Jonathan was doing his best to be a good student since the beginning of his new school year (he was planning to be an A student, so his parents would be proud of him) and joined the Mechanic class (something that he learned to enjoy thanks to his farm chores) and was an opportunity to be closer to his sister, Natalie.
"So Mechanic Class, what bring you here Jon?"- Natalie asked curiously.
"I have a lot of chores with the farm, I want to make it easier for me and plus I really enjoy being around my sis"- Jon answered gently.
"You are so cute sometimes"- Natalie said with a big smile.
"Sometimes? It is not what the girls think"- Jonathan said, making Nathalie laugh.
"Of course"- Natalie said rolling her eyes- "And the last time I checked you have a real problem choosing your girlfriends, if you do not do it to let your parents go crazy."
"Me? Come on"- Jonathan said and then he smiled.
"Don't do this"- Natalie said, alarmed.
"Do what?"- Jonathan asked.
"You are doing the smile that you are thinking to do something stupid."- Natalie answered.
"Really? Are we that close? Nice!"- Jonathan said excited- "It's just, I realized that you are right, and I can have fun with it"
"With what?"- Natalie asked, she was confused.
"Date someone that will make my parents crazy about it"- Jonathan answered.
"Come on, Candice was too much, Jon, please think a little about it"- Natalie said, she was concerned- "You dated someone who was selling alien drugs, it is enough for me. Or are you planning to play Jon-El around here?"
"Good idea! Are you going to help me with the eyeliner?"- Jonathan asked ironically- "I'm joking, sis, stop taking me seriously."
Jonathan and Natalie stopped talking as soon as they saw the teacher. After school, Jon went to his job at the grocery store. Hours later, he was going to his house, when he heard a group of five teenagers drinking, they were messing around. Jonathan did his best to ignore them, especially because they were from his former football team and hoped they would not recognize him.
"Kent!"- Tyler screamed. He is the strongest of the group.
Jonathan started to walk faster and ignored the group.
"Where are you going, coward?!"- another asked.
"Hey, guys, sorry I need to go home"- Jonathan said.
"First, we need to talk"- Tyler said before hitting Jonathan's face.
Jonathan decided to not call for help, because he was tired of being protected by his brother. He was not a glass afterward. Suddenly, while he was fighting with Tyler, he felt something that he just felt when he was with Jon-El, he felt strong and confident, so in a minute he defeated Tyler, while the others ran away. For a second, Jonathan asked himself if he had the super-speed so this would explain how he managed to dodge Tyler's punches and beat him quickly. Unfortunately, Tyler hurt him, he could feel his own blood in his mouth, how he would explain that to his parents? Suddenly, while he was looking to his hands, he saw the bruises and cuts healing. Now he had no doubt, he finally has powers, but the problem was: would anyone believe him or think that he is using X-Kryptonite again? Sadly, he knew the answer, he lost his family trust, so it was his job to win it back. He was not Jordan and thanks to his brother, he knew how to control his emotions (he watched a lot of videos about it, which teach respiration techniques and meditation), so he would be fine.
"Jonathan Samuel Kent where were you?!"- Lois asked as soon as she saw her son getting in the house- "Why didn't you answer my calls?"
"Sorry, I didn't hear"- Jonathan said, ashamed and anxious. He used to keep his phone on silent mode to not have problems at work.
"Give me your phone"- Lois asked firmly- "Now!"
Jonathan obeyed. So, his mother asked him to sit down on the couch.
"I received a phone call, Jonathan, from a mother of one of your former football team"- Lois said letting Jonathan become more anxious- "So I will ask you again: where were you?"
Jonathan looked to the floor, while he asked himself what to say. The truth looked so wrong; she would never believe him. And she was thinking that he took X-K again, which is why she was so furious.
"Jonathan!"- Lois said.
"I take the fifth"- Jonathan answered firmly.
"You what?!"- Lois said astonishingly- "Ok, as soon as your father arrives, he will talk to you, Jonathan. Now, give me your password, I will monitor your phone."
"You are the best reporter of the world, right? Do your job and be smart"- Jonathan answered. At that moment, he felt so furious that he honestly did not care anymore. The second he arrived home, he knew that his mom already grounded him, and this was so unfair! His mother chose to believe in a stranger and not listen to him.
"Go to your room! Now!"- Lois ordered.
Jonathan ran to his bedroom where he cried until he heard his brother calling him.
"Did you lose your mind? Why did you talk to mom like that?"- Jordan asked.
"Because I don't give a shit, Jordan! Leave me alone!"- Jonathan asked furiously.
"Jon, come on, I just want to help you"- Jordan argued- "We are the fraternals"
"No Jordan! You cannot, see?! You always were their only child! Me, I am just a screwed-up kid. The surprise baby that they never wanted!"- Jonathan blurted out with tears in his eyes- "I lost everything last year, I lost my friends, I lost my football team, I lost my girlfriend in Metropolis, why? Because of their favorite son, Jordan. So, we moved to the fuck hell, where guess I have no friends, dated a drug dealer, lost the chance to be an athlete and my dignity! So, Jordan I have nothing! But in Metropolis and Smallville, something I never had: our parents love, because it was always about Jordan, they never cared about me!"
"It's not true"- Clark said firmly. He could not believe what he heard- "Jordan, please, let me with your brother."
Jonathan could feel his heart beating fast. He could not believe in what he said. Why was he so angry? He used to keep his thoughts to himself. And he was good at telling lies and to pretend that everything was ok, he could not deny that.
"Jon, I'm sorry if you really feel like this"- Clark said while he got closer to his son- "Look to me, you are loved, it is why your mother and I care a lot about you and want the best for you. And sometimes, this means to call out when it is necessary."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to say that"- Jonathan tried to lie.
"No, you did, and you don't need to apologize about how you feel"- Clark said.
Jonathan was clearly upset and distressed, and this hurt more than any kryptonite. So, Clark hugged his son.
"I love you son. Your mother loves you. I am sorry that sometimes we needed to pay more attention in Jordan because of his anxious issues and now, powers"- Clark said while hugging his son- "I'm sorry for not giving you the attention you needed while we were in Metropolis and here."
Jonathan accepted the hug. So, he was crying on his father's shoulders.
"Jon, you are a good kid, you left everything behind because of your brother, did not think twice to protect your family when Jon-El arrived and almost killed your brother. You do not need powers to be special to us. We love you the way you are, ok? The smart kid who enjoys telling jokes"- Clark said firmly. At this point he was with tears in his eyes.
"Do you really love me, besides my humanity? It is hard to believe, because my human side did not allow me to meet my hologram grandparents, to know about Krypton, to fly with you around the world, to go to your fortress. You are ashamed of me, just try to be honest with yourself."- Jonathan said.
"Jon, I am not ashamed of you. And you cannot see but I am human too. It is why I committed a big mistake last year and this will not repeat again. I promise you that, ok?"- Clark said firmly- "you will meet your grandmother and she will tell you about Krypton"
"Ok"- Jonathan said with a small smile- "Thank you, dad! This means a lot to me."
"Go to sleep, son, we are tired now"- Clark said gently- "Tomorrow we will talk about what happened today and I hope that you will be honest with me and your mother. Jon, we just want to help you, because we love you."
Clark kissed Jonathan's forehead and then left his son's room. He met Lois who was crying in the kitchen.
"I was talking to Jordan, he told me what Jon said to him. We are terrible parents"- Lois said upset- "Why would he think that we do not love him? He is so important to me. When he almost died in John Henry's van and then Jon-El took him from us, I was so afraid to lose my son, I love him so much."
"I know Lois. It is not your fault. It is my fault, I let him behind. I was training Jordan, teaching him to deal with his powers and I did not pay attention to Jon."- Clark said ashamed- "If he is using X-Kryptonite it is because he thinks that need powers to be loved by me."
"Did you find it?"- Lois asked. She was afraid to hear the answer.
"No, I did a quick scan and didn't findit"- Clark answered- "And the password?"
"It's your mom's birthday"- Lois answered for Clark surprise - "I did not read anything to be concerned about. He has been talking to Nathalie about Mechanics. Apparently, he plans to make a lab in our barn."
"I can help him with it"- Clark said-"Lois, he will be fine."