I'm BAAAACCKK
Ok, in truth it hasn't been THAT long since I updated, and this is only part ONE in a two part chapter in which the 2nd part is slightly more interesting than the 1st part but hey, I'm overdue for a filler!
THANKS TO ALL MY REVIEWERS! Remember: Reviews help me make this story better! Feel free to yell at me at any time :D :D :D
WARNING: Shameless filler. Sorry, guys, but I wrote this while studying Post-classical civilizations, so it's a bit. . .how shall I put this. . .sucky
WARNING #2: Bit of a cliffy. Sort-of. ISH.
WARNING #3: Muy short. Like this warning.
Chp. 8a COME CLEAN
"So, there's still something you have yet to explain to me, Chlo," Lois inquired
"Shoot."
"How on EARTH did you get shot?"
"Lois, we've been through this! Please drop it."
"No, Chloe! I mean, why were you down in downtown Metropolis at 4 in the morning, and what the hell were you doing there?"
"I told you, Lo, I was with Clark at a party that my friend invited me to when, I don't know, I guess I just got caught in the crossfire," Chloe stated matter-of-factly.
"Your story isn't adding up, Chlo." Lois stated, as Chloe began tapping her fingers, a nervous gesture. "1st off, Clark is FAR from the partying type. You know it, I know it, the American people know it! 2nd, there were absolutely NO witnesses to this shooting, except our favorite farm boy. You were supposedly in the most crowded part of Metropolis. Even at 4 in the morning, somebody would have heard about this. And 3rd, if there WAS a wild and crazy party in Metropolis that night, I, of all people, would have known about it! So tell me the truth, because I won't stop bugging you until you do! I've known you forever. I know when you're lying to me!"
"Have I mentioned how nice you look today?"
"CHLOE!"
"Lois, there's nothing more to this! I don't know how or why it happened, all I know is that I was a little drunk, and Clark was gonna take me home. We were walking to the car, and the next thing I remember was waking up in this hospital room! Sorry, Lo, but there's no juicy story to be had here." Chloe said, a look of pain flashing in her eyes
"OK, Chloe, I believe you," Lois said as convincingly as she could, realizing that she was hurting Chloe. But deep down, she was troubled, because she knew her cousin was lying to her.
Clark returned to Chloe's room with a foaming caramel latte spilling over the cup onto his hands and shirt. The hospital coffee machine was out of order, so Clark decided speed around looking for the nearest Starbucks (which, incidentally, was around the corner, but he failed to realize this right away). Now he was standing in the doorway to Chloe's room smelling like caramel fudge, and thinking to himself how super speed and hot liquids are not a good mix.
Clark stepped into the room to find Lois sitting on the edge of Chloe's bed, with Chloe sound asleep next to her. "She's been out for a few minutes." Lois whispered, rising from her place and stepping out of the room. She motioned Clark to follow her, closing the door behind him.
"Great! You got me a latte! I'm parched. Sitting in that room all night really can get to a person you know!" Lois said in an all-to-perky tone. She grabbed the drink from Clark's hand. "OW! This thing is burning! How'd you manage to carry this thing!" She winced. Great, Lane, that has to be the most pathetic attempt at small-talk I've ever heard. You sound like a little valley girl! 'Oh, Clark, how'd you manage to carry that, you big strong manly-man!' Idiot. . .Ok, you gotta recover from this. . . .I wonder what his shoe size is. . . .LOIS! STOP! Just talk to him like you normally would! Here goes nothing. . .
"Lois?" Clark inquired, seeing that Lois had stopped talking. "Uh, are you ok?"
"Yeah, never better!" Lois fake-laughed. "Hey Smallville, what time is it anyway?"
"10 to 9"
"Ok. Not too late. Got to get back to work today. I feel bad leaving your mom all alone at the Talon." She began to take a sip from her half-empty latte. "Geez, Smallville, did you manage to spill all of this? Guess it makes sense that you'd trip over those big ol' Sasquatch feet of yours." Please God tell me I didn't say that! DAMN THINKING OUT LOUD!. . .
Clark smiled, knowing that Lois was emotionally beating herself up over her comments. While he was less that a genius at deciphering the emotions of the fairer sex, he picked up on Lois' classic "deer caught staring at the headlights" look, signaling a massive tactical error having occurred. But he wasn't gonna call her on it, for some reason that he couldn't yet identify.
He always hated Lois. They were polar opposites! But today, a strange emotion hit himHe looked Lois, her hair tousled and pulled into a loose ponytail, her makeup slightly smudged and her eyes tired and red, but couldn't imagine her any more beautiful. Beautiful? Lois? I really need to get some sleep, I'm seeing things . . . But no matter how hard he tried, his mind kept playing back that glorious moment when he held Lois' gentle hands in his, just a few hours ago.
Lois' gaze relaxed as she saw a look of humor sweep over Clark's face, and allowed herself to crack a smile. She liked him, a lot, and knew that Chloe was right, that she had to tell Clark sooner or later that she loved him. Oh crap am I really gonna do this? Oh my god oh my god I am I am I am . . . . .What if he doesn't like me back? Or I say something stupid or I come off as taking advantage of the rebound?. . .I mean he DID just break up with Lana. Damn it. Just go! On the count of 3 tell him. . .Ok . . . .1. .2. .3. . . . crap. . . . . Let's try this again. 1. . .2. . . "Hey, Clark, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"We are talking, Lois. What's the matter? Are you ok? you seem tense, " Clark asked, genuinely concerned.
"Me? Naahh. . .I'm not tense, I'm just. . .Listen, Smallville, there's something I gotta tell you."
. . . . .TBC. . .
