People changed in 1989.
Mama never seemed to grow a day older, but stayed nice. However, most folks who had that 'buzz' to them were mean, crazy, or both.
By the time he'd started kindergarten, Pete had developed the habit of avoiding them. It meant hanging mostly with just Clark and Greg. They were weird, but they didn't set his teeth on edge.
Pete was glad when Chloe moved in. Her "Wall of Weird" researches explained a lot. Even then, she wanted to keep it secret from Clark. Pete knew Clark was no mutant, but he kept his mouth shut.
One day, Lana noticed Pete was ignoring her.
Pete dated. There was no reason he shouldn't ask her out! She'd turn him down, probably, but he still should ask!
Lana charmed dear Judge Ross into telling her where Pete was every night. She sweetly got other girls to cover her shifts at work. She smilingly persuaded teachers to give her well-deserved A's without making her do assignments.
Still, she never got Pete alone. It was like he could sense her coming!
Finally, she crashed a college kegger and dragged him into a closet. Ten minutes later, they were engaged.
Darn.
You Always Hurt the Ones you Love
"Lex!" Where was he?
Life had been simpler before Lillian. He knew she'd never understand him. God, loving people was hard.
(Insert meteors. Years pass.)
Lionel tried his damnedest not to love Lex. He figured that kept the boy alive.
Julian, Lillian, Martha's baby - his love had doomed them. Even unlovable Rachel had gone mad. Love was a curse. Lionel avoided it, to spare himself the pain of losing them.
"Dad? This is my business partner, Lana Lang."
Moist brown eyes blinked soulfully into Lionel's. Suddenly, for no good reason, he lost his heart again.
Soon Lana was dead.
Darn.
(My kids and I just take it as a given that Lana has the mutant ability that everybody falls in love with her -- after all, she wore that kryptonite necklace for years and years, and the meteors that killed her parents landed practically right next to her!)