Hope Is Where It All Starts

Chapter 7

(A/N: A little note before I start the chapter. I didn't come up with the spell that Dorothy reads that unlock her magic. It was from a visual novel I read a while back called "Magic Love Story", and I thought it would be the perfect one to us here. Anyways back to the story.)

Senior Year

Senior year, and there will still so many things to do. I has to pick a college, figure out what I wanna be when I grow up, where I wanna live, and how I'm going to finally tell my best friend that I'm madly in love with him without ruining our friendship forever. Not that I was freaked out or anything.

If anyone is wondering about the whole magic thing, I had it under complete control. Grandma Em trained me when she wasn't bust tending to the farm, and Mom's old magic book was really helpful. After a month, I was practically skilled in all things magic. I pretty much only used it for farm work, help with my studying (can you blame me with all the homework they expect us to do), etc. 

Now I have to admit, I did use it to prank some kids at school. But they totally had it coming. Like Karen Smith, the alpha-bitch head cheerleader. She was always making fun and Clark and I, so one day when she tried messing with us, I gave her a little just dessert.

(Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing.)

I was so glad I had my worries about magic under control, because I had all of that other stuff to worry about. 

As far as college I got into Metropolis university, I just had to figure out my major; pastry arts, photography, or music. I liked all three and I'm pretty good at them too. I just didn't know which one to make my career. 

"I haven't even told you the strange part yet," I say to Clark when I tell him that I got into Metro U. We were in his pickup truck heading home from school. "Weirder than them actually wanting you at their school?" he says back to me, obviously kidding since he and I have the third and fourth highest GPAs in our class respectively. I give him a playful shove, ignoring his comment, "I got a letter from Lionel Luthor." Clark turned his head to me so fast, I thought it was going to snap off. " Yeah, I know right? Apparently, he knew my mom and when they went to college together. He found out about me and has been watching my grades for a while now, and he wants to help me with my college education; tuition, a place to live, books, everything." "So, what do you have to do to keep it," he asks me "Keep a certain GPA, promise to work for him, promise to have his baby?" "First of all, eww. He's old enough to be my father. Second, I don't have to do anything accept go to college. As long as I do that he'll pay for everything." I tell him.

I didn't blame Clark for being suspicious. I had my own suspicions when I got the letter. I wondered how Mr. Luthor know my mom, and why she never mentioned him.  All I knew about Mom's time in college was that she met dad, got pregnant with me, and had a shotgun wedding, and got the greatest graduation present ever; me. No other information was ever given to me.

"Maybe it's his way go helping out an old friend." Clark tells me, trying to help me figure out what was going with this guy. "Since he knows your mom not around anymore, he probably thinks helping you out is the next best thing."

"You're probably right." I tell him "Maybe I can ask him to help you out." Clark suddenly became sullen, turning his head to the road. "What's wrong?" I ask him, the only other time I've known him to look like that was when he told me he's an alien. "Clark, come on, if I took it too far about asking Mr. Luthor to pay for your college tuition, you can just tell me. I'm sorry, it was meant to be a joke." I say, not wanting him to be mad at me.

"It's not that Hope. Dad wants me to go to agriculture school here in town." Clark tells me. "Is that what you want", I ask him, trying to make sure my heart doesn't break. We've been in each other's lives for so long, it was painful to think of life with him. I only gave me more incentive to tell him how I felt, before it became too late.

"I don't want to be a farmer, Hope. I want do my own thing something with meaning," He tells me. "Like what?" I ask. "I've enjoyed working on the school paper, maybe I could be a journalist." He responds. That wasn't a bad idea, he and I were on the staff for school paper. Him for writing, me for photos. At first I didn't wanna do it, but it was a pretty good excuse to spend more time with him.

"Why don't you just tell your dad that, Clark? He's always telling you how he sees great things for you, and how he cares about you being happy. Just tell him what you told me, and I'm sure he'll understand" I tell him, grabbing his hand in assurance.

"Will you help me?" he asks "What, help you tell your dad you don't wanna be a farmer?" I ask him, surprised and touched that he wants my help. "It's prefect," he tells me, getting really excited as he spell out the plan. "we can do it tomorrow. You're coming to stay with us while Em and Henry are out of town and so you can go to the state fair with us anyway. We'll bring up graduation and college, and then I'll explain to him how I wanna try and do something other than be a farmer." I wanted to tell him that maybe I shouldn't be a part of the discussion, that it seemed like it was more of a family discussion. But when I looked into his baby blue eyes and saw how desperate he was for me to accept his plan I found myself saying, "Of course whatever you need. What are friends for?"

He smiled at me, "Thanks Hope, I don't know what I would do with out you." Then he did the one thing I never expected from him. He kissed my hand.

His lips were as soft as a cloud, and the feel of the kiss left so many sparks I thought the car was going to get caught in flames from them. If I got like that I could only imagine what kissing his lips would be like.

That night as I went to bed I had two questions replaying in my head. How is tomorrow going to go, and how am I going to tell Clark that I love him.

(A/N: Hey guys. So, originally this was going to be the tornado scene, but this chapter ended up having a mind of its own. Next chapter it'll have the tornado scene. Also, how's you like that part with Lionel Luthor. I'm planning a Batman v Superman sequel to this story, so this is a sort of tie in to it. What do you think happened between Lionel and Dorthy's mom? Let me know in the comments. TTFN, ta-ta for now!)