Summer Friends #2 - The Morning After

by EV
http://www.silentbard.net


(part of the Summer friends series, follows right after part one)


As the sun invaded the loft, it cast a light on two figures curled up on a couch in the Kent barn. Pete lay asleep on the couch with Lana on his chest, nestling in his arms. If asked, neither of them could explain how they'd gotten into this position. And as they entered the waking world, neither of them thought about it. They just knew they were comfortable and cuddled closer and responded to soft murmurs that made no sense with more soft murmurs that made even less sense. Then a reality hit them, where they were and who they were curled up with. And each of them looked a little nervous as they broke apart and tried to regain there senses.

"What time is it," Lana finally asked.

"I don't know," Pete said yawning.

"I got to... I better... I'll see you later," Lana said getting up and leaving.

Pete didn't get to say anything as she rushed out of the barn.

Lana entered the Sullivan house as Mr. Sullivan was preparing breakfast for himself and his daughter. Both turned toward her as she came through the door. Each looked as if a stranger had just busted in or perhaps they were just perplexed by the fact she returned at the hour she had, looking a bit ruffled.

"Lana, I know I'm not really your father," Mr. Sullivan said to her. "But I would appreciate a call when you're out like this."

"I fell asleep in Clark's loft," Lana said.

"You were at the Kent farm alone... all night?" Chloe asked

"Not exactly, I mean Pete was there... and we were talking... about Clark and sort of lost track of time." Lana looked down. "I don't know when, but we sort of fell asleep."

"I understand," Mr. Sullivan said. "You hungry?"

"A little, but I'd like to wash up first."

Lana escaped the room and ran upstairs.

Lana got into the bathroom and splashed water on her face. They had just slept, she told herself. They were sitting together and they fell asleep, they hadn't kissed or anything, but they'd cuddled. They'd been curled up together in Clark's loft, of all the places in the world... Clark's special place. But that's why they were there, they both were thinking of Clark. And they'd just slept, nothing else.

"We just slept," she said to the mirror.

"And exactly what were the sleeping arrangements?" said a voice in the bathroom door.

Lana turned and looked at Chloe.

"Why do you care?" Lana asked a little more harshly than intended.

"Just wondering if Pete's caught the Lana addiction yet," Chloe replied.

"Chloe, why do you have too--"

"I'm just kidding okay," Chloe replied, but she didn't sound like she was kidding.

"He's... a nice guy," Lana said.

"Yeah, he is."

"Easy to get along with and talk to... I don't know how I ended up in his arms anyway."

"You what?!!"

"He was just... somehow he ended up... holding me while we were sleeping."

"And while he was holding you were you holding back?"

"It wasn't sexual."

"Lana, Pete's a teenage boy, breathing on him the wrong way is sexual. You better stay away from him."

"What?"

"He doesn't deserve being rebound boy."

"He's not. And what do you care? He liked you for years and you never wanted him."

"What does my relationship with Pete have to do with anything?"

"It doesn't, it just came up last night... when we were talking."

"Oh, I came up in the pillow talk?"

"It wasn't pillow talk. There was no pillow. We were sitting up, separated, talking."

"And you woke up, laying down, together, holding each other."

"Clark is gone... we're both worried... we talked. That's it."

"Perfect rebound situation. You, him, a couple moments alone, and when you least expect it, something happens. And the next thing you know Pete is getting his heart broken, because Clark's back and he barely registers on your radar anymore," Chloe told her. "I'm worried about the Kents and Clark too, but I'm not sleeping with his best friend."

"Why do you have to make it sound like that? I'm not looking to fall in love with Pete or have him fall in love with me."

"Yeah, I'm sure you didn't set out to make the mighty morphing power girl fall in love with you or bug boy or the graveyard poet or..."

"I get your point, but what am I suppose to do? Not talk to him at all?"

"Just avoid sleeping with him again," Chloe said leaving Lana alone.

"It was just sleeping," Lana said again to the mirror.

Mrs. Kent had insisted on coming home and Jonathan had brought her home. Mrs. Ross had offered up all her resources to help find Clark. Absent of Clark, Pete felt the need to stick around and help the Kents. The two of them together (Jonathan and Pete) hardly accomplished what Clark could do alone at the same speed, but all that needed to be done was done without any trouble. Pete was so intent on helping the Kents that he hardly thought about his night with Lana. Until she came over that evening and started acting very shy around him and avoided coming near him. He basically left her alone while she had a conversation with Mrs. Kent. However, He wanted to make sure she knew that he knew the boundary line and had no intention of crossing it so he caught up with her as she went to check on the horse.

Lana was brushing her horses' coat when he caught up with her. She caught sight of him as he approached, but pretended not to.

"Lana," Pete said. "Is there something wrong?"

"Chloe suggested maybe we should keep our distance. Or... I should keep my distance from you, because of what happened."

"I thought this might be about that."

"I guess that situation could be... thought to be more than... innocent."

"It wasn't a big deal," Pete said. "We fell asleep. I don't know about you, but I do it every night."

"You're right," Lana replied with a small smile. "I guess I am being silly. The way Chloe was talking I thought you woke up in love with me this morning."

"Well, I did plan on proposing marriage today, but I couldn't afford the ring."

Lana laughed.

"So we're okay?" Pete asked.

"Yeah, we're okay," Lana replied.

"So I'll see you later," Pete said.

"You going home?"

"Yeah, I think my mom thinks I've moved in with the Kents."

Pete turned to leave .

"Pete," Lana said.

"Yeah," he replied turning back.

"Do you... ride?"

"I have a few times, but not in awhile."

"Good," Lana said turning back to the horse. "Just wanted to know. I'll see you later."

"Later," Pete said leaving.

-END-

17.June.2003


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