Chloe liked the quiet moments best, contrary to what most would believe in her never-ending world of questions and answers.

The quiet always came after school was officially over, when she and Clark went about finishing an article or doing simple things like backing up files.

She'd look at him as he moved around the room, all strong-jaw and muscled-grace. She often imagined what he'd look like naked. Something she knew would bring color to his cheeks if she'd voice it.

But she was perfectly fine with the idea of him naked, of her naked, of them naked together. It was something she knew in her heart would happen. And it was something she planned on happening soon.

It was an afternoon like any other they'd spent. With Clark squinting at the computer screen and Chloe bleeding red ink all over one of the staff member's sports recap.

The difference was that it was the day Chloe planned on losing her virginity to Clark.

It wasn't really even a matter of question. It was there, after all, in her planner and had been since the beginning of the year. On the third Wednesday of the 10th month of the year, she would kiss Clark, and he'd make love to her. And with that he'd become, officially, her first time.

It was simple. She told herself that almost daily for a month prior to the actual day. It was simple.

There would be no Lana. There would be no weird Smallville stuff. There would be no awkward silences or almosts. There'd just be the two of them. And there'd be love.

She always felt tears when she thought of that last part. The love.

The fact that she loved him had been such a huge part of her life for what seemed like so long. It had become to her like a second skin or a peripheral vision. Something there. Just there.

And she wouldn't let herself doubt, not today, not on THE day.

She couldn't allow herself to think she might fail.

On the third Wednesday.

Of the 10th month.

Of the year.

Chloe wore perfume that day, nothing heavy, just...nice. And lipstick that was an earthy shade of brown coral, applied like they told her to do in Jane. With gloss in the center of her lower lip to make it full and pouty. Something she knew Lana wouldn't need a magazine to tell her to do.

She tried not to think about Lana, tried not to compare every single aspect of how she looked and acted that day to the woman she felt was the biggest stumbling block to her plan.

But it was hard when she saw Clark laughing at the locker with her competition. And she had to bite her lip and duck into the journalism room quickly when she saw how beautiful Lana looked that day. With perfect hair, perfect lips and perfect skin highlighted by perfectly fitting clothes.

She pushed the door closed behind her quickly as she tried to breathe. Tried to get the picture out of her head of perfect Clark and perfect Lana laughing in the hallway.

She closed her eyes tight trying to stem the flow of tears that clouded her vision.

Somehow, on the third Wednesday of the 10th month of the year, Chloe Sullivan's perfect day had turned out to be....everything less than perfect.

Chloe rolled her neck slowly from side to side, trying to release the tension she felt threatening to make her cry again, having stopped the tears soon after entering the room. Furious at herself for once for believing something unbelievable, she'd taken out her planner and quickly and efficiently erased the notation she'd made on that date so many months earlier.

She was wading through the day's newswire filler articles, lost in avoidance concentration when he came in.

She didn't see Clark standing leaning against the door. Didn't see his eyes as they lingered over her slight frame. Didn't see his chest rise and fall with her presence.

Chloe started slightly and turned suddenly, uttering his name in a whisper as she rose, looking down to avoid his eyes, hoping he didn't see what they held.

She saw his feet first and smiled in spite of herself. They were so large, so Clark. And then she heard her name and felt his fingers on her face.

Chloe raised her eyes to meet his through tears she didn't know she still had, gaze wide with anticipation and hope, and she breathed in quickly as he bent his head, his lips firm yet soft on hers. Lingering.

Chloe sighed and closed her eyes as she pressed her own mouth to Clark's, opening her eyes quickly when he pulled away.

He stopped at the door, turning slowly and smiling almost-shyly at her. And with a quick wave he was gone, leaving her standing, head spinning, heart beating loud.

She smiled as she reached for her planner. On the third Wednesday of the 10th month of the year, she wrote, "first kiss."

And that, for that moment, was more than enough.

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