In the event, they stayed in Smallville.
Lana had dithered, trying to decide if there was any possible way that she could back out. There wasn't, and she only had time to change her top and run a brush through her hair before Lex pulled up, ten minutes early. She dashed on some lipstick on her way to the door.
Lex didn't have flowers, or anything; there was no one to impress, nobody to smile over them after they'd gone. But it was surprisingly nice, to have someone come and get her, force her to leave the house for a night. She wished Whitney were there, as uncertain about that as she had been before he left.
He helped her down the steps, even though she didn't need him to, and held the door for her. "Pizza good for you?"
"Depends. Do we have to share this time too?"
"Only if you want my pineapple and anchovies."
His new Lotus-she had had to ask-was familiarly incongruous among the war-scarred relics that dotted the pizzeria's lot. Frank came to greet them as they entered, far more polite and distant than Lana had ever known him to be. She wondered briefly whether Lex had invested.
They were seated in the corner, still in full view, but given the closest thing to privacy that was on offer. Frank mostly did take-out, but the place was fully equipped, with booths upholstered in steel blue and edged with gilt, long chrome lights dangling down over the tables, and Christian flavoured alt-rock a thankfully low hum in the background. When school was in progress teenagers came in on pay-day, and for dates, but the days blurred by during the summer, and they tended to forget about things like that. Wednesday was dead year-round.
Neither requested a menu, and all too soon, they had ordered, and were abandoned to their own devices.
They made small talk until the food arrived. Lana was less uncomfortable than she had expected; Lex appeared utterly at ease, as always. It was enough to make you hate the man. Or ask for tips. The waiter appeared before Lana could bring herself to broach this topic.
Conversation dwindled while they ate; they hadn't hit upon anything that had sparked. Lex ate pizza fantastically neatly. She commented upon the fact.
And then they had finished eating and were lingering over their coffees while the bill waited for attention in vain, and they had been talking for an hour and she was ten minutes into acquainting Lex with the virtues of her horse, and she couldn't remember a time when she had felt this not-bad.
And then Clark strolled in, smiling amiably at the counter-staff. He didn't notice them until he followed the direction of the stares. He stopped abruptly, and was beside them in two strides.
"Lex. Lana."
"Clark."
Lex was sprawled over his side of the booth, head tilted back to look up at Clark. Lana felt vaguely guilty. Clark had been trying so hard with her, and she just couldn't bring herself to care.
"How are you, Clark?"
"I'm fine, Lana. I was more worried about you." Arms wide, little flick of his eyes to the ceiling, close to exasperation, and Lana's eyes dropped to her hands, strewing shreds of her napkin over the tabletop. She closed her fingers tightly over one another, and repressed a strange stir of anger. But really, why had Clark thought fit to remind her that she was supposed to be unhappy?
"We were just finishing up here, but you're welcome to join us, Clark." Lex's reprimand was faint, buried under the friendliness. Lana wasn't sure that Clark picked up on it, but she appreciated the thought.
"No, I'm just here to collect- What are you doing here?"
A pause, and Lana wanted to know what replies Lex had considered and discarded. "We just wanted to get out for a while. I haven't eaten here in months."
She ignored the exchange of glances that told her that Clark felt he had some sort of claim on her, and that Lex was overstepping his bounds-she would have preferred not to know. The accusation disappeared when he turned to her; his eyes were wide and wounded.
"You know, Lana, any time you want to come over to the farm-you're more than welcome."
"I know, Clark." She thought about explaining herself, but couldn't even do that in her head. The bewilderment and confusion on his face began to solidify to hurt. "Why don't you join us? It'll be fun." Maybe it would be; if he were included, he wouldn't have to be jealous.
"I sort of need to get the pizza back to my dad. I can't stay. I just- well, you know. You can always come to me. You don't have to-" A glance at Lex that she thought he had intended to be covert. "You don't have to feel like you're alone, Lana."
"I don't, Clark. I know you're there."
"Well, whenever you feel like taking advantage of it-"
"I will. I promise." She should spend more time with him. He was making a huge effort.
And he was all smiles again. "Okay. I'm glad you're having a good time, Lana." He was, almost pathetically pleased for her. "You should call me."
"I will."
Clark continued towards the counter, where his pizza was already waiting. He kept glancing back at them as he went, until he was distracted by Frank.
"Well. That was awkward." Lex's comment diffused the slight tension Clark had left in his wake.
"Yeah. Are you ready?" She didn't add, 'To leave before Clark returns,' but she thought he got the message.
They did.