Between Confrontations and Invitations [07]

"Who would've thought my friend would be the crazy conspiracy theorist," Clark said, casting an ironic look at Chloe as he observed the wall of clippings and notes.

"I'm not crazy; I'm a journalist," Chloe replied, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. "And all of this is very real, Clark. The evidence is right here for anyone to see."

Clark shrugged, feigning a look of surrender. "If you say so, I believe it."

As he spoke, something caught his attention. The distant sound of someone mentioning his name reached his ears. Clark immediately activated his super hearing, focusing on the voice.

"Kent? We're gonna get him after school... Whitney's waiting outside."

Clark narrowed his eyes briefly, realizing that the football team was talking about him. He returned to the moment and looked at Chloe and Pete. "Sorry, guys, I've got to go. There's something I need to take care of."

Without waiting for a response, Clark quickly left the hallway, already aware of what was happening. Whitney and a few members of the football team were waiting for him, ready to cause trouble.

....

As he exited the school, Clark spotted Whitney and two other team members leaning against a truck, chatting and laughing. Whitney turned, seeing Clark approaching, and his expression shifted from disdain to a malicious smile.

"Looking for me?" Clark asked, staying calm as he approached the group.

Without answering directly, Whitney shoved Clark hard. Clark purposely fell, grabbing Whitney's arm in the process just to see what he would do.

"Ahh!" Whitney let out a cry of pain as he felt his arm being twisted. Clark used his X-ray vision to check the injury, noting that Whitney's arm wasn't seriously hurt, but the discomfort was clear.

Whitney tried to recover, but before he could react, the other two team members grabbed Clark's arms, attempting to hold him. Whitney, still nursing his aching arm, ordered, "Put him in the truck, let's get out of here."

With a quick move, Clark spun his body, pulling the two players forward and easily throwing them to the ground.

Thud!

The impact echoed as the students around began to gather in a circle, curious and surprised by the scene.

The players, dazed, tried to get up, but Clark remained calm, holding back from using too much force. "I told you, you won't succeed," he murmured, watching as the two clumsily attempted another attack. With a sidestep and a gentle push, Clark made them fall again.

Bam!

The two team members were on the ground, clearly defeated, while Whitney, who had been watching confidently until now, looked at his friends with a mix of surprise and fear. He stepped back, his arrogant smile quickly fading.

Chloe and Pete arrived running, blending into the silent crowd, all shocked by what was happening.

"Clark... what's going on?" Chloe murmured, clearly worried but also fascinated by the situation.

Clark ignored the stares in his direction and approached Whitney, who was visibly terrified. Clark leaned in, calmly whispering in his ear, "I didn't want anything with Lana, but now you've made me change my mind."

Before Whitney could react, Clark reached out and ripped the kryptonite necklace off his neck. Whitney gasped in shock, and Clark, with an ironic smile, gave him three light pats on the cheek—just enough to humiliate him but not to hurt.

"I think you should stop trying to provoke me," Clark said calmly.

Whitney stood frozen, his face paling with fear as he saw his friends defeated and powerless. He didn't know what to say or do. Clark, on the other hand, simply turned and began walking away as if nothing had happened.

The crowd of students, still in shock, parted to let him pass, the silence broken only by the surprised murmurs of a few onlookers. Chloe and Pete hurried to follow him.

"Clark! What was that?" Chloe asked, still shocked, as she ran alongside him.

Clark shrugged, a slight smile on his lips. "Nothing much. Just had to take care of a few things," he replied calmly, as if what had just happened didn't matter.

Pete and Chloe exchanged confused glances but continued to follow him without pushing the issue further.

As they reached the parking lot, Pete suddenly stopped when he saw Clark's new truck. His jaw dropped as he stared at the shiny vehicle parked there, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Is this truck yours?" Pete asked, his eyes wide with surprise as he admired the vehicle gleaming under the sunlight.

Clark shrugged, already wearing a slight smile as he walked toward the truck. "Yeah, Lex gave it to me as a gift."

Pete paused for a moment, trying to process what he had just heard. "Lex Luthor gave you a truck? Dude, that's unbelievable!"

Chloe, walking beside Clark, raised an eyebrow at the vehicle. "You've got to admit, Clark, that's pretty impressive. He barely knows you, and he's already giving you gifts like this."

Clark laughed, opening the truck door and gesturing for them to get in. "He said it was a way of thanking me for saving his life."

Pete was still in disbelief as he approached the passenger door. "Lex Luthor saved by Clark Kent. That would make a great headline for the school paper, huh, Chloe?"

Chloe laughed as she settled into the back seat, watching Clark start the engine with a smooth rumble that made all three of them feel the truck's vibration.

Vruuum!

"I only accepted it because it's a good truck," Clark said, winking at Pete, who was now more convinced than ever that his friend was living a very different life.

Clark pulled out of the parking lot, maneuvering the vehicle easily through the streets of Smallville. The ride was smooth, with the radio playing softly in the background as the three friends talked about school and Chloe's theories. Before long, they were back in the town center.

"I'll get off here," Pete said, pointing to a spot near the diner. He quickly opened the door and jumped out. "Thanks for the ride, Clark. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Pete," Clark replied as Pete walked away, waving.

Clark continued driving, now just with Chloe in the passenger seat. The silence between them was comfortable for a few minutes, as the wind blew through the open window, rustling Chloe's hair.

"So... what was that earlier?" Chloe asked, breaking the silence as she glanced sideways at Clark, who kept his eyes on the road. "You were pretty different with Whitney."

Clark shrugged, not taking his eyes off the road. "He needed to learn a lesson. Nothing big."

Chloe crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced. "Nothing big? You practically humiliated him in front of the entire school."

Clark sighed, keeping his eyes on the road. "He wanted to make me the Scarecrow, Chloe."

"Scarecrow?" The anger was evident in Chloe's voice as she adjusted herself in the seat, crossing her arms with indignation.

Clark nodded, still focused on the road. "It's what they do to freshmen... every year."

Chloe took a deep breath, processing the information before letting out a half-smile. "Now I understand why you did what you did."

Clark cast a sidelong glance at her, with a slightly relieved expression. "So you think he deserved it?"

"I would've done way worse," Chloe replied, joking but with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Clark laughed too, shaking his head before changing the subject. "And you... got a date for the dance yet?"

Chloe's smile faded for a moment. She hesitated, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, the nervousness evident. "Actually... no," she admitted, avoiding direct eye contact with Clark. She seemed uncomfortable with the topic, and her voice lost its usual confidence.

Clark glanced at her, noticing the hesitation. "So, want to go with me?" He asked casually, but with a genuine smile.

Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you serious?" She looked at him with a mixture of surprise and relief.

Clark nodded, still smiling. "Of course. Let's go together."

The smile returned to Chloe's face, this time more relaxed. "Okay, Clark Kent... that sounds like a good idea," she said, finally accepting the invitation, with a gleam of excitement in her eyes.

...

When they arrived at Chloe's house, Clark parked the truck in front of the gate. Before Chloe got out, he reached into the back seat and grabbed Lana's necklace, which he had taken from Whitney earlier.

"Before you go..." Clark said, handing the necklace to Chloe. "This messed me up during the fight. I want to avoid more problems, so... can you give it to Lana for me?"

Chloe held the necklace, her eyes shining with a mix of surprise and satisfaction. "You don't want to see Lana?"

Clark shook his head, smiling. "No. I'd rather avoid trouble, and this will be easier if you give it to her."

Chloe flashed a broad smile, visibly pleased with his response. "Goodbye, farm boy," she said as she opened the door to leave, still holding the necklace.

"Goodbye, conspiracy theorist," Clark replied, with a mischievous smile.

Before Chloe could respond or complain about the teasing, Clark revved the truck, the engine roaring as he sped away.

Vruuum!

"Hey!" Chloe shouted, half-laughing, half-frustrated, as she watched Clark disappear down the road.

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