More Than Friends [12]

"Greg! Open this door now!" Greg's mother's voice echoed through the house, interrupting the peaceful moment he found among his insects. Greg closed his eyes, trying to ignore her, but soon he heard the firm knocks on the door.

"I said open this door!" she shouted, clearly irritated.

With a heavy sigh, Greg unlocked the door, and his mother stormed into the room, looking around with an expression of disgust and disapproval. "This is absurd, Greg! You have to get rid of all these insects!"

"I'm not going to do that, Mom! They're my friends!" Greg snapped back, anger beginning to rise again.

"This isn't normal!" she retorted, crossing her arms. "You're obsessed with these creatures, and it's turning you into someone I barely recognize! If you don't get rid of them, I'll do it myself!"

Greg stood up abruptly, his heart pounding with rage and frustration. "You don't understand anything! I won't let anyone hurt them!"

"You have until tomorrow to get rid of all of them, or I'll throw everything away myself!" she said before storming out of the room and slamming the door behind her.

*Bam!*

Greg stood still for a moment, breathing heavily. "I won't let that happen," he muttered to himself, determined. He looked at his insects with protective eyes. "I'll find a safe place for you... far away from everyone."

...

Greg carefully placed his insects in makeshift boxes and cages inside the car. He started the engine, the soft hum of the car filling the air, and headed toward an isolated spot where he could hide them safely.

As he drove through the roads of Smallville, he whispered to the insects, as if reassuring them that everything would be fine. "I'll take care of you... I won't let anyone hurt you."

*Bam!*

Suddenly, on a curve, one of the glass cases holding the insects fell to the floor of the car, shattering into a thousand pieces. Greg tried to maintain control of the steering wheel as the insects escaped, but they quickly began crawling all over him, biting and attacking fiercely.

"Ahhh!" Greg screamed, trying to swat the insects away, but it was in vain. The pain from the bites distracted him, and he lost control of the car.

*Crash!*

The car violently slammed into a tree. The sound of metal crunching and glass shattering echoed through the road. Greg, unconscious, was soon surrounded by the insects, which began infiltrating his body, as if merging with him.

...

Chloe typed rapidly on her phone, the smile still plastered on her face as she texted her cousin. The night had been perfect, and she couldn't contain her excitement.

"I kissed the guy I like," Chloe sent the message and waited, feeling her heart race a little as she recalled the moment.

Lois's reply came almost instantly. "WHAT? Who is he? If he hurts you, let me know, and I'll handle it!"

Chloe giggled softly, shaking her head. "Relax, Lois, he won't hurt me. He was a complete gentleman. The dance was amazing."

Lois took a little longer to reply this time, making Chloe think she might be busy. When the response finally arrived, it was shorter than expected.

"That's good. But honestly, I'd rather have a good adventure right now, not a dance. You know that's not my thing."

Chloe smiled, already anticipating such a response from her cousin. "I know, Lois. But for me, it was special."

The conversation continued for a few more minutes, but Chloe noticed that Lois wasn't too interested in the details of the dance.

"Good night, cuz. It was nice talking to you. I'll tell you more later," Chloe sent, already feeling sleep approaching.

"Good night. If he shows any sign of trouble, call me!" Lois replied.

Chloe let out a light sigh, still smiling, and placed the phone on her bedside table.

She snuggled into the covers and closed her eyes, allowing the happiness of the day to lull her into a peaceful sleep.

...

Clark sat at the kitchen table, sipping coffee as he looked at his phone. The morning sun streamed through the windows of the Kent farm, gently lighting the room. He typed a quick message to Chloe, still thinking about the previous night.

"It was a great night yesterday. And that kiss... I'm still thinking about it," Clark sent the message, feeling a small smile tug at his lips.

*Trim!*

Chloe's response came quickly. "I am too, Clark. I can't wait to see you today."

"Let's meet at the Farmer's Market? I can help you set something up there," Clark suggested.

"Sure! That would be great. See you there!" Chloe replied, clearly excited.

As Clark focused on his phone, Martha, his mother, entered the kitchen with a bowl of eggs. "Clark, I've told you about being on that phone at the table," she said with a light tone of reproach.

Clark looked up from his phone, offering a half-guilty smile. "Sorry, Mom. I was just replying to a message."

"Well, at least help your father load the crates for the market after breakfast," Martha replied, setting the bowl on the table.

"Sure, I'll get right on it," Clark said, putting the phone in his pocket and refocusing on breakfast.

...

At the Farmer's Market, Clark and Chloe were already helping set up the farm's stall. Crates of fresh fruits and vegetables were stacked around them, and Jonathan, Clark's father, efficiently organized everything, while Martha added the final touches to the product displays.

"You can put those apples over there, Clark," Jonathan said, pointing to the main table. "And Chloe, could you help me with these pumpkins?"

"Of course, Mr. Kent," Chloe replied, picking up the pumpkins and helping arrange them.

Clark carefully stacked the apples, throwing a quick glance at Chloe, who was busy with the pumpkins. The two avoided talking about the dance in front of Clark's parents, keeping the conversation focused on work.

"Everything's set," Chloe said, satisfied with the setup.

"Great job, everyone," Jonathan said with a smile. "Now we just wait for the customers."

Clark smiled lightly and looked at Chloe. "Want to take a walk, Chloe? I think we can take a break while we wait."

Chloe nodded, smiling. "Sure, let's go."

The two walked toward Clark's truck, stepping away from the stall to talk more privately. However, before they could reach the truck, they saw Lana approaching, her expression distant.

Clark noticed something different about her—she seemed calmer, perhaps even regretful.

"Clark," Lana said, stopping in front of them, hesitation in her voice. "I... I wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday. I was harsh with you. I think I was more frustrated with Whitney than with you."

Clark looked at her for a moment, sensing the sincerity in her words. He sighed lightly before responding.

"It's okay, Lana. I understand you were upset. But what happened with Whitney was a result of his choices, not mine."

Chloe stood beside him, observing the interaction with a mix of curiosity and slight discomfort.

Lana nodded.

"I just... I didn't want this to come between us. I was really upset, but I know I was unfair."

Chloe, noticing the moment, reached into her pocket and pulled out the kryptonite necklace that Clark had given her earlier.

"I think this belongs to you," Chloe said, handing the necklace to Lana with a kind smile. "Clark asked me to give it to you."

Lana looked at the necklace, a bit surprised, before taking it. "I... I didn't know you had this, Clark. Thanks, Chloe."

Chloe gave a slightly forced smile. "No problem."

"Well, I really am sorry, Clark. I hope we can move forward," Lana said, finally smiling, though there was something in her eyes that hinted at lingering complications.

"No hard feelings, Lana. We can move on," Clark replied, glancing at Chloe, noticing that she had been quieter than usual.

Lana gave a slight nod, preparing to leave, but before she did, she looked at Chloe. "You two went to the dance together, right?"

Chloe nodded, a shy smile appearing on her face. "Yeah, it was... fun."

"That's great," Lana said, smiling a little, but the silence that followed made it clear that there was more left unsaid. "Well, I'll leave you two. See you later."

As Lana walked away, Clark noticed the evident discomfort in Chloe, who had been uneasy since Lana's arrival. She crossed her arms and looked at the ground, avoiding Clark's gaze.

"Chloe, are you okay?" Clark asked, stepping closer with a concerned expression.

Chloe let out a soft sigh, shaking her head. "I'm fine... I just felt a bit... out of place with Lana here."

Clark frowned, realizing what was bothering her. "You have no reason to feel that way, Chloe. Yesterday was an amazing night, and it was with you that I spent that time."

"It's just that... I know how you feel about Lana, Clark," Chloe murmured, glancing at him, her insecurities starting to surface. "And even though things seem different now, it's hard not to think about it."

Clark sighed, feeling the weight of the situation.

"Chloe," Clark said, gently taking her hands and making her look him in the eyes. "I want you to know something. Lana was someone important in the past, but what I feel for you now... it's different. Last night, when we were together, I realized that I don't want this to just be a good memory of one night. I want it to be something more."

Chloe looked at him, surprised, her expression softening slightly, though doubt still lingered. "Clark... what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I want to be with you, Chloe," Clark said with a sincere smile. "I want us to be more than friends. I want you to be my girlfriend."

Chloe was speechless for a moment, her heart racing as Clark's words echoed in her mind. "Are you serious?"

"More than ever," Clark replied without hesitation.

Chloe smiled, her eyes shining with emotion. "I... I'd love that, Clark. I want to be with you too."

Clark smiled back and, without thinking twice, pulled her closer, sealing the conversation with a soft and sincere kiss.

When they pulled apart, Chloe laughed lightly, still blushing. "So... it's official?"

Clark chuckled, holding her hands. "Yes, it's official."

Chloe let out a small sigh of relief, finally allowing herself to relax and enjoy the moment. "I think this could be the start of something really good."

Clark smiled. "I think so too."

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