Disclaimer: see Chapter 1.

CHAPTER 8: Venting

A week had gone by since Valentine´s Day and Chloe was fuming. Lois hadn´t stopped pestering her 24-7, prying into her private affairs- namely into her romantic life. It didn´t help that Jimmy had stopped calling or sending her flowers, a fact that had given her older cousin food for thought. Things had got even worse when Lex started to make himself scarce to the extreme of requesting Lois to bring the daily numbers to the mansion. Chloe was seriously considering seeking him out and asking Lana to join them to put an end to the farce. Chloe was so afraid of blurting the truth to the former prom queen that she avoided her and ignored her text messages and frequent calls.

U2 was blaring out of the loudspeakers in the apartment above The Talon when Lois walked on a flushed Chloe, who was standing in the middle of a trashed bedroom.

¨What the heck, Chlo´! ¨shouted Lois, turning off the stereo.

¨Don´t worry, Lois. I haven´t touched your stuff, ¨ said Chloe with a strained voice, dropping the only cushion whose stuffing wasn´t lying scattered on the floor.

¨If you felt like venting, why didn´t you just drive to the middle of a cornfield to scream your lungs out? ¨

¨I didn´t want to scare any cows, ¨ she murmured.

¨What happened in Metropolis on Valentine´s Day? ¨ asked Lois, sitting on a stool. ¨And don´t lie to me this time. ¨

¨Clark came to The Planet. He was really pissed off, ¨she sniffed.

¨Lana, right? ¨

¨ Who else? Sometimes, I just hate her, ¨ answered a venomous Chloe.

¨You sound bitter. If you dislike her so much, why have you accepted to be her bridesmaid? ¨

¨I wanted to prove something. ¨

¨To whom? ¨

¨To me. ¨

¨This isn´t just about Clark, is it? Did you see Lex when you stayed in Metropolis last week? ¨

¨Lex? ¨ asked Chloe, trying to hide her embarrassment. ¨Why do you ask? ¨ she added, busying herself with the broken pieces of china lying on the kitchen floor.

¨I´m not a fool, cuz. You´ve both been playing hide-and-seek for too long and Lana was here this morning when you were out. ¨

¨Lana? ¨asked Chloe interested. ¨What did she say? ¨

¨Not much. She looked crossed. She said you´ve missed your fitting at the dressmaker´s and that you haven´t answered her calls. ¨

¨Oh! ¨she answered disappointed.

¨What were you expecting her to say? Why aren´t you honest with her? Your behaviour´s so out of character, Chloe. If you feel uncomfortable being her maid of honour, why don´t you just tell her? ¨

¨It isn´t so easy, Lois, ¨she responded, her eyes brimming with tears. ¨How am I supposed to tell a girl who considers me her friend that I´m in love with her soon-to-be husband and that my feelings aren´t exactly unrequited? ¨

¨So I was right! ¨smiled Lois. ¨There´s something going on between you two. Did you and Lex... you know... when you were in Metropolis? ¨ asked Lois, arching an eyebrow.

¨No! Nothing happened- that is if you don´t consider the kiss we shared, ¨ confided a blushing Chloe.

¨ You kissed? ¨ exclaimed her cousin. ¨Who made the first move? ¨

¨ Well, I shouted at him for being so pig-headed and then I... grabbed him by the shirt. ¨

¨Wow, Chlo!´. I didn´t know you had it in you! ¨

¨I was drunk, Lois. ¨

¨Dutch courage then. ¨

¨But he was the one who started the kiss. ¨

¨What was it like? ¨

¨Heaven and hell. Why does he have to be such a gentleman? Damn his scruples! ¨ exclaimed Chloe, blowing her nose.

¨ We´ve got to do something, Chlo´. ¨

¨Wrong. You´ve got to stay the hell out of this, Lois. This is something that Lex and I have to figure out on our own, ¨she said gravely. ¨Promise me you won´t do anything crazy, Lo´, ¨she added, watching her speculatively.

¨I promise I won´t ruin any chances you two might have to be together. ¨

¨Lois..., ¨ warned Chloe. ¨ Do you want me to phone the General and tell him you´re meddling in affairs that might get you killed? ¨

¨All right, all right, ¨said Lois resignedly, before their conversation was cut short by the ring of a mobile phone.

¨It´s not mine, ¨ said Chloe. ¨It´s off and, besides, I´d never had chosen that ringtone. ¨

¨What´s wrong with it? Let me see where I´ve left it, ¨ responded Lois, rummaging through the debris. ¨Would you give me a hand, Chloe? ¨she asked exasperatedly.

¨Why don´t you ever put it where you can find it? Here it is, ¨said Chloe, handing her the mobile.

¨Hi, Ollie! ¨murmured Lois seductively when she read the number on the caller ID.

¨Ollie? ¨answered Clark with a frown. ¨It´s Clark, Lois. ¨

¨I know. I should have called you before. We´re still on for tonight, aren´t we? ¨

¨What the hell are you talking about, Lois? ¨

¨Have you missed me? ¨

¨That´ll be the day! Who´s there with you? ¨

¨Lo´, I´m going out, ¨whispered Chloe, picking up her handbag and the Beetle´s keys.

¨Bye! ¨said Lois.

¨Wait! Don´t hang up! I´ve got to talk you, ¨ rushed Clark.

¨Don´t worry, Smallville. I needed to get rid of my cousin, ¨she explained.

¨How is she? ¨ asked a worried Clark.

¨What do you think? She doesn´t deserve your cold shoulder, Clark. Have you ever thought how difficult this whole affair´s for her? ¨

¨I´ve blown it, Lois. I´ve hurt her feelings and I don´t know how to make amends. ¨

¨You bet! Still not everything´s lost, Smallville. How bad do you want to patch things up with my cuz? ¨

¨I´m open to suggestions, even from you, Lois. That´s the reason of my phone call. ¨

¨I may have an idea. ¨

¨I´m all ears. ¨

¨Not on the phone, Smallville. I´ll meet you at the barn in... say... half an hour? ¨ she said with a broad smile.

Well... give me your honest review now. What do you think of the Chlex scenes so far? How did you like the introduction of Lois into the plot? Any hunches?