I sat in the bar with Glen Woodburn the sketchiest internet blogger. He would post anything and everything which gave me and Lois a common distaste in the man but I was desperate.
"That's a beer, for the lady." I smiled at the bar tender and took a swig
"I'm sending you the original article. My editor won't print it, but if it happened to leak online." I suggest sending it over
"Got it. But didn't you and Lois Lane once describe my site as a creeping cancer of falsehoods?" he turned in his seat
"Our distaste for you is our common ground. We stand by our words but I want this story out there." I reply honestly, just being in his presence made me cringe but needs must where Clark Kent was concerned.
"Why?"
"Because, I want answers and my mystery man can give them to me." I drank my beer and finished it "Later loser." I smile sweetly and jump of the bar stool heading out. I figured I had to find Clark on two fronts one was a big neon sign the other was detective work. Now I could have gone the easy route and just talked to Mrs Kent but I figured that she knew about Clark and would be on the defensive, so she was my last resort. I decided to research my best friend. Beginning with Jed in Ellesmere. I showed him the blown up picture. I would never refer him as Clark.
From Jed I traced Clarks movements listening to tales of his travels from other people and he was as every bit as I remembered. For some he was a guardian angel, others a cipher, someone who never fit in and ghost. He had become really good at being a ghost, though he was never a match for me. Though all the stories formed a pattern, he was always there in a time of need. despite my digging, Clark hadn't popped up.
"Low blow it is then, Clark." I mumbled pulling up outside the familiar Kent home. I got out and knocked on the door. I heard barking. I knelt down.
"Hey, boy." I grinned
"Can I help you?" Mrs kENT ASKED
"Help sure,but I was going for recognition. After all you said I was practically your daughter, with how much the I spent here." i stood back up and I saw her recognition.
"Aria?" she opened the door and hugged me. I chuckled returning it.
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i stood over Mr Kent's grave. I heard that he passed but I wasn't able to attend. Mom was dating this hippie dip traveller and where she went I went, which was Most of Asia, and China before things turned sour and Mom figure out he was a loser and she shouldn't have dragged me into it. I felt eyes on me.
"So it takes me coming back here to get your attention? You could have left me with a phone number or something." I state before turning around to face him "I know I've been a shitty friend but you could have at least let me thank you, again." he said nothing
"Clark..." I hesitated for a moment "Where are you from, what the hell of I missed and you need to let me tell your story." I strode over to him.
"What if I don't want you to tell my story?" he wondered removing his cap.
"It's going to come out eventually, someone other than myself is gonna get a photograph and do the same digging as I, only it won't be an old friend knocking at your mothers door it will be a blood thirsty reporter who won't take no for an answer." I folded my arms
"I could disappear again." he suggested
"I doubt that, the only way for you to really do that is to not help people and 20+ years of doing so, myself twice is proof you can't and won't. I knew you were different Clark but this is a whole diffract ball game of different." I say
"My father believed that if people knew who I really was. They'd reject me out of fear." I softened as he told me of the hurricane that killed Mr Kent and how his father stopped Clark from saving him "I let my father die because I trusted him. Because he was convinced that I had to wait. That the world was not ready. What do you think?" he asked. I reached out and held his cheek.
"I think that....that I've been too much of a reporter and less of a friend. I'm sorry." I apologised. He held my hand in place and closed his eyes