Carol, it's great to have you back. This vignette is so beautiful. I love the way you show us the young, adolescent Clark, his attempts to find his place in the world, to deal with his differences, to find somebody to confide in. He has to deal with his hormones - not that they are unmanageable - and he learns first hand what can happen when you don't keep those things under control. And he learns, so painfully, that a beautiful body does not always contain a beautiful mind. Because the people you least suspect may turn out to be less than trustworthy. And therefore he has to be so careful with his own secret, more careful than he would ever have thought.
I love your portrayal of Clark's teenaged eagerness and innocence. I'm usually no big fan of stories that don't have Lois in them. The fact that I love this vignette proves how beautiful and poignant I found it. (You said it hasn't been beta read; well, you could have fooled me. Your prose is just lovely.)
Again, welcome back, Carol. You are a wonderful writer, and it is so good to see you on these boards again.
Ann
