I unfortunately do not own Smallville.
"I can't believe you won," a very disgruntled Chloe stated.
"Come on, hand it over."
"Pete, this goes against the bonds of friendship. Betting that Clark would miss the bus again."
"Simple fact Chloe, if Clark moved any slower he would be extinct."
"It's still wrong."
"Whatever, give it, five bucks."
The bus was quiet this morning. The lack of energy was a staple. What else do you expect from high schoolers in the morning. But it was still pretty surprising seeing as homecoming was creeping up.
As they filed off the bus, people started to form their usual groups. As Chloe and Pete walked on Clark came up behind them
"Hey guys," Clark said casually.
"How…" They both stuttered.
" Took a short cut."
"Black hole back in Smallville?"
Just than Clark spotted her, Lana Lang. He decided to go talk to her. He got within 5 feet of her and fell to the ground. Causing his books to go everywhere. Lana started to help him pick them up. As this occurred Whitney Fordman, head football star, and Lana's boyfriend approached.
"Hey Clark" Whitney said coolly, before kissing Lana. He knew it got to Clark when he did.
"How many football players, does take to change a light bulb?" said a voice. A girl approached and bent down to help Clark with his books. This girl was pretty and had a very warm disposition. As she would reach for a book her long, gorgeous, warm brown hair would hide her face from view. Though pretty in that little kid cute way, she was considered nothing compared to Lana, which caused few to notice her. After they finished picking up the books she continued. "Anyone? Anyone? Well, okay I'll tell you. Only one, but with about twenty rah-rah-pompom girls cheering him on. What no one likes it? I thought it was some of my better work. Oh, well."
"Hey Alli." Lana added at this point.
" Hey, Lana, Can you tell Aunt Nell that I'll be by later. I have a "company" order to make and well… I'll explain later, but tell her I'll be there around 6 okay?"
"Sure." Lana replied.
" Okay, now if you will excuse us," Alli then placed her hand on Clark's shoulder and turned her gaze to his, "Chloe need us for some emergency "Torch" business." She looked back at Whitney and Lana and said, "See ya later guys." She looked back at Clark, took some of his books and they walked into the school.
"Don't mind him Clark, he just likes to mess with you. He is a total jerk."
"But he is dating your cousin?"
"Doesn't mean I like him, just means she is kind of blind to his evil and does not listen to me. If anything, it gives me more of a reason to hate him doesn't it, rationally that is?"
" You and your rationalizing!"
"Face it you like it." Just then their gazes meet and she got that little twinkle in her eyes that she gets when she knows she's got you beat. After many years of experience he knew that being in control gave her the greatest sense of joy. So he let her have this win. Then he started to think about those eyes. Those fierce hazel eyes that were so mysterious and held so many secrets, but also showed all that was she. The eyes that got almost intense green when she was so passionate about something or deep in thought. He realized long ago these were portals to her very self and that they showed everything if you looked hard enough and understood their signs. Above all they were what still fascinated him so much about this girl he has known for almost all of his life.
As he pondered this thought they entered Torch headquarters. The Torch, the school's newspaper, was the activity that Chloe pulled them all into using that good old friend guilt. Though they soon found that it was by far the most perfect and fun activity any of them could find. One, it gave them a chance to hang out with each other for a while every week. Two, it gave them a place to hangout with unlimited computer access for researching, or games and hacking. And last but far from least, between them being on the paper's staff and Alexa's great influence on the school's staff, they could skip class and hangout there for "getting a story" and "researching" as much as they wanted. Which came in handy when you were having a bad day already or embarrassed yourself in public.
"So what's the matter Chloe?" Clark asked as he looked around head quarters and realized no one was there. "What?!"
"Sorry, I just figured you could use an excuse to leave the land of awkwardness back there and plus I need to print a project and finish something else. Sit!"
Clark sat down at Alli's computer so that he would be in her way and she would not forget he was there. Which sadly was a bad habit of Alli's. She reached over and turned the computer on and he gave her a little smile. Dang he is so cute when you don't want him to be she thought to herself. Then she started to print what she needed out.
" Missed the bus again, today?" she asked though pretty sure of the answer from his expression.
"Yep!" he replied with one of those patented Farmboy smiles that made her want to just melt into his arms. Though she was able to keep her control and mask it when he did this, she longed to be able to tell him how she really felt, but that was far from a good idea at the moment.
So she replied with a quick. " What am I ever going to with you?" Of course she knew what she wanted to do but she couldn't. "Okay good to know."
" Why?"
She ignored this and started putting the things she just printed in order. Just as she did Chloe and Pete walked into the office not noticing her.
"Hey guys!"
" Oh, Hey Al" they said somewhat surprised.
"Didn't see you on the bus this morning," she said to explain the surprised tone, though you would think by now it wouldn't them when she was just there somehow. "Did you take the same black hole as Clark?" Chloe asked with her sarcastic tone.
Alli turned to Clark in fake amazement and said "Black Hole?" then she turned back to Chloe and Pete and continued. "No, I was running a little late this morning because I was up all night finishing something for "The Superiors". So I drove to school. On the way I saw that Clark had missed the bus yet again so I gave him a ride."
" What? But he said he took a shortcut?"
" We drove here on a shortcut."
" So, how come we didn't see you when Clark came up to us and we didn't see your driver drop you off?
"What?"
"We usually see your driver drop you off right in front of the school by the buses?"
"Simple explanation Chloe, because I drove to school today."
"I know and that does not explain anything."
"Chloe. You don't understand what I am saying. Let's try it one more time. I, Me. Myself, I drove Clark and I to school today."
"You couldn't have you are 15 years old and we don't get licenses for another year."
"Think again." Alli said with such pride. She looked at Clark and shrugged, then looked at Pete and Chloe's confused looks.
"My parents," she started to explain, " were very happy and amazed at how much maturity I showed at a meeting, in which I got the people to sign a contract, which scored a deal that caused the businesses network to rise further." She looked around at their blank looks waiting for her to get to the point. "So because of this they decided to talk to the governor, a friend of theirs, to allow me to receive my license early. Even though, they refused to give me a car, a friend of mine sent me down one to borrow for "emergencies" meaning when I don't feel like going with my driver or I run late for the bus."
"Oh." Pete and Chloe said in unison uninterested by the business stuff yet wowed by the fact that their friend could now drive anywhere and anyone she wanted legally.
After taking in this response and not being entirely sure how she wanted to respond, Alli started "Any ways, I needed to print something here, and that is why we find ourselves in the current situation."
"Okay," Chloe said, " but don't forget your article on the PomPom squad about homecoming."
"Don't worry got it covered. I have a meeting with Lana later because I have to do a flower thing at Nell's anyway"
"Okay."
"Now if you will excuse me, I also need to finish something." As she said this she headed for the computer and waved her hand at Clark in a way to say, "get out of my chair I need to work". He just gave that her that "so" smile. So she just sat right on him and gave him that "nothing you can do about it now, Bub" look and started to pull up her file. Why oh, why do I have to like him like in that way along with being his best friend. I torture myself… but it is kinda fun.