Thanks for all the responses to the last chapter.
I really have no boring author's note to read, so here you go, part 7!
From Part 6...
Lois gave her another watery grin and Lucy sighed. To hell with it. She pulled her unflappable older sister into a hug and held on tight. “So you’ll consider telling Mr. Kent about you? I just want you to be happy.”
When Lois spoke it was muffled against her shoulder. “I know you do, Lucy. Thank you.”
“So you’ll do it?” Lucy pressed.
Lois’ voice rang loud and clear, even from where it was muffled against the cotton of Lucy’s ancient Metropolis Middle School gym shirt. “Are you crazy? And risk being scooped? Hell, no.”
Lucy started to laugh, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. That was her fireball sister. She was back.
“Good. I’d hate to have to covet your husband at the wedding.”
“Covet?”
“Psh, yeah. I’d be trying to seduce him before the wedding. One Lane sister is as good as the next, right?”
“I hate you.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Lois said petulantly. She wriggled out of Lucy’s arms and dove for her spoon. “But all this talk means more ice cream. You up for a run to that all night grocery store?”
“Are you kidding? Of course I am. The unbeatable team Lane and Lane strike again!”
“Just when there’s ice cream involved.”
“Of course.”
Part 7 Lois returned to her seat the next Monday, utterly perplexed by Mr. Kent’s behavior. He hadn’t looked at her once all class long. Despite her raised hand and, in her own opinion, excellent answers, he had called on nearly everyone but her.
Was he embarrassed at having eaten dinner with her last night? That was strange; he had been fine when they had gotten that pizza with Garrett and Kaitlin. And besides that, he had acted normally after Claude had gone.
Finally Clark asked a question that no one knew the answer to. No one but her. Smiling triumphantly, she raised her hand high. Clark’s gaze flitted to her for a second before checking out the rest of the silent class. Finally he heaved a sigh and called on her.
“Lois? Do you know the answer?”
Was that her imagination, or did he sound exasperated? She bristled. He didn’t have to go play the whole knight in shining armor bit last night. If that’s what had him so miffed, it was his own fault. She answered the question perfectly, challenging him to disagree with her. To her relief—or was it disappointment? — he didn’t. The class passed by more slowly than it ever had. When the bell rang, she bolted.
Clark stared after her retreating figure through the walls of his room, his head pounding. He could see that she was angry with him for ignoring her. But how else could he act? Every time he caught sight of her thick brown hair, every time his hearing distinguished her heartbeat, he was brought back into his nightmare. It lived inside him, ready to rear up at the slightest provocation.
Absently, he continued to watch her as she laughed with Kaitlin. He was glad to see them together. Good, solid company. Yes, he was very pleased to see her with students her own age. Lois parted ways with Kaitlin and approached a large group of seniors. Prominent among them was Lexy, Jill and a variety of other popular girls. He groaned. Why? This was so frustrating. He could see that the road she was on was going to lead to nothing but heartbreak, but he couldn’t say anything! Even if he did, he was sure Lois wouldn’t listen. Every time he mentioned Jill or Lexy she got quiet and her eyes flashed a little dangerously. He couldn’t help but feel she was in complete control of herself, and that was why it frustrated him to no end. She was an enticing enigma.
No, not enticing, he told himself furiously. Just an enigma.
He had been wrong. He kept thinking about her even when she wasn’t there! His behavior horrified him. Never, never in a thousand years had he ever contemplated feeling anything for a student. It was unthinkable. He felt so dirty. His heart anxiously beat faster against his ribcage. This was wrong. This was so wrong. He hung his head in his hands and sat there for a moment, his eyes squeezed tightly shut and his ears focusing on everything but the voice he could clearly distinguish if he was so inclined.
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Surrounded by the stylish girls, Lois shouldn’t have felt so confident. After all, she was new and an outsider trying to bust into the most tightly knit group on campus. But as they sat around her, giggling about so and so’s new haircut, she couldn’t help but feel a little superior. This was the great group that ran the school? These girls? Some of them couldn’t even pass bio. Her contempt for them ran deeper after Jill had confided in her Lexy’s story about Mr. Kent. Despite her current frustration with him, she didn’t like the thought of Lexy Hartness trying to dig her claws into her English teacher. He was hers.
The possessive thought rang strangely in her head. Hers? What was she thinking? He was merely an attractive man. Who was kind and funny. And loyal and brave. Nothing to get excited about, she told herself firmly. This kind of thinking was dangerous for her case. She turned back to the girls. Jill had started speaking in a low voice.
“Lois, I think you have it takes to join the Rosettes. What do you say? If you pass our initiation tests you’re in.”
Definitely need to stop daydreaming! This was what she had been waiting for. She had to play it cool.
“Really? Initiation tests, huh? Well I’d love to join.” Lois thought back to the daring streaks that ran through the girls. It was their collective shared trait. “I’m up for anything you can throw at me.”
The girls all squealed at that, and Lois smiled indulgently. Lexy disentangled herself from the group and stood in front of her. Lois rose to meet her and they faced off.
“This is an honor, Lois. I hope you know that we don’t ask just anyone to join us.” Lexy gave a derisive laugh that set Lois’ teeth on edge. “Like that girl Dana. She’s always sucking up to us. As if we’d consider her.” Lexy laughed and the group joined her. The sound echoed dully in Lois’ ears, but she forced herself to grin.
“What’s the test?” she asked, a little too quickly. She wanted them to stop ridiculing Dana. It hurt to hear the pretty and friendly girl put down so vehemently by the people she adored.
Lexy didn’t waste time. She got straight to the point.
“Go steal the answers to Redwick’s next test. By tomorrow, okay? That’s the first one.”
Lois nodded, already contemplating sneaking back into the building. She left out a soft sigh of relief. These were the awful initiation tasks? They were no problem. Maybe Lucy had underestimated this so called “gang.”
“How many tests are there?” Lois asked, idly buffing her fingernails along her jeans.
The girls looked at each other and then finally to Lexy.
“There are three,” Lexy said finally. “Including the one I just gave you. Not so bad, no?”
“No,” Lois agreed. “Not so bad.”
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In the dark night, one might not have noticed the figure if they hadn’t been watching the softly rustling leaves. He stood, slowly appraising the tall building that housed Lois Lane’s apartment. He had watched her come home nearly every night and he knew that she wasn’t due back for a long while. She had gone out to meet some kids for drinks and dancing.
Well that was just perfect.
Rising to his feet with a catlike grace, he strode quickly and opened the glass door into her building. It was unlocked; the foolish, bumbling neighbor downstairs always forgot to check that the door shut firmly behind him. It was easy enough to catch the door and slip into the building. He walked down the hall quietly, arranging his features in a pleasant smile as an elderly woman passed him. She smiled at him and he could almost hear her thoughts.
What a nice young man. Such a handsome boy. Must be new here. As she passed and turned out of sight his face twisted back into a hardened scowl. His job was hanging by a thread and that damn Lois Lane was his replacement. If she got the story—if she could solve what the police couldn’t— he was gone. An involuntary growl sounded deep in his throat as Claude patiently picked the many locks on Lois’ door. At last the door clicked open and he slipped in, handheld scanner tucked casually in his back pocket.
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It was with a self satisfied smile that Lois banged on Jill’s door, a crumpled sheet of paper fisted victoriously in her hand. When Lexy opened the door, Lois showed it to her, watching triumphantly as Lexy nodded and took the answers.
“You’ll get the second test tomorrow.”
The door slammed shut, leaving Lois sputtering slightly in its wake, her foot already poised to step in the doorway.
Well that went well. Grumbling slightly, Lois turned around. That wasn’t quite the reception she had hoped for. The door creaked behind her and Jill rushed out, catching up with her on the walkway.
“Lois, I’m sorry about Lexy,” she began in a hushed whisper. “She’s just a little uptight right now. Thanks for getting the answers. I definitely needed this.” Jill smiled, but it didn’t warm her eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lois.”
Lois murmured a goodbye as she watched Jill trudge back into the house. This was odd…extremely odd. Jill was almost always smiling, chipper and active. Today she was none of the three. And Lexy, well, Lexy never was completely kind, but she normally wasn’t so snappish. Both Jill and Lexy were on edge and as Lois watched Jill’s shadow disappear into the house, she set her mouth into a determined line. Something was up and she was definitely going to get to the bottom of it. It was broad daylight, but hedges skimmed the house on all sides. If she could crawl in the bushes she wouldn’t be visible, Lois mused. Making a snap decision, she resigned her white capris to the trash and dove into the dirt behind the bushes.
Sliding along on her hands and knees, Lois kept her eyes on the ground, eyeing the insects there suspiciously.
“Don’t you get too close,” she muttered fiercely to them. “I don’t like you. I don’t like you at all. And I will squish you.”
A large June bug continued on its merry way, trekking over her fingertips. She held her breath and glared. She didn’t like bugs. They were small. They were creepy. They crawled on her hand when she specifically told them not to.
After a few moments the bug had passed and Lois let out a sigh of relief. She continued on her way, earning a mouthful of bush when she focused a little too much on the ground and not enough on the path in front of her.
Finally, after what had seemed like hours and hours of trekking through extreme wildlife—was the real world only a few feet away? Behind that brick wall could there really be showers and air conditioning? — Lois reached the spot under Jill’s window. She poked her head up and prayed that they weren’t staring at the window.
Both Lexy and Jill were sitting on Jill’s bed, cross-legged and looking at something spread out between them. Lois craned her neck but Jill’s casually stretched out leg blocked her view.
Shoot.
And the window was tightly shut and locked.
Double shoot.
But by the grim look on Jill’s face, whatever they were discussing looked big. And more important than whomever Gustavo Fuentes (the exchange student Jill was currently lusting over) had last batted his eyelashes at. Instinctively Lois knew she had to get in that house.
Speeding up her crawl, Lois continued to circle the house. There had to be an open window somewhere… there! The bathroom window swung open to tempt a breeze, the soft Pottery Barn curtains mildly stirring with the slight hint of air.
Perfect. When she reached the window Lois hefted herself up on the sill and vaulted into the house, grimacing as she took in her beyond repair outfit. It had been a cute outfit, too. But there were more important things at hand, Lois mentally scolded herself. Like how the heck she was supposed to sneak through the house looking like she had just wrestled a pit bull in a mudpit.
And like how she was going to avoid the person turning the knob to the bathroom door. Giving an inward shriek of surprise, Lois ducked into the shower, tugging the curtain straight just in time.
Heavy footsteps entered the room and Lois let out a silent sigh of relief that it hadn’t been Jill’s youngest brother. Henry was only four and had taken to pulling open the shower curtain whenever he went to the bathroom, just to be sure no monsters had taken residence there since he had last peed. A sharp whistle echoed in the room and Lois held her breath as Jill’s oldest brother, Kyle, home from college for a few days, completed his business.
Don’t take a shower. Don’t take a shower. Lois repeated the mantra in her head, fear and adrenaline pumping through her veins. Finally, after what seemed like years, Kyle flushed and left the room.
Without washing his hands. Gross. Lois wrinkled her nose and mentally crossed off a couple points on Kyle’s attractiveness list. She quickly hopped out of the tub and cracked open the door. The hall was empty, though Jill’s door was tightly shut.
More bad luck. Lois groaned and slipped toward the door anyway, mentally composing a cover story. If she was caught… okay, if she was caught she had gotten mowed over by a kid on a bike outside the house. Her ankle felt sprained so she hobbled up to door and since it was unlocked, wandered inside to find a phone and some ice. That satisfactorily explained the mud, Lois thought proudly. Though she didn’t relish facing Lexy if she was caught. Or the subsequent act of hopping around on one foot to prove her story. She reached the door and pressed her ear against the cool wood. She could just barely make out murmurs. Jill’s bed was pressed to the wall closest to the door. Shutting her eyes tightly, Lois focused on just her hearing.
“…ipment…week…New York.” That was Lexy, Lois thought. She sounded excited. When Jill spoke next, though her words were slightly garbled, Lois could tell she sounded less than pleased.
“…dangerous…legal.”
What was dangerous? Lois mentally stamped her foot in frustration. The voices suddenly stopped and Lois paused for a moment. Oh God, the doorknob was twisting! Letting out a spastic volley of internal curses, Lois grabbed the handle of the nearest door and threw herself in the room, shutting it tightly behind her, panting slightly. She heard Lexy and Jill pass the door, heading into the kitchen. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lois was about to escape into the hall and subsequent freedom when a voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
“Why, hello there.”
Whirling on her axis, Lois turned to find Kyle lying on his bed, Ipod in hand as he eyed her curiously. He had taken his shirt off in the heat of the day and was dressed only in a pair of cut off shorts. His half naked state gave her wildly spinning brain an idea.
A bad idea, but an idea nevertheless. The best defense was a good offense, right? Or was it the opposite way around?
Adding a sultry sway to her hips, Lois marched right up to the bewildered college student and placed a grubby hand on his shoulder.
“Hi Kyle,” she said breathlessly, obviously appraising his naked chest. “Have you been working out?” She trailed a finger down his chest, speculatively rubbing her palm across the washboard abs of his stomach.
“Umm…” After a moment of stuttering, a slightly knowing grin fitted across his face. “Did you sneak in here all the way to see me, babe?”
Lois smiled coquettishly. “Oh Kyle, would I do that?”
He caught her around the waist, pulling her closely into him. “I don’t know, babe, would you? You don’t need to sneak around. I think you’re pretty cute for a kid.”
Lois fought down the wildcat urge to knee him in a private place. It was time to bolt.
“Oh Kyle,” she jutted out her lower lip. “You caught me. I snuck in here to see you, but I don’t want Jill to find out! I know she’d tease me. I knew it, but I had to see you.”
Kyle very nearly started preening in front of her. “It’s okay babe. I know it’s hard for girls like you when you see a BMOC like me. I’ll help you get out of here, kid, okay?”
“Oh would you do that?” The simpering edge in her voice made Lois want to throw herself off a cliff.
“Sure I would, babe, for price. Though you’ll thank me for it. A kiss? I want to give you something for your trouble.”
Kyle pulled her into his arms and kissed her, groaning appreciatively while Lois rolled her eyes. In a moment of sheer instinct she shut her eyes and pictured it was Clark Kent she was kissing. Sparks exploded against her brain as she felt the warm skin of his back under her fingertips. She pressed herself more tightly against him, her lips gradually growing less passive and more active as she heard Clark’s soft whimper into her mouth. The sound drove her crazy and she brought a hand to thread through his silky hair. Through her kiss-induced haze, a thought began to burrow into her consciousness. Clark’s hair wasn’t so long… oh God! She pulled back roughly, finding herself looking into the satisfied face of Kyle Reynolds.
Not Clark Kent.
Clark Kent! No! Bad Lois! She had to get out of there.
“Please help me get out,” Lois whispered. Kyle looked at her a moment, obviously misinterpreting her shocked expression as testimony to his kissing skills.
“Sure babe, whatever you want.”
Kyle went to his big window and shoved it up, removing the screen as he did so. Jumping out first, he gallantly extended a hand to help her down. And there she was, in the bushes by the front door. Thrilled at escaping Lexy’s detection and still mentally gagging at the thought of Kyle’s tongue in her mouth, Lois squeezed his hand gratefully. Then, with as much dignity as possible, she walked down the driveway and into the fading twilight.
It had been an interesting sort of day. She was still worked up over Clark ignoring her in class. She couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but he had looked really stressed. Between her dismal day at school and subsequent dismissal by Lexy and Jill, Lois was a little bummed.
Bummed. Lois smiled to herself at the lingo she was using, even in her head. It had been so effortless to drop back into the role of a high school student. But things hadn’t been so dark when she had last been at Metropolis High. She hadn’t been having raunchy dreams about teachers and there hadn’t been girl run gangs secretly terrorizing the school.
Thankfully. Her head would have exploded. As it was, her mind was desperately trying to filter through all the information she had gathered today. It would help to go home and jot down her thoughts. Lois glanced up and found that while she had been wandering and musing, night had fully set. The streets were strangely empty for a night in Metropolis, and she glanced around a little uneasily at the dark alleys as she rushed past. Maybe walking home hadn’t been her brightest idea. The area was slightly residential and there wasn’t a taxi cab in sight. A pay phone was lit up in a yellow pool under a lone street light.
She would call Lucy to come pick her up. She still had a good twenty minute walk anyway. Funny, it hadn’t seemed that far when she had merrily made her way to Jill’s, euphoric about the stolen test answers she had gotten with ridiculous ease.
When the hands grabbed her from behind, her startled yelp was almost immediately followed with rolled eyes. It was just too predictable, wasn’t it? How silly to think that she, Lois Lane, could walk home one night without running into disaster. Cold steel pressed against her neck and she shivered. A knife. Guns she could deal with, but knives had always frightened her. The edge scraped at the soft skin of her neck and she froze, all thoughts of fighting and fleeing vanishing in wake of the liquid fear consuming her.
“Your wallet.” The voice was rough and the body behind her felt burly and solid.
Lois reached into her pocket, letting the man know what she was doing, and held it up in the air for him to grab. Instead of taking the bait and dropping one of the hands confining her, she felt the man nod behind her. “Throw it on the ground, right there.”
Lois did as she was told and stiffened when she felt the man inch closer to her.
“I gave you my wallet! There’s a credit card and cash in there. Now leave me be,” she said, careful to keep the edge of fear out of her voice.
“Not so fast, doll,” Lois grimaced. She was sick of the nicknames. Between Kyle calling her “babe” and this joker called her “doll”… Her wry amusement dissolved into a whimper as the knife slid across her throat lightly. A bright red line appeared on the otherwise pale skin of her neck and a thin stream of blood dripped down the snowy skin.
Keeping the knife trained on her neck, he reached down with one hand for the belt buckle of his pants. Lois’ stomach dropped in horror at the motion and she forced her wild mind to calm enough to plan. With one hand unbuckling his belt and one had on the knife… he was only keeping her against the wall with a knee pressed between her legs. It was risky, but what else could she do? Taking a deep breath that brought tears to her eyes as it forced the knife closer, she threw her body to the side, tripping over his leg but effectively pulling her neck away from the glittering knife.
“Help!” She began to scream, but it was cut off the second she opened her mouth. Despite his size, the man was nimble and fast. He tackled her and she came down hard on the cold cement, crying out as her legs scraped against the rough ground. He shoved her jaw shut and held it, straddling her waist as she struggled futilely. The man glared at her, panting hard as he brought the knife down angrily, skipping her neck and instead aiming directly for her heart.
Lois screamed, though no sound came out with the man’s hand clamping her jaw shut. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited, her last image of earth the blood stained knife speeding directly toward her.
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tbc!
*edit* I forgot that some people might not get Kyle's lingo. BMOC is "Big Man on Campus"
