He held up the notes.
"Yeah, they're a little cryptic. Good luck." He stood up and walked out of the theater. A few hours later she was still there helping Nell clean out all the stuff that she had stored there.
"I was driving by, I saw the light on. I figured it was you."
"Are you okay? I called the house earlier, but your mom said you were asleep. I was really scared." 'All I found out was that you had been thrown against a truck, and you passed out.'
"I'm sorry."
"How so you think Eric got that strong overnight?"
"I have no idea."
"Can you imagine waking up one morning and having powers?" 'I think it would be pretty cool.'
"It's scary." 'What does he mean by that?' "I guess, I mean, look at Eric, it hasn't helped him."
"That's true. But I've still always wished I could fly."
"Yeah, that'd be something, Lana."
"What is it?" 'I know he wants to say something.'
"It's your necklace. I never realized how beautiful it was until now. This is gonna sound really strange. Could I borrow it?" 'What's he gonna use it for?'
"Sure." She reached up and took it off. She held it out to him, but instead of taking it he put his hand on top of hers. "What do you need it for?"
"It's complicated. Whatever happens to me, I promise you'll get this back." 'He's making it sound like he's gonna die or something. I'm really worried about him.'
"You're scaring me again. What's going on?" He didn't say anything, instead he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Goodbye, Lana." He turned and walked out of the theater. 'Where's he going? Don't worry. He'll be fine. Clark always is. I'd better try to finish cleaning up.' Just as she was about to leave she saw Clark walk in. 'Thank God. He's alright.'
"Hey, I was just locking up."
"I brought your necklace back." He held out a black medal box with a beautiful design on the top.
"This is beautiful. Where'd you get it?"
"A friend. It's made of lead armor. I want you to have it. I figure that way it can protect your memories." She opened it and saw that her necklace was inside. 'Just making sure. Why'd he give me this box?'
"Is this your way of telling me I shouldn't wear my necklace?"
"I don't want it to hold you back." She smiled, and walked towards the door.
"Sometimes letting go is the only way to move forward. You okay? You look like you've got the weight of the world on you shoulders again."
"Yeah, I guess I do. Can I walk you home?" 'I'd like that but,'
"Actually, I'm meeting Whitney at the store. Rain check?"
"Rain check. Good night, Lana."
"Good night." She walked away in the direction of the store. 'I'm just glad that he's okay, and he seems back to normal. Although I kind of liked him when he didn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders. It was a change.' She opened the door of the hardware store, ready to help Whitney.