Title: Careless words… (Working title) (Chlark)

Author: TheUnwelcomeVisitor

Disclaimer: All characters, references, and other things even remotely connected to 'Smallville' are property of someone else entirely. (Not me, just making it clear)

Summary: Careless words lead to embarrassing moments, and something more… Chlark

Word Count: 3636

Written: July 2007

Careless words…

"It's a date"

Clark where having a really crappy day. Rising with the dawn, after severely damaging his alarm clock, he had done his chores lacking the usual energy. His parents where gone on a "business trip" to Metropolis, at least according to them. According to Clark there had been too much smiling, kissing and on occasion, which he shuddered remembering, two parents going on like two very hormonal teenagers. Not that he minded them leaving, he enjoyed the solitude, but he really missed the flap-jacks he had grown used to expecting for breakfast.

But it wasn't that, which ruined the day. It wasn't even the prospect of having to "enjoy" the mystery meat of the Smallville High school cafeteria. Not even the cold stares he got from the schools Quarterback Whitney, the blonde and popular boyfriend of Lana Lang, who incidentally had been the women of his dreams since he was… well, forever really, could so absolutely crush the prospect of a happy day.

It was three little words, spoken by the women who had recently taken up more and more of his "Lana time" and even started competing with her for the place as the main actress of his dreams. Chloe Sullivan.

Mmm…Chloe. He caught himself quickly. Stop it! It's your best friend you're thinking about!

She stormed into the boy's locker room while he was changing for PE, walked right up to him with a thousand watt smile plastered across her face, not even bothering to acknowledge the other guys presence.

"Uh… Hi?" He immediately cursed himself for once again starting a conversation with an Uh? What am I? A freaking' Neanderthal?

She just stepped in closer. To close in fact, since as soon as the smell of her perfume hit him, he became about as coherent thinking as an ape. She smells Good, really good. I wonder what perfume she's wearing?

He then, of course, realised she had been talking while he stood there smiling like a moron.

"Uh… sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

She stepped in even closer. Like kissing close. Stop! Best. Friend. Must. Fight. It.

"You. Me. Tonight. Two tickets to the concert. Yes?" She said in an exaggerated, but clear voice, while looking up at him from under strands of hair, seductively. Does she so that on purpose? Of course she does! She's just talking, it's you who's acting like she's throwing herself at you. Who's standing in front of you! Chloe Sullivan, your best friend! She wouldn't do that! His mind yelled at him. But deep inside a doubtful voice whispered; Would she?

Chloe's really beautiful. I wonder why I didn't notice that until now. No, Not now! Focus!

Thinking about Lana might help him distract himself from her beauty. Not much, but a little. Best friend. Best friend. Best friend. Sexy friend. Noooo! Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana…

"Hello?" Hand waving across face. "Earth to Clark? Clark! Come on, it's not a particularly difficult question." Amused smile. Beautiful smile…No! Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana, Lana…

He realised he still hadn't said anything. Shit! I look like a moron! You are a moron, thinking about Chloe like that!

"Yeah…it's a date." Shit! "I mean… you know what I mean, rig…"

"It's a date" She cut him off. Beaming up at him with a smile so bright as to outshine the sun, before practically skipping out the door.

"Ehh…" He said after her, blinking, but she was already gone.

The other boys weren't. He realized they must have been staring all along. Then he realized how it must look, how he must look, standing there, shirt unbuttoned and only wearing one sock.

Then something surprising happened. Every guy in the room broke up in huge grins and Clark's best friend since kindergarten, Pete Ross, gave a catcall that threatened to break the windows. Before he knew it they'd gathered around him laughing and clapping him on his back. It was if all of a sudden he was popular. Decidedly not an unwelcome feeling, especially since he was a member of both the schools math team and the school paper.

Whitney, the huge blond quarterback broke it up with a shrill whistle.

"Listen up! Coach is sick, and he put me in charge. Change and head out, Now!" The last part came out as a roar.

All the other boys quickly left the locker room, chanting something about Clark and Chloe. Clark didn't pay attention, deep in his own thoughts.

Last to head out to the field, Clark was surprised to find Whitney waiting for him in the doorway. Putting a friendly arm around Clark's broad shoulders, he led him to the field where the others were waiting.

"Hey, Clark! Congratulations on finally stepping up with that Chloe chick. Makes me a lot happier that you aren't out for my girl anymore, huh? I talked to the guys while you were changing, and we figured you needed some encouragement…"

Too late Clark saw that all the other guys were grinning evilly, even Pete.

"So we thought, why not make this lesson all about you?" Whitney finished, his face cracking with an equally evil grin.

Shit! Shit! Shit!

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

It had taken Chloe an hour to work up the courage to go speak to him, and when she finally did she was so exited she didn't realize that he was in the Boy's locker room. She almost stopped when she realised she was surrounded by half naked football players. But then she saw Him. Staring at her, half the buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, unkempt hair, his piercing eyes touching her soul.

She'd walked so close as she dared in a room full of people, afraid someone would draw the wrong conclusions. Like she was there to ask him out on a date. She almost giggled.

"Uh…Hi" He said sounding a little strange. Wonder why, isn't like I walked in on him changing, or anything. Oh…yeah…

"HiClarkI'vegottoticketstotheconcertandIrealywant…" She trailed of as she realised he wasn't paying attention.

"Uh… sorry, I didn't quite catch that." She moved closer. His smell was intoxicating. She desperately wanted to grip his collar and drag him down to eye level. With an effort of will she made herself calm, but couldn't resist gripping his shirt, just so she could touch him. Easy, where still just friends. For now…

"You. Me. Tonight. Two tickets to the concert. Yes?" She was now so close she caught the smell of him in the air. She often joked that he smelled like a cow, which he kind of does sometimes, but she loved the smell of him. She nervously started fiddling with the edge of his shirt, not daring to meet his gaze any longer.

Still no reaction. She started getting upset. What if he says No? Please, Clark, don't say no!

"Hello?" Hand waving across face. "Earth to Clark? Clark! Come on, it's not a particularly difficult question." He doesn't want to. He doesn't want to. The thought echoed in her mind louder and louder. She felt her eyes stinging. No! Don't let him see how much you care! Still only friends!

"Yeah…it's a date." Shit! Did he really say that? It felt like a stone the size of a SUV had been lifted of her shoulders "I mean… you know what I mean, rig…" Not wanting him to ruin the pink cloud of happiness rising around her, she cut him of.

"It's a date" I can't believe I just said that? Ohh… Goosebumps. Practically skipping out of the room, she barely noticed everyone's stares. Outside the locker room she nearly fell over dead as she walked into a group of cheerleaders. I weren't in there, please believe me. Please God make them ignore it now and I'll praise you forever!

The head cheerleader Lana stepped up, smiling. Looking at the smiling raven haired beauty, her heart sank. Clark is in love with her, you're just his sidekick. His Friend. And friends don't drool over each other, or dream the kind of dreams you're dreaming about him.

Her pink cloud tilted and fell, and was replaced by a storm cloud.

"I didn't do anything!" She blurted out before Lana even got a chance to open her mouth. Her pretty mouth. No, it isn't her fault. It's just fate, God doesn't really love me.

"I didn't say you did…" Chloe breathed out heavily. "But it sure sounds like you did." Lana finished with a small smile. What? No…

Then she heard it. Behind her the walls shook with laughter and catcalls. Turning red she quickly tried to make up a story that wouldn't lead to her being the new laughing stock of the school.

She realised all the cheerleaders were staring at her, grinning. Then she heard it to. A small sound, quickly rising in intensity. At first hidden behind the general sounds of exited boys in the room behind her, but not for long, soon it echoed trough the entire floor.

"Clark got a date with Chloe! Clark got a date with Chloe! Clark got a date …"

She was sure no other human had ever been so embarrassed before. She could feel herself blush, from the roots of her hair to the tip of her toes, or at least it felt like it. She would never be allowed to forget this. She had to get out of here…

But before she could move she was surrounded by cheerleaders who smiling and hugging, actually congratulating her to her "big catch". "You to are so right for each other", "Finally!" and "You got a date with Clark Kent? Like the Hottest kid in school!" Except for interviewing some of them for the Torch, she never had had a conversation with any of these people. Except Lana of course. And now they nearly wrestled for a place at her side. And she was sure some of them looked jealous. Cheerleaders, jealous at her? First Clark, and now this? She had died and gone to heaven.

Then reality came crashing down on her. You have a date with Clark Kent. He thinks he's just going to hang out with a friend. Friend. And you don't date your friends, do you? She could feel the tears welling up unbidden, but fought them back. "I've got to get to the Torch. Sorry." She managed to mumble, as she made her way out of the crowd of cheerleaders surrounding her.

She nearly ran trough the school, blinking rapidly to hold back the tears, avoiding looking at people she passed; sure they would spot her tears. As the door closed behind her and she finally where alone, she let herself go a little and started silently sobbing.

Clark would never love her as she loved him; he only had eyes for Lana. She was his friend, a goofy reporter sidekick. But it felt good tricking yourself, didn't it?

The thought brought a fresh flood of tears to her eyes. Five minutes ago she had been the happiest teen in Smallville, now she felt worse than she had done since her mom left her.

But inside her a tiny voice whispered.

Yes, it did…

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Clark swore. His mother had imprinted in him a very clean language. But it didn't show today. For what felt like the thousandth time he brushed himself off and pulled himself of the ground. It probably is the thousandth time, he thought angrily.

"Me and the other guys think you're a little lazy. Prove us wrong. Run!" Whitney had shouted.

He had made Clark run, jump, crawl, spin, roll, do handstand, pushups and all kinds of things. Each task thought up by one of the other guys in class, who seemed to be enjoying his pain. And all were impossible. At least for an ordinary human. Like sprinting eight laps carrying Cliff, the fat lineman, or seven hundred and twelve pushups on the point of his index fingers. Clark could easily have done them, without even breaking a sweat. Not really true. You're sweating like a pig already.

And he was, panic induced sweating obviously was something he shared with other mammals. And the thought that he would, purely by accident do something inhuman had driven him into panic twenty minutes ago. At least people won't notice that you're not sweating.

What was more worrying was that as the class drew to an end, he still hadn't succeeded in any task the guys had given him. For he, not wanting to risk it, failed those tasks which were humanly possible as well.

"Farm boy! Get in here!" Not realising the others left the field; he was the last one off. Great, it's finally over. But he was wrong, and as he entered the hall he saw everyone standing around a rope hanging from the ceiling. "We decided to have the last one inside, since you obviously don't perform well out in the fresh air." Whitney roared out, in a perfect imitation of the loudmouthed football coach usually filling in for their gym teacher.

Pete stepped up to Clark, who drew a huge breath of relief. Pete, I forgot he would choose one to.

"Hey man, Whitney decided that if you couldn't actually finish a task we had to punish you. So I gave you an easy one. You just climb the rope, give us a wave, slide down, and accept the praise." Pete said as he flourished his hands in the general direction of the ropes. "Go get it!"

Relieved he wouldn't get to find out what Whitney meant with "punished", he pulled himself of the padded mat and into the air. I knew I could count on Pete. Wait… padded mat? They haven't really been considerate until now, and it's not really a long fall…

Too late he realised something where wrong. He barely had time for a panicked glance earthwards, which revealed that everyone below him was armed with dodge balls and evil grins. With time to think he would probably have realised that the dodge balls couldn't really harm him. Unfortunately for Clark he didn't have any time before a swarm of red balls impacted on him. Flinging his arms up in protection, he lost his grip on the rope and fell. The surprise of impact drove the air out of his lungs, so for a time he just laid there, gasping, wheezing and doing a rather perfect job, acting like he was a kid who had been hit by two dozen dodge balls and fallen fourteen feet to the ground.

When he finally got air back into his lungs, only Pete, Whitney and he remained in the room.

"That was punishment for failing everything?" He managed to say. "Wasn't it?" he added. A small hope rising in his chest. Finally over. Thank God.

Pete rubbed tears of laughter of his face. "No such luck man." He said, helping Clark to his feet. "That was actually my task working really perfectly." He paused. "I was pretty pissed off about the whole date thing. I can't believe you wouldn't tell me." He actually managed to look a little hurt, before chuckling. "Not anymore though, now we're even."

Then he patted Clark on the back and jogged off to the showers. Clark was just going to follow him, when he felt Whitney's hand on his shoulder.

"Not so fast, Kent." The quarterback said. "You got some cleaning to do, you didn't think I would stay behind to pick up your mess."

Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Lana Lang walked trough the empty halls of Smallville High, thinking about what she just seen.

Clark and Chloe, Finally together. She smiled, it had taken them an awfully long time to realise what everyone else saw as soon as they laid eyes on them. That they were perfect together.

Passing the Torch, she flinched and turned around. It couldn't be? But it was, from the other side of the door a barely audible sob broke the silence. It can't be Chloe, can it? I mean she was happy just a minute ago. But no one except Chloe should be at the Torch now; it was in the middle of class for most people. She only had time off since she was head cheerleader, and supposedly needed the time to organise the cheerleading for the next game.

Something wasn't right. She and Chloe weren't really friends, as every time they met Chloe acted with a polite disdain for her. And she never found out why. But Lana felt that she should do something anyway, since she rather liked the blonde girl always tagging along with Pete and Clark.

She sighed. The cheerleading had to wait.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Chloe quickly stifled a sob. She had nearly jumped out of her clothes when she heard the knocking on the door. "Who is it?" she asked. Even to herself her voice sounded thick with tears and hurt. Glancing at her reflection in a computer monitor, she winced. She looked like she'd been crying for hours, her makeup ran in streaks across her face and even her hair seemed to have become untangled in pure sympathy for the rest of her. A glance at the clock showed that she actually had been crying for hours.

I don't even have a good explanation. And she realized she hadn't. She cried simply because Clark would be her friend, and never realize she needed something more. Silly reason for tears. But she had to force herself not to start again.

"It's Lana. Chloe, is that you?" Lana's voice sounded worried. "Let me in." Even her voice is more beautiful than mine.

"No, I'm fine. I just…" She trailed off. She needed a coffee. And I need Clark.

She heard the handle rattle, and realised she forgot to lock the door. Too late, as Lana peered in. Upon seeing Chloe's tearstained face, she went in, closing the door behind her. Silently she sat down beside her and laid an arm around her shoulders. Picking up a tissue from the desk Chloe had been sitting by; she proceeded to wipe away the tearstained makeup.

Feeling pressured to fill the, to her, cavernous, silence Chloe spoke. "He will never love me" it came out almost a sob.

"Who, Clark? He probably does already. He's with you every second of every day."

"He's with me because he's my friend. He only has eyes for you." She regretted the words as soon as she'd said them. It's the truth. He has. A small part of her piped up, doubling her regret in an instant. But she didn't know that. And he probably wanted it that way. And now you betrayed his secret. What's next? Telling her about his telescope? A tiny thought crept up; Do it, she'll never like him if she finds that out. But she forced it back down. She wouldn't ruin her friend's life like that, even if it meant Clark and her would be just friends forever.

"So that's why you hate me! I thought I'd done something horrible." Lana, strangely seemingly not even bothered by the fact that Clark was drooling over her. She's probably used to guys drooling over her, Chloe thought. God knows Clark's not the only one. Even Pete tends to drool when he watches her practice. Of course Pete drooled over anything with two legs and a pair of breasts.

"He's not in love with me. All guys look at girls. Besides have you seen the looks he has been giving you lately?" Lana continued. "Not really I'm-Just-A-Friend-Looking-At-his-Blonde-Sidekick looks, if you know what I mean?" Lana smiled at the shocked look on Chloe's face.

Clark's been looking at me? Looking-looking at me? A silly grin broke trough the sadness. And suddenly she even forgot why she cried.

"And besides he's going out on a date with you, if the entire boys choir of Smallville Is to be trusted." Lana giggled.

Once again, the slowly rising pink cloud dispersed. "It's not really a date." Chloe managed, in a small voice, her eyes not leaving the floor.

"What! But the boys chanted it in the locker room. I'm told you could hear it in the parking lot!"

Chloe felt her ears turn red. Everybody knows. "I mean, we're just going as friends." God, just saying it out loud hurt.

"And you want more, I take it?" Not waiting for an answer Lana continued. "Then make something more of it!"

"How?" Chloe felt stupid for asking. "I can't even make him notice me."

"First we'll fix your makeup" Lana said while reaching for her purse. "Then we'll work on your confidence. He notices you, believe me." She pulled Chloe closer with one arm while balancing her rather huge makeup collection in the crook of her arm. Starting to fill in the makeup she had wiped away earlier, she wondered how Chloe, who could spot a story a mile away with her eyes closed could miss a six foot teenager staring at her all day.

"How can you be so sure? He doesn't show it." Chloe started feeling better, now that she began looking a little less like a girl who had spent the morning crying her eyes out.

"Because all teenage boys are alike, and I practically have to grab Whitney by the hair to stop him from staring at your cute behind every time you pass us in the hall."

The day's getting better.Chloe thought.