Chapter Text
Lena ran into the physics classroom a second after the final bell. Mr. Jones’ back was turned so she quietly speed-walked to her chair. Her normally straight hair was up in a messy bun and her eyes had dark bags under them.
She had stayed up until 3 a.m., rotating between crying and staring dead-eyed at the ceiling. She slept passed her 5 a.m. alarm, missed her morning workout and was five minutes late to homeroom.
She rummaged through her bag, trying to find the right notebook, when Kara mumbled something.
“What?” Lena said, her tone biting.
Kara looked surprised and stumbled.
“Oh, uh, I was wondering if you had a pencil I could borrow for today’s quiz.”
Lena stared at her for a second, the words taking too long to process through her tired brain. She looked in her bag, spotted an extra pencil and shoved it in Kara’s face.
“Uh, thanks,” Kara said.
She turned toward Nia and gave her a confused look. The other girl shrugged.
Mr. Jones walked through the classroom handing out the quizzes.
“You’re late today, Lena,” he said. “Don’t make it a habit. Alright class, you may begin.”
Lena let out a sigh and turned over her paper. The quiz was … brutal. It’s like Mr. Jones wanted to punish the class for its dismal performance yesterday. God, she wished she’d gone to bed earlier.
It took Lena twice as long as normal to finish. She knew she should double-check her answers but honestly, she was just too tired. Lena walked up to Mr. Jones’ desk and handed in her quiz.
“Are you alright, Lena?” Mr. Jones asked. “You seem out of it.”
“Fine,” Lena said before quickly walking back to her seat.
Lena was too tired to concentrate during class. It didn’t help that she was nervous to be sitting next to Kara. It especially didn’t help that the blonde kept discreetly looking at Lena to make sure she was OK. Lena ignored her, opting instead to watch the clock as it moved closer and closer to the end of class.
“I know you all are excited for the weekend but please give me your undivided attention one more time,” Mr. Jones said. “As I’ve already mentioned, you all will be teaming up to work on a semester project.”
Lena looked back and made eye contact with Sam who gave her a smile and nod.
“Usually, I’d have you pick your partners. But after last year’s … incident , ” Mr. Jones paused. The class remembered when Winn and Brainy’s project forced the principal to cancel school for a week so firefighters could properly assess the property damage. “I have been instructed to start assigning partners,” Mr. Jones said. “I’ve decided the easiest way to do this is for everyone to pair up with their desk mates. So turn to the person next to you and say hi because you two will be spending a lot of time together.”
Lena’s stomach dropped. No. No. No. No. No. Lena snuck a glance back at Sam, her eyes screaming a silent “help me.” She didn’t see Kara do the same to Nia.
Mr. Jones explained the project requirements and deadlines before handing out an introductory packet that each group was expected to finish by early next week. Lena wasn’t paying attention. All she could think about was getting out of this classroom and away from Kara. The bell rang and Lena jumped up, bolting out of the classroom. Kara yelled for her to wait and rushed after her. Nia and Sam looked at each other.
“Well,” Sam said. “This will be entertaining.”
“Should we start putting bets in now?” Nia asked.
Sam grinned.
Lena only made it a few steps when she ran into Siobhan Smythe.
“Lena, there you are,” Siobhan said. Lena groaned. She had totally spaced on meeting up with the other National Honor Society officers.
“Where were you yesterday? I, like, texted you 10 times,” Siobhan said.
“Uhhhh...”
“Lena!” Kara showed up at their side. Siobhan looked Kara up and down, scrutinizing every detail. Kara straightened her shirt, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Siobhan rolled her eyes.
“Anyways, since you missed the meeting yesterday, we ended up planning half the event without you.”
“I’m so sorry, Siobhan,” Lena said. “Send me the meeting notes. I’ll look over them this weekend and plan the rest. I’ll have the updated notes ready for review by Monday morning.”
“Fine, that’ll work,” Siobhan said. She threw Kara another judging glance. “Anyways, see you tomorrow at Sam’s.”
She turned and walked away. Lena took a big breath. She spun around to face Kara.
“Lena!” Maxwell Lord ran up to her. “I didn’t get your revisions last night? Have you looked at the new bylaws yet? We need to get them approved by next week so I don’t know what — ”
“I’ll look this weekend,” Lena interrupted. “I’ll send you the revisions.”
“Perfect, thanks. See you at Sam’s,” Maxwell said before running to catch his next class.
“Wow,” Kara said. “Is your life always like this?”
“What do you want, Kara,” Lena asked curtly.
Taken aback by her tone, Kara fidgeted with her glasses.
“I was going to ask if you wanted to get a start on the physics packet this weekend. But now it seems like you’re already pretty booked. The only thing is, I promised to go on a run with my cousin Clark Monday night and the packet is due Tuesday. I’d re-schedule with Clark but his dad has been on him about making regionals so I don’t want to stress him out but like if — ”
“We’ll do it Saturday afternoon. Come to my house at 2 p.m. Give me your phone so I can give you my number,” Lena said, looking at her watch to check the time.
Kara handed over her phone. Lena was halfway through entering her number when a screech carried through the hall. Both girls froze.
“LENA LUTHOR,” Ms. Grant yelled.
“Shit,” Lena said. “Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.”
“Uh, everything OK?” Kara asked.
Lena rushed to finish adding her number and threw the phone back at Kara before twirling around to meet a livid Ms. Grant face-to-face.
“Hello, Ms. Grant.”
“Ms. Luthor, do you think that my time is not valuable?” Ms. Grant asked.
“No, Ms. Grant.”
“Do you think my day is just filled with bopping from one frivilous task to another?”
“No, Ms. Grant.”
“Do you think my world revolves around the foolish whims of a 17-year-old high school student?”
“No, Ms. Grant.”
“Then explain to me, Lena Luthor, why when I returned to my classroom yesterday, you were nowhere to be found. Explain to me how someone could possibly disappear — poof — into thin air despite being there only seconds ago. Did I not give you clear enough instructions to stay put until I returned? No, don’t answer that, I already know I did. So Lena, where did you run off to in the five minutes that it took me to make copies after school?”
Kara, along with the rest of the hall, was frozen, watching Ms. Grant’s tear into Lena. The blonde slowly began to process the teacher’s words and went pale, her eyes snapping to Lena.
“I, um, I, um,” Lena stuttered, her face growing red.
“You know what. I don’t even want to hear whatever ridiculous excuse you’ve concocted. My office. Lunch. We will plan the upcoming homecoming dance. Even if it’s seems far too below the responsibilities of our student body president.”
Ms. Grant gave Lena a scathing look before turning on her heels and walking back down the hall, shooing students out of her way as she went.
“Lena,” Kara said softly.
“Tomorrow. 2 p.m.,” Lena said through gritted teeth. “Come to my house.”
Lena stalked off down the hall as Kara stood rooted in her place, staring after her.