Chapter Two
Clark went through his belongings, wondering what to take with him. His parents had stayed in the kitchen, trying to find a reason to make him stay. They knew, this was going to be hard for Clark, they had always feared, it might happen some day. It didn't smoother the impact of the event, though.
Clark was sure he would never be able to face his friends again. He feared what he had already seen in their eyes. Fear of the unknown, disgust of just another meteor victim. And when they'd somehow realise, that he was the source of all the bad things happening around here, the would make sure, he would pay for it.
At the end he packed a bag with clothes and only very few belongings, including a picture of his closest friends. He moved down the stairs and heard his parents rushing to the front door. He scanned the yard with his x- ray vision and was horrified to find dozens of cars filled with two times as many people outside.
The witnesses. Had he spent too much time feeling sorry for himself? What could he do against so many people to protect his parents, without hurting anyone? Surrender, was the only thing, that came to his mind.
Taking a deep breath he started to follow his parents out, but stopped, when they started talking to someone.
"What is it you want?"
Jonathan Kent asked the young people stopping in front of his house. He already knew, why they were here and his neckhair raised when he recognised Lex Luthors Porsche in between them.
It was Whitney Fordman, who stood out from the crowd, addressing the Kents. Always the leader, Jonathan thought.
"We're sorry to bother you, Mrs. And Mr. Kent. Do you know, where we can find Clark? Pete thought, he might have gone home after the incident with the scoreboard."
Martha had expected a lot of things, so she was taken aback by the genuine concern in Whitney Fordmans voice. She searched all the other faces noting determination to find Clark in them, not seeking revenge or anything like that. Could they have been so wrong in guessing how people might react? Did they damn Clark to a life in secrecy and lies when he could have easily confided in at least some people?
"Why do you look for him? He was pretty disturbed, when he came home a while ago."
Jonathan seemed to share her thoughts, she could sense it in his body language. Still he wouldn't give Clark away.
Lex raised his voice, wanting to know, if they already were too late.
"Mr. Kent, we were wondering, whether Clark has already left, as he mentioned at the gym. We would be very sorry, if he did."
These words coming of Lex Luthor did not set Jonathan at ease. He had never trusted Lex, because he thought him the one person who would definitely try to take advantage of the knowledge. Clark had wanted to tell him, wanted to trust him, but Jonathans warnings had hit home.
"Clark has decided to leave Smallville. We've been trying to persuade him into staying, but he thinks that he has no place left here. Is that true?"
Almost everyone shook their head.
"No!"
Lana cried.
"I know he saw our surprise and I am sure a lot of us had to put the usual prejudices aside. Clark left before anyone had a chance to understand. We've been discussing the matter seriously and there is no reason, why he shouldn't stay. If there isn't space for him, then for whom it is?"
Agreement was plain on all the faces. Martha fought back her tears and wondered whether Clark had realised that nearly all his high school mates were standing in front of the porch.
Suddenly she felt a strong hand at her shoulder, squeezing her reassuringly and looking for support at the same time. Clark had witnessed all this and made his decision, whatever it may be.
The people cheered when they recognised Clark at the porch, but the soon silenced when they saw his duffel bag over his shoulder. He was ready to go.
"Please don't go, Clark."
A girl shouted. Clark knew her from chemistry, but she had never bothered to speak with him. Neither had he in return.
He didn't answer, fighting back tears at the display of such emotion from someone he hardly knew. He saw Pete, Chloe and Lex standing at the back of the crowd, their expressions anxious at how he had decided.
Again it was Whitney, who took action, filling out his leading role. He did that pretty well, Clark had to admit.
"I agree, Clark. You should stay and give us a second chance to realise that you're actually a person worth knowing. We don't deserve it, but we'd be glad if you would give it anyway."
Guilt showed in his expression and Clark knew that it had finally sunken in to Whitney, that Clark wasn't a danger for him or his relationship. He nodded, reluctantly though.
He searched for Lex eyes, wondering what his friend thought. Lex nodded, smiling at Clark and making a gesture of zipping closed his mouth. A heavyweight fell of Clarks heart. Lex would keep the secret. Maybe the others...
"I'm sorry, Clark, for everything I inflicted on you, for every time I treated you like scum and for all the other things I did, that might have offended or hurt you. I'm sorry that you cannot have Lana, but I am glad at the same time, because she chose to be with me, even being best friends with you. If she will ever change her mind, I will try to accept it."
Clark couldn't help but smile at this. He heard breaths that had been kept, while watching him.
"Stop it, Fordman. I'll blush if you go on like this. And, by the way, everyone deserves at least a second chance. Some don't even get the first one."
The smile Lana was sending him warmed his heart. He would get his second chance. And he hopefully wouldn't mess it up.
The End
Clark went through his belongings, wondering what to take with him. His parents had stayed in the kitchen, trying to find a reason to make him stay. They knew, this was going to be hard for Clark, they had always feared, it might happen some day. It didn't smoother the impact of the event, though.
Clark was sure he would never be able to face his friends again. He feared what he had already seen in their eyes. Fear of the unknown, disgust of just another meteor victim. And when they'd somehow realise, that he was the source of all the bad things happening around here, the would make sure, he would pay for it.
At the end he packed a bag with clothes and only very few belongings, including a picture of his closest friends. He moved down the stairs and heard his parents rushing to the front door. He scanned the yard with his x- ray vision and was horrified to find dozens of cars filled with two times as many people outside.
The witnesses. Had he spent too much time feeling sorry for himself? What could he do against so many people to protect his parents, without hurting anyone? Surrender, was the only thing, that came to his mind.
Taking a deep breath he started to follow his parents out, but stopped, when they started talking to someone.
"What is it you want?"
Jonathan Kent asked the young people stopping in front of his house. He already knew, why they were here and his neckhair raised when he recognised Lex Luthors Porsche in between them.
It was Whitney Fordman, who stood out from the crowd, addressing the Kents. Always the leader, Jonathan thought.
"We're sorry to bother you, Mrs. And Mr. Kent. Do you know, where we can find Clark? Pete thought, he might have gone home after the incident with the scoreboard."
Martha had expected a lot of things, so she was taken aback by the genuine concern in Whitney Fordmans voice. She searched all the other faces noting determination to find Clark in them, not seeking revenge or anything like that. Could they have been so wrong in guessing how people might react? Did they damn Clark to a life in secrecy and lies when he could have easily confided in at least some people?
"Why do you look for him? He was pretty disturbed, when he came home a while ago."
Jonathan seemed to share her thoughts, she could sense it in his body language. Still he wouldn't give Clark away.
Lex raised his voice, wanting to know, if they already were too late.
"Mr. Kent, we were wondering, whether Clark has already left, as he mentioned at the gym. We would be very sorry, if he did."
These words coming of Lex Luthor did not set Jonathan at ease. He had never trusted Lex, because he thought him the one person who would definitely try to take advantage of the knowledge. Clark had wanted to tell him, wanted to trust him, but Jonathans warnings had hit home.
"Clark has decided to leave Smallville. We've been trying to persuade him into staying, but he thinks that he has no place left here. Is that true?"
Almost everyone shook their head.
"No!"
Lana cried.
"I know he saw our surprise and I am sure a lot of us had to put the usual prejudices aside. Clark left before anyone had a chance to understand. We've been discussing the matter seriously and there is no reason, why he shouldn't stay. If there isn't space for him, then for whom it is?"
Agreement was plain on all the faces. Martha fought back her tears and wondered whether Clark had realised that nearly all his high school mates were standing in front of the porch.
Suddenly she felt a strong hand at her shoulder, squeezing her reassuringly and looking for support at the same time. Clark had witnessed all this and made his decision, whatever it may be.
The people cheered when they recognised Clark at the porch, but the soon silenced when they saw his duffel bag over his shoulder. He was ready to go.
"Please don't go, Clark."
A girl shouted. Clark knew her from chemistry, but she had never bothered to speak with him. Neither had he in return.
He didn't answer, fighting back tears at the display of such emotion from someone he hardly knew. He saw Pete, Chloe and Lex standing at the back of the crowd, their expressions anxious at how he had decided.
Again it was Whitney, who took action, filling out his leading role. He did that pretty well, Clark had to admit.
"I agree, Clark. You should stay and give us a second chance to realise that you're actually a person worth knowing. We don't deserve it, but we'd be glad if you would give it anyway."
Guilt showed in his expression and Clark knew that it had finally sunken in to Whitney, that Clark wasn't a danger for him or his relationship. He nodded, reluctantly though.
He searched for Lex eyes, wondering what his friend thought. Lex nodded, smiling at Clark and making a gesture of zipping closed his mouth. A heavyweight fell of Clarks heart. Lex would keep the secret. Maybe the others...
"I'm sorry, Clark, for everything I inflicted on you, for every time I treated you like scum and for all the other things I did, that might have offended or hurt you. I'm sorry that you cannot have Lana, but I am glad at the same time, because she chose to be with me, even being best friends with you. If she will ever change her mind, I will try to accept it."
Clark couldn't help but smile at this. He heard breaths that had been kept, while watching him.
"Stop it, Fordman. I'll blush if you go on like this. And, by the way, everyone deserves at least a second chance. Some don't even get the first one."
The smile Lana was sending him warmed his heart. He would get his second chance. And he hopefully wouldn't mess it up.
The End