Thanks again everyone! I hadn't planned on posting today but it was one of those days and I'm hoping FDK helps
.
Thanks, as always, to Nancy and Beth and Queenie [and Alisha who still doesn't know I'm posting yet
].
Last time:
"Did you have a good time, Princess?" Sam asked, his arm going around her shoulder.
She sighed. "Daddy, I had a super time."
He laughed. "I'm glad."
"Um, he asked if we can go out after the game tomorrow. Is that okay?"
"Of course. Clark's a good kid." He turned and looked at her. "If he ever hurts you..."
Lois laughed. "I don't think Clark has any intention of hurting me."
They headed up the stairs. "Oh, I doubt he'd mean to, but if he does he has me to answer to."
She laughed again. "I know, Daddy. I know."
Chapter 2"How was your date, sweetie?" Martha watched Clark as he came into the kitchen.
He yawned. "It was good."
"Did you kiss her?"
"Mo-om!" Clark cracked a couple eggs into a skillet and fried them with his eyes.
"You did," she said, a bit smugly, as she took a sip of her coffee.
Clark rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I kissed her."
"And?"
"And I'm more convinced than ever that she's the one for me. And she thinks there could be something between us, too."
Martha breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad."
"Me, too," Clark admitted. "I finally asked her if she just went out with me last night because I pestered her into it and she said that'd she'd been looking forward to it, too."
"So is she your girlfriend yet?" His mom tried to hide her smile behind her cup of coffee.
He sighed. "Technically, yes. But we decided we weren't going to tell anyone yet – not if we didn't want tongues wagging."
"Good point. Well, if she's your girlfriend, you need to bring her home for dinner next weekend."
"I'll talk to her." He zipped around the kitchen and put his dishes away. "I promised Dad I'd help him today before the game." He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Love ya, Mom."
"Love you, too, sweetie."
*****
"Why are we here an hour early?" Abby asked Lois.
"So you can watch Pete practice," Lois told her best friend as they walked up the stairs to the very top corner of the stands.
"I *never* come early to watch Pete practice," Abby said with a roll of her eyes. "I think it's because you want to watch Clark."
Lois turned eight shades of red and shrugged. "Maybe, but that's not the official reason. The official reason is so you can watch Pete."
"And you're going to give me all the details of your date last night." Abby sat in corner of the top row. "Tell me."
Lois sat next to Abby and leaned against the chain link fence. "Clark picked me up at home. We went to dinner in Parsons and then to Big Hill Lake where we sat in the back of his truck and star-gazed for a while – and that's *all* we did. Then he brought me home."
"Did he kiss you?" her friend prompted.
Lois blushed again.
"He did!"
"Yeah, he did."
"And?"
"It was very nice." Lois watched as the team started their warm-ups. "We're going out to get something to eat after the game."
"Did he ask you to be his girlfriend? Everyone knows he's been in love with you since he was in first grade."
Lois nodded. "But you can't tell *anyone*. We decided not to tell anyone yet because we've only been on one date."
Abby grinned. "I won't tell, but you know Joe's going to ask you out soon. He's been waiting for you to turn sixteen, too."
"Well, then I'll have to tell him no," she said with a shrug.
Clark chose that moment to look up at them. He grinned at Lois and she smiled back, waving slightly as he turned back to practice.
"Well, you've got everyone talking now," Abby said practically. "It'll be all around school by Monday that you two are a thing. Lana's going to be *thrilled*."
"I don't care what Lana thinks as long as she keeps her hands off Clark," Lois said, surprising even herself with her vehemence.
"Really?" Abby asked with a raised brow.
Lois shrugged and tried to back down a bit. "Well, you know. She's been after Clark since we were kids."
They watched as the cheerleaders went out onto the track and the blonde in question sidled up to Clark as he got a drink off the table.
"I think you've got your work cut out for you keeping her away from him."
Lois sighed. "Probably."
"But Lana's been sixteen for months and has done her best to get him to go out with her. If he hasn't yet, I don't think you have anything to worry about."
Lois nodded thoughtfully. "I think you're right. I don’t think I have anything to worry about," she answered quietly as she watched Clark walk away from Lana.
"He's only had eyes for you since we were little," Abby said with sigh. "Believe me, there's lots of girls who wish he didn't."
"You included?" Lois asked with a smirk.
Abby shrugged. "He wasn't your boyfriend yet. And he's hot."
Lois laughed and bumped her friend with her shoulder. "I'm just giving you a hard time. I know you had a crush on him last year. We talked about it *all* the time."
Abby groaned. "I remember. I was so jealous of you."
"Me? Why?"
"Because even though Clark's been allowed to date for over six months, he hasn't because he's been waiting for you. No one else even had a chance."
The stands were starting to fill up and their conversation turned to other topics.
*****
Clark came out of the locker room talking to Pete.
A grin lit up his face as he saw Lois waiting with Abby. "Hey," he said brightly. "You ready?"
Lois nodded and pushed away from the building where she'd been leaning. "Yeah. See you later, Abs."
Pete gave Abby a quick kiss.
"Bye, Lois," Abby said with a smirk. "Bye, Clark. Have fun."
"See you guys later," Clark called. "Where do you want to go?"
Lois shrugged. "Wherever you want. I don't have to be home till twelve."
"Well, Mom and Dad extended my curfew last night since it was our first date, but I have to be home by twelve tonight, too, so I'll have to have you home earlier than that." He tossed his gym bag in the back of the truck. "Do you want to hit Casey's Pizza or go somewhere else?"
"Casey's is fine."
He held her door open for her. "You realize that means people will be talking."
"And since half of town just saw me get in your truck, they'll be talking more if we don't go," Lois pointed out.
"True."
He put the truck in gear then took her hand as he drove towards the high school hang out.
They found a table and Pete and Abby showed up a few minutes later and joined them. They ordered their pizza and Clark's arm found its way along the bench behind Lois.
The four of them talked and relived parts of the game before heading to the parking lot. They talked a little while longer until Pete looked at his watch. "I gotta get you home, Abs." They said their good-byes and went their separate ways.
"We have a few minutes," Clark said as he turned the truck on. "It doesn't take as long to get you home and then to get me home from your house as it does for Pete and Abby."
Lois shrugged. "Whatever. It's not like we have real long."
"Well, no," he admitted. "But I do think I'd like to go somewhere where no one else is for a few minutes so I can kiss you before we get back to your house." He grinned at her. "If that's okay with you, of course."
Lois nodded. "I'd like that."
He thought for a minute. "I know just the place. I thought about kissing you again last night, you know," he told her as they drove.
"Really?"
He nodded. "I would have if your dad hadn't come out."
"I think I'm going to smack him."
"You would have wanted me to?" Clark asked softly, his thumb rubbing over the back of her hand.
She leaned her head against the window so she could see him better. "I can't think of any reason why I wouldn't want you to kiss me anytime. Except maybe *right* in front of my parents or on the 50-yard-line at halftime or something."
He grinned and her stomach flipped again. He was going to have to stop doing that. "I'll remember that," he told her as they pulled into a deserted parking lot.
"You've got to be kidding," Lois said with a roll of her eyes. "My dad's office?"
Clark grinned. "He's not here."
"Still."
He laughed. "I'll make a note of that. Avoid your dad's office when looking for a place to go so I can kiss you. Next time, we'll go behind the Dairy Freeze."
"I hope we won't have to keep finding places to go," Lois said shyly. "I know we said we were going to keep it quiet, but I think that plan's out the window."
Clark got out of the truck and went around to open her door. "Come here." She got out and he pulled her into a long hug as he leaned against the truck. "I think you're right about half the town knowing by now. Are you okay with that?"
She rested her head against his chest. "Yeah, I guess. They'd know sooner or later and maybe Lana'll back off if she knows we're a couple."
He sighed. "Somehow I doubt it. I don't know how many different ways I've tried to tell her I'm not interested, but she just doesn't get it."
Lois moved back to look at him. "Well, she has me to deal with now."
"I think I like the sound of that."
"You better hurry up and kiss me," Lois said suddenly. "We don't have all night, you know."
He grinned. "I guess I better then."
He lowered his head towards hers and kissed her softly. She kissed him back before they both pulled back, slightly out of breath again.
"I think I'd say 'wow' again, but that seems kind of silly," Clark told her, brushing the hair off her face with one hand. "I hope I get to kiss you a lot and I have this feeling that it's going to be 'wow' every time."
She smiled at him. "I hope so."
He kissed her again. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of doing that."
"I hope not." She rested her head against his chest again. "But it's probably time to get home, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
She moved back and he opened her door again.
"Listen," he said, holding her hand as he drove towards her house. "Mom wants you to come over for dinner sometime soon, like next Saturday. She said that since you're my girlfriend, she wants to get to know you better." He grinned. "She already likes you, but you know."
"I didn't think we were telling anyone."
Clark shrugged. "She's Mom. She knows things."
"Right."
They pulled into the driveway and Clark walked her to the door. He kissed her on the cheek again. "I'll call you tomorrow."
"I should be here all day."
"Bye."
"Bye."
*****
Lois shut her locker as Clark leaned on the one next to hers.
"Good morning," he said quietly.
"Good morning. Don't tell me, you're going to do something all chivalrous like offer to carry my books?"
He shrugged. "I could, but I think you'd smack me."
Lois laughed. "Probably."
"Sorry I didn't call you yesterday. I was going to but Dad and I ended up working in one of the fields most of the day. We don't usually do farm work on Sundays but since it's supposed to rain all week... By the time I had a chance, it was getting late. I'd hate for you to think I was avoiding you or something."
Lois shrugged. She'd wondered and she'd been a bit hurt as the day went on and the phone didn't ring, but after their dates, she figured it had been something like that. "No problem."
They stood there for a minute, leaning against the lockers.
"So how does this work?" Lois asked suddenly. "If it's not a secret or whatever, how does this work?"
Clark shrugged. "However we want it to, I guess."
"Holding hands? Kissing?"
He reached out and took her hand. "Holding hands works, but I think I'd rather keep kissing to when it's just the two of us for now."
She nodded.
"So will you eat lunch with me today then?" he asked with a smile.
Lois rolled her eyes. "Clark, we eat lunch together every day."
"Well, then, will you be my date for homecoming?"
"You mean Lana hasn't already roped you into it?"
It was Clark's turn to roll his eyes. "No. You know better than that."
"Still, it's good to hear."
He let go of her hand and rested his hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "You have nothing to worry about from Lana or anyone else for that matter."
The bell rang just then and they headed for their first class, hand in hand.
*****
Lois sat under one of the trees outside, with her English book open as she munched on her ham and cheese sandwich.
"I thought you were having lunch with me, not your English book," Clark said as he sat down next to her.
"I don't have a study hall. I always study during lunch. You know that." Lois bit her bottom lip and didn’t look at him as she waited for his response. It was one thing for them to eat together and for her to study when they were just friends, but now that she was his girlfriend... Would he feel differently?
"Hey," he said bumping her shoulder with his. "I'm just giving you a hard time. I know you need to study. Making it through high school in three years isn't easy."
"Well, I've worked hard to get to graduate next year instead of the year after and I don't want to blow it."
"Hey, look at me."
Lois looked up at him, still biting her bottom lip. He put his hand on her chin and tugged on her lip until she wasn't biting it anymore.
"None of that. I know how hard you're working to graduate. We'll eat lunch like we always do. You studying, me giving you a hard time and helping when I can, only I'll sit a little closer to you." He looked at her for a long minute. "I'd like to kiss you," he whispered.
She shook her head. "Not here."
"I know."
She sighed and leaned her head against the tree. "I guess I'm just trying to figure out how this is gonna work and I didn't get my homework finished this weekend."
"Why not?" he asked, taking a big bite of his own sandwich.
She shrugged. "Went out Friday night. Hung out with the fam most of Saturday. Football game Saturday night, then pizza. And yesterday..." She hesitated. "I just couldn't concentrate."
"Why not?"
Lois hesitated again. "Just couldn't."
Clark laughed. "It's a good thing I had to do manual labor yesterday and didn't have much homework this weekend. I wouldn't have been able to concentrate either."
She smiled. "That's good to know."
"Read." He nodded towards her book as he took another bite of his sandwich.
The rest of lunch passed quickly and they headed to their next class.
"Think Mrs. Sanderson is going to actually assign the roles for 'Our Town' today?" Lois asked as they headed into the auditorium.
Clark shrugged. "She's been promising to for a week."
Lois tossed her backpack in one of the seats and sat next to it. Clark sat next to her and rested his arm on the back of her chair, propping his foot up on the top of the chair in front of him.
The rest of the class wandered in before the bell rang, including Lana who sat in the row behind them.
"Okay, class," Mrs. Sanderson called as she sat on the stool in front of the auditorium. "This is the day we've been working towards for the last couple weeks. When I call your name come on up and get your script."
She pulled the first script off. "Darren, you have the part of Joe Stoddard." Darren headed towards the front of the room to get his script. "Adam, Sam Craig. Pete, Constable Warren." She continued up the list of characters until only three characters and three students remained. "Clark, George Gibbs."
Lois patted his leg lightly as he stood up to go get his script. She held her breath. She really wanted the role of the Stage Manager, but she had no desire to see Clark kissing Lana, so Emily would be good, too.
"Lana, Emily Webb."
Lois closed her eyes as Lana headed to get her script.
"And, for the lead role of the Stage Manager, our very own Lois Lane."
There was scattered applause and a whistle she was sure came from Pete. She passed Lana as she headed towards Mrs. Sanderson.
When she turned around, she noticed that Lana had taken her seat and was talking to Clark in whispers.
She sighed and sat on the other end of the row in front of them next to Abby and Pete.
"What are you doing?" Abby whispered.
Lois shrugged. "She took my seat. I don't want to make a scene." She slumped in the chair. "I hate drama."
Pete snorted and Abby covered her mouth to keep from doing the same. "Then why are you here?" Pete asked her.
Lois glared at him. "You know what I mean."
"So go," Abby whispered. "She's the one who's wrong and trying to horn in on your boyfriend."
"We're going to start rehearsals in just a minute anyway," Lois pointed out.
"Okay, everyone has their script," Mrs. Sanderson as though she heard what Lois said. "Let's get started."
*****
Clark watched as Lois walked towards the front of the auditorium. He was proud of her for getting the part of the Stage Manager. It was the part she'd wanted and she'd do a great job, but he was dreading playing the romantic leads with Lana.
As though on cue, Lana sat next to him.
"Isn't this great, Clark?" she whispered. "You'll make a great George."
"Thanks, Lana." He sighed inwardly. She was going to want to rehearse outside of class and she wouldn’t want Lois around to work with them. "But, do you mind? That's Lois' seat."
Lana shrugged. "We're going to start rehearsal in just a minute anyway." She nodded towards the row in front of them. "Besides, she's talking to Abby and Pete. So, when do you want to get together to rehearse?"
Clark stifled a groan as Mrs. Sanderson called everyone to order. "Today we're just going to read through the first part of Act I. On stage, we need the Stage Manager, George, Emily, Mrs. Webb, Mrs. Gibbs, Dr. Gibbs, Rebecca, Wally, Joe and Howie. Everyone else, pay attention in case we need to do some character shuffling when the time comes – if someone is sick or something."
Abby, playing Mrs. Webb, Lois, Clark, Lana and the others headed towards the stage.
"Can't you ground her or something?" Lois whispered as they walked up the steps. "You're her mom after all."
Abby rolled her eyes. "Good luck with that."
Lois sighed as she sat in the middle chair with the 'Stage Manager' label on it. Clark was on one side of her and Lana on the other.
She sighed again. This was going to be a long play.
*****
TBC
