Thank you, Carol, for all your help!!

From Chapter 9

“SoHo,” Steve said. “My mom's an artist.”

“What kind of art?” I asked. Steve had never really mentioned his parents before now.

“Impressionist painting,” he shrugged. “She's pretty good, I guess, but I'm not into art.”

“Wait,” Maddie said, her eyes alight and I had a feeling she knew of Steve's mother. “Your mom is Yvonne Michaelson?”

“Yeah,” Steve said, his mouth half full again. This time, though, Maddie didn't seem to care.

“I can't believe it,” Maddie said. “She's brilliant.”

Steve shrugged again. “I guess. Like I said, she does pretty well for an artist.”

Maddie looked at him in surprise, but decided to drop it although I could tell she didn't really want to. Clearly, she was very impressed that the doofus she could barely stand was the son of her idol.


Chapter 10

“Paul,” Lois said as she took the seat next to mine.

“What?” I asked as I turned to face her.

“Paul,” she repeated, and when I guess I looked as confused as I felt, she continued. “You were right. I was being unfair. So, the boy I have a crush on is named Paul.” With that proclamation, she turned away, opened her notebook, and gave off very clear body language that the discussion was over.

“Lois?” I asked, cautiously, afraid to turn what had been a somewhat pleasant, if confusing and short conversation into another argument.

“Hmm?” she asked, looking at me as if we hadn't been speaking just a moment ago.

“Are we… are we friends now?”

Lois shrugged. “I guess so. Do you want to be friends?”

I didn't know the answer to that. The truth was that when she wasn't being infuriating, I kind of liked Lois. However, so much of the time she was being infuriating. I wasn't sure I could say that to her, though. So, instead, I nodded my head.

“Then I guess we are,” Lois said, turning back to her notebook. Something about the square of her shoulders or the look on her face made me glad I had agreed. I had a feeling that Lois had trouble making friends, and this interchange had not been a normal one for her.

Then again, it wasn't all that normal for me either. I had always fallen into friendships before. I would meet someone, we'd get along, and before I knew it, we were friends. I bit back a laugh – that didn't sound very Lois like at all. Lois went after what she wanted and sort of ignored everything else. So, she wouldn't fall into friendships as nothing in her life was that unplanned.

It wasn't until after class had started that I came back to what she had said. Paul? The name of the guy she had a crush on was Paul? It wasn't Paul Bender, was it? The guy from the Met Titan? The one who didn't accept freshman onto the paper unless they were willing to sleep with him?

I shook my head. It couldn't be. Lois had way more sense than that.

Still, the thought bothered me all through class and a few minutes before class was over, I wrote, “Paul = Paul Bender?” on the corner of my notebook and slid it towards her.

She glanced at it briefly and her cheeks flamed up. She did mean that Paul? It didn't make any sense. She had been so dismissive that day when Alicia told us how her roommate got on. I shook my head slightly to clear it and went back to listening to the lecture.

When it was over, though, I started talking before Lois could leave. “Why?” I asked her.

“Why what?” she asked, her cheeks flaming again as she shoved her books back into her backpack. So, clearly, she knew what.

“Why Paul? He sounds like a creep,” I said, instantly regretting my words. This was not the way to make friends. It certainly was not the way to avoid an argument with Lois.

To my surprise, though, she didn't respond with the ire I expected. “I know,” she said. “He isn't the most… upstanding guy, I guess,” she said. “But he's cute and he's so smart. The paper is awesome and that's all Paul.”

I nodded, but couldn't help adding, “Because as long as you're not a freshman, he'll allow you on even if you're not blonde and have big breasts.”

“And are willing to sleep with him,” Lois giggled slightly. Only this time… I'm not sure if she was less good at covering it up, or I just knew her better, but this time I got the impression that her laughing it off was not real. Lois was joking, but she didn't mean it.

“Hey,” I said, my hand on her arm as we left the building. “You don't need to sleep with anyone to get on the paper,” I said. “You'll get on next year just because you deserve to. I mean, so Linda got on. I haven't seen her byline listed once.”

Lois flushed. “I looked, too, but I saw it. She even had a front page story. Something about the new student union.”

I shook my head. “That's Linda Curman. She's a senior. Alicia's roommate's name is Linda King, and I haven't seen her name anywhere.”

Lois looked at me with interest as we walked towards the dorms. “Really?”

“Really. Lois, you weren't upset about not getting on the paper, were you?” I asked.

“Why?” Lois asked me, only this time I could see tears in her eyes. “Because my article wasn't good enough or because I'm not even pretty enough for Paul to proposition?”

I looked at her in alarm. “What?” I asked, flabbergasted. I shook my head. This was not the first time I was reminded that Lois' show of self-confidence was just that – a show. “Lois, your article was excellent. And just because Paul didn't proposition you… I mean, really, Lois, the guy's a loser. And apparently blind as you are plenty pretty enough for some guy to proposition.”

“Have you seen Linda?” Lois asked, making a self depreciating motion at her own chest.

“Yes,” I said. “And only guys who measure "pretty' by breast size would think Linda was prettier than you. I know we're all idiots, but most of us manage to look further than that to make that assessment,” I said.

Lois gave a wan smile. “You're a good liar, Clark,” she sniffled.

I put my hand on her arm. “No,” I said, “I'm a terrible liar. But I'm not lying right now. Lois, you didn't get on the paper because Paul is an idiot. And maybe he didn't proposition you as he knew you'd be too smart to say yes. Or he's blind. Or he saw Linda first. There are loads of reasons. I assure you, though, that you not being pretty enough or talented enough is not even a possibility as one of them.”

“You really think he's a loser?” Lois asked me, hiding her face slightly as she flushed.

“Yes,” I said. “I'm sorry. I know you think he's smart, but any guy who runs the school paper even partly on the looks and promiscuity of the female staff is just lucky to have a paper that good.”

Lois giggled. “Maybe. He still seems pretty smart to me. Except for his lack of judgment on women.”

“Would you really want to date someone who isn't a good judge of how to treat women?” I asked her.

She blushed. “Well, in the abstract, no. But…”

I chuckled lightly. “But for Paul you'll make an exception?”

Lois didn't answer, but her cheeks flared again.

I shook my head. “Okay,” I said. “Whatever. Paul's a lucky guy. Too bad he isn't anywhere near good enough for you.”

We had reached the break in the path where we would have to go our separate ways to go to our respective dorms. I started to say goodbye, when Lois stopped me.

“You won't tell anyone, right?” she asked.

“Tell anyone, what?”

“About Paul. They'll think I'm an idiot,” Lois said.

I wanted to point out that I thought she was an idiot, but I didn't think that was the way to move forward in our friendship. “Of course not,” I said, instead.

Lois started to turn away, but then turned back. “Clark, do you think I'm an idiot?”

I started to say yes, but then changed my mind. “I think you could do much better than Paul Bender,” I said again.

Lois nodded. “Josh asked me out,” she admitted. “I mean, it was ages ago, but…”

“But he'd ask again if he thought there was any chance you wouldn't shoot him down again,” I said.

“You think he's better than Paul, don't you?” she asked.

I nodded. “But I also don't think you should date Josh just "cause he asked. If you really like Paul, you'd just be using anyone else, right?”

She nodded. “Thanks, Clark. Maddie's lucky to have you.”

I smiled slightly brighter at the mention of my girlfriend. “Thanks, Lois.”

With that, she turned away and headed to her dorm and I shook my head. Lois Lane had done it again – she had acted in a way that seemed completely out of character to me.

************************

“Hey,” Maddie said as she leaned over to bump my shoulder. “You're quiet tonight.”

“Sorry,” I said. “I'm not really sure why.”

“Is something going on with Lois?” she asked me. “She was avoiding us at dinner.”

I smiled. “I don't know what's going on with Lois. She was civil to me today. For no good reason.”

Maddie laughed. “And that's surprising?”

“Actually, yes,” I said. “Not sure if you noticed, but we argue all the time.”

Maddie smiled. “Of course I noticed. I'm not blind nor deaf, you know. But still, I assumed that was mixed in with some periods of getting along.”

I laughed. “It is. Those periods last for about 5-10 minutes at a stretch and are usually immediately followed by some sort of argument, but this time we actually manage to part still talking to each other.”

“Should we declare a national holiday?”

“Very funny,” I said.

“So, why was she avoiding us if you were getting along?” Maddie asked.

I shrugged. “No idea. She did tell me… well, I'm not sure I can say. She told me about this guy she has a crush on. I'm not sure it's a secret or anything, but just in case… Anyway, maybe she was embarrassed now.”

“I didn't realize you guys were that close,” Maddie said, and I was surprised to note that she didn't seem in the least bit worried.

“We're not,” I said. “It was just… Well, she got angry at me the other day for not walking with her to class. I needed to talk to Steve and I didn't even realize we were walking to class together now, but anyway, she thought I didn't come with her as I was busy talking to you.”

“And that was a problem?” Maddie said, seeming more interested now.

I shrugged. “I don't know. Anyway, it was on Friday and so I had told her at the time that we weren't dating…”

“But then we showed up at the movie Friday night clearly together…” Maddie interrupted.

“Exactly. So, she got upset as I had lied to her. It exploded into a typical argument and I pointed out that I didn't need to tell her about every girl I had a crush on and well, I guess this was her way of apologizing.”

“Every girl you have a crush on, huh?” Maddie asked with a smile. “So, who's on that list?”

I chuckled. “Do I need to tell you about every girl I have a crush on?” She nodded seriously. “Well, there's the girl at the student union deli…” I said.

“The brunette?” Maddie asked. When I nodded, she laughed. “The one who tells everyone she meets about how she's saving her earnings for her sex change operation?”

“That's the one,” I confirmed.

Maddie nodded. “I guess I can see that. She's sort of pretty, if you like the beefy, manly type.” We both dissolved into laughter.

I leaned forward to kiss her lightly. “I'm pretty sure it's just you.”

“Pretty sure?” she asked.

I shrugged. “You could help me be surer.”

“You have a one-track mind,” Maddie pointed out.

I shrugged again. “I'm an eighteen year old. What do you expect?”

“Just study, Kissy-Face,” Maddie pointed to my book.

“Kissy-Face?” I asked her.

“Well, I could call you Smallville like Lois, if you prefer.”

“I think I might,” I said with a grimace.

Maddie laughed again as she leaned over to kiss me.

************************

Steve shook my shoulder for the third time. I was trying to pretend he wasn't there, but he was just not taking no for an answer.

“You know when we set those ground rules, I didn't think they included it being okay to wake each other up,” I said as I sat up. I should have confronted him about this the other night, but I hadn't.

“What?” Steve asked, clearly confused.

“I sort of assumed that if I was asleep, you wouldn't wake me up. Don't any of these girls have their own rooms?” I asked. I could hear that my annoyance was coming through, but I didn't care.

Steve shrugged, “I'd get out of bed if you ever brought Maddie back here.”

“But I wouldn't ask you to,” I pointed out.

“Okay,” Steve said. “I guess I can see that. But since you're up now…”

I rolled my eyes at him, but got up. “This is the last time you'll get me out of bed?”

“Boy Scout's honor,” Steve said.

I laughed as I grabbed some clothes. “I somehow doubt you were ever a Boy Scout.”

“I was, too,” Steve said. “At least until we had a camping weekend with the local Girl Scout troop and I got caught "fraternizing' with one of them.”

“How old were you?” I asked.

Steve shrugged. “Twelve, I think.”

I was still laughing as I left the room. Steve was annoying, but he did provide good comic relief.

************************

“Hey, I'm sorry again,” Steve said the next afternoon while I tried not to fall asleep in my pizza.

“For what?” Maddie asked, her voice already showing her annoyance.

“I asked Clark to leave last night,” Steve said. “I'd do the same for you if you ever wanted to use our room.”

Maddie shook her head. “Why didn't you come over?” she asked me.

“I didn't want to wake you,” I told her. That was partly true, but in all honesty it wasn't Steve's kicking me out of bed that had me feeling so tired today. I had put in another performance of the Boy in Black last night and was feeling the effects today. I really needed to start limiting how often I went out or I'd effectively be breaking my promise to Mom and Dad about not letting this get in the way of my schoolwork.

“Where'd you sleep?” Maddie asked.

“I found some couch like things in the physics building,” I told her.

She rolled her eyes at me. “Couches are places to nap, not sleep. Next time, come over and you can sleep on the floor.”

“Just the floor?” Steve asked. “That isn't very charitable. You won't share your bed with your boyfriend?”

Maddie was positively glaring when she replied. “My love life is none of your business, Michaelson.”

“Ooh, you must be angry if you're calling me Michaelson,” Steve said and I realized for the first time that he liked goading her.

“Cut it out, Steve,” I said.

“Nice defense of the little woman,” Steve replied to me. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that he liked to goad Maddie. Maybe he was just in a bad mood.

“What happened, Steve? Did you have trouble satisfying the girl you kicked Clark out for?” Alicia asked.

Steve glared at her, too. “I never have that problem. I'm just tired.”

“Well, maybe if you slept more and spent fewer nights kicking Clark out of bed, you wouldn't be so tired,” Lois said.

Steve gave one last look around the table before getting up and grabbing his tray. I wanted to say I felt sorry for him, but I didn't really. He was being a bit of a jerk.