Smallville – 2014

The second week of August in 2012, Clark had received a letter postmarked Hampden, Maine. It was not a very thick envelope. He knew no one from Maine and the handwriting on the envelope looked like a girl's handwriting so he figured it was from Lana.

Clark had stood at the mailbox just staring at the letter. Had someone been watching, they may have suspected he was suffering a grand mal seizure. Given the last conversation he had heard from her, he had not expected to hear from her, and he had resolved it to himself that if she did try to approach him about anything, that he would politely but firmly ask her to just leave him alone. Other than, perhaps, a thank you for intervening during her coyote encounter, there was nothing Lana could say that would have been of any interest to Clark.

His first inclination had been to throw it away. After all, the incident with the coyote had occurred nearly three months earlier and if she had wanted to thank him, Clark told himself, she must have had plenty of times between the day she had left and the day his letter had arrived to send a thank you note. So, a thank you arriving that late must have meant she was forced, probably by her parents, to write it. Just throw it away, his mind told him.

The longer he held the letter, the longer Clark had known that he could not bring himself to throw the letter away. Instead, he had decided that it might be best to just put it away and simply wait for the day the hurtful bruises she had inflicted on his heart had fully healed. He had told himself that he should not lower his guard and allow Lana to reopen a wound that had been healing for nearly two months. The wrong words or any perceived insincerity in the letter would be a sour setback for him and one he had not wanted to endure.

He shoved the letter in the pocket of his jeans and headed inside. But before he could reach his home, his curiosity had gotten the better of him and he had dashed to his retreat in the barn to open and read what Lana had to say to him. He had carefully torn the envelope, forcing himself to be deliberate and slow in opening the letter. It had been dated four days earlier.

Dear Clark, it began. I hope you have been having a really good summer. If anyone deserves to have one, it would be you. My parents tell me that the weather has been really good this year and that must mean you are having a great time with Pete.

I think I've finally figured out what happened on the final day of school, why you reacted to me the way you did, and why I don't blame you for hating me. I don't know if I will be coming back to Smallville for school next year or ever will. The incident with the coyote at the creek scared my parents to death and they have been talking with my Aunt Muriel about me staying here for the next school year. I have waited to write this letter until they decided what was going to happen, but I couldn't wait any longer to send you this. I wanted you to know a few things whether I come back or not.

The idea that he may never see Lana again troubled him more than he would have thought. It hit him almost as hard as her words did on that final day of school. No matter how hurt as he was that day, he never hated Lana and the hurt he felt had been paved over by Pete's friendship and the endless fun times the two of them had spent together that summer. They had been normal teenage summer recess days, and spending days like a normal person was what Clark craved above all. So the hurt had almost passed completely but the scar was clearly there. He continued reading.

First of all, I wanted to thank you for coming to my rescue that day by the creek. I don't know if that coyote would have mauled me or killed me but neither happened because of your bravery. I want you to know that I owe you everything for that.

I wish I could pretend that if the roles were somehow reversed that I would have done the same for you. But I think I know why all those things happened in the first place and the truth is that I am not as brave as you are, which is why things happened the way they did. You see, I said some things that absolutely weren't true to a group of mean girls simply because I didn't have the courage to admit to them the truth about my feelings for you. I know one of the girls, probably Margie Stenner, told you what I had said about you before you got on the bus, and I don't blame you for hating me for saying those things to them."

Clark said to himself again, I don't hate you, Lana. What you said sucked and they hurt, but I don't hate you because of it.

The letter went on. I came to your house as soon as I got home to tell you that none of it was true and why I said what I did. But you weren't there, and your mom told me you were at the creek so when I left your house, I came to find you.

Clark, I was afraid that if I told them how I felt about you and you didn't feel the same way about me then it would be all over the school next year and they would make my life a living hell. I thought that maybe you felt the same about me, but we had never talked about it and I didn't know for sure, and I didn't want to be the big loser who was the target of their tormenting next year. I've seen them do it to other girls and I've seen guys who bully other guys just because they want to be noticed or liked by those girls. I didn't want to be their target so, I lied to them and said hurtful things about you just to shut them up and avoid being cut up by them next year.

But it all backfired and now I realize that because I didn't have the courage to admit the truth, it could be you who ends up being targeted at school next year if I don't say something. I hate myself for doing that to you, Clark. So, the second thing I wanted to tell you is that I'm sending a copy of this letter to Margie Stenner and tell her that she's free to tell anyone she wants the truth about how I feel about you. It's not the level of courage that you have, but it's the best I can do from here right now to try to protect you from bullying.

Lastly, I wanted you to know exactly how I felt. I have tried to apologize for what happened that day and the why I said the terrible things I said about you, but I haven't told you the most important thing. I am in love with you, Clark. You are the strongest, bravest, most kind, and most humble person I know, and I love you for being all of that. You have endured so many lies and made-up stories about you and your parents that maybe the things I said seemed just more of the same thing that others have said for years. But if people knew the true you and knew what good people you and your parents are, they would feel the same way I've felt about you since I was about 11 years old. I think my heart beats because you exist, Clark, and I love you with all of it.

And I will understand if you don't feel the same way, especially after what I did. But if you do and I return to Smallville for school, please give me the chance to prove to you just how much you mean to me, Clark. I really do love you with all my heart.

Love Always,

Lana

Clark smiled and it felt like an invisible weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders. Wow, he thought, that was a beautiful letter. No wonder it took so long for her to write it. He read it once more and then carefully folded it and put it back in the envelope. He opened the old wooden trunk doing double-duty as a coffee table. He rummaged through the old comic books and things that he had put there. No one will find it here, he thought. He lifted a few of the comic books so it would not be right on top if someone other than he opened it. He shifted a few of the items around including an odd wooden box that had a time-worn image of a long wood chisel on it. The image matched an old chisel his dad still had and used. It was heavy and he opened it but all he saw was some black velvet with an indentation that kind of matched the shape of the chisel. He closed the lid and shoved it to the end of footlocker, moved more comic books around and secreted the treasured letter where he could retrieve it and read it whenever he thought of her.

His first thought was to write her back and tell her that it was okay, that he felt the same way about her, and that he thought that she was the most beautiful girl he had even seen since she moved in next door to them, but the Pete's words rang in his head. "You have to play it cool, Clark. Let her come to you. If you act like you don't care one way or the other, she'll start looking for ways to make you care." He thought about those words, and that maybe Pete's advice was working so he fought the urge to find paper, stamp, and envelope. For now. But, by the time the summer was ending, Clark estimated that he had read that letter twenty more times.

When school began, there was no sign of Lana and it what he had an inkling of what might happen actually did happen. Lana stayed in Maine with her aunt. He wondered how long that would last and how it might affect their relationship, if there was a relationship to affect.

"You're like the two proverbial ships passing in the night," Pete said when Clark told him the news. "It's sad, in a way, 'cause I know you like her, man." He clapped Clark on the back. "But there's other fish out there, Clark. You just have to be open to catching them."

It was Saturday night before Halloween and Pete was spending the night at the Kent's. Clark would sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor with hay brought up from below, and Pete, being shorter, would sleep on the couch. That was after they finally ran out of steam playing PS3 and basically collapsed from exhaustion.

"There's something I need to tell you, Pete." Clark furrowed his brow. "Something I didn't tell you before about Lana."

Pete grinned. "Oh, this sounds good!" He wriggled to his side and propped his head up on his hand.

"Not what you're thinking," he replied flatly. "This about what happened the last day of school last year. We've never talked about it, but you deserve an explanation."

"Oh, I hardly noticed. What happened that day?" Pete replied sarcastically.

"Yeah, sorry about that." He answered and looked up at the ceiling of the barn. "Anyway, the last day of school I heard that Lana had brutally denied having any feelings for me. In fact, she went far beyond just that. She said that I was weird, strange, a freak, that I always wedged myself between you and her, and that the only reason she was nice to me was because her parents made her. She said she wouldn't sleep with anyone last summer but if she did, it wouldn't be me."

"Lana said that?" Pete was shocked. "You're shitting me; I can't imagine her saying that. Man, are you sure about all that?"

"As sure as if she said it to my face."

Pete remained flabbergasted. He shook his head, "I don't know what came over her then, but it sure explains a lot. Because let me tell you, man, on the bus after you got off, she was the one who was weird. She seemed convinced that you were mad at her, and she was like dreaming up something to say or do to try to undo it." He paused and Clark did not respond. "Now I know why you were upset and damn, I don't blame you."

Clark said nothing for a little while longer and then spoke. "There's more. She sent me a letter, Pete."

"When?"

"Just before school started. It was a really good letter that said that she had actually told those things to Margie Stenner and the girls that she had been hanging around with last year. I guess they were teasing her about…" he paused to search for the right words.

"Crushing on you?" Pete finished.

"Yeah, I guess that's a good way to put it. But the letter also said that all the things she told those girls was a lie because she wasn't sure how I felt about her."

"That's all she said?" Pete asked. He chuffed. "Did she even say she was sorry for saying all that stuff 'cause that's some pretty rank shit, man?"

"Yes, she apologized for it. She said she was afraid if she told them the truth and I didn't feel the same about her that she would end up being bullied or teased by the girls she was trying to be friends with." Clark drew a breath. "Then she said she loves me."

Pete practically jumped off the couch. "Whaaaaat?" He grinned and Clark was grinning too. "She said 'loves' or 'loved' because that's two separate things, dude. One is present tense, and one is past tense."

"Loves; present tense."

"Okay, that right there, that makes it a whole new ballgame," Pete declared. "How did you respond?"

"I haven't," he replied, "at least not yet. I wanted to ask your opinion first."

Pete sat and then laid back down. "What's the question because the answer seems obvious?"

Clark wrestled with it. "Can I trust her, Pete?" His friend said nothing and Clark continued. "I believe she's telling me the truth about her reasons but what if they start teasing her anyway? Will she care more about what they think than how I feel? You know what I mean?" Pete nodded. "You once told me to play it cool with Lana and let her come to me. I did and I guess you were right because she was coming to me. But, when pressed about it, she denied having those feelings. So, what do you think? Can I trust her?"

"Do you think it was from the heart, Clark?" He paused. "You said you got the letter at the end of the summer but all that stuff happened three months before then. Do you think she was being genuine?"

"I guess so. She kind of explained why she waited so long to write, and it sounded sincere but I don't know." He paused and added. "But I was really psyched to get it and think she meant every word of it but I don't know if it all happens again if it will turn out the same way."

"That's a tough call, my friend." He rubbed his chin and thought for a second. "You know, she'll probably be here in Smallville for Christmas break so maybe you can talk to her then and kind of feel it out. If I were you, I'd ask her to go into Smallville with you…maybe for a coffee, or movie, or just hang out in public for a couple hours. If she gives you the slightest impression that it would make her uncomfortable, then I'd say you can't trust her."

Clark nodded and thought that Pete had some pretty good advice.

"My guess, though, is she'll jump at the chance." Then he added, "Until then, I wouldn't write her back. Let her come to you, dude."

A week before Christmas, Clark received another letter in the mail. This time his mom handed him the letter. "You have a Christmas card from Maine, Clark." Martha smirked. "I wonder who it's from?"

Clark took it and went to his room and opened it. There was a card but also a letter fell out. He put the card aside and opened the letter.

Dear Clark, it began. I hope you are well and you are enjoying sophomore year at Smallville High. The Bangor High School I attend is okay. The people are pleasant but not like they are in Kansas and their accents are hilarious to listen to. But I haven't really felt like laughing.

I sent you a letter a few months ago and I hope you received it and if for some reason you didn't, then it would explain why I haven't heard from you since I left for Maine six months ago. In that letter, I apologized for what happened on the last day of school and why I think you were mad at me that day. In fact, I know why you were and you had every reason to be mad.

In that letter, I also told you that I love you and hope that you felt the same way about me. So if you didn't get my letter, then you should know that I love you and hope we'll see each other again soon.

But if you did get it, then I guess it answers the only question I had and I don't blame you if you don't share the same feelings for me after the things I said.

I was going to talk to you face to face about all this, but I was just told that my parents will be coming here for Christmas and I won't be going to Smallville. So, if you were planning to talk to me, please write me and let me know what you're thinking. I've been on pins and needles since I sent you the first letter hoping to hear from you and then thinking that you are still mad or hurt and want nothing to do with me. But I would like to know for certain.

I hope you do have a Merry Christmas, Clark.

All My Love,

Lana

The card was a run of the mill Christmas card with the inscription, Merry Christmas, Kent Family! It was signed, Lana. Clark took it downstairs and put it on the mantle with other cards that had come in the mail. The letter remained upstairs in the nightstand until he could move it to the trunk in the loft.

"Was that a card from Lana?" Martha asked, already knowing the answer. Clark confirmed that it was but said nothing more. "Nell asked if we wouldn't mind keeping an eye on the place while they were gone over Christmas. I guess they're going to Maine to see Lana and Nell's sister."

Clark grunted but gave no reply to indicate he knew that. "I'll go by every couple of days," he said. He got a glass and poured himself some milk. "Hey Mom, do we have some stamps? I want to send her a note back."

Martha directed him to where he could find stamps. He went back upstairs to his room and wrote a letter back to Lana telling her that he did get her first letter and that she was correct, he had been hurt and angry with her that day. Clark told her that he had gotten over it now and the reason that he had not replied sooner was because he was waiting for her to come back home so he could talk to her in person, too.

At the end of the letter, Clark told Lana that since the first day they met, he thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He told her he had been afraid to tell her the way he felt because he was never sure how she felt, and he did not want to come across as some kind of creep since so many people seem to think he is. He told her that he had had a crush on her from that day on and hoped that when she finally returned to Smallville, they could put this behind them and be close with one another.

He was about to end the letter but at the last minute wrote, There are so many things to say and so many things I want to tell you, Lana. I hope you come home soon. On one hand, he was dying to tell Lana about his abilities, to show her. On the other, he was wary of telling her too.

Can I trust her?

That was a question he would figure out once she came back and, like Pete suggested, see how she reacted to going out in public when other teens were around. He would wait until then to judge her trustworthiness with his secret.

Clark was ready to post the letter but decided to wait until well after Christmas to make sure that the Langs were not with Lana when she received his letter, just in case they were the reason she had been distant all these years.

Lana sent a letter to Clark every week without fail, sometimes twice a week. Clark had a cell phone but was only to use it for emergencies so he could not talk to her on the phone without his mom or dad hearing the conversation. Instead, he wrote her back, spending his study time up in his loft telling her all about things that happened in Smallville and how anxious he was to see her in the summer.

The one thing he did not write Lana about was the change in his vision. In April, after his 16th birthday, Clark began to notice that if he stared at something solid long enough, he could see through it. He discovered the anomaly by accident. He was writing a letter and was searching for the perfect word that was just hiding behind another thought. He was staring straight ahead, concentrating and the wall of the barn seemed to grow translucent and he could see very faint images of the landscape and a windmill that he knew were outside. It was like staring at things through a heavy morning fog, he thought.

Shocked at first, he completely forgot about the letter he was writing and began looking around. When he looked elsewhere, things appeared normal. That is until he stared at them and then the solid items seemed to dissolve and what lie behind them became visible. Clark learned that the harder he concentrated his stare, the clearer the images appeared so that it was no longer just blurry images but very detailed images. A residual filmy outline of the solid was present but what was behind or beyond that image, Clark could clearly identify. It was like seeing…an x-ray.

This was an ability that Clark decided that he should not share with his parents. They were alarmed at his ability to hear things and how that could violate others' privacy. He would not want to think about their reaction to his ability able to see into or through solid objects at what was inside or behind them.

Clark told himself that the good thing about this ability was he controlled it. He had to concentrate to have 'x-ray vision'. Unlike his hearing that he had to concentrate on blotting out sounds, with this he had to make a conscious decision to use. He knew right from wrong, and he knew that his special ability would be important and that he could not abuse it. He pledged to himself that he would not use his new abilities in a way that would embarrass him or his parents should this ability ever be revealed.

At Pete's urging and to make the rest of the school year speed by, Clark tried out for Spring football, after several discussions with his parents. Jonathan was against it but Martha won the struggle when she suggested to her husband that letting Clark play would help his image and reputation within the community. Although he begrudgingly agreed, he made his son promise to play fair, which meant he would not use his special abilities to dominate others and he had to be extra careful not to injure others. Once Clark promised, Jon signed the parental consent form, allowing Clark to play. Because of his height, Clark was penciled in as junior varsity back-up quarterback.

For her part, Lana had become very interested in art and showed great aptitude for it. Her paintings and sketches were often lent by the school to be used in public displays and behind glass cabinets in the main lobby of the school. She told Clark that art allowed her to express herself in ways that writing or speaking did not, and her free time was occupied with art supplies and finding subjects for her to paint or draw.

The school year was winding down and Clark and Lana had been burning up the post offices with their letters. It was two weeks before the end of the school year in Smallville and the focus was on final grades and exams. Lana had not sent a letter that week and Clark understood that she may have had the year-end assignments too, even though Lana's year ended five days after Smallville High School ended its school year.

When the second week passed, Clark was busy studying for final exams in three classes but noticed Lana still had not written. He had found time to eek out a quick letter to her, telling her how anxious he was to see her again.

It was the day after the end of their sophomore year that Clark got a letter from Lana saying that her mom had applied for a grant to send her to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill over the summer to study art. It was a rather select summer program and Lana had to get recommendations and send samples of the artwork that she had completed at school before they would accept her into the summer program.

Clark was heartbroken that Lana would not be able to spend the summer with him. She had planned some whimsical outings and ideas of how they could steal away together to avoid prying eyes. Clark had imagined these moments and now those images were on hold, at least until school began. She had not mentioned returning to Smallville but she certainly gave every indication that she would be coming back for her junior year.

Between his chores, spending time with Pete, and learning the offensive playbook for the Crows, Clark remained occupied and although he missed seeing Lana, he did not have much time to dwell on it. He wondered if her passion for art was overtaking her passion for him. He still received her letters, from North Carolina now, and they were filled with her thoughts and dreams as well as her activities for the summer course.

At the beginning of August, pre-season football practice began and Clark spent hours learning about footwork, perfecting his release, and getting timing down. He wore the red vest of the quarterback in scrimmages that prevented him from getting hit. His performance after two weeks of pre-season earned him promotion on junior varsity depth chart. He would be the JV starting quarterback once the season began.

As excited at his news was about being named starting quarterback, his excitement was doused by news that Nell Lang had accidentally (or conveniently) forgotten to re-enroll Lana in Smallville High School and she could not be enrolled until the following semester after Christmas.

The Smallville High varsity football team ended their season with a disappointing 6 win and 4 loss record. Their starting quarterback suffered a devastating season-ending knee injury in the second quarter of their second game of the season. The varsity backup quarterback was kicked off the team just prior to their 4th game due to a disciplinary incident that led to him being suspended. At Pete Ross's urging, the coach brought the junior varsity quarterback up to the role of starting quarterback position with only one practice under his belt.

Clark lost in his first outing and the Crows were 1 - 4 on the season. The next five games, Clark showed amazing skill in finding and hitting open receivers and, on occasion, threading the needle with passes into double coverage. In those four games, the Smallville High Crows won with an average margin of victory of 11.75 points. Even more impressive was Clark's personal record as a starter. Combined with the junior varsity games. Clark's record as a starting quarterback was 10-1. Clark scrambled on occasion but only to move out of the pocket. He seldom ran forward beyond the line of scrimmage based on Jonathan's admonitions about hurting other boys and the fairness of using his superpowers. When he did, he would allow the defensive player to tackle him without much resistance. He even would take a sack as long as the game was in hand. That pleased Jonathan and also relieved any anxiety he had about Clark exposing his abilities in the heat of the game.

For the next, and final season for Clark at Smallville High, he was penciled in as the Crows' starting quarterback.

The day before Christmas break, Clark was trudging up the hill from the bus stop. When he reached the top of the hill and headed down the drive to his home, he saw Lana sitting on the porch swing awaiting his arrival. He picked up his pace to a jog. She stood as reached the porch and threw her arms around him, hugging him fiercely. "It's so great to see you," he said, stunned by her there on his front porch.

"Our school let our early and I made my parents fly me back home." She hugged him again, "I sure dreamed about being here."

"You dreamed about being in Smallville?"

"Yes," Lana said, looking up at Clark. "In your arms in Smallville."

Clark smiled awkwardly. He dreamed of having Lana in his arms all the time but was not sure he wanted to say that on his front porch. "Hey, let's go inside, it's cold out here." She let him go and followed him through the door. Inside, a fire was burning in the fireplace and the house was cozy and warm. Clark helped her with her jacket.

"Lana!" his mom called out as she came out of the kitchen. "What a surprise!"

"Hello, Mrs. Kent," she said. "It's so nice to see you."

"Well, you have really grown up since the last time we talked!" Martha said, reminding her of the day on the front porch a year and a half ago." Lana smiled but said nothing. "Your mom tells me you are quite the artist!"

Lana nodded. "It's something that I've always enjoyed but with the program in the high school in Maine and the summer study course in North Carolina this past summer, I really am getting more and more interested in art and design." She paused figuring Clark had already told his parents all this.

"Well, Clark has sure missed you," Martha said and Clark looked embarrassed. "He's got a new pursuit too. But I imagine you know all about that."

"Football?" Lana asked. "Even if Clark hadn't told me, I would have known before I came up here. Between my parents and the townspeople talking about Clark turning around the Smallville team, it would have been hard not to know."

"We're real proud of him, that's for sure, "Martha said. "But listen to me prattling on! I know you didn't come here to gab with me." She looked at Clark. "You and Lana want to talk. I'll be in the kitchen," she said. "Good seeing you, Lana. I hope you can stay for dinner."

Lana said that she could and Martha left for the kitchen while Clark led Lana to the couch in front of the fireplace. "You can get warmed up in front of the fire," he said.

"Actually, I got warmed up hugging you," she commented. "You're so warm to the touch." She looked at him and then said. "I guess we've never really hugged before so I didn't realize how warm you are."

Or kissed, Clark thought. "Yeah, I seem to run a little hotter than most people for some reason. I'm told that it's normal for me." He took off his light coat.

"You don't look like you got beaten up playing football. You must not have taken too many hits," she said. "That's good."

The small talk was driving Clark crazy and he finally said, "I know it's cold out but do you think you might want to go to the loft? I have a little ceramic space heater out there and blankets. I think it would be warm enough with the loft door and barn door closed." He hoped she would say yes.

"I was hoping you'd ask," she replied and looked toward the kitchen. "I have some things I'd like to talk about that I would be uncomfortable here talking about."

Clark stood and held out his hand, helping Lana to her feet. "Mom, we're going out to the loft," he called. "We'll be back for dinner."

"You be careful with that space heater, Clark," Martha reminded him. "We don't need the barn burned down."

Lana was donning her coat and Clark led her to the barn, opened the door and closed it behind them. The temperature was in the low 40's and getting colder as the sun began its trek to the horizon.

"Up here," he said, leading Lana up the stairs. He plugged in the space heater and fished out blankets that he and Pete used when they slept in the loft. He wrapped one around Lana. "With your coat, this should be enough." He wrapped one around himself and led her to the couch. Before the sat, Clark took Lana in his arms. "I've dreamed about having in my arms too, Lana." He stared at her and she him and then Lana pulled him into a kiss – their first kiss.

The following two and a half weeks were periods of talking, laughing, kissing, and cuddling in the loft. Pete came over the day after she arrived which was the last day of Smallville High classes until January. The three of them spent time together but Pete was savvy enough to know when he was the third wheel. He would excuse himself and leave the two of them in the loft, listening to music until Pete was out of sight and then, kissing and cuddling under the blankets on the couch.

Leaning on Pete's advice, Clark had suggested going to a movie and doing other things in Smallville. Lana accepted without hesitation and the two of them spent part time in Smallville for nearly a week of their holiday break. He kept a close eye on Lana for any sense of discomfort from her but he saw and sensed nothing. They went to the coffee shop where other Smallville Crows would come and hang out. They went to several of the cafes in town for light meals or snacks. They went to the movies and Clark took Lana to the Christmas market to wander around for hours. He sensed nothing but genuine affection from Lana and no hint of concern or embarrassment if others saw them arm-in-arm together.

Lana was careful never to suggest that they go to her house and Clark wondered if her parents had something against him. It was not until two days before she left for Maine that he asked her.

"Do your parents not like me?" he asked.

Lana demurred. "It's not that they don't like you, Clark. But they are close friends with Frank Miskie's parents and when you took over for him, I guess his dreams of being the varsity quarterback died and they somehow feel you had a part in it."

"That's ridiculous, Lana. Frank got kicked off the team because he got suspended for fighting in the hallway. He couldn't play for a month and by then, the season would have almost been over."

"I know."

"Does everyone else think that?"

"I don't think so," she replied, matter-of-factly. "As far as I can tell, everyone thinks Smallville's going to have a great team next year because of you. I haven't heard anyone mention anything negative about you."

"Except the Miskies," Clark said.

She nodded. "Yeah, except them."

"And maybe your folks."

In January of 2014, when the new term started in Smallville High, Lana had been enrolled and had officially left Maine and was back home. The group of girls who had badgered her about her relationship with Clark Kent now had a dilemma on their hands. Since his start as the junior varsity quarterback and then shortly thereafter, the most exciting quarterback Smallville High's varsity team had seen in decades, Clark's reputation as a strange, weird, and perhaps dangerous loner had vanished and so did any condemnation of those who had befriended him. Teammates liked Clark and all the ostracizing, all the rumors, and all the innuendo seemed to vanish overnight ever since Clark became the hometown hero of the gridiron. And having a relationship with him was something just about every girl at school wanted. Clark was handsome, he was polite, sweet, and good-natured to everyone. A smile that he kept hidden for the past 11 years in school was now flashed often and he could melt hearts with it. But there was only one heart that Clark cared about melting and that was Lana's.

The girls who had teased her were now on the outside looking in, staring at Lana on Clark's arm and they had no hope of ever regaining their status as the 'cool girls'. Lana, for her part, never addressed it and ignored the girls unless one of them spoke to her directly and she had no alternative. In those situations, she would be coolly polite and respond but not engage to any extent that which was necessary. She had lost the first battle but won the war and she knew it, as did those girls who would no longer be envied or emulated.

When the Spring arrived, Spring football practice began, and Clark continued his dominant play at quarterback during scrimmages and in drills. But also, with the Spring came new chores and planting season. Between the chores, planting season, and Spring training, not to mention school work, Clark's time was occupied with everything other than what he had wanted to spend his time doing. Lana would come by sometimes when his chores were done and they would study together, often with Pete there. What Clark really wanted to do was cuddle under a blanket with Lana, hearing her heartbeat rise and fall with his touch and kisses. And even though there were many demands on his time, Clark did find time to snuggle with Lana. That snuggling made all the delays sweeter. He hoped that she felt the same.

Lana had applied for a summer program at Southern New York University Institute of Art and Design. As one of the preeminent art and design schools in the nation, an opportunity for a summer course at SUNY would be a great line on her application for college and jobs afterwards. The application process was very competitive and to her mild surprise, Lana was accepted in the summer program. Instead of finding out days before the end of summer, Lana made a point of promptly telling Clark in advance.

He was visibly disappointed. "What about our summer together, Lana? We talked about some of the fun things we could do together and with Pete and his new girlfriend, Abby."

"I never even thought I'd have a shot at being accepted, Clark," she said, but she defended her actions. "Look, you're going to be busy on the farm and busy at practice over the summer. It's going to fly by," she said, "and by the time I get back, your summer chores will be done and all that will be left is the harvest. You'll have Pete and your football to keep you company." She paused looking for his acknowledgment that did not come. "And absence makes the heart grow fonder," she added. "Who knows what it will lead to once I'm back?" she said with a lascivious grin.

I'm not doing anything with anyone, you guys, but if I was, it wouldn't be with him.

It seemed to him that maybe she was on to something about the effect of absence. She promised to write him while she was gone and he said he would try to find time to write her back but could not make any promises since his time was going to be so occupied by chores, Pete, and football. She gave a sarcastic smile that made him smile in return. He could not stay mad at Lana.

Clark began to think about making love to her. The thought had been abstract to him before and had never seemed to be something attainable given her distance and his situation with the community prior to football. But 2014 had been a sea change for him and Lana was a part of that. There were two big obvious issues: could he make love to a human without hurting her, and would Lana want him to make love to her once she knew he was not human? There was no doubt that he wanted her sexually. But he worried that in the throes of passion, he could not control himself enough to avoid seriously injuring her. He was strong, extraordinarily strong, and at the moment of release, would he have enough control to not crush her or spasm and break something?

There was also no doubt in his mind that if he was going to make love to her, she deserved to know that she would be having sex with an alien, not a human. To do that without telling her and then telling her after the fact would not only be unfair to Lana, but it could have such disastrous and devastating consequences that went beyond just their relationship. Making love to Lana before she knew he was an alien was out of the question.

So, the two questions could be condensed to once he told Lana, would she still want to make love to him, and could he even make love to her without endangering her? He now had the whole summer to weigh those questions and maybe, he thought, it was a good thing that Lana gave him time to figure these things out.