uncovered

Clark was finding it very difficult to focus on what Chloe was saying. He could hear words coming from her mouth, could see her flailing her hands with enthusiasm, but the words themselves weren’t making it to Clark’s brain.

He was too distracted by her knees.

Her knees, of all things. Chloe was a beautiful girl; Clark had no problem admitting that. So why couldn’t he stop staring at her knees?

He was sitting at a computer, typing away at an article, when Chloe breezed into the Torch office. The first thing Clark noticed was that she was wearing a skirt. That always caught him off guard. Chloe Sullivan was not the frou-frou type of girl, but here she was, in a skirt that didn’t hit the floor. It was mid length, going just past her knees and swirling around her legs. Her whole ensemble struck Clark as not quite Chloe. The skirt was a spring green with white flowers. Her top was white and sleeveless, covered by a short sleeved yellow cardigan sweater. Her shoes were simple sandals, the same green color as the skirt. A white flower was tucked in her hair.

“You look nice today,” Clark said, frowning a little.

“Thanks, I think. What’s with that look?” she asked. She set her bag down on her desk and booted up her computer.

“It’s not quite you.”

“I do have some girly clothes, Clark. I just don’t dig them out that often. But it’s so nice out today, I thought this would work.”

“It does.”

Chloe smiled and turned to pour herself a cup of coffee. Stirring in cream, she sat down at her desk.

“I heard from a friend that The Daily Planet is offering a scholarship to Metropolis University for a journalism major.”

“That’s awesome. Are you going to try for it?”

She shrugged and sipped her coffee. “Do you even have to ask?” She turned her chair so she faced Clark.

His eyes instantly went to her knees. Sitting down, her skirt rose a few inches, exposing her knees for the world to see.

“Clark? Are you even listening to me?”

He jerked and blinked, forcing his gaze up to her face. She was looking at him, her head slightly tilted to one side.

“Uh, sorry. I kind of spaced out there.”

“I guess. Anyway, how’s your article coming?”

“Fine.”

“Can you have it finished by the end of the day so I can proofread it?”

“Sure, sure.”

She nodded. “Good.” Then she turned back towards her computer, taking her knees with her.

Clark tried to concentrate on his article, but the words kept blurring together. Lana popped into the office, distracting him for a moment.

“Hey, Lana,” Chloe said, turning her chair again.

“Nice weather we’re having,” Lana said, perching on the edge of his desk.

Clark saw she was wearing a blue t-shirt and pink shorts. He looked at Lana’s knees, then over at Chloe’s.

Lana had skinny legs that were usually nicely enhanced in form-fitting jeans. Her knees were kind of bony. Chloe’s legs were curvy, shapely, and her knees were cute. That was the only way Clark could describe them.

Lana and Chloe chatted for a few moments, and Clark didn’t hear a word of it. Lana left, and Chloe returned to her computer. Clark gave up on the article. He’d have to finish it elsewhere. He just couldn’t do with Chloe’s knees in the vicinity. He quickly left the Torch and went off to find something else to stare at.

But he couldn’t get the image of Chloe’s knees out of his mind. He pretty much gave up on thinking for the rest of the day.

The next day, Chloe was wearing jeans again, both knees concealed behind light blue denim.

And Clark was disappointed.

~end