Running

Claire was running with no destination in mind, she ran fast enough that the world around her became silent.

Claire kept replaying the earlier conversation in her head again and again. A part of her wondered why she believed something so crazy without much questions, but another part of her somehow had always known.

After a while she slowed to a stop, having no idea how far she had run. The first thing she felt was it was much warmer and she was on a dirt road in the middle of a desert. She saw a sign in the distance and went to check it out of curiosity. It was written in Spanish, a language she didn't unfortunately speak.

'I have never been farther than Metropolis, and now I'm in Mexico, a whole other country.'

Claire turned her sights towards the sky, trying to imagine the world she was born in, sadly she couldn't even imagine it.

'I guess I never imagined there could be other people like me, with my powers. Just thinking of a world full of people like me, who can run halfway around the world in a minute, makes me think there would be a lot of running into each other. Though I guess it helps that even if they crashed into each other no one would get hurt.'

Claire sniggered at her own stupid joke and decided it was time to go home.

'Maybe it's not all bad, maybe one day I'll be able to see my biological family, that is if they didn't just abandon me.'

She slapped both her palms against her cheeks to stop herself from thinking and turned to the direction she came from and began running once more.

Claire got back to Smallville after only getting lost once and she was in the woods near her home, when she saw Lana Lang in the distance.

'Isn't that the old cemetery, what's Lana doing there.'

Claire ran next to the cemetery, near Lana and hid behind a tree.

Taking a peek from the side of the tree Claire saw Lana talking to two headstones with the names of her parents written on them.

'That's right her parents died in the meteor shower… wait the meteor shower and Lana's parents getting killed it was all my fault!'

Claire stepped on a tree branch, snapping it and alerting Lana of her presence.

"Who's there!"

Lana looked around trying to find if someone was there.

Claire decided to stop hiding and stepped out from behind the tree.

"It's just me Lana."

"Claire, is that you? what are you doing in the forest?"

"I was just taking a walk when I saw you here. Sorry I shouldn't be sneaking around like that, but I didn't want to disturb you."

"It's all right, you didn't disturb me, I was just about done."

Claire walked next to Lana and watched the headstones with her in silence.

'With how she's at school I forget that her life isn't all sunshine and rainbows either.'

"I saw you talking from over there, what do you talk to them about?"

"I tell them everything that's going on in my life, and when I have a big decision to make I ask them for help."

"And, does it help?"

"Sometimes. It helps just talking about your problems, even if no one's listening. So do you have any problems you want to get out of your system? Just so you know, I'm a good listener."

"Well… you know how I'm adopted right?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"My parents just told me about my biological parents."

"Ohh, and let me guess it wasn't what you were expecting for?"

"Yes, well that's putting it mildly. You know, before they told me, I didn't really ever think about my real parents, aside from some time wondering why they gave me away, but now I'm scared of finding out more."

"I see… I guess you just have to remember that you have two wonderful parents in Jonathan and Martha and parents are just one part of who we are, the rest we can make however we want to be. I'm sorry if that's not very good advice."

"No no, it's fine. You're certainly wise, I didn't see that in you, I mean no offense."

"Why, because I'm the captain of the cheerleaders, I didn't think you would be the type to judge others based on looks."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean it to come out like that."

"Well, it's fine. You know I think this is the longest conversation we ever had, despite living opposite each other for most of our lives."

"Yeah, we should talk more in the future."

"I'd like that."

Claire and Lana sank into another silence, though it wasn't an uncomfortable one.

"So, I think I should head home before my parents worry too much. I kinda left them in a hurry."

"Okay I'll stay here for a bit, see you at school tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

Claire started walking back home, with a significantly lighter mind, than when she left.