Chapter Fifteen

"Hey Chloe", Lana beamed at her as she walked into The Talon, "You're here early. Looking forward to your party? Clark told me the good news. I am so happy for you and your Dad, I know that it has been hard for you", Lana gave her a sympathetic smile faltered as she placed a large box on the counter.

Chloe managed a small smile, "Yeah, I only had one class today and I had a story to work on so I came here. Thanks, I will pass along your congratulations to my Dad".

Lana's smile waivered and went over to sit across from Chloe. "We are friends, aren't we Chloe?" She asked.

"Yes, of course, why do you ask?" Chloe wondered.

"You have been so kind to me, you let me live with your and were there for me when I needed you and I didn't even know what was going on with you when you were having all of those problems with the Luthors", Lana looked more than a little ashamed of herself.

"You couldn't have known about that, I didn't tell anyone", Chloe shrugged it off.

"And you went through so much over the summer and, I don't know, at first this year I thought that you seemed better. You seem happier, more confident; your wardrobe has definitely got better since Lois has been around", Lana said, then realised how that sounded and hoped that Chloe wouldn't take offense.

"Hey", Chloe protested but couldn't help but grin at the same time. She had thought that she had been very subtle about her little make-over.

"You know that I'm just teasing. But something is wrong, isn't it? Especially these last few weeks. I heard that you went home from school early yesterday. I know that I have been really preoccupied with my stuff and Jason, but I want to be there for you", she stroked her friend's arm, "You can tell me anything".

"I know, thanks and don't worry, you have been a good friend", Chloe tried to console her.

"Chloe", Lana looked her straight in the eyes, "what's wrong?"

Chloe sighed. "The last few weeks I have been working on a story, I just finished it and it has taken more out of me than I thought it would".

"But it isn't just that, is it? There is something else, even more than you being worried about your father", Lana prodded, she had not been friends with Chloe for three years without learning a thing or two about getting information out of people.

The blonde nodded.

"Is it … Is it Clark?" Lana asked. "Look, I know that we said that we wouldn't talk about him anymore as our friendship was more important than any boy but I can't stand to see you like this. I know that he has been really worried about you, I know that he cares …" She trailed off as she saw a tear trickle down Chloe's cheek.

"Oh Chloe", Lana wrapped her arms around her. "What's the matter? Whatever it is we will fix it".

"I cannot believe that I am in this state about a boy!" Chloe laughed through the tears. "This is pathetic, I am not this girl!"

"It's okay. Love makes people act strangely; this doesn't make you weak just human", Lana reassured her friend, "It's Clark isn't it?"

Chloe shook her head.

"Is it that guy Jimmy, you told me about?"

She shook her head again.

"Well then, Chloe, who is it? Is it Pete? Are you sad because he left?" Lana racked her brains.

"No!" Oops, maybe that one had been a little too definite, which was a shame because she really did like Pete … just not like that.

"Then who?" Lana was growing exasperated.

Before she could go through ever boy in school Chloe took a deep breath and admitted, "It's Lex".

Lana was sure that she must have misheard. She replayed the sentence in her head. No, Chloe had definitely said Lex.

"Lex?" Lana repeated in disbelief.

"Yeah, about 6 foot, bald, multi billionaire", Chloe described him.

"Yeah, sorry I just never thought …" Lana trailed off.

"No, it's fine. I know how ridiculous the idea that he could like me is …"

"No!" Lana cut her off, a little too sharply. "I mean, yes I am surprised, but not because I didn't think that he would like you. On the contrary, I always thought that maybe he had a little crush on you. He always seemed to pay more attention to you than anyone else, always asked about you in some offhand manner when you weren't around. You were the one he turned to when he needed help. I just never thought that you would like him".

"Why not?" Chloe wondered.

"Well, I don't know." A shrug. "He just doesn't seem like your type, he is so … not Clark".

Chloe laughed.

"And you always argue with him", Lana continued. "You never let him have the last word or be right. And you don't dress any differently … that is why the change of wardrobe. It had nothing to do Lois arriving; it was because you were having a relationship with Lex".

"I wasn't, I'm not having a relationship with him", Chloe looked forlorn.

"Why not?"

"Because he doesn't like me". Ah, she couldn't believe that Lana was making her say this out loud!

"But after last summer?"

"After last summer he basically ignored me and I brushed it off, I thought that it would be alright, that I would forget him. But I didn't and the other night when I was in Metropolis following a lead I came across him and … we spent some time together and it was fantastic", an unbidden smile graced her features. "Last night we kissed and I thought, I really thought, that maybe he liked me."

"What happened?" Lana demanded.

"I kissed him, and he kissed me back", Chloe said simply.

"Wow, Chloe!" Lana was impressed with the girl's courage. "But, then what makes you so sure that he doesn't like you now?"

"He deleted a photo from my phone".

Lana's brow furrowed as she tried to follow Chloe's logic. "So I am sure that he likes you, now it turns out that you like him. You kissed him and he responded enthusiastically … and you think that he doesn't like you based on the fact that he deleted a photo off your phone? Chloe, I've got to tell you that for a smart girl, that doesn't make any sense."

"It was a piece of evidence. By deleting it, he showed that he has no respect for me", Chloe explained.

"Or if it is evidence then maybe he was just trying to protect you", Lana offered an alternative explanation.

Chloe sighed. She would have loved to believe that, but it didn't make any sense; when you loved (or even just cared about someone) you didn't treat them like that. She tried to further explain the situation to Lana, "Then when I interviewed him, sometimes he was normal, others he made me so angry that I could have punched him".

"But that is how you act with him; you challenge him on everything! Maybe he was just giving you a taste of your own medicine?" Lana suggested.

"Lana, please, I know that you are only trying to help but don't give me false hope", Chloe groaned putting her head in her hands.

"I'm not", Lana insisted, "I am just trying to get to the bottom of this. You really think that he doesn't care at all?"

"Only in the protective Neanderthal who doesn't want me fawning all over Clark way, but that isn't love or respect or trust", Chloe said thinking back to their interview that morning.

"No", Lana admitted, "but it's a start, and it might just be a symptom of deeper feelings."

"How can you tell?" Chloe asked, a twinkle of hope in her eyes.

"Easy, we are going to make him jealous until he comes grovelling on his knees to you".

"We are going to do what?"

"You heard me", Lana smiled wickedly. "Listen, we have five hours until the party and while I know that you only need four hours sleep a night, even you need that. Go home have a nap and I will come over after I have set up and help you get ready, you are going to look so good that Lex and every other man there is going to fight to get your attention. I think that stimulating Lex's inner caveman will get the reaction we want".

"And if it just proves that he doesn't care?" Chloe voiced her worry.

Lana smiled sympathetically, "Then at least you will know. But I am willing to bet anything that you want, that he does care!"

"Well it is worth a try, I suppose", Chloe shrugged. "But how are you going to make sure that Lex comes?"

"Easy, I am going to call him and tell him not to even think about coming".

Chloe burst out laughing and threw her arms around her friend, "I've missed you!"

Lex growled at his laptop. He had spent the better part of the day working and striving not to think about Chloe; he could not afford to let himself be distracted by her. And so he had dealt with the repercussions from their late night adventure, then LuthorCorp work, then he had come up with business strategies for the next quarter … then for the next annum. Now he was sat there with nothing left to distract him from her.

Maybe he had a new email telling him of some crisis that would require his immediate attention, he hoped as he opened his emails. Damn it, only two news ones. Still, either one could contain some terrible piece of news that would take him from Smallville, possibly for weeks.

He saw the sender of the first email and prayed that it was nothing of the kind. He opened Chloe's email and read it. It was to the point and a little terse, he wondered if she knew how much her indifferent tone in the email would affect him. He was willing to bet that she did. Still, he knew that this was a courtesy on her part and that he had to read and check the article.

When he had finished it, he was impressed. She had reported accurately and articulately – as he had known she would – but had also walked the fine line between providing information and respecting privacy … that was something she must have learned over the summer because Lex had read all of her articles before then, as well as the newer issues of The Torch, and, while he had always been impressed with her zeal, she had often stepped well over the line. But not this time, this article was perfect! He felt even worse about deleting the picture; maybe he could have just explained the situation to her.

"No", he shook his head. This article was only one problem in their relationship, he had been right to begin with, he should just avoid her that way he was the only one who would get hurt. It would be terrible to know that she was with Clark but she would be happy and he would strive to be happy for her. He wouldn't go the party that night.

He just had to write his reply to Chloe and then he would be done. As his gaze returned to the screen, his brow furrowed, why was Lana sending him emails? She didn't own The Torch anymore.

"Dear Lex,

I know that Clark invited you to a little party that we are having for Chloe at The Talon tonight at 8:00pm, but I think that it would be better if you didn't come. It might make people a little uncomfortable.

Best wishes,

Lana Lang"

What the fuck? Who the hell did Lana Lang think that she was to tell him when he would or would not enter his own property? If she was doing this, then it meant that there was something going on that he didn't know about. That settled it; he was going to that party that night!

Chloe woke up from her nap, refreshed and looking forwards to dancing the night away … and after that getting back to a more normal sleeping pattern. She had made a decision: she was Chloe Sullivan, not some snivelling girl who went to pieces in The Talon over a boy so whether Lex liked her or not, whether he even showed up, she was going to have a great time that night and put this all behind her.

She went into her new en suite and enjoyed a steaming, vanilla scented bath which went a long way to making her feel even better. By the time that Lana arrived to help with her makeover, Chloe had applied honey scented lotion and blow dried her hair straight – she had taken Lois' unsolicited advice from her last trip not to go for over the top fluffy hair styles when trying to seduce – and felt quite equal to dealing with Lex Luthor or anyone else.

"Nice room", Lana commented as surveyed her surroundings.

"Yeah, better than the apartment", Chloe agreed, her attention taken by the burgundy dress that Lana was holding. "Is that what you are wearing to the party?" Chloe asked, "I think that it is safe to say that Jason is going to stand up and pay attention".

"No, not me", Lana smiled, "You".

Chloe looked quizzically at her.

"I brought this dress for you while I was in Paris as a thank-you gift for having put up with me the year before", Lana explained, "but I heard about your 'death' the day that I brought it so I packed it away and didn't look at it after that. To be honest, I forgot about it until now".

"I am so sorry that we had to deceive you too Lana but …"

"It's okay, I understand, it was for your safety", Lana smiled, and handed the dress to Chloe.

"Thank-you Lana, this is so sweet, but you know that you didn't have to do this, we were happy to have you", she said.

"I wanted to", Lana assured her, feeling a little guilty that Chloe seemed so touched by a simple gift.

Chloe's fingers trailed over the rich velvet, "It is beautiful. You really saw that and thought of me?" Chloe questioned. It looked like something that Lana would wear, Chloe was not sure that she would have ever even tried it on, she would have been too afraid of seeing her reflection in it and realising that she was still the kooky duckling.

"Yes, of course. Honestly Chloe, I don't think that you realise just how far you have come since Freshman year. You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, and what's more impressive is that you are nicer than you are pretty. Now try it on, I think that it should fit", Lana urged her.

"Okay", Chloe said, feeling herself blushing.

A few minutes later she emerged from the bathroom to look in her full length mirror and show Lana.

"Oh my! You look amazing Chloe!" Lana squeaked as she clapped her hands together.

As she looked herself over in the mirror, Chloe had to admit that Lana was right; she did look amazing! The dress was an off the shoulder, knee length and formfitting one that highlighted her curves without showing even a hint of cleavage. It was plain except for the panel across her bust which was delicately embroidered to catch the eye.

Chloe turned to the side to examine her reflection. Well, if Lex did come it was safe to say that he wouldn't look at her as a child anymore. She ran her hands over the material, making sure that it was smooth before turning back to face the mirror full on. She considered her hair, the straight look seemed too severe now, maybe a few soft curls would be nice?

She heard Lana rummaging through her bag, "Okay, now for your make-up, Lex isn't going to know what hit him!"