Chapter Eleven
Project Awkward
By Monday morning it was obvious that something monumental had conspired between Chloe and Lex. They disappeared throughout the day held hands whenever possible and had this look as though their relationship was now cemented. Lois watched perplexed as her best friend went about the day with her head in the clouds. She waited for last period when she could talk to Chloe freely. By fifth period, her only class with Lex she had already planned her latest story pitch and an angle to get Chloe to spill the beans on Lex. She wasn't paying attention to the teacher who was saying something about a final project for their semester grade and was calling names in pairs. Lois shook her thoughts away hoping for anyone's name but Lex's to be paired with hers.
She winced realizing the teacher was going alphabetically and when Kent and Lang were paired she sighed to herself reading the board she swore silently. A set of ten cameras were sitting on the front desk all from the AV department. Lois looked down trying not to strain her eyes or set something aflame as she read they were to follow their partner around like paparazzi.
Lois locked her jaw; she had opted to take Journalism and Media for her English credit hoping to be paired with Chloe but instead was with Lex for the first semester while Chloe had a different teacher and the earlier class. When they were to break into groups Lex's grin annoyed Lois as they sat taking notes silently.
"So, who wants to go first? We could film me this week and then you next week maybe? Do the editing on the third week and write the narration separately?"
Lois shrugs as Lex laughs writing his ideas down.
"Look are you mad at me or something? Cause I'm sensing tension here."
He raises his eyebrows trying to charm Lois as she rolled her eyes.
"Look we don't need a week's worth of footage we'll split one week between us we'll need the other two weeks to edit, write and record our narration. I'll see if I could get some of the AV Club members to help a few of them owe me one."
Lex nods laughing as he wrote more notes down.
"Great, so you'll go first then? I'll follow you around for the first three and half days then vice versa?"
Lois shrugs as Lex gets up to grab a camera filling out the appropriate paperwork.
By the time the bell rang Lois sighed with relief as Lex got up still messing around with the functions of the camera.
"Okay perfect let's start now."
Lois rolled her eyes as Lex slung his bag over one shoulder while watching the screen of the camera.
She smiled upon seeing Clark who as usual waited for her outside of fifth period so they could walk to the Torch together. He looked at Lex oddly as he zoomed in and out trying to get different angles. No-one from the class that was spilling out of the room was taking the project as seriously.
Lois hooked her arm through Clark's as they walked through the masses down the hallway. Lex stood still getting long shots as he swam through the students.
"What's going on you have your own paparazzi?"
Lois rolls her eyes stealing a glance with a smirk as Lex almost trips trying to keep up.
"Media class project he follows me around with a camera for three and a half days and then it's my turn."
Clark nods turning towards Lex and waving.
Lois laughs at him.
"No you can just ignore me make believe I'm not there, the camera is supposed to be capturing real life."
Clark frowns as they duck into the Torch where Chloe her back turned towards the door is frantically reading through her notes.
"Lois you're going to have to get another interview with Supergirl this month's issue is looking weak."
Lex smiles turning the camera on Chloe who still doesn't see him.
"Well she'll get right on that Chlo…"
Clark sounds odd as Chloe turns she freezes and blushes at the sight of Lex behind the camera.
"Right, well I know you have connections."
She smiles uncomfortably for the camera as Lex hits pause smiling at the faces around the room. He walks up winking at Chloe kissing her gently on the cheek.
"What are you doing here Lex?"
Lois lets out an exasperated sigh taking out a notebook of some story ideas she's been brainstorming, leaving Lex to answer.
"Media class project didn't you guys get one?"
Chloe shrugs smiling Lois catches the smug look growling to herself.
"No final project for your class? It's just us who have to suffer?"
Lex frowns a bit laughing at Lois as he turns back to Chloe.
When sixth period was finally over the Torch emptied with Lex on Lois's heels camera ready. Trying not to overpower Chloe, Lois heads to the girl room smiling leaving Clark and Lex outside while she talks to her best friend alone.
Heading to the sinks Lois looks at the mirror turning the facet on high before looking at her friend.
"This is going to be the longest three days of my life."
Chloe smiles shrugging as she calms her hair down throwing it up in a ponytail.
"We'll just have to act normal, nothing super related three days no big deal."
She smirks taking a side glance at Lois before regaining her neutral expression. Unfortunately, her super best friend caught every nuance.
"What was that smirk for?"
Chloe shrugs openly hiding something.
"We saw you on Sunday, kissing in the afternoon and looking very romantic."
Chloe's grin fell a bit as she blushed, stopping in her tracks as two students walk into the bathroom passing them to the far left stalls.
Lois can't help but laugh as her friend bites her lip trying to suppress a giggle.
"Wow, Chloe out of us three I thought for sure Pete was going to be the first to go."
Trying to hide a blush they open the door heading back into the hallway where both Clark and Lex are waiting.
"So I'll see you in the student parking lot after school?"
Lex asks putting his arm around Chloe's shoulders.
"Oh I usually walk home."
Lex smiles taking a quick glance at Clark who's face is stony un-expressionless.
"Well football practice is over and I drive to school we live right next door to each other let me drive you home."
Lois grabs onto Clark's hand walking backwards away from Lex and Chloe.
"I always walk to and from school, if you're supposed to be following me in my natural habitat it looks like I'll meet you at my house."
With that she turns away, giving Clark a slight squeeze as they head into their next class.
"I always thought your life would be more glamorous."
Lex laughed as he moved slowly around the barn while Lois heaved the barrels of hay feigning strain with every movement. She had to use the wheelbarrow and take lemonade breaks.
Martha worried that Lex would catch something odd on camera was out often bringing lemonade trying to distract Lex anyway she can.
"Nope just farm girl from Kansas."
She bit her lips trying not the laugh at the situation as Lex paused the camera and grabbed a hay stack walking with her to the pile she was building.
"I just thought with your connections to Supergirl and writing for the Smallville Gazette that…"
She paused looking at Lex oddly as they emptied the wheelbarrow.
"How did you know about the Gazette?"
He shrugs taking some hay and tossing it to the side.
"I did some research Lois, I figured there's no halfway about this project so. But I'm sure you're doing the same thing for me. By the way I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and my favorite color is green."
She had to laugh and that made him smile.
"Good, you're not mad at me that's a start."
She shrugs looking down at the empty wheelbarrow.
"Thanks, you didn't have to help me ya know."
He nods following her back further into the barn picking up the camera.
"So am I going to see Supergirl?"
Lois froze before turning to stare at him.
"Why would you?"
He laughs pressing record on the camera.
"Chloe mentioned that you had an interview with her for your article in the Torch."
He was a natural at asking poignant questions something about the way he settled the camera on her sent her blood pressure skyrocketing.
"It's not like we're best friends or anything. She saved me once and I helped her get the word out that she's here to help anyone in need. Sometimes I don't hear from her for weeks."
He slowly nods changing angles gracefully as Lois squirms under the lens, and leaves the barn for the sun and fresh air of her backyard. Lex, not far behind starts after her as she makes her way into the kitchen.
"This is my Mother, and Father."
She points to her Martha who is putting the final touches on a apple pie before kissing Jonathan's forehead as he reads the afternoon edition of the Planet. Lex takes a moment to zoom in on the Daily Planet's letter head before following Lois further into the house. As they left the room her parents exchange half worried half amused glances.
"This is the living room, Den upstairs is my room and Parents and the shower where I'm heading now before dinner."
She walks to the front door as Lex follows her.
And there is where my next door neighbor Lex Lang lives, I'm pretty sure he has homework and other stuff he'd like to do call his girlfriend maybe or."
Lex laughs, pausing the camera and turning the power off.
"We can edit that last part out. I can take a hint I'll walk with you to school in the morning Kent."
Lois nods still holding the door open as Lex ducks out of the house laughing to himself.
Lois was bored, for the first time in three days she was completely alone in the Torch room, escaping her fourth period substitute she took deep breaths glad to be the one behind the camera this afternoon instead in front of the lens. The door to the Torch opened and a smile sprang to her face. Clark, looking devilishly handsome looked around the room before resting his eyes on Lois.
"What no camera crew?"
She smirks as he saunters over taking her into his arms, they kiss gently before she leans her head on his shoulder.
"I'm finally off the hook, I just have to follow him around now for the rest of the week."
She pulled away from Clark for a second as a laugh bubbling to the surface threatened to erupt from him.
"Last year you would have loved for this opportunity. Besides you could learn something new."
She slapped his shoulder playfully as he winced a bit to her force.
"Ow.."
She smiles kissing him quickly.
"I would have been sick if this happened to me last year, what could I possibly learn from Lex Lang?"
He laughs crossing his arms.
"Who knows, you've been next door neighbors for so long you may learn something. Besides he followed you around for three days and your secrets are still tucked away."
Lois groaned leaning against the desk as she pouted a bit.
"Speaking of, how did it go last night? I can't believe you took down both those guys and were able to stop the bomb from going off."
She looked at him crossing her arms a bit, jealous at missing the action.
"It was fine, not a big deal I could have used Supergirl but…"
She smiles letting some of the stress fall from her shoulders as her arms unwound and draped around his neck. They were together until the bell rang signaling the dreaded Fifth period.
When Lois slowly walked into her Media class she was surprised that Lex was dressed quite nicely and was waiting with two hall passes by the front door.
"Hey, I was worried you weren't here I haven't seen you at all today."
Lois smiled, she had sped through her morning and left for school before Lex came over. After three days she had enough.
"Yeah sorry about that I had to do some research, met up with Supergirl."
He looked upset for a minute, before handing her the camera.
"Right, and I'm guessing she didn't want the meeting taped?"
Lois shrugs taking the hall pass he handed to her.
"I asked permission to film during this period so if you're ready?"
She nods positioning the camera and trying to hold it steady while pressing the record button. Lex seems at ease in front of the lens as he leads her outside.
"This has been my home away from home for the past three years…"
Lois keeps up as he walks past the trophy cases, he makes great eye contact with the camera. She's impressed he seems to have a natural ability.
"Of course to keep myself busy I've been spending most of my days afterschool here…"
Lois's pulse quickens as she enters the boy's locker room. She'd been in here before, hiding most of the time or barging in while working on some story. The tiles echoed her footsteps as Lex continued to show the camera around.
By the time they returned to their classroom, the room was emptying out Lois had promised to meet Lex in the student parking lot because…
"It is what I do every day."
Lois nods as he smiles before walking down the hall and meeting Chloe, Clark smiles as he approaches her.
"You have that 'I just got a lead on a story look' Lois?"
She smiles at Clark kissing him quickly as she puts the camera away in the bag.
"I've just spent forty-five minutes following Lex around the school or as he calls it his 'Home away from Home.'"
"And?"
Lois laughs as she continues her thought.
"And as sad as it is, I think Chloe is going to be fine."
She smiles to herself as she holds his hand looking at it while they make their way to their study hall.
"Wait what do you mean Chloe's going to be fine?"
She kisses him hard on the lips as they stop right outside of the classroom. He's at lost for words as usual as she pulls him in after her.
"When I don't have practice I usually like to visit my parents after school before heading home."
Lex narrated as Lois filmed him driving and talking while pointing out his favorite sites in town.
When they finally parked in the cemetery Lex got very quiet.
"I feel closer to them when I'm here. As if they never died, it's been a tradition of mine to just talk to them, whenever I can. Just to let them know how I'm doing."
He smiles into the lens as he heads over to two headstones. Lois stays behind taking wide shots as he spends some time alone at the graves.
When he's done a smile spreads across his face full of relief. Across the way there's two children running from their Mother giggling all the way as she screams for them to stop. Lois can see they're heading for the open graves not yet properly covered. In an instant Lois looks to Lex whose attention is on the two children. She puts down the camera and in full speed changes into Supergirl as she heads to stop the children. Lex has begun running towards the scene. When Supergirl has the two children safely tucked under her arms she flies them to their Mother. With another whirl she covers both holes before speeding out of her disguise. Lois regains normal speed as she matches strides with Lex who has just made it to the woman.
"Are you okay?"
The woman and children nod as they look around for Supergirl. Lex with a smile turns to Lois who feigns panting behind him.
"Did you see her Lois?"
She shrugs nodding.
"Yeah she was fast."
He looks to her hands noticing they're empty.
"No camera?"
Lois shrugs as she runs back to pick up the camera not realizing she left it recording. When she returns, Lex has the woman agreeing to an interview. He motions to Lois to record as he starts asking the family questions.
"Can you tell me what happened Ms.?"
"Linda, Linda Piorkowski, and this is Nathan and Luisa."
The two children return toothy grins to Lex and the camera as he goes on.
"And can you guys explain what happened?"
"Well, we was a running and then whoooosh Supa girl was there and we were in the air and then she brought us back to Mommy!"
Luisa answered as her brother nods shyly.
"Wait rewind that part again."
Chloe asked as Clark looks to Lois who has a scowl on her face. Lex rewound the tape as you see the camera being put down, then Supergirl in a blur saves the children before covering the graves. In a blink of an eye she disappears into the sky. Chloe looks to Lois and then back to Lex who has a huge grin on his face as he continues to edit the film.
"You know what this means Lo, we're getting A's."
Clark smiles at Lois who rolls her eyes obviously uncomfortable with the entire situation.
"I'm going to get some air I'll be back."
Clark follows her outside as she lets the cold air calm her.
"How could I be so stupid Clark, I left he camera running."
He puts his arm over her shoulders pulling her close to him.
"The angle shows Supergirl and you, there's no way to tell you're one in the same."
She nods trying to believe his words to make them true.
"Right, you're right this could be okay."
She laughs thinking about the project.
"I think the biggest shock throughout this entire thing was finding Lex's hero is Peter Jennings."
Clark smiles shaking his head.
"I thought it'd be Tom Brady or someone like that."
She nods sighing to herself.
"He really is good on camera and with interviews. Although when he told me about Peter Jennings I almost dropped the camera."
He smiles kissing her forehead as they turn back towards the school.
"So did you talk to Lucy?" He nods nuzzling her neck.
"I did, she just text me back saying I should trust her and that she's known for a while."
Lois smiles feeling less stifled and ready to head back into the school to continue editing her project.
By the time the Sun hit the horizon Lois had convinced the AV club to do all the final editing on their project. She also had another article to come December on the AV club's participation in the National Audio and Visual convention in Metropolis. A small exchange in her mind for the editing services provided. She left Lex editing away with the club as she sped home for dinner.
When she finally settled at the table her Parents were unusually silent.
"So how's the project going?"
Lois shrugs spooning sweet potatoes onto her plate as Shelby laid his chin on her knee.
Jonathan takes the spoon from his daughter placing the hot potatoes on his plate as well.
"I think your Mother is referring to working on the project with Lex."
Lois laughs as she grabs a hot biscuit from the bread basket.
"Super girl made a little appearance the other day but nothing I can't handle."
Jonathan looked to his daughter before exchanging a worried glance with Martha.
"Are you sure?"
Lois nods trying to remain calm.
"I didn't know the camera was running but all you can see is Supergirl swooping in and then me running back to pick up the camera. As far as anyone's concerned we're not the same person."
Martha chewed her carrots while eyeing her husband who worriedly wiped his mouth before speaking up again.
"As long as you're not implied to be Supergirl I think that's enough for us."
He looks at Martha who nods smiling.
"Sweetheart you're sure there's nothing valid on that tape, anything that could give Lex an inkling?"
Lois wasn't sure but she smiled nodding.
"Absolutely Mom."
Martha settled a bit smiling to herself her fears relieved.
"Oh I forgot an invitation came in the mail for you today, your Father and I got one too. For the Winter Ball, to benefit the new Metropolis Pediatric Cancer wing."
Martha smiles at her husband, as Lois frowns to herself.
"Lana's ball, well it's for a good cause."
She smiles nodding before grabbing a piece of apple pie that her mother just put on the table.
"So you're sure he has no idea still?"
Chloe shrugs as she lays back on the couch in Lois's loft.
"We don't really talk about you Lois and I think if he had any suspicions he'd ask me about them."
"Okay good. I had no idea he was so into broadcasting and journalism."
Chloe sighed thinking to herself.
"I told you he has layers, he's not just the hot bod who can throw a football."
Lois nods amused at her friend's reverie as Pete and Clark join them with Popcorn and sodas.
"Your Mother just sent these up for us."
Lois smiles, moving over to welcome Clark next to her as they settle together with huge smirks spread across their faces. Chloe and Pete laugh at one another while making faces at their two friends who look comfortable in their couple-dom.
"Awww aren't puppies cute…"
Pete laughs as popcorn gets thrown at him which excites Shelby who is instantly on his feet running to eat the abandoned kernels.
"So did you guys get your invite for the big Winter Ball yet?"
They solemnly nod as Lois groans.
"My Mom donated six boxes of non perishable food items to her homeless shelter and Lana sent her a dried flower bouquet for Christmas."
Chloe sat up.
"Did you burn it?"
Lois laughs shaking her head.
"No, but I did scan it just in case, it was clean. Mom thinks she could be turning over a new leaf. They're all excited about going to the Ball."
"Well maybe they believe that people can change, turn their life around. Maybe a part of Lana died with her Father."
He looks around as Chloe, Pete and Lois strain just imagining Lana as a good person.
"No, she's just being a Luthor."
Chloe and Pete nod as Clark raises his eyebrows in surrender.
"Isn't he cute, the girl put a hit on her father and he's still willing to believe she wants to change."
Lois kisses Clark on the cheek as he blushes pushing his glasses as they threaten to fall.
"Oh he's a boy scout alright."
"Ooo speaking of you guys have to get me your Christmas lists soon you know how I get."
Lois sat up kneeling next to Clark on the couch as the idea of Christmas shopping and presents warmed her heart.
Clark smiled at her excitement.
"I've never seen you this excited before Lo."
Chloe smiles at them as Pete snorts from across the way.
"That's because you've never been around Smallville in December. Supergirl rewired the entire Main street last year and linked the street lamps and shops with Christmas Lights."
Chloe laughs swallowing some soda at the memory. She even went around Suicide slums starting trash can fires for the homeless. Lois rolls her eyes at her friends.
"Some people get in the Christmas spirit I get into the December through January spirit. I hope you're ready Clark?"
She gives him a squeeze as he smiles clueless of what he's gotten himself into.
End of Chapter 11
Preview of Chapter 12
"No Clark it's five popcorns and then one cranberry I'm pretty sure you have six popcorn kernels in a row right there."
Clark smiles biting off the extra popcorn kernel as Lois gives him an annoyed glance.
"I'll take this one home."
He tries to pacify as she nods elbowing him lovingly before continuing to string her garland.
"I thought after this we could head down to Florida and give some kids snow for Christmas."
Lois smiles as Clark laughs trying to keep his garland perfect.
"Lo, there's still five days before Christmas the snow wouldn't last."
She frowns a bit nodding to herself as she hums a Christmas Carol.
"Maybe Christmas Eve, if Superboy isn't too busy he could help with some miracles?"
Clark smirks giving her a quick kiss as he finishes his garland.
"How's that?"
She smiles picking his garland up and examining it.
"Perfect, but we still have the Christmas lights down on Main street to unravel and then…"
With a whoosh Clark is gone as Lois rolls her eyes.
"Show off…"
She super speeds finishing the rest of her garland before taking off after Clark.
TBC