Thank you, Carol!
From Chapter 38
“Yes. I think by the time we leave here today, I'll have enough to write my article.”
“And maybe finish the work you were hired for?” I suggested softly.
“Yeah, that too,” Lois grinned at me.
“Help!” A voice called from somewhere outside. I glanced at Lois, but she hadn't heard it. I guessed it was coming from further away than I had thought. I tried to shut off my super hearing and focus on Lois. “Help!” the voice called again.
I closed my eyes. I could do this. I had managed to not go to Florida last night; I could not help the person this morning, too.
“Someone please help,” the person was now pleading.
I glanced at Lois. She was immersed in the paperwork she was looking through.
“I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back,” I told her.
“Mmmm hmmm…” she replied, caught up in what she was doing. Now if only she could stay caught up as long as I was gone.
Chapter 39
“Where have you been?” Lois asked me as I came back into the office. “I've been ready to leave for an hour, but couldn't find you. I thought you just went to the bathroom?”
If the tirade of words coming out of her mouth wasn't an indication, her stance made it pretty clear that Lois was more than a little annoyed at me.
“I'm sorry,” I said. “You were busy, so I thought I'd step outside for air.” In reality, I had been out the whole time. Lois wasn't kidding about this not being a great area of town. Once I found the person who had been calling, I had heard another and then another. I had helped out six people in total this morning, although two of them together. To be honest, I wasn't careful about not using my powers in public for all of those rescues, but I made sure only the victims could see me. I hoped that they'd be too traumatized to really be aware of what I had done.
I had stopped by several times to make sure Lois was okay, but only peeked in the window briefly each time. She had seemed okay and engrossed in paperwork last time I had checked, and so I had felt safe staying out. I kept an ear trained on Lois in case she called out, but I wasn't listening closely enough to realize she had finished.
“Why didn't you say something?” Lois asked me, and I could tell that she wasn't sure whether or not she completely believed me.
“I didn't realize I'd be outside that long. I figured I'd hear you if you called for me, but I guess I zoned out more than I thought.”
“But you weren't right outside,” Lois said. “I looked for you.”
“I just went for a walk around the block,” I said, feeling awful about lying, but I couldn't tell her the truth. How would she respond to knowing that I had gone out and helped others? How would I explain my ability to do so?
“Okay. Well, I'm ready to go,” Lois said, still sounding wary of me.
“Great. Let's head to the police station,” I said, hoping that I could distract her.
She nodded, and I knew I'd been given a reprieve, but I'd need to be careful. Lois was not going to put up with much.
************************
“Did you hear about this?” Chris asked as he flipped through the paper. He was taking some class this semester that required him to read the paper at least once a week. I'm not sure why he chose Sunday given it was the largest paper, but he had brought this week's copy of the Metropolis Star with him to dinner.
Alicia had warned him that Lois and I would lynch him for reading the Star over the Planet, but he quickly pointed out that as an inferior paper, the Star was shorter and used simpler language making it a faster read.
“About what?” Josh asked, as he scooped out the remains of his taco with his fork.
“Several crimes were thwarted in Suicide Slum yesterday morning. Each of the victims claim an angel showed up to help them.” Chris said.
I could feel myself pale and hoped no one was paying attention.
“An angel?” Lois laughed. “This is what happens when you read the Star rather than the Planet.”
“The Star isn't a tabloid, Lois,” Steve pointed out.
“I didn't think so,” Lois said, “but an angel? Do you really believe that?”
“No,” Alicia said. “Clearly they were all too busy with their emotions from the attacks to realize what had really happened.”
“But then why doesn't that happen all the time?” Chris challenged her. I felt like I was going to pass out, but luckily all eyes were on Chris and Alicia right now, so no one was paying attention to me.
“No idea,” Alicia shrugged. “But you don't really believe these people were helped by an angel, do you?”
Chris shrugged.
“Speaking about angels,” Lois interrupted, “we have our own right here. Clark got an officer to agree to convince someone at Westside to give a seminar on the evils of drug use.”
“That's great, Clark!” Josh said.
“You managed to create your happy ending,” Maddie said, smiling at me.
“Who knew? Farm boys aren't just idealistic. They get things done.” Alicia said, but her smile let me know she was teasing me.
“Well, it wasn't hard,” I said. Lois raised her eyebrows at me. “It wasn't,” I insisted.
“It was still more than you needed to do,” Lois pointed out.
“What about you?” Josh asked. “Did you get the evidence you needed for your article?”
“I did,” Lois said. “And I called Eric today, and told him that I realized I really couldn't handle the work with my studies so I've now quit my job and don't need to go down there again.”
“So, you are both on track for finishing your papers this week?” Alicia asked us.
I nodded. “They're due next week anyway, and we both want to get started on the Planet application.”
“I have other news, too,” Lois announced.
“You do?” I asked her. She hadn't mentioned anything to me before now.
“I got an email from Professor Matthews this morning,” she told us. “Paul's disciplinary hearing is set for this Friday.”
“That's great!” I told her. “Are you ready?”
“No,” she admitted. “But I don't think I'll ever be. I'll just be glad when it's all over.”
“At least you won't be alone,” Josh pointed out. “I'm sure it will be less scary to have Michelle and Grace with you.”
“Definitely,” Lois admitted. “Plus, it makes me feel less stupid.”
“You weren't stupid,” Alicia said.
Steve snorted. “What?” he asked when Maddie, Josh, and I all turned to give him dirty looks. “The rest of us all saw what a snake he was.”
“The rest of us didn't interact with him at all,” I pointed out. “The one time I did, I was charmed, too.”
Steve shrugged, and I fought the urge to hit him.
“Thanks, Clark,” Lois said quietly.
I reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently. “I mean it, Lois. I'm not just saying that to be nice.”
She nodded, but I could see the tears in her eyes.
************************
“What the heck is wrong with you?” I demanded the instant Steve came in the door that evening.
“What are you talking about?” he asked as he dropped his jacket on the floor.
“Earlier,” I replied, “at dinner. Telling Lois that she was stupid.”
“Oh, come on, Clark. We all know she was behaving like a groupie or something,” he said, dismissive of his actions.
“I don't know that,” I told him. “And even if I did, that wouldn't be the point. The point is Lois' feelings. Are you even capable of thinking about how anyone else feels?” I asked him.
“Of course I am,” he replied, his voice soft. “I just… I guess I wasn't thinking.”
“That's the problem, Steve. You're never thinking.”
“Okay, okay, I get the point,” he said, and I could hear the sincere remorse in his voice, as well as some annoyance, probably directed at me. “I'll call your girlfriend and apologize.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “And I thought Lois was not just my girlfriend, but your friend as well.”
“Yeah, we're bosom buddies,” Steve said, his tone almost over the top sarcastic.
“I…” I trailed off, not sure what to say.
“Oh, come on, Clark. Don't pretend you don't know that the only reason I'm still invited to hang out with all of you is because I'm your roommate. You guys can't stand me.”
It was true, sort of. Not that part about not being able to stand him, but the fact that he was only invited to hang out with us as we were roommates. “That's not completely true,” I pointed out. “No one else's roommate hangs out with us.”
“But I was the only one to hang out with you guys from the beginning,” Steve said. “That's the only reason I still do. The rest of you are actually friends, but not with me.”
“We want to be,” I said, not sure it was entirely true, but I knew it was at least sort of true for me. I'd love to actually get along with my roommate better than Steve and I currently did. “But we just have so little in common,” I told him. “You're so busy with your dates and…”
Steve sighed. “I know I'm not like the rest of you. I don't study that much and I date a lot more, but... that doesn't mean I don't have anything in common with you.”
“I know,” I admitted. “It's just that… Well, in addition to not having much in common, you make comments like the one you did today and…”
“It doesn't endear me to the rest of you,” Steve said with a grin.
“Sort of.”
He picked up the phone. “What's her number?” he asked me.
************************
“So, are you one of the girls in the hearing on Friday?” The auburn haired girl who had sat next to me on the first day of class approached us as Lois and I entered Investigative Journalism.
“I'm sorry?” Lois replied, confused.
“I heard a rumor that there's an ethics hearing this Friday for the editor of the Titan. That he was taking advantage of the female staff members. That same rumor has you as the person who reported it,” the girl said.
Lois didn't say anything, but the blood rushing to her cheeks gave her away.
“Look, I'm not just gossiping,” the red-head said.
“You're not?” I challenged her.
“No. I… I know I don't stand a chance. Another rumor says you guys have the recommendations all sewn up, but I'm applying for the Planet internship anyway,” she said.
“What does that have to do with the disciplinary hearing?” Lois asked.
“It's my topic – about the fall of the Titan's editor,” she said. “Look, I think it's great that someone was willing to stand up to him. The information I've uncovered so far says he's been doing this since he was a freshman. You don't need to worry about me making you look bad if that's the problem,” she said.
Lois gave a wan smile. “So you want to ask me about it?”
“If you're willing to talk,” the girl said, holding out her hand. “I'm Catherine, although people around here have taken to calling me Cat.”
“I was considering using it as my own topic,” Lois admitted.
Cat looked confused. “I thought you were supposed to stay away from topics you were too closed to?”
“You are,” Lois admitted. “But it's a good topic.”
“I think so, too,” Cat giggled.
“I have another idea,” Lois admitted. “I'd be happy to talk to you as long as you promise to make me look good.”
“Not a problem,” Cat said. “I'll be honest. I sort of thought you were a bit of a dork at first, but the more I've heard about you, the less I think that.”
Lois gave a smile. “I am a bit of a dork,” she admitted as we took our seats.
************************
“You want to get together tonight to finish up our articles?” Lois asked me after class.
“I'll edit yours, you edit mine?” I asked her.
“Something like that,” she smiled at me. “You game?”
“Sounds good,” I told her.
“I'm free whenever,” Lois said.
“I have a night class tonight,” I reminded her. “I'll call you once I've had a chance to grab dinner after.”
“Sounds good.” She leaned over to give me a kiss before taking off for her next class.
************************
“Did you finish?” I asked her as I joined her in her room.
“Not yet,” she smiled at me. “But I wasn't as far along as you were. I'm getting there, though. How was class?”
“Okay,” I said, finding the look in her eyes captivating. The light was catching them just right, making them sparkle. I leaned over and kissed her again, just a gentle kiss hello. A moment later, though, I had leaned over again, kissing her one more time. This was also just a gentle kiss, but this one lasted longer.
A moment later, Lois had spun around in her chair, I was hunched over, our kiss growing in intensity. For a moment, I thought of Star and the whole finding us half naked thing. I wondered if last time was really the vision she had seen, or if she was going to come in and find us even less clothed at some point. As Lois stood up to be more on my level, I realized that I half expected that to be the case.
Then Lois and I were tumbling onto her bed and I forgot about Star and her prediction.
************************
“Good morning,” Lois whispered in my ear.
“Hey,” I said, opening my eyes and feeling a bit confused. I looked around. I hadn't intended to spend the night. “I'm sorry,” I said. “I had really meant to go back to my room.”
“I know,” Lois smiled at me. “It's okay. I like waking up to find you in my bed.”
I smirked at her, I couldn't help it. “Really?”
“Oh, wipe that smirk off your face. Yes, really. But I'm also perfectly happy with our activities before we fell asleep last night.”
“Meaning?” I asked her.
“Meaning that when I say I like having you in my bed, I mean it literally, not figuratively.”
I nodded, not sure what to say. If I admitted that I felt the same way, I feared she would think I wasn't attracted enough to her to want to have sex. If I told her I did, though, I'd have to explain that I was sort of saving myself. And without explaining the inherent risks involved in sleeping with me, I would just come across sounding like a girl.
“You have a class,” she reminded me, looking at the clock.
“Oh shoot. In like ten minutes,” I realized when my eyes followed hers.
“I'll see you later?” Lois asked me as I raced around her room picking up my clothes.
“Definitely,” I smiled at her. “We still have to finish our articles, don't we?”
“And that's why I'll see you later?” Lois asked me, but the smile in her eyes let me know that the question came from teasing Lois, not insecure Lois. I felt myself smile in return, glad that she felt confident enough in me, in us, to know that I wouldn't disappear after last night.
“Of course,” I told her. “I mean, if you weren't helping me write my paper, what other use would I have for you?” I teased her.
She glared at me as she tossed her pillow my way.
“I'll call you later,” I said, my voice softer, more tender this time. I leaned down to give her a brief goodbye kiss, then leaned down again for another kiss – less tender and less brief.
I moved away after that. “I really have to go,” I told her.
“I know. I'll see you later.”
For a moment, as I made my way out of her dorm, I worried again about my reaction to her – how little I seemed in control of my physical response to her. Then I remembered Mom's words about just being a teenager and I decided not to worry about it. Lois was my girlfriend and as long as we were both okay with our physical relationship, I shouldn't worry about it so much.
