Chapter 16 [Next Morning—Smallville High]

Clark meandered into school. Dejection numbed his mind. His heart ached. Insomnia reddened his eyes. Heaviness weighted his strides. He'd spent the night in the Loft looking up at the stars. Despite Sol's awesome display a few hours earlier, he still felt downcast. He wasn't really human. Oh sure…he looked like everyone else. He acted the part. He worked and hurt like it.

But he wasn't allowed to love like it?

It isn't fair! I do everything I'm supposed to! It isn't my fault that I was sent here! He hesitated. He flexed his hands before trying to open the locker.

Whatever else had happened, the combination lock didn't deserve his wrath.

He took several breaths. Then he forced himself to slow down. He opened the lock with deliberate motions and then the door after it. He studied the books therein but they held little meaning for him. Lana's picture hurled Rejection's dagger through his heart. He bowed his head.

"Hey, Clark! You look beat. Rough one?"

Clark frowned. He slowly turned to see Pete watching him. "Last three days have been really rough." He held his arm up. "At least I'm healed without a scratch."

"Yeah well you heal fast. Awesome!" Pete cheered. He glanced around the hall to make sure they were still alone. "Your Mom and Lana told me what happened. Where'd you go?"

"Apparently one of our poetry panelists is a darker and magical version of Byron. I don't know the whole story, Pete. When I came to, I was in this farmhouse in New York State. My doctor had a mutant healing touch. She fixed me." Clark shrugged.

Pete stared at him. "Healing touch? For real? You mean like touch the gash and it closes up? No trace or nothing?"

Clark rolled up his sleeve. He held up his arm to show the apparently-unblemished skin. "Good as new. No scar or anything. She was really nice too."

"And the guy? You say he's like Byron? So he goes nuts too?" Pete wondered.

Clark shrugged. "I don't know. He was talking with Lex on the way back. Apparently they go way back. And another link with Byron, Mr. Luthor did this to him somehow."

Pete coughed. "Just another way the Luthors are bad news. Wish you'd see that." Getting the glare from Clark, he stifled further response.

"Lex isn't behind this, Pete. If anything he and his Mom really tried to help Mr. Dubois back then. My folks knew him. So did Lana's parents," Clark countered.

Pete let the matter drop. He knew he wasn't going to win that particular argument. "Glad to see you in one piece. Lana and Chloe have both been asking questions. I dodged Chloe's investigative full court press. Your Mom said it was okay to tell Lana. You two really need to talk, Dude."

"We did last night. Guess it went okay." Clark shoved his hands in his pockets. His frown carved deeper grooves in his cheeks and around his mouth.

"Uh…okay. What happened?" Pete disagreed. He had the sinking feeling. Dread ground his teeth.

Clark looked about the area to make sure they were still alone. "She asked about the Ship."

"I mentioned it. And?" Pete supposed.

Clark grimaced.

"Great. She freaked. Didn't she?" Pete exhaled. "Sorry, Clark. How'd it go?"

"At least she still wants to be friends. She'll keep the Secret. Still she has to figure out whether she wants to be involved with an alien or not." Clark sighed. He folded his arms across his chest.

"Hate to tell you but it is a lot to deal with, Clark." Pete pointed out. "I'm still trying to figure things out. I mean you're still cool and everything. Still when you're in on it, everything gets harder."

"I can't help that, Pete. Between that, the failed date and the Nicodemus flower, it really bombed," Clark continued.

Pete stared. His jaw slackened. "You told her about the pool? Seriously?" He had to admit that he was torn on that note. On the one hand, he wouldn't have been the boy scout in that case. On the other hand, he would've done the cool boyfriend thing as Clark was trying to do (even if he wasn't officially that) for Lana's benefit.

Clark just couldn't win for losing….

"Just give it time. She cares for you. It'll work out," Pete assured him.

"I can hope." Clark looked about the hall and at the increasing numbers of their classmates. "Come on. We need to get going." He closed his locker. "I don't want to get on Mr. Reynolds' radar again."

"Yeah I got that," Pete agreed.

Clark allowed himself to be led toward home room. Still his mind kept turning toward Lana. Even if he was still in her orbit, he worried about her issues. He hoped she'd accept him.

Sometimes that fragile string was all one could hold onto…..