Chapter 2
By Lillian Luthor and JT Poole
Whitney woke with a start, his boxers sticky from yet another dream about Clark. He reached for the nightstand and fumbled for a few brief seconds before turning on the light. Opening the drawer, he pulled out the folder of information he'd received in the mail earlier that week. Graduation was just a few days away and he still hadn't made any decisions about his future. All he knew for sure is that he was in love with Clark Kent and that Clark hadn't a clue how he felt.
"Well how could he?" Whitney sighed, deciding to get out of bed, heading to the bathroom to shower, hoping that a cold shower would clear his head as he cleaned himself of last night's lust. "Stupid idiot, you strung him up on a damned cross, belittled him at every chance you got and barely said a thank you for the countless times he save your life."
Whitney placed his dirty draws in his laundry hamper and headed down the hall to the bathroom. He fiddled with the shower knobs until the water was cold as hell. If that wasn't a shock to the system, it should be. Stepping in, he grabbed a washcloth and soap and slowly washed away the traces of his lustful love for Clark. Standing there, he let the cool water wash over his head and face, trying desperately not trying to think of one person in particular that could get his juices flowing and get his heart pumping.
Returning to his room, he let the bath towel fall to the floor and rummaged through his chest of drawers for a clean t-shirt and boxers. Flopping down on the bed, he looked through the folder he'd received from the Marine Corps. Whitney wasn't sure he would join up, but his father's death had left him unsure of so many things. He wanted to make his old man proud. The football thing hadn't worked out. Poor grades caused him to lose his scholarship. Lana had offered in her own fumbling way to help, but it had been Clark with his naive innocence and willingness to see only the best in people that had been a comfort to him during the last few difficult months.
Whitney had spent many a night with Clark in his loft attempting to study to bring up his grades. If truth be told, Whitney spent more time leering at the beautiful farm boy than concentrating on school work. He would notice the blue black sheen of his hair when his head was bent over a book and the moonlight caught it just right. How his eyes changed from emerald to sea green depending on his mood. How one smile from Clark could erase all the cares of managing his father's business, trying to get into a good college and facing the possibility of being a once was in Smallville.
Whitney sighed again, tossing aside the packet of information. After graduation, Lex Luthor had pulled some strings and invited Nsync to play at the Talon in the old theatre that he and Lana renovated. Graduates and undergrads alike would be there. Clark would be there. It seemed Kent was a big fan of the group, which much to Whitney's chagrin was why Lex had made the arrangements. Whitney wasn't sure if Clark was gay or not, but he sure as hell knew that Luthor was and that he was trying everything to get into Clark's pants. That idea frustrated Whitney even more. He knew Lex hated him for what he and his fellow jocks had done to Clark. He knew Lex hated the fact that Clark had forgiven him. He also knew he didn't stand a chance against the bald billionaire should he stake his claim on Clark.
More and more the Marines were looking like the only way to go for somewhat of a successful life. It was the same every night, the dreams, the constant pondering, the desire to come out to Clark and his family. Whitney knew he would never be happy and things wouldn't be right until he was able to stop living this bold face lie. He lay back in his bed, determined that before graduation and the concert, Clark Jerome Kent was going to know how he, Whitney Fordman felt about him, one way or the other. Lex Luthor can be damned for all he cared right now.
Clark woke at 4:00 AM his usual time. He laid in bed for a while thinking about the end of the school year. Next year he would be a senior and it would be time for him to start thinking about the future. So much had changed in his life over the last couple of years. Not only had he developed some strange new abilities, but he was finally aware of himself and the other people around him. Experimenting with his new abilities, this new found awareness of himself opened his eyes to his sexuality. Not totally happy with what he had figured out about his sexual likes, he hadn't the heart to discuss his feelings with his parents, although he believed that term, a mother always knows.
Thinking back on things, his first year of high school had been a fucking nightmare. He was taller and bigger than most of the other kids. He was gawky, clumsy and sometimes spoke with a stutter when it came to speaking with certain sexes. He developed a crush on Lana, then Chloe, then the x-ray vision kicked in and he realized he was hopelessly attracted to Whitney. Regardless of how attracted to Whitney he was, he realized that his best friend Lex was constantly flirting with him, even going as far as saying things to get a sexual rise out of him. He didn't mind, but Lex was obviously much more experienced than he was and that scared the crap out Clark.
Although Whitney and Clark had started off as enemies and Clark had been humiliated by the whole scarecrow incident. By the time he was in his sophomore year, he began to relive that night but not with the usual trepidation that used to come with it. He would imagine that Whitney, not Lex would come for him and touch him and tell him how much he loved him. Sometimes these fantasies would creep into his school day and he would blush uncontrollably upon running into Whitney. Plus he and the quarterback were spending a lot more time together. It was Clark that Whitney had turned to when he fell in with those tattoo-wearing thieves. And it was Clark who tutored him unsuccessfully when Whitney was in danger of losing his scholarship. And when his father died, Whitney had spent the night crying in his arms. Now the blonde athlete was graduating and Clark wasn't sure if he would stay and keep up the family business or leave like he always said he would.
It hurt Clark to know that he wasn't enough of a reason for Whitney to stay. But how could he be if Whitney didn't know how he felt. Throwing back the covers and heading for the shower, Clark decided that it was time for he and Whitney to have a talk. What sense did it make to have all these abilities and not be able to say what was in your heart? After school, he would stop by the Talon and see if he could coax Whitney into spending some time alone with him. Maybe if things worked out, He and Whitney would be an item by the time Nsync rolled into town.
The school day dragged on. There really wasn't much to do. Finals and regents had already been taken and graduation was in a few days. Class time was spent getting yearbook signatures. Whitney had secured the autographs of everyone he cared to, save one person. He hadn't bothered to get Lana to sign. They had broken up in his junior year and she had had a string of boyfriends since, some of them Whitney's teammates. The final bell rung for the day and Whitney hurried with his yearbook in tow outside to see if he could get his elusive signature. He spied Clark leaning into a sleek silver Astin Martin. His blood ran cold as he watched Lex shamelessly making a play for Clark in front of the entire student body. He was about to turn tail and run when Clark straightened up and saw his friend.
"Whitney," he called out.
Something about the way Clark said his name sent a rush of adrenalin through his body which ultimately settled in his groin. Lowering the yearbook to hide that fact, he gave a princely wave and plastered on a fake grin. He jogged over to where Clark and Luthor were talking. Lex was wearing his typical expensive black jacket and trousers with lavender ribbed tee shirt. Whitney wondered how the man managed not to break a sweat in the sweltering heat.
"Hi Clark, Lex."
"Hello Mr. Fordman," Lex replied, barely acknowledging the quarterback's presence.
"Lex was telling me that «N Sync will be staying at the castle and that when they arrive we could come over and have dinner and meet them."
Whitney couldn't help but notice how cute Clark was when he was excited and the way those two odd looking vampire teeth somehow made him even sexier.
"So do you want to come?" Clark pleaded with Whitney with puppy dog eyes. Whitney didn't stand a chance.
"Well actually," Lex began, "I said I would arrange for a few of Clark's friends to be there. We don't want to overwhelm our guests with a mob scene do we?"
Clark was about to protest when Whitney spoke up. "Actually, I still have to pick up my cap and gown and I was heading over to the Talon to hang out for a while."
Clark gave Lex a searing glare and Lex caved in. "You know Whitney; they won't be here until later this evening. Why don't you two hang out while I make final arrangements? We'll have a late supper around 9:00pm. How does that sound?"
Lex actually didn't care one way or the other about how Whitney felt. He was more interested in keeping Clark happy until after the concert. Then he would make his move. He smiled inwardly, knowing that his father's constant lessons on acquisitions would pay off in just a few days. After he had his fill, he'd be off to Metropolis to run LuthorCorp with his father.
Whitney looked from an indifferent Lex to an excited Clark. If Whitney didn't know better, he'd say that his eyes were actually sparkling.
"Okay, tonight at nine. Clark, do you need a lift to the Talon," Whitney offered, beating Lex to the punch.
"Sure. Catch you later Lex."
Clark followed Whitney to his new truck. As much as he wanted to hang out at the castle, he thought it might be a good opportunity to spend time with Whitney and tell him what he really wanted. Besides, there was less chance of Whitney losing his truck to a mutant attack with Clark in it. Satisfied that he was killing two birds with one stone, he buckled up, flashed Whitney a smile and gathered his thoughts as they headed toward the Talon.
TO BE CONTINUED...
I don't know any of the members of NSYNC or any celebrity mentioned. I don't know anything about their sexual orientation or the orientation of any other celebrities in this story (even though I wish some of them were gay). This story is fiction and you shouldn't take it for anything else but that. This is only for entertainment value only folks. Hope you enjoyed the show oh I mean the reading.
Smallville c of Warner Bros. and DC Comics. I don't own any rights to the show, nor do I make any claim to it.