Chapter 3: Time Doesn't Heal All Wounds

Most of the journalism professors pointedly disregarded Chloe in class. Speaking out in class was pointless. While the other students might respond to her insightful comments, the professors overlooked them. Chloe was eternally glad she wasn't in Dr. Jenson's class. One time, one time only, she had gone to his office to confront the man about the slanderous memo. The secretary kept her waiting for two hours. When Dr. Jenson finally came out of his office he took one look at Chloe, sneered, then walked right past her without a word. The secretary tried to look apologetic, asking her to come back another day. Chloe never bothered.

As for her grades, the teachers scrutinized her papers with a loud red pen. Not a single error went unmarked, nor a single misinterpretation not ripped apart. Her very best and most researched papers received only middling grades and not a word of feedback.

At first Chloe tried to talk to the other journalism students, but they soon got the feeling the teachers were out for her blood. Most started avoiding Chloe even outside the classrooms. She was never invited to study, never asked what her grades were, and for her one and only group project the others tended to change the meetings without a word to her.

Outside the Journalism classes Chloe's life was a bit better. In French the teacher praised her pronunciation, and when she did poorly on a physics test the professor set up a special study group including her. In her dorm Chloe started making friends…most of whom were computer geeks who didn't care squat about university politics. Their futures beyond the university were guaranteed…more or less.

Unfortunately for Chloe, half of what they talked about she didn't understand. Researching and hacking on the web were completely different from building and programming computers. When they started getting too technical she would smile, nod, and leave.

Chloe's roommate, Jeni, was seldom there. Her parents lived barely an hour away, and every chance she go she went home. Not only did the girl have a home, but she was also one of those beautiful perfect people made you grit your teeth whenever they were around. She was on the cheerleading squad, had the grades to back her beauty up, and wasn't the least bit shy about flaunting the fact to everyone she met.

Her part of the dorm suite was done up in pastel pinks and forest green. The day she moved in she brought a pack of friends to help her fix the room up just perfectly. Her pink-shelled Apple laptop was seated next to a fuzzy set of notebooks and pens. The single window had an annoying poof of green fabric cutting off half the sunlight. Jeni's quilt had a checkered pattern of greens and pinks, echoing the paint on the dresser.

Comparatively Chloe's side of the room looked like a tornado had swept through it. Her blanket was a leftover of a quilting age long gone. Her grandmother had once won a county fair with the prized wedding ring pattern. Piles of papers and books with several, rainbow-hued post-its interspersed, surrounded her laptop. Her bed was rumpled and the basket of to-be-washed-really-soon clothes grew a bit more with every day.

Sitting there in the empty room Chloe couldn't help but think about her own family. Chloe could remember the pain when her mother left without a word, but losing her father had almost broken her spirit. Unlike most students at Metropolis University Chloe had nowhere else to go. She didn't have a home anymore, no loved ones cheering her on, no family to support her in a crisis.

The only thing she had left was her friends. Pete, Lana…Clark.

Lana and Pete were at Kansas State University, only 76 miles away. Clark, who was supposed to be here, with her, studying Journalism, was God only knows where, exploring the world at large…without her. At least that had been the plan. The last time Chloe had seen him it had all been talk, and Clark had still been bailing hay on his dad's farm.

It hurt that Clark wasn't here, but even more it hurt that she knew he was keeping secrets. She didn't know for sure what it was, but she felt Pete and Lana knew something that she didn't know. Stupid Friends and their stupid secrets could just drive a girl insane sometimes.

Spontaneously Chloe threw a 'Go Kansas' mug across the room. The thing shattered loudly against the door, gouging a hole in the imposter wood grain. It had been a gift from Lana the day they found out Chloe was accepted at Metropolis University. Lana didn't want Chloe to forget her friends at the 'other' university

"Hey!" Someone pounded on the door. "Keep it down! People are living here."

Chloe ignored him. She didn't care if she disturbed the whole damn building. They had a home they could go to…all they had to do was pack an overnight bag.

Chloe closed her eyes and pictured her father's face. He wasn't a striking man; his hairline had been pushed back a bit every year. His face had steadily grown a bit rounder with time. But he always had a smile for her, a hug when she came home. Maybe he wasn't as strong as Clark's father, but he had been all the family she had ever needed.

Chloe could remember one of the few times her father had met with Mr. Kent and Pete's father Mr. Ross. It had been almost funny at the time to watch the two men dissing Lex Luther to a man who worked for him.

Dad came across as a spineless sap. Chloe snorted, remembering what Pete told her the next day. "Your dad seems nice enough, but pops thinks he's a bit of a woos."

"Well, I like him well enough. I wouldn't want any one else to be my father." Pete had laughed, but there had been a bit of pity in his eyes.

Thinking back Chloe knew that she had been right. Maybe her dad wasn't a super man, fighting for a better tomorrow, but he was great at the fathering bits. If he was here today, he might not try to fight the university, but he would stand behind her, supporting her through the worst of times.

A tear slipped out of the corner of Chloe's eye. If dad was only here, college life wouldn't feel like such torture, maybe she wouldn't be thinking about quitting before she had hardly begun.

Mr. Kent had stood next to her during the funeral. "If you ever need anything, Chloe, just ask. We're all here for you." Chloe never had asked. The Kents were great people, but they weren't family, only her friend's parents.

A small smile blossomed on Chloe's face. Maybe she had no family left, but she still had friends. They kept secrets from her, but she knew in the end they loved her.

Chloe looked out the window. Dim red light scattered over the hills in the East. Suddenly she couldn't stand the feel of being closed inside the building.

Grabbing a light green sweater Chloe stalked out of the west wing of Pelton Dormitory. Outside the university gardeners had created a picturesque scene. The lawn was a perfectly manufactured, two inches of lush greenness. Six violently red and orange Bradford Pear trees stood in a circle around a swirling fountain. Chloe sat down on one of the stone benches standing under the trees.

Looking up Chloe could see tiny stars peeping at her from between the autumn leaves. The slight breeze blowing through the trees made it look like the stars were twinkling. It felt like peace.

Life was bad now, but Chloe knew that no matter what, she would not break. She was a strong girl. Her father had believed in her.

"Never let anyone take your dreams away." It sounded so cliche at the time, but in her heart Chloe could remember the love in her father's eyes. More than anyone else in her life Gabe Sullivan had believed his daughter would live her dream. Every now and then Chloe would catch her father staring sadly out a window, like he regretted not becoming another man, but he never complained.

For her father, Chloe would become the greatest reporter ever, despite the weasel, Dr. Jenson.

Chloe lay back on the cool stone bench, closing her eyes. Above her the trees rustled their leaves, singing in symphony to the crickets.

Tomorrow, she thought, tomorrow is Thursday. She had intro to mass media with Dr. Emile Dodson. One of Dr. Jenson's favorite friends if the way he treated her was any indication. If only she had a friend here to watch her back, to make her laugh at the damned professors.

She pictured Pete's face in her mind. He was always there for her. Even Clark, despite his tendency to disappear, had been there for her. Maybe they kept secrets, but they could be depended on for moral support.

Two of her best friends were only 76 miles away. Maybe it was a good time to get away from this stuffy old place. The dried up prunes that pretended to teach class could live without her for the rest of the week.

Chloe shifted her position, relaxing on the bench. Maybe this wasn't a perfect world she was living in, but at least her friends were still there, waiting for her, ready to love her.

A cloud passed over the sky above Chloe. Its darkness blotted out the stars. With her eyes closed, Chloe couldn't see it as it sullenly crossed the blue-black heavens.

Ten minutes was all it took Chloe to get ready. She grabbed a bag from under her bed, opened a few drawers for clothes, tossed all her toiletries in a bag, and grabbed several news magazines for entertainment. Maybe the professors in the journalism department had it out for her, but at in college no one really cares if you take off for the weekend early, skipping out on a few classes.

Chloe didn't even bother to leave a note for her roommate. If the girl even made note of her absence, Chloe would be very surprised.

Casually Chloe slung the black bag across her shoulder, grabbed a final book to study, then headed off for the parking lot. She didn't bother to lock the door on her way out, not caring for anything left behind in that room. One of the boys who lived down from her looked up as Chloe passed. He gave her a simple greeting and then passed on. That's how it was in a dormitory. You share a bathroom and roof, but you don't really know anyone.

Outside the temperature had dropped a little. The wind gave a nippy bite to the air, making it seem cooler in the pitch-blackness of night.

Her car was on the far side of the lot and by the time Chloe reached it she was shivering slightly. The little off white '84 Miata had belonged to her father. Chloe sometimes wished she could sell the thing and get another, but beyond the cost she couldn't stand the thought of someone else driving her father's car.

The inside of the car was done in a faded maroon, aged by time and misuse. It smelled like only old, much used cars can, of bodies, garbage, cleaners, and airfreshner. Bits and pieces of her life had accumulated over the semester, taking up space in the back of the car. Chloe flung her bag and book on the passenger seat.

Chloe pushed in the clutch and the brake, and then turn the key over. Despite its age the engine turned over instantly, coming loudly to life. The radio blared Britney Spears latest bit of idiocy. Chloe's face twisted in a grimace, her slim hands flicking out to change the station.

Christina Aguliera…definitely not…

Bon Jovi's Life, now that was music worth listening to. With the right music singing through the car Chloe felt she could take on the world. Looking down at the clock, the green numbers blazed at 8:13pm. She should be at Kansas State by 9:30, never too late to visit her friends who attended that fine establishment.

Letting out the clutch, Chloe applied gas to the car. Slowly but surely the vehicle gained speed. Soon enough she was on the highway, heading west.

Behind her the university lights dimmed with distance, soon becoming only a light stain on the darkening horizon. In front the black road stretched forward, into the night.

Hey, sorry it took so long to get this posted, I promise I'll try to get the next one out faster. I'd like to thank everyone who gave me the wonderful feedback, and my roomie Deanine for betaing this for me.