Chapter 4: Drenched and confused.
Clark had drove Chloe back to her house and went up to her dad's room. They were searching for anything that might point out what was going on.
"Did he say where he was going?"
"Metropolis." She shifted the closet door aside. "But when I called the hotel he was supposed to be at, they said there was no one by that name. Not even a reservation."
She sniffled and Clark glanced in her direction but continued to move about the room. A half an hour later, they had found nothing. Clark kneeled down to look under the bed again, sifting through a box labeled "CHECKS." Chloe had been going through the computer and dresser drawers until she slammed one shut, making Clark look up at her.
"Nothing." She took a shaky breath, putting a hand on her head. "Absolutely nothing…" When she exhaled, it sounded forced. Like there was more power behind it.
Clark rose from his kneel and walked to her, putting his hands on her shoulders, leaning down to look at her shielded face.
"Hey…take a breath. Relax for a minute ok?"
She nodded. She wanted to lean into him and just relax for 10 min. Then she would be at least at the brink of sanity. But in the end she decided not to. She always chose not to, she wasn't Lana. And no matter what she did or how she did it, she'd never be able to compete with her. That's why she thought Chase was so different. She would relax later…when she knew her dad was ok.
She pulled away from him and noticed the box he had been going through.
"If he traveled somewhere…shouldn't there be traveler's checks?"
He looked at the box and shrugged. "It's worth a shot."
An hour later they had gone through all the checks in the box, some for home bills, other for Chloe's supplies and some even for personal expense.
She sighed. "I never realized how much junk I've bought over the years."
Clark smiled. "You're a girl…of course you've bought a bunch on needless junk."
She smiled back and swatted him with the back of her hand, and picked up the checks from the floor. She felt her stomach as it growled, begging for nourishment. "You want something to eat by chance?"
Clark nodded. He had been hungry for the past hour, but Chloe had been so hell bent on going over the checks that he didn't want to say anything. He followed Chloe downstairs to the kitchen and he noticed she went through the dining room instead of the living room.
"All of a sudden you don't like your living room?"
"Huh?" She hadn't noticed she avoided the place Chase had tried to assault her. "Oh no…I just didn't notice..."
He nodded not believing her. "Ok…"
She turned around and faced him. "That's where Chase…" She looked down. "Ya know…"
She went to the fridge not waiting for his response, which was fine, because Clark wasn't sure if he had an answer appropriate enough to say. Clark was a pretty much a well tempered person; he got that from his father. But when he was mad, he was furious. And right now he couldn't respond, because if he did, something would catch on fire. He couldn't believe how well tempered Chloe was. Her father was supposedly missing; Chase had sexually assaulted her…twice. She should have been enraged, upset something, anything. But there she was, calm as an ocean wave, getting tea from the refrigerator. He didn't believe her…not for a second. He just wished she would smile again, that 'Chloe smile' always assured him that everything was ok, or it would be in some way.
After they ate a few pieces of cold pizza and a few cups of cold tea Chloe rose from the island chair and went to do some of the dishes that had been lying around. She grabbed Clark's glass and hers and filled up the sink with suds and water. Clark followed up behind her and took some of the plates that must have been leftover from when her father left.
"No Clark I got it."
He stood next to her taking care of the rinsing. "Oh please…there are a total of 6 plates and 3 cups…it won't kill me."
She smiled a little grateful for the help. Its not like she needed help, but she did enjoy Clark standing so close to her. Maybe Clark could he could make her smile after all.
"You missed a spot there." She glanced at the plate closely while Clark sneaked his hand in the suds.
"Where?"
"There." He threw the suds at her and she gasped surprised. "Clark!"
She retaliated, covering him in foamy bubbles. He laughed spilling a little warm water on her and she did the same splashing from the sink. He blocked most of the water flow but the rest wet his hair, making it sexily droop in front of his eyes. He ruffled his own hair, making him look like a shaggy dog. She smirked turning back, but as she did her foot slipped on the wet spot on the floor. Clark moved quickly, but not in super speed, and caught her before she hit the floor. She lay on her back in his arms. They looked like they had just preformed a dance and Clark was bending her back over his arms for a dramatic performance. She looked up at him as he leaned over her.
She smirked. "My own personal superhero."
He smiled but said nothing.
They stayed in that position for quite some time, Clark raising her inch by inch towards his face. His hair dripped onto her face and in her own hair, and her wet lips just barely touched his when her cell phone rang. She glimpsed into the living room where she had left her phone.
"It might be my dad."
He nodded and lifted her up to a standing position and she left to get her phone, leaving Clark more and more confused about what he was doing.
