Work Text:
“I read somewhere that something like 60% of all high school students lose their virginity the night of their senior prom,” Chloe said nonchalantly between sips of the over sweet cups of punch Clark had brought them.
“When was that survey taken, Chlo’? In 1984?” Lois asked, sneering down into the completely alcohol-free concoction before her. “’Cuz I can tell you right now, just from looking around, that at least that many already bumped uglies. So if they were to survey tonight’s scene, I’m sure they’d get a very different result.”
“Bumped uglies? Now who’s all 1984?” Chloe grinned, unsuccessfully dodging the smack Lois gave her. “And you cannot tell who’s done what just from looking, trust me. Or at least you can’t with most people, right Clark?”
“No, I don’t think you can tell,” he answered distractedly, “At least, I hope not…” Clark’s faced burned when he realized he’d said that out loud and both girls cracked up.
“As if anyone ever thought otherwise about you, farmboy,” Lois laughed. “Though I'm definitely right about how many already bumped uglies, pardon me, made love before the Prom, if you go by the people just at this table—hey! What was that for?”
Clark turned away from Chloe’s frantic attempts to shut Lois up, hoping she’d have more luck than he’d ever had. He tried to ignore what Lois had said, because otherwise he’d have to think about what it meant—that Chloe had, that she wasn’t …Clark sighed, ignoring their whispered argument and wondered if if Chloe's comments about viginity and Proms were true.
Chloe was usually right, and judging from the number of couples that drifted off to various dark corners and stairwells during the evening, at least that many of the student population would be losing it later that night. Or if Lois were right, they wouldn’t be losing it so much as just having sex after the Prom.
Neither of which Clark would be doing, dammit.
Some days it seemed to him that he was the only virgin left in the school. He knew that wasn’t true, but it felt like it. More so on this night of all nights–he may not have been the only virgin in school before the Prom, but it sure looked like he might be the only one left after the Prom. Even Chloe! Clark resolutely turned off that thought.
For years he’d imagined that he’d somehow, miraculously, turn “normal” like everyone else. He’d have a girlfriend (Lana, of course) and sometime during their senior year, after months of dating and Rockwellian courtship, they would take that plunge together. And, he had to admit, he’d always thought that Senior Prom would the perfect time to do it. They’d both be 18 and nearly out of school; old enough in the eyes of the law, but still in school so that neither would have to go to college still a virgin. It was a perfect plan, or would have been if Clark still had the slightest interest in the diminutive dark haired girl.
Why he’d ever pined for her, he didn’t really know. Frankly it amazed him that his crush had lasted as long as it had. Even after they’d dated (awkwardly he had to confess) and made out several times (even worse, those sessions had made him occasionally nauseous)—even when he’d given himself a long hard look and finally admitted that he wasn’t really into girls at all, he’d still held a sort of desire for her.
Wanted her.
Or at least the idea of her. It would have been like in so many romantic stories, the prettiest and nicest girl in town falls for humble, clumsy, hick farm boy next-door and they live happily ever after. The very epitome of normal-ness.
“Like that’s ever gonna happen,” Clark snorted aloud, ignoring the curious looks Chloe and Lois gave him.
Clark looked around the gym, noticing how close the dancers on the floor seemed to be, virtually no space between them. Everywhere he looked, boys and girls were together, holding hands, touching one another freely, without worrying about whether or not they were “normal”. Because they were “normal”, by most people’s standards. Normal meaning not an alien, without super freaky so-called gifts and completely heterosexual.
Normal people got to hold hands and kiss in public and no one ever said anything to them.
Like that one couple that had come into the gym from outside in complete disarray. His shirt was inside out, and while her hair looked alright from the front, from the back he could see it was a mess, all snarled and with bits of grass and twigs stuck in it. His own Mom, one of the Prom chaperones, she too had seen them enter looking like they'd just had sex on the football field, and while she’d given them her best arch look the corners of her mouth had been twitching all the while.
Even Mr. Palmer, the AP English teacher and easily one of the strictest teachers in school, had barely said two words to Mandy Martin and her boyfriend when he’d caught them kissing passionately behind the coat racks.
It really wasn’t fair. If it had been him with Lex behind the coat racks, sucking face like they weren’t in public, Mr. Palmer’d have thrown a fit!
Not that you’d ever have the balls to ask Lex to kiss you, a depressing inner voice snarked. But still. It was the principal of the thing.
Suddenly the room was just too hot, the music too loud and he began to feel claustrophobic. Air, he needed some air. Hurriedly he stood up and excused himself, relieved when Lois just waved him away impatiently.
Outside, Clark took several deep breaths, willing the cool night air to loosen the tightness in his chest and clear the depressing thoughts from his mind. So he wasn’t normal and he wasn’t going to lose his virginity to Lana or to Lex or anyone that night, so what? It was his only Senior Prom after all; he really should just go back in and find a way to have a good time. Or at least make sure that his friends had a good time.
Even as he congratulated himself on his decision, he was pulling out his cell phone and hitting the speed dial. Before he had time to think, a low voice had answered and it was too late. He was going to do this, no matter his good intentions and longing for normalcy. It might the worst thing he could do, but not making the attempt might be just as bad.
“Lex here.”
Clark stood paralyzed, suddenly unsure what to say.
“Clark? Is that you?” Lex laughed softly. “You do realize that these things come with caller ID now days, right?”
“Uh, yeah, hi Lex. How are you?” Clark finally got out, hoping his voice didn’t betray his nervousness.
“I’m good, thank you, though I am little confused. Aren’t you supposed to be at the Prom right now?” Lex asked.
“I am, actually. At the Prom. But I was kind of bored and was thinking too much. I had to get outside for some air,” Clark said.
“And you thought you’d call me?” Lex laughed again. “I’m sure your date appreciates your thoughtfulness to your friends. Where is she anyways?”
“My date? Uh, I don’t really have one,” Clark gulped, “And that’s not why I called anyways.”
“No?”
Clark hesitated, his mind frantically trying to figure out how to put it, when Chloe’s earlier comments came back to him. “Did you know that approximately 60% of all high school students lose their virginity the night of their Senior Prom?”
Lex was silent for moment. “Yes, I’ve heard that, or something along those lines. Are you saying that you’ve just…become one of the 60%, Clark?”
“Uh, no, not yet,” Clark laughed nervously. “I mean—well…I’d like to, but—”
“You don’t have anywhere to, ahem, take that step,” Lex guessed. “I’ll be happy to reserve a room for you, though I’d suggest going at least to the next county to avoid any possible tarnishing of her reputation—”
“No, no, nothing like that! It’s just that I’m…” Clark tugged at his tie with his free hand, swallowing around the lump in his throat. “I’m…gay.”
“—or his reputation,” Lex smoothly corrected. “I’m happy to help you in any way, Clark, you should know that. Do you need transportation as well?”
The lump in Clark’s throat disappeared at Lex’s easy acceptance. Maybe this wasn’t so bad. He’d just admitted he was gay and Lex didn’t seem shocked or disgusted at all. And if he really was happy to help, in any way ... Only one way to find out, he thought.
“No, no, I don’t need transportation. Um, I was kind of wondering if I could, I mean if we could—only if you don’t mind of course, and I’d completely understand if you didn’t—but, I’m kind of hoping that you are too and would it be okay if I came over?”
It seemed like an eternity to Clark before Lex finally answered.
“Clark,” Lex responded slowly, “I’m not sure I understood you correctly. If I may, let me recap. You want to be one of the 60% who lose their virginity on Prom night, you’re gay, you’re hoping I am too and you want your first time to be with me?”
Clark swallowed, the lump suddenly reappearing larger than before. “Yeah,” he croaked weakly.
Lex’s voice lowered, “Then by all means, please do come over, Clark. I’ll make sure that your Prom is a night neither of us will ever forget.”
fin