"Go By"

///chapter five///



.







Clark.


A ghost.


One Chloe thought she’d abandoned and lost years ago. The last time she’d even seen Clark she’d cried until her eyes were puffy and red. That day she fitfully drove away from the Kent’s farm, steering through bleary eyes and drowned lashes. By the time she returned to the house, her father, Gabe Sullivan, grew so concerned with his distraught daughter that he doted until she confessed what had made her so. But she never told him about her young, broken heart, or her silly idea that she might be in love with her best friend. No, Chloe didn’t dare utter any words of what she felt were naive, and foolish. She was being irrational after all. Clark Kent wouldn’t follow her to the city, and she’d forget this yet another embarrassing encounter. She’d managed to humiliate herself over and over for her silly pinning for the boy in blue, and those days were behind her. Moving back to the city was a prime opportunity to gain some self esteem, to make new friends.


So that’s what she did.


She did her best to push away the small reminders of her brief life in that small town just three hours away. She never made the short trip to visit old friends, nor did she reply to the occasional correspondence Clark or Pete sent. It was difficult, and she felt horrible, but her cousin whom she now shared her weekends with insisted that it was the best way to “get over it”.


And she did. She made new friends and life went on.


But all those years spun back as she stared dazedly at the ghost in front of her.

Clark.


It was him alright. In his red jacket, blue jeans and t shirt, he seemed to be in the same costume he had since the eighth grade. Except now he wasn’t a boy anymore. Indeed, very much a man as Chloe noticed every which way Clark’s body had filled out.


She searched his eyes, but kept being interrupted by the dark frames that rested in front.

Glasses? She inwardly bowled.


Out of all the people Chloe doubted she would ever see again, Clark Kent was at the top of the list. But the list crumbled away as she watched him stride between her and the guy whose fierce grip had already bruised her wrist.


She regained her composure, reclaiming her bag, and placed it back on her shoulder.


Clark remained fixed between them, blinking, staring, gawking, at her.


Chloe Sullivan.


Surely this was an imposter. This version had long, dark blonde, wavy hair that reached past her shoulders and wore a form fitted dark knit dress. He didn’t remember Chloe looking like this. Looking so, so…


He didn’t have a word for it.


But any doubt was cast away immediately once her unmistakable grin appeared. It was Chloe.


“Are you with her?” The balding man’s voice broke up Clark’s concentration, driving his attention back.


“ I’m..uh.” He looked at Chloe who was creeping away with her bag, sliding into the driver’s seat.


Once she was inside, she motioned for him to hop in.


Clark tried to hide a smile, backing off of the wrinkled huff of a man. “Yeah, I’m with her.”


He stared back, the creases in his forehead deepening. He was intimidated, but not finished. “Well, I don’t know who you are Mr. Clark Kent! But you can bet your—“


Chloe honked the horn politely and rolled down her window as Clark slid in the passenger side. “You should probably get out of the street, Sir, unless you want to be run down.”


He spat at the car as it drove passed, waving with his middle finger. Clark heard the unmistakable clicking of a camera shutter and turned around. The guy with the fedora, Jimmy, was craned in the back seat, zoomed in on every obscene gesture the flustered man shot at them through the rear window.


“Oh man,” Jimmy squeed in delight, “This digital zoom is incredible! I’m getting every syllable the old man’s bawling at us from a hundred yards!”


**


What a turn of events. He was sitting right there next to her. Like a mirage or something. She darted her eyes to the right to spy Clark, who seemed to be holding on for dear life.


They sped up, breezing past slower traffic. Clark gripped his seat harder. Perhaps the farm boy wasn’t used to the big city streets. Chloe grinned mischievously, accelerating through a hard left turn.


Clark gripped the hand rail on the side of the door to steady himself once more. It was a good turn, but a little fast. Clark wasn’t concerned for himself, but if he were to let his solid, unyielding Kryptonian body casually slide into the door panel it might make a considerable dent. Or unhinge the door completely.


Chloe couldn’t resist, stealing quick peeks every odd second that passed by. Every stolen look made the image of him reality.


Her eyes were drawn to his. They were different, she noticed. Quiet. Like they hadn’t brightened with laughter in some time. It was enough to spark Chloe’s journalistic curiosity.


After several glances, they caught hers, his clear blue irises dashing back and forth from her to the traffic around them.


“Um, Chloe? Shouldn’t you be watching the, um, road?” Clark spoke shyly.


“Uh, right.” She blinked, whipping her head forward.


The small car buzzed along, Chloe switching several lanes, pushing all the speed limits.


After a few moments of awkward silence, Chloe gave up, giving into all her curiosities.


“Clark, what are you doing here?” She spied him again with wide, bright eyes.


Chloe could tell that his large shoulders barely fit inside the compact car. He looked really miserable squished up like that. Miserably cute, all the while stammering with his geeky glasses sliding down his nose.


The girl in the back with Jimmy stretched lazily in her seat and eyed Clark carefully.


“Who are you?” The words were slurred, but pretty articulate considering the amount of alcohol Clark smelled radiating off of her.


“Everyone,” Chloe chimed over the steering wheel, “This is Clark.” She shot him a smile before eyeing the road. “Clark, this is everyone.”


“Hi.” Jimmy leaned forward and pushed his hand into Clark’s, giving it a solid shake accompanied with a friendly smile.


Clark smiled in return and noticed the brunette in the back holding out her hand in a floppy gesture.


“Nice to meet--” she hiccupped, “you.” A giggle broke away from her lips. She brought both hands to her mouth and clasped it shut, creating a hissing laughter.


“Is she okay?” Clark asked with a brow raised.


“She’s fine.” Jimmy reassured him. “I’m sure she feels really good right now. Really good. Huh, Lois?”


She nodded.


“Just how many shots did you have anyway? I told you to wait at the bar until I gave the signal!” Chloe said, their car stopping at a red light.


Lois sighed, undaunted by Chloe’s mild scolding. She stretched, shutting her eyes, “Yeah, but you guys were taking a long time. Besides, I did my part. I got the barkeep’s attention and distracted him while you did your thing.” She yawned. “But then he offered me a drink. And then another. And then another and another.”


“Jeeze, Lo.” Chloe sighed.


“Hey! Today’s my birthday! You guys said you were taking me out, not out crusading on a story hunting- investigating thing.”


Each word sounded blurrier than the one preceding. Clark raised another brow.


“Besides,” she directed mischievous eyes, “I won, didn’t I?“ It was a quiet statement, but possessed enough snare to draw curiosity.


Everyone turned around. “Won what?” Chloe asked for all three.


Lois remained quiet awhile longer, a small smirk tilting her lips.


“I bet the bartender a hundred bucks I could drink a whole bottle and still recite the pledge of allegiance.” she explained proudly, waving a crumbled bill in her hand.


Clark’s forehead wrinkled in dismay, while Jimmy roared in the seat beside her.


Chloe simply shook her head, smiling at the other girl through the rear view mirror. “Lois, you’re a lush!”


“No I’m not. As a daughter of a general in the United States Army, I like to think it was a sure thing.” Lois kissed the crumbled green bill and winked at Clark, “God bless America.” she added with a playful elbow to Jimmy’s side.


“Now pull over, I’m buying us all coffee.” Lois leaned forward in between Chloe and Clark, only retreating back once she felt swirly. “Yeah,” she said rubbing her temples, “I’m definitely going to need some coffee.”


****


They ordered coffee at one of the many 24 hour “shoppes” outside the Metropolis loop.


Lois was slumped over, snoring softly on Jimmy’s shoulder. Jimmy was sifting through the files in his fancy digital camera, with Chloe across from him, leaning forward on the table observing their treasures with her long hair sweeping her shoulders.


Clark sat back beside her and observed all of them, smiling. They all looked casual, like this was just another night on the town.


“So, Chloe. Are you going to tell me what that was back there?” Clark tried to get her attention, but she seemed glued to Jimmy’s tiny LCD screen.


“Hmm?” She glanced at him, and then back to the camera.


“The guy. Who grabbed you and threatened you?”


“Oh!” Jimmy exclaimed, chuckling, “I think he means Old Pricht.”


Clark’s eyes shot up.


“Principal Prichter.” Chloe corrected.


“That guy’s your principal?” Clark said, dubiously.


Chloe eye rolled. “Yeah, believe it or not Clark, not everyone in the city is as wholesome as Smallville.”


Clark rolled his eyes accordingly.


“Yeah, and Old Pricht is as nasty as school officials get. He‘s graced us with his petty tyranny for years.” Jimmy added, bumping the brim of his forties style hat.


Clark didn’t know what to think of Jimmy other than he seemed like a nice guy, like he and Pete could have been friends with him earlier in high school. Lois, on the other hand, seemed a bit wilder. He stared at her snoring form, comparing her to a sleeping giant that probably shouldn’t be awakened.


“There’s been numerous rumors of the principal squandering school money on anonymous ‘social events’ amongst the faculty.” Chloe perked up from Jimmy’s camera. “ Social events that lean more towards binge drinking. And now we finally have proof.” Chloe gleamed. “Lots and lots of proof.”


“Yeah,” Jimmy slid the camera across the table towards Clark, “Not only do I have head shots of every colleague in attendance tonight, Chloe hacked into the club’s credit card swiper thingy.”


“Terminal.” Chloe lightly corrected, pulling out a small hard drive. “I ran the credit card numbers that were charged tonight against the account number of the school board’s spending account, and bingo!” She crossed her arms and smiled smugly. “Now everyone will know how Metropolis’ tax money for public schools is being used to booze up its children’s supposed mentors.”


“Isn’t this kinda dangerous?” Clark tried to suppress his wonderment. Chloe and her friends acted like this night was a common routine for them. He guessed it was similar to him and Pete. Except that duo ended years ago. Clark had to do his own footwork by himself these days.


“Pfft.” Jimmy waved a limp hand in the air, “Prichter’s expelled Chloe three times already and none of them’s stuck yet.”


“Three times?” Clark’s questioning gaze caused a bashful smile to slide across her lips. He did his best to cast furtive glances at the blonde beside him. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her smile until it was there, causing an infectious tug at his own lips.


“Well, it’s been an uphill battle trying to get the school to reallocate space for the school paper.” Chloe shrugged. “At least now we have leverage against the Luthor attempts at shutting us down. I swear things at the Torch were never this difficult.”


“Oh, is that the school paper you used to write for?” Jimmy cut in, leaving Clark in mid syllable.


“Yeah” Chloe responded, ignoring Clark hanging mouth. “It was small town and all. But I miss it. Even if it was old fashioned and in the middle of nowhere.”


“Yeah,” Jimmy nodded while he discreetly snapped a picture of Chloe and Clark sitting together and continued, “Honestly, if only the school board would have reinstated the annual funds, none of this would have happened. Prichter might have still had a job tomorrow. ”


Clark watched Chloe and Jimmy’s exchange like a well played tennis match. Apparently they were good comrades, so good in fact Clark had trouble keeping up.


“Yea, I guess Luthor Corp sponsored school boards don’t monetarily encourage bad press, no matter how small.” Chloe’s brow knitted together, “I can’t believe Lex Luthor himself pulled strings to remove our funding. I guess we really struck a chord with the meteor rock expose.”


“What do you mean?” Clark perked up, trying to get a word in between the two. The last he had heard of Lex, he had returned to Metropolis, giving up on his theories of the meteor rocks and the caves.


“Oh.” Chloe shifted to the side. She’d almost forgotten Clark would be familiar with the subject. They used to see this kind of stuff everyday back in the Torch days.


“Well you know the meteor shower in Smallville had an effect on its residences. Well it turns out Luthor has been mining them out, and refining their ‘properties’. Lex Luthor only returned to Metropolis to lead their experimentations.” Chloe frowned in disgust. “Word is Lex has been keeping to himself, only surfacing to collect more infected subjects for research.”


Clark looked at Chloe. “He’s been doing what?”


“Yeah, that guy is just as obsessed as his father.” Jimmy added, rotating his sore shoulder that supported a snoring brunette.


Clark still looked to Chloe, but she didn’t acknowledge him back. Instead, she picked up her phone, preoccupied all of the sudden.


Clark gave up, leaning back in the booth, wading in thought. Lex Luthor experimenting on meteor infected. The entire idea drew up red flags just like it did three years ago when Luthor had his hands all in the Kawatche caves.


Their coffees arrived, along with a tray full of apple pie. Both Clark’s eyes and nostrils perked up at the sight of the golden delicious crusts before him.


“Oh, we didn’t order any dessert. Just coffee.” Chloe spoke up tentatively.


“I know, honey. It’s on the house.” The grey-haired waitress warmly replied, “I just thought you kids could use something nice in your bellies, tonight. It’s a bitter one out there.” She nodded at the drizzling rain outside the window, walking back to the kitchen.


Everyone at the table smiled in unison. Except Lois, who was still happily snoring on Jimmy’s shoulder.


“Thanks!” Jimmy energetically threw over his other shoulder before he stabbed at a piece of his pie.


Clark unraveled his silverware from the napkin that it was wrapped in and wryly smiled at Chloe who sat beside him. “See, Chlo. Good people exist out of Smallville.”


She took a large bite of her slice as her eyes rolled back in satisfaction. “There are exceptions.” She sipped from her coffee.


Clark figured that small concession was as close as he would get from her admitting he was right for once, so he dug a good sized bit from his slice and popped it into his mouth, chewed and swallowed.


It wasn’t the best apple he had tasted. Heck, it was one of the worst. One bite and the taste made him nauseous instantly. Was it rotten? No wonder the waitress gave it to them.


Clark looked up to see if Jimmy and Chloe tasted it too.


No, they seemed to be happily chomping away, laughing together as if they didn’t mind the stomach-churning aftertaste.


Clark’s felt his face numb, his throat tightened up. “You guys don’t taste something funny in this stuff?” He poked at the defenseless crust with his fork.


“Funny?” Chloe looked up from her coffee. She pinched off a piece from Clark’s plate and nibbled on it. “No, it tastes ok. “ She noticed Clark was turning a very faint shade of green, literally. “Are you ok?”


“Yeah, I…”He felt his stomach turn over. “I need some air, I think.” Clark didn’t wait for Chloe to let him out. He climbed over the back of the seat and paced out the door, the small bell attached to it chiming.


Outside, his head throbbed; his body numbed all over with his stomach spinning wildly. Clark drew in a deep breath to get his bearings. Everyone inside must think he was a freak for running outside like this, but he couldn’t help it. Something was very wrong with him. Something was wrong with that pie. Clark walked further away from shop window, just in time to duck his head into the bushes.


It had been a long time since Clark vomited. In fact, had he ever puked his guts out before? There was a first for everything.


Beginning to see straight again, he braced his hand against the brick wall taking several deep breaths.


He calmed himself down, listening to the wind whip around him. Only he heard something else. The thrumming was getting louder again. He hadn’t given notice of it lately being given he’d been preoccupied with other company.


Behind him, he heard the little bell on the shop door chime.




chapter six