In Love ... All Bets Are Off Chapter 8
Yes, this an update. I know, this story still EXISTS! Anyway, I appreciate the patience and I hope you enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you think!
Story: In Love … All Bets Are Off
Pairing/Characters: Clark/Oliver, Clark/Lex friendship
Rating: R
Disclaimer: don’t own anything
Warning: slash, mentions of m/m sex, jerk!Jason (sorry, I do like him but I needed a villain and he fit)
Spoilers: AU but slight season 1-early season 3 mentions
Summary: Clark’s dad dies when he’s in high school. Martha and Clark sell the farm and leave to live with Clark’s grandfather, Clark transferring to Excelsior. Excelsior … where Oliver Queen rules the school. Oliver takes a bet that he can get the new guy in his bed … but what happens when he ends up falling in love instead?
Previous Chapters: Here
Chapter 8
The kiss started off sweet and gentle but it didn’t stay that way for long. Oliver’s hands found their way to his waist and the Clark encircled his arms around Oliver’s back, pressing them closer together.
He easily lost himself in Oliver’s embrace, delighting in the pleasure that his soft lips were bringing him. A part of him could hardly believe that this was happening, that he was really kissing Oliver Queen. The blond was the most amazing kisser that Clark had ever had the pleasure of locking lips with and he couldn’t help but wonder if this was a dream.
Anybody could walk out and see them but neither of them were paying attention to the outside world, too caught up with one another to really care.
A need for air separated them but they didn’t make a move to leave each other’s embrace.
Oliver and I kissed. That was the only thought that was running through Clark’s mind as he stared deep into the blond’s eyes, which were darkened with lust.
Oh God … Oliver and he kissed. He had kissed a guy and while he had accepted he was bisexual, the reality of the situation came crashing down on him all at once.
It was too much for him to handle. They were just getting to be friends … how could they move this quickly?
Why would Oliver kiss him anyway? Did he like him like that? What would come of this?
Thoughts were spinning through Clark’s head and he just couldn’t take it.
“Clark?” Oliver said softly, gaining his attention. Seeing the worry in his green eyes, he frowned.
But before he could ask, Clark stepped back, taking a few steps away from Oliver. The blond tilted his head in confusion.
“Clark,” he tried again but Clark just shook his head.
“I need to go,” he muttered. “I’m sorry,” he added. Turning around, he rushed back into the party before Oliver could say another word. He quickly made his way through the crowd and went out the main exit.
Finding an empty spot and making sure there wasn’t anyone there, he sped back to his room.
When he finally entered his room, he collapsed on the bed. Running away wasn’t a move he was particularly proud of but he couldn’t deal with everything.
One thing was certain … he had a lot to think about.
It had taken about a minute after Clark left before Oliver regained his senses. He had just been staring at the spot where Clark had previously stood, too shocked at the turn of events.
But the second he regained control, he was taking off after Clark. Much to his disappointment, the brunet was long gone. He didn’t even bother checking the party at first. Instead, he opted to getting out the main entrance but Clark was no longer there and he was nowhere in sight.
Heading back inside, he did a halfhearted search of the crowd. Some people were pleased he was finally alone again but he paid them no heed. Clark had run away from him … that was just something he couldn’t wrap his mind around.
The kiss they shared had been completely unplanned and it had blown him away. Clark Kent was an incredible kisser and Oliver had felt more with that one kiss than he had ever felt with anyone before.
Too bad it resulted in Clark running away. Clark had seemed to be enjoying the kiss as he much as he had and the fact that he couldn’t even stick around was a downer.
I’m going to talk to him soon, he silently vowed. It was likely the brunet had gone back to his room but he didn’t want to stalk him down. That wasn’t his style. But that didn’t mean he was going to let this go.
How he managed to be cool for the rest of the night, he didn’t know. His interest in the party died the minute Clark had left.
Yet leaving early was not an option … he had already stirred questions by hanging out exclusively with Clark. He needed to live up to at least some part of his reputation.
Even as he mingled, though, his thoughts never strayed far from Clark. Nice going Queen … how the hell are you going to get him into bed if he runs away after a mere kiss?
The bet again. He kept forgetting about that. A surge of guilt ran through his veins at the idea of manipulating Clark. Remembering the brunet’s warm, innocent smile, Oliver felt like a horrible person.
I have feelings for him. This had gone further than just a bet … he had actually started to care for Clark. Nothing good could come of this.
But he still had to win the bet. Didn’t he? A part of him just wanted to tell Jason to go screw himself, hand over the cash and the keys and forfeit. Because an image of a betrayed Clark was making his way into the forefront of his mind and causing that kind of pain for the younger man was making him sick inside.
If Clark ever found out about the bet, he would hate him. The idea of Clark hating him upset him more than he thought it would.
What could he do now? Even though cutting off the bet was right, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
First, he had to talk to Clark about the kiss and what it meant for them, what it meant to him.
He’d deal with Jason Teague later.
Oliver didn’t know that he wouldn’t see Clark all weekend. The brunette did an effective job of evading him and it was almost as if he disappeared off the planet.
At the back of his mind, Clark knew that avoiding the situation would not make things better but he couldn’t bring himself to face Ollie just yet.
If Lex was there, he would hang out with him and he knew Oliver wouldn’t approach him but being all alone, he made himself open to Ollie finding him. The blond didn’t seem like the type who hid from confrontation so the only way to avoid Ollie was to not let the other man find him.
He was successful. It helped that he had a bunch of studying to do and he was very discreet when getting food.
When Monday morning rolled around, Clark was relieved. He met up with Lex for breakfast, who immediately asked about the party.
“It was okay,” he said, purposely remaining vague. “How was your conference?” he asked, wanting to change the topic.
“Oh, I had a great time,” Lex said enthusiastically and started telling him all the details and the people he met.
Clark was genuinely interested in the trip but he did ask more questions so he could keep the conversation away from him.
They finished up breakfast and got up to go to their classes when Clark felt a prickling in the back of his neck. Someone was watching him. Turning, he froze when he saw Oliver looking at him. The blond was with a group of friends but his intense gaze was focused on Clark.
“Clark?” Lex’s voice brought him back to reality and he quickly looked back at his friend, his eyes wide.
Lex followed his previous gaze and his eyebrows rose at seeing Oliver.
“Want to tell me why Oliver Queen is looking at you like that?” Lex asked curiously.
“Not sure,” Clark lied. He stood up. “Come on, let’s get out of here … we need to be at class soon enough anyway.”
Lex pursed his lips but followed him out anyway. Once they were in the hallways, he made it clear that the subject wasn’t dropped.
“Clark, last time I checked, you said Oliver and you were buddies,” Lex remarked. “Why were you so eager to run away from him then?”
“I wasn’t running away from him,” Clark protested.
“Tell me the truth,” Lex said, suddenly serious, “Did he hurt you?”
“No!” Clark exclaimed, horrified where Lex’s thoughts were going. “Never … we just … he … I … Lex, we kissed,” he finished, just deciding to blurt it out. Fortunately for him, there wasn’t anyone around to hear his declaration.
Lex was silent for a whole minute after that, his expression revealing his extreme shock at the revelation.
“You kissed?” Lex echoed.
“Are you angry?” Clark asked in a small voice.
“Angry?” Lex repeated. Then he shook his head. “No, why would I be angry? I’m surprised, yes …” He shook his head, suddenly laughing, “He is the reason you found out you’re bisexual, right? I can’t believe I didn’t put the clues together earlier.”
Clark blushed and nodded. “Yeah …”
The bell rang, cutting off their conversation.
“Okay, we have to get to class but we’re going to talk about this later,” Lex told him.
Agreeing, Clark headed toward his class, a little relieved that Lex knew the truth. He didn’t like keeping this stuff to himself.
Lex didn’t get to ask more questions until after school though. Clark didn’t want to talk about it at lunch because the last thing he wanted was for someone to overhear. The gossip would spread and that would be bad.
“So,” Lex said when they were finally alone. “Oliver Queen, huh?”
“Oliver Queen,” Clark confirmed, with a wry smile. He told him what happened, giving him the details about the party and the events leading to the kiss.
“And you ran away?” Lex concluded incredulously.
“I avoided him all weekend too,” Clark admitted, shamefaced.
“That explains why he was looking at you like that,” Lex marveled. “You may be the first person to ever run away from Oliver Queen.”
“It was stupid, I know, but I panicked,” Clark said, sighing.
“It was your first kiss with a guy,” Lex said, shrugging. “I don’t blame you for freaking out. You’re just coming to terms with your sexuality … everything must be going a little too fast.”
“It is!” Clark agreed, nodding, happy that someone was able to put his emotions into words.
Lex’s lips quirked into a smile. “I don’t think avoiding him is the best course of action,” Lex advised. “Oliver is not the type to give up. You either face him or he will find a way to track you down. I think it would be more to your advantage if you chose the time and place of your meeting.”
“I know you’re right but I need more time,” Clark replied. “I don’t know what to say to him.”
“Well, it’s pretty obvious what he’s going to want to talk about,” Lex pointed out. “What the kiss meant to you … so … what did it mean?”
“I liked it,” Clark said softly.
“Then what’s the problem?” Lex asked. “If he didn’t like it, he would probably just ignore you but it seems from the way he was looking at you, he’s not quite ready to let go yet. It probably meant something to him too.”
“Yeah, but let’s be realistic Lex,” Clark responded. “What can we do about it? Start a relationship? This is Oliver Queen. I may be new but he has a reputation.”
“He’s different with you,” Lex reminded him.
“With me,” Clark said, emphasizing the word. “He’s still the same cynical jerk around everyone else. How do I know which person is real? Besides, why are you defending him anyway? He’s been a jerk to you forever!”
“Actually I’m kind of amused with this whole situation,” Lex confessed.
“Why?” Clark asked curiously.
“Clark, you have Oliver Queen jumping through hoops for you,” Lex replied. “He’s already showing you a side of him that he doesn’t show to anyone … and then at a very popular dance, he ditches everyone to hang out with you. If you ask me, he was really jealous of Jason and wanted to keep you by his side.”
“These two sides make me nervous though,” Clark said, “I mean, what if he does want more? We can’t just be in a relationship … and I can’t hide it either.”
“Clark, you’re making a lot of assumptions without talking to him,” Lex noted.
“I just want to figure out everything in my head before I face him,” Clark told him.
“I’d be nervous about the two sides too,” Lex agreed. “Sure, he’s nice enough to you but he still has an “image” to keep up. I don’t want to see you get caught up with that drama.”
“I don’t want to get caught up with that drama,” Clark said, frowning.
“If you decide to do anything with Oliver, you have to know there are a lot of risks involved,” Lex cautioned. “Are you willing to put your heart on the line?”
Clark pondered Lex’s question silently. Ollie and he hardly knew each other … was he willing to risk his heart? On his end, there were already feelings.
Hell, he didn’t even know if Ollie felt anything with that kiss … he seemed to be enjoying it too but what if he just thought it was a good kiss? What if right now he was worried that Clark was making too much of it?
Maybe he should just get it over with … that way he would not be spending time wondering what Oliver was thinking.
Yet the stronger part of him was urging him to wait.
Just a few more days, he decided. I’ll straighten out my thoughts by then and I will go talk to him.
In theory, that was a good plan. But plans tended to not work out as expected.
The avoiding part was easy. On weekdays, it was a snap. Ollie and he had no classes together and their own classes were on opposite sides of the school. The only chance for interaction was in the cafeteria and he was always with Lex and Ollie wouldn’t try to pull him away then. His friends were constantly watching him, especially after the Halloween party, so he couldn’t.
Things were going well for now.
At least for him.
Oliver was extremely frustrated at Clark’s avoidance tactics. Short of just going to visit him in his room, he didn’t know what to do. While he was upset at Clark for ducking him instead of facing what happened, he couldn’t bring himself to go to the brunet’s room because he didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable.
Much to his dismay, Clark had gotten under his skin and he hated it. Especially since the younger man seemed to not want anything to do with him.
Somehow, he had made himself scarce in the school and when Oliver did see him, he was with Lex. He certainly couldn’t approach the two of them without starting a round of rumors in the school.
Already, he had gotten questions about the dance. There were a few guys asking him what he was doing with the new kid. Alden and Geoffrey didn’t bother because they figured it was a part of his plan for winning the bet. But the rest didn’t know a thing.
Ollie managed to brush it off, giving a few excuses, and they all worshiped him so nobody thought to question it.
His friends noticed his change of behavior and they decided that what they all needed was a night out.
“Ollie,” Alden told him. “People are going to notice you slipping … you’re going to have to get that Kent kid off your mind. A night of partying is exactly what the doctor ordered.”
“I suppose you’re right,” he said reluctantly. He was the one who told Clark that image was everything … he had to keep his up.
That’s how he ended up at a nearby club with a fake ID. His usual crowd followed him there and they got in without a problem.
He’d always looked older than his age and once he presented an ID, there were no questions asked. There were plenty of women who were drawn to him the minute he entered and normally, he would’ve been having a great time.
These weren’t normal circumstances. The real reason he came was just to satisfy others and really, to get his mind off Clark. He wasn’t very successful in the latter.
In fact, he downright failed. All he could think about was Clark. No matter how many women he danced with, his thoughts always strayed back to the brunet.
Ollie was impressed with himself for putting up an act with his friends. But then again, his entire life was an act. The only person he had come close to letting in was … Clark.
No, don’t think of him. He is probably not even thinking of you. Don’t do this to yourself Queen.
True, that was very true. He had come to have a good time and damn it, he was going to. After a few drinks, he felt loosened up but the night still felt like it was dragging on.
Finally, he had enough.
Giving his friends an excuse, he took off, saying that he would see them back at school. They protested, of course, but there was nothing they said or did could change his mind.
Walking out, he pulled out his cell phone, ready to call a cab. There was no way he was going to drink and drive. He had made a lot of stupid decisions in his youth but getting himself killed before his eighteenth birthday was not in the plan.
Distracted, he moved away from the entrance. He never saw it coming. A strong hand was on his neck and he was pulled into an alley.
His heart sped up but before he could even move, he was pressed against a wall and cold metal was pressed against his head.
“Give me all your money,” he heard a gruff voice say.
Oh shit. He was in trouble now.
Ollie could only hope he would get out alive.
Back at Excelsior, Clark was feeling stupid. He had effectively been avoiding Ollie and now he was regretting it. Lex had been right … he should’ve just talked to him.
Better late than never, he decided and moved to find Oliver. Where would the blond be anyway? Ollie had given him his room number so he checked there first. Much to his disappointment, he was in.
He wasn’t in any of his usual hangout spots either and he couldn’t help but feel something was wrong.
When he was wandering the school, he ran into none other than Jason.
“Clark,” he said, surprised. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“Have you seen Oliver?” Clark blurted out, not caring about their rivalry.
Jason frowned. “No, not recently. Rumor has it that he was going out to party in downtown Metropolis.”
Then why did he have this funny feeling in his stomach?
“Give me all your money.”
Clark’s eyebrows furrowed. Where did that come from? That voice wasn’t Jason’s but to his horror, he heard Ollie’s voice following it, sounding scared.
Not dwelling on his new power, he turned to Jason.
“I gotta go,” he said. Oliver was in danger.
Before Jason could say anything, he walked away quickly and once he was alone, he shifted into superspeed, running as fast as he could toward the noise.
Upon reaching an alley near a club, his heart nearly stopped at seeing Oliver with a gun to his head.
“Look, you can have the money,” Oliver was saying. “Just … please let me go.”
“All you pretty, spoiled rich boys,” the guy was saying. “I should teach you a lesson, brat.”
“Let him go,” Clark demanded.
Both turned toward him, Ollie’s eyes going wide upon seeing Clark.
“Clark, get out of here,” Oliver told him.
“Well, well, well,” the man said. “Another one of your type.” He was taller than them both and bulkier too but Clark wasn’t afraid.
“Leave him alone,” Oliver interjected, almost begging. “He’s innocent.”
“None of you rich brats are ever innocent,” the other man hissed.
Before either of them could blink, he shifted his gun and fired a bullet at Clark. The brunet could barely think let alone move and the bullet hit him.
“What the …?” the man said when he saw Clark still standing and this spurned Clark into action, knocking him out easily.
“Clark!” Oliver said, freaked out.
“Are you okay?” Clark asked gently, eying the unconscious man out of the corner of his eye warily.
“Am I okay?” Oliver echoed. “You got shot! We need to get you to a hospital.” He reached for pockets, trying to find his cell phone. “We have to call 911.”
“Oliver, I’m fine!” he said, trying to calm the blond down. Oliver froze and stared at him, looking at the hole in his shirt.
Suddenly, he frowned. “You got shot … and yet you’re not bleeding.”
Hearing noises, Clark bit his lip.
“We need to get out of here,” Clark told him, not answering his question. He pulled Ollie into his arms before he could protest and sped back to Excelsior.
It wasn’t the smartest move but he just wanted to get them both back to safety so he wasn’t really thinking.
Upon reaching the school, he found an isolated place near their dormitory. Only when he stopped he saw how close he and Ollie were.
Settling the blond down carefully, he met Ollie’s shocked gaze.
“You okay?” he asked again and Ollie nodded wordlessly.
“Clark,” Oliver tried but the brunet just shook his head.
“I’ll see you later,” he told him and before he could even respond, he took off again, leaving behind one shocked Oliver Queen.
Things had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.
Chapter 9
Story: In Love … All Bets Are Off
Pairing/Characters: Clark/Oliver, Clark/Lex friendship
Rating: R
Disclaimer: don’t own anything
Warning: slash, mentions of m/m sex, jerk!Jason (sorry, I do like him but I needed a villain and he fit)
Spoilers: AU but slight season 1-early season 3 mentions
Summary: Clark’s dad dies when he’s in high school. Martha and Clark sell the farm and leave to live with Clark’s grandfather, Clark transferring to Excelsior. Excelsior … where Oliver Queen rules the school. Oliver takes a bet that he can get the new guy in his bed … but what happens when he ends up falling in love instead?
Previous Chapters: Here
Chapter 8
The kiss started off sweet and gentle but it didn’t stay that way for long. Oliver’s hands found their way to his waist and the Clark encircled his arms around Oliver’s back, pressing them closer together.
He easily lost himself in Oliver’s embrace, delighting in the pleasure that his soft lips were bringing him. A part of him could hardly believe that this was happening, that he was really kissing Oliver Queen. The blond was the most amazing kisser that Clark had ever had the pleasure of locking lips with and he couldn’t help but wonder if this was a dream.
Anybody could walk out and see them but neither of them were paying attention to the outside world, too caught up with one another to really care.
A need for air separated them but they didn’t make a move to leave each other’s embrace.
Oliver and I kissed. That was the only thought that was running through Clark’s mind as he stared deep into the blond’s eyes, which were darkened with lust.
Oh God … Oliver and he kissed. He had kissed a guy and while he had accepted he was bisexual, the reality of the situation came crashing down on him all at once.
It was too much for him to handle. They were just getting to be friends … how could they move this quickly?
Why would Oliver kiss him anyway? Did he like him like that? What would come of this?
Thoughts were spinning through Clark’s head and he just couldn’t take it.
“Clark?” Oliver said softly, gaining his attention. Seeing the worry in his green eyes, he frowned.
But before he could ask, Clark stepped back, taking a few steps away from Oliver. The blond tilted his head in confusion.
“Clark,” he tried again but Clark just shook his head.
“I need to go,” he muttered. “I’m sorry,” he added. Turning around, he rushed back into the party before Oliver could say another word. He quickly made his way through the crowd and went out the main exit.
Finding an empty spot and making sure there wasn’t anyone there, he sped back to his room.
When he finally entered his room, he collapsed on the bed. Running away wasn’t a move he was particularly proud of but he couldn’t deal with everything.
One thing was certain … he had a lot to think about.
It had taken about a minute after Clark left before Oliver regained his senses. He had just been staring at the spot where Clark had previously stood, too shocked at the turn of events.
But the second he regained control, he was taking off after Clark. Much to his disappointment, the brunet was long gone. He didn’t even bother checking the party at first. Instead, he opted to getting out the main entrance but Clark was no longer there and he was nowhere in sight.
Heading back inside, he did a halfhearted search of the crowd. Some people were pleased he was finally alone again but he paid them no heed. Clark had run away from him … that was just something he couldn’t wrap his mind around.
The kiss they shared had been completely unplanned and it had blown him away. Clark Kent was an incredible kisser and Oliver had felt more with that one kiss than he had ever felt with anyone before.
Too bad it resulted in Clark running away. Clark had seemed to be enjoying the kiss as he much as he had and the fact that he couldn’t even stick around was a downer.
I’m going to talk to him soon, he silently vowed. It was likely the brunet had gone back to his room but he didn’t want to stalk him down. That wasn’t his style. But that didn’t mean he was going to let this go.
How he managed to be cool for the rest of the night, he didn’t know. His interest in the party died the minute Clark had left.
Yet leaving early was not an option … he had already stirred questions by hanging out exclusively with Clark. He needed to live up to at least some part of his reputation.
Even as he mingled, though, his thoughts never strayed far from Clark. Nice going Queen … how the hell are you going to get him into bed if he runs away after a mere kiss?
The bet again. He kept forgetting about that. A surge of guilt ran through his veins at the idea of manipulating Clark. Remembering the brunet’s warm, innocent smile, Oliver felt like a horrible person.
I have feelings for him. This had gone further than just a bet … he had actually started to care for Clark. Nothing good could come of this.
But he still had to win the bet. Didn’t he? A part of him just wanted to tell Jason to go screw himself, hand over the cash and the keys and forfeit. Because an image of a betrayed Clark was making his way into the forefront of his mind and causing that kind of pain for the younger man was making him sick inside.
If Clark ever found out about the bet, he would hate him. The idea of Clark hating him upset him more than he thought it would.
What could he do now? Even though cutting off the bet was right, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
First, he had to talk to Clark about the kiss and what it meant for them, what it meant to him.
He’d deal with Jason Teague later.
Oliver didn’t know that he wouldn’t see Clark all weekend. The brunette did an effective job of evading him and it was almost as if he disappeared off the planet.
At the back of his mind, Clark knew that avoiding the situation would not make things better but he couldn’t bring himself to face Ollie just yet.
If Lex was there, he would hang out with him and he knew Oliver wouldn’t approach him but being all alone, he made himself open to Ollie finding him. The blond didn’t seem like the type who hid from confrontation so the only way to avoid Ollie was to not let the other man find him.
He was successful. It helped that he had a bunch of studying to do and he was very discreet when getting food.
When Monday morning rolled around, Clark was relieved. He met up with Lex for breakfast, who immediately asked about the party.
“It was okay,” he said, purposely remaining vague. “How was your conference?” he asked, wanting to change the topic.
“Oh, I had a great time,” Lex said enthusiastically and started telling him all the details and the people he met.
Clark was genuinely interested in the trip but he did ask more questions so he could keep the conversation away from him.
They finished up breakfast and got up to go to their classes when Clark felt a prickling in the back of his neck. Someone was watching him. Turning, he froze when he saw Oliver looking at him. The blond was with a group of friends but his intense gaze was focused on Clark.
“Clark?” Lex’s voice brought him back to reality and he quickly looked back at his friend, his eyes wide.
Lex followed his previous gaze and his eyebrows rose at seeing Oliver.
“Want to tell me why Oliver Queen is looking at you like that?” Lex asked curiously.
“Not sure,” Clark lied. He stood up. “Come on, let’s get out of here … we need to be at class soon enough anyway.”
Lex pursed his lips but followed him out anyway. Once they were in the hallways, he made it clear that the subject wasn’t dropped.
“Clark, last time I checked, you said Oliver and you were buddies,” Lex remarked. “Why were you so eager to run away from him then?”
“I wasn’t running away from him,” Clark protested.
“Tell me the truth,” Lex said, suddenly serious, “Did he hurt you?”
“No!” Clark exclaimed, horrified where Lex’s thoughts were going. “Never … we just … he … I … Lex, we kissed,” he finished, just deciding to blurt it out. Fortunately for him, there wasn’t anyone around to hear his declaration.
Lex was silent for a whole minute after that, his expression revealing his extreme shock at the revelation.
“You kissed?” Lex echoed.
“Are you angry?” Clark asked in a small voice.
“Angry?” Lex repeated. Then he shook his head. “No, why would I be angry? I’m surprised, yes …” He shook his head, suddenly laughing, “He is the reason you found out you’re bisexual, right? I can’t believe I didn’t put the clues together earlier.”
Clark blushed and nodded. “Yeah …”
The bell rang, cutting off their conversation.
“Okay, we have to get to class but we’re going to talk about this later,” Lex told him.
Agreeing, Clark headed toward his class, a little relieved that Lex knew the truth. He didn’t like keeping this stuff to himself.
Lex didn’t get to ask more questions until after school though. Clark didn’t want to talk about it at lunch because the last thing he wanted was for someone to overhear. The gossip would spread and that would be bad.
“So,” Lex said when they were finally alone. “Oliver Queen, huh?”
“Oliver Queen,” Clark confirmed, with a wry smile. He told him what happened, giving him the details about the party and the events leading to the kiss.
“And you ran away?” Lex concluded incredulously.
“I avoided him all weekend too,” Clark admitted, shamefaced.
“That explains why he was looking at you like that,” Lex marveled. “You may be the first person to ever run away from Oliver Queen.”
“It was stupid, I know, but I panicked,” Clark said, sighing.
“It was your first kiss with a guy,” Lex said, shrugging. “I don’t blame you for freaking out. You’re just coming to terms with your sexuality … everything must be going a little too fast.”
“It is!” Clark agreed, nodding, happy that someone was able to put his emotions into words.
Lex’s lips quirked into a smile. “I don’t think avoiding him is the best course of action,” Lex advised. “Oliver is not the type to give up. You either face him or he will find a way to track you down. I think it would be more to your advantage if you chose the time and place of your meeting.”
“I know you’re right but I need more time,” Clark replied. “I don’t know what to say to him.”
“Well, it’s pretty obvious what he’s going to want to talk about,” Lex pointed out. “What the kiss meant to you … so … what did it mean?”
“I liked it,” Clark said softly.
“Then what’s the problem?” Lex asked. “If he didn’t like it, he would probably just ignore you but it seems from the way he was looking at you, he’s not quite ready to let go yet. It probably meant something to him too.”
“Yeah, but let’s be realistic Lex,” Clark responded. “What can we do about it? Start a relationship? This is Oliver Queen. I may be new but he has a reputation.”
“He’s different with you,” Lex reminded him.
“With me,” Clark said, emphasizing the word. “He’s still the same cynical jerk around everyone else. How do I know which person is real? Besides, why are you defending him anyway? He’s been a jerk to you forever!”
“Actually I’m kind of amused with this whole situation,” Lex confessed.
“Why?” Clark asked curiously.
“Clark, you have Oliver Queen jumping through hoops for you,” Lex replied. “He’s already showing you a side of him that he doesn’t show to anyone … and then at a very popular dance, he ditches everyone to hang out with you. If you ask me, he was really jealous of Jason and wanted to keep you by his side.”
“These two sides make me nervous though,” Clark said, “I mean, what if he does want more? We can’t just be in a relationship … and I can’t hide it either.”
“Clark, you’re making a lot of assumptions without talking to him,” Lex noted.
“I just want to figure out everything in my head before I face him,” Clark told him.
“I’d be nervous about the two sides too,” Lex agreed. “Sure, he’s nice enough to you but he still has an “image” to keep up. I don’t want to see you get caught up with that drama.”
“I don’t want to get caught up with that drama,” Clark said, frowning.
“If you decide to do anything with Oliver, you have to know there are a lot of risks involved,” Lex cautioned. “Are you willing to put your heart on the line?”
Clark pondered Lex’s question silently. Ollie and he hardly knew each other … was he willing to risk his heart? On his end, there were already feelings.
Hell, he didn’t even know if Ollie felt anything with that kiss … he seemed to be enjoying it too but what if he just thought it was a good kiss? What if right now he was worried that Clark was making too much of it?
Maybe he should just get it over with … that way he would not be spending time wondering what Oliver was thinking.
Yet the stronger part of him was urging him to wait.
Just a few more days, he decided. I’ll straighten out my thoughts by then and I will go talk to him.
In theory, that was a good plan. But plans tended to not work out as expected.
The avoiding part was easy. On weekdays, it was a snap. Ollie and he had no classes together and their own classes were on opposite sides of the school. The only chance for interaction was in the cafeteria and he was always with Lex and Ollie wouldn’t try to pull him away then. His friends were constantly watching him, especially after the Halloween party, so he couldn’t.
Things were going well for now.
At least for him.
Oliver was extremely frustrated at Clark’s avoidance tactics. Short of just going to visit him in his room, he didn’t know what to do. While he was upset at Clark for ducking him instead of facing what happened, he couldn’t bring himself to go to the brunet’s room because he didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable.
Much to his dismay, Clark had gotten under his skin and he hated it. Especially since the younger man seemed to not want anything to do with him.
Somehow, he had made himself scarce in the school and when Oliver did see him, he was with Lex. He certainly couldn’t approach the two of them without starting a round of rumors in the school.
Already, he had gotten questions about the dance. There were a few guys asking him what he was doing with the new kid. Alden and Geoffrey didn’t bother because they figured it was a part of his plan for winning the bet. But the rest didn’t know a thing.
Ollie managed to brush it off, giving a few excuses, and they all worshiped him so nobody thought to question it.
His friends noticed his change of behavior and they decided that what they all needed was a night out.
“Ollie,” Alden told him. “People are going to notice you slipping … you’re going to have to get that Kent kid off your mind. A night of partying is exactly what the doctor ordered.”
“I suppose you’re right,” he said reluctantly. He was the one who told Clark that image was everything … he had to keep his up.
That’s how he ended up at a nearby club with a fake ID. His usual crowd followed him there and they got in without a problem.
He’d always looked older than his age and once he presented an ID, there were no questions asked. There were plenty of women who were drawn to him the minute he entered and normally, he would’ve been having a great time.
These weren’t normal circumstances. The real reason he came was just to satisfy others and really, to get his mind off Clark. He wasn’t very successful in the latter.
In fact, he downright failed. All he could think about was Clark. No matter how many women he danced with, his thoughts always strayed back to the brunet.
Ollie was impressed with himself for putting up an act with his friends. But then again, his entire life was an act. The only person he had come close to letting in was … Clark.
No, don’t think of him. He is probably not even thinking of you. Don’t do this to yourself Queen.
True, that was very true. He had come to have a good time and damn it, he was going to. After a few drinks, he felt loosened up but the night still felt like it was dragging on.
Finally, he had enough.
Giving his friends an excuse, he took off, saying that he would see them back at school. They protested, of course, but there was nothing they said or did could change his mind.
Walking out, he pulled out his cell phone, ready to call a cab. There was no way he was going to drink and drive. He had made a lot of stupid decisions in his youth but getting himself killed before his eighteenth birthday was not in the plan.
Distracted, he moved away from the entrance. He never saw it coming. A strong hand was on his neck and he was pulled into an alley.
His heart sped up but before he could even move, he was pressed against a wall and cold metal was pressed against his head.
“Give me all your money,” he heard a gruff voice say.
Oh shit. He was in trouble now.
Ollie could only hope he would get out alive.
Back at Excelsior, Clark was feeling stupid. He had effectively been avoiding Ollie and now he was regretting it. Lex had been right … he should’ve just talked to him.
Better late than never, he decided and moved to find Oliver. Where would the blond be anyway? Ollie had given him his room number so he checked there first. Much to his disappointment, he was in.
He wasn’t in any of his usual hangout spots either and he couldn’t help but feel something was wrong.
When he was wandering the school, he ran into none other than Jason.
“Clark,” he said, surprised. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“Have you seen Oliver?” Clark blurted out, not caring about their rivalry.
Jason frowned. “No, not recently. Rumor has it that he was going out to party in downtown Metropolis.”
Then why did he have this funny feeling in his stomach?
“Give me all your money.”
Clark’s eyebrows furrowed. Where did that come from? That voice wasn’t Jason’s but to his horror, he heard Ollie’s voice following it, sounding scared.
Not dwelling on his new power, he turned to Jason.
“I gotta go,” he said. Oliver was in danger.
Before Jason could say anything, he walked away quickly and once he was alone, he shifted into superspeed, running as fast as he could toward the noise.
Upon reaching an alley near a club, his heart nearly stopped at seeing Oliver with a gun to his head.
“Look, you can have the money,” Oliver was saying. “Just … please let me go.”
“All you pretty, spoiled rich boys,” the guy was saying. “I should teach you a lesson, brat.”
“Let him go,” Clark demanded.
Both turned toward him, Ollie’s eyes going wide upon seeing Clark.
“Clark, get out of here,” Oliver told him.
“Well, well, well,” the man said. “Another one of your type.” He was taller than them both and bulkier too but Clark wasn’t afraid.
“Leave him alone,” Oliver interjected, almost begging. “He’s innocent.”
“None of you rich brats are ever innocent,” the other man hissed.
Before either of them could blink, he shifted his gun and fired a bullet at Clark. The brunet could barely think let alone move and the bullet hit him.
“What the …?” the man said when he saw Clark still standing and this spurned Clark into action, knocking him out easily.
“Clark!” Oliver said, freaked out.
“Are you okay?” Clark asked gently, eying the unconscious man out of the corner of his eye warily.
“Am I okay?” Oliver echoed. “You got shot! We need to get you to a hospital.” He reached for pockets, trying to find his cell phone. “We have to call 911.”
“Oliver, I’m fine!” he said, trying to calm the blond down. Oliver froze and stared at him, looking at the hole in his shirt.
Suddenly, he frowned. “You got shot … and yet you’re not bleeding.”
Hearing noises, Clark bit his lip.
“We need to get out of here,” Clark told him, not answering his question. He pulled Ollie into his arms before he could protest and sped back to Excelsior.
It wasn’t the smartest move but he just wanted to get them both back to safety so he wasn’t really thinking.
Upon reaching the school, he found an isolated place near their dormitory. Only when he stopped he saw how close he and Ollie were.
Settling the blond down carefully, he met Ollie’s shocked gaze.
“You okay?” he asked again and Ollie nodded wordlessly.
“Clark,” Oliver tried but the brunet just shook his head.
“I’ll see you later,” he told him and before he could even respond, he took off again, leaving behind one shocked Oliver Queen.
Things had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.
Chapter 9