I GET UP at five in the morning everyday and do my chores in the morning. I begin to wrap up the hay bales that my dad and Clark will later load into the truck to feed the animals with.

"Ella!" I hear my mom scream my name i finish wrapping the hay bale and run to the front of the house. When she sees me she asks a question, "What do you want?"

"To be on time." I say walking up the steps towards my mother.

My mom rolls her eyes, "For breakfast?" She asks again.

"Waffles and bacon please." She nods and walks into the house.

I trudge back into the barn feeling my overalls rub together as I pick up the rake to clear the area. Once the hay is moved to either side of the barn. I put the rake away and go shower.

The cool water feels good on my skin. I run a hand through my brown hair with red streaks due to the fact that I dyed it maroon over the summer. Once I get the smell of cow poop off me. I get dressed in a red tee shirt and jeans.

With my hair still up in a towel i walk out of the bathroom my bare feet on the wood floor i open up Clark's bedroom door. "Hope you didn't forget today we have school." I look at his sleeping body. "Up and at em!'" I scream as Clark sits up.

He throws a pillow at me. I grab it and throw it back at him. I run down the steps slowly I sit down on the last step and put on  the balled up pair of socks that are in my hand.

Once my feet are covered I stand up and walk over to the table. "For being fast." I take a bite of the food in front of me,"He sure is slow." I look up and see my mom smile. I check the time 6:05.

Clark gets up and a thumping is heard from his room because he is bot quiet he is probably sitting at the computer that's located in his room. "Clark Kent you're going to be late for the bus." Mom yells as I finish my plate and put in the sink.

"Coming mom!" I hear my brothers loud reply. I turn around sitting on the counter.

I grab my bag from my spot on the counter and start loading it up with the books that are scattered across the Counter in the kitchen. "I'm staying after school because of the Torch." Once my bag is loaded I hop off the counter. My mom gave me a quiet 'alright sweeties' as I slipped out the door to catch me and Clark's bus. The bus my brother was most likely going to miss.

"Ella hey hear me out on this." I turn around when I hear my friend Pete Ross's voice. I look at him so he knows to continue. "Who should I take to homecoming?"

I look at Pete holding the black straps of his bag. His dark skin blending partly in with the strap. "I thought I told you, I'm staying out of my friends love life." I push my hair out of m face as I turn my body away from his.

"Please homecoming is tomorrow tonight." I felt the need to wait a moment longer to hear him beg. "I need a date." The cool autumn wind blew my long brown hair on my face again. I took a deep breath and blew on my hair. "Please El all I'm asking is for a single girl who would say 'yes'." I begin to tuck my brown strands behind my ears a sinister smile sprouting on my mouth. I just needed a few more seconds. "Please, please anyone."

I turned back to him my smile returning to normal. "Ask Chloe if you two can go as friends. I know its not a date per say, but at least you won't be going to the dance alone." I continue to look at Pete as he considers this option.

"Alright I'll take Chloe."

"Take Chloe where?" I turn around when I here Chloe Sullivan's voice behind me.

"Its a surprise."

"Okay change of subject." Me and Chloe turn our heads and look at Pete. "Five bucks that Clark misses the bus." Pete looks at me and Chloe. I pull five bucks out of my purse and hold them in my left hand with my right hand i shake his hand.

Chloe does the same.

We hear the loud grumble of the bus engine and we turn to the house trying to see Clark. The yellow bus with faded Smallville High print. The doors to the bus open. "I don't think hes coming." I say as I sit down in the seat next to Chloe and Pete.

Me and Chloe hand Pete our money. I turn to gaze out of  the window, as Chloe says "I can't believe you bet against your best friend."

Pete turns from looking at the old brown leather of the seat to looking at Chloe. "Statistical fact: if Clark moved any slower he'd be extinct." I let out a little laugh.

I turn my head away from the window to look at Pete and Chloe. "I bet against my brother. But you're questioning Pete?" I sigh running a hand through my hair.

Chloe looks at me pushing a small part of her short blonde hair put of her face, "You betting against Clark could possibly be a case of sibling rivalry."

Pete looks at Chloe then to me, "She's right you know. You and Clark have the best sibling relationship." I smile and turn back to the bus window.

I think I'm the only one looking out the window because as soon as we pass the sight that says: Welcome to Smallville, Kansas pop. 45,002. The meteor Capital of the World. I see my brother running past the bus in super speed mode. A loud thud hits the top of the bus but I pass it off as my brother accidentally hitting the bus.

"Did you hear that?" Chloe looks at me and Pete.

*

ONCE WE GET to school the three of us begin to walk up the concrete steps leading to the dark brown front doors of the school. The front double doors have a yellow and red banner that reads 'Fly to Victory'.

"So has anyone asked you to the dance?" Pete looks at Chloe. I pull a book out of my bag and pretend to walk and read so I can listen in on this conversation.

"Not yet."

"Well." Pete nervously looks at me, "if nothing pans out with you-know-who maybe you and-" Pete gets cut off before he can finish.

Chloe huffs her chest turning to Pete. "Pete, do you want to take a commercial break from the soap opera in your -" I turn around when someone talks on my back.

"Can I steal you?" Jay Davis is standing in front of me in her cheerleader uniform her black hair up in pigtails.

"Um." I turn around and look at my friends who had left me. "I guess."

Jay grabs my hand and pulls me to the edge of the sidewalk. "Do you know if Chloe wants me to get pictures of the Cheer practice, for her Homecoming article?"

"She does." I look at Jay her emerald green eyes looking into me. "Why didn't you ask her yourself?"

"Well i heard Pete bring up homecoming so i thought i would ask if you would-"

"Id love to." I turn back around and see Clark making his way over to Pete and Chloe. "I gotta go."

I hear Jay yell 'bye' as i sprint over to my friends and brother. "Wha...you..just....what?" I hear Chloe stutter once my brother approaches her and Pete.

"I took a short cut." My brother, Clark replies nonchalantly.

"Through what a black hole!" Chloe exclaims looking behind her at me then looking back at Clark.

I look at Clark he gives me a small pleading look. I begin to search the back of my mind for an excuse, "Um.." I stutter on my words. "Clark misses the bus all the time." Pete and Chloe looked at me like they needed more convincing. "Our parents are busy and can't always give  him rides so my brother probably figured out the fastest way to school." as soon as I'm done i bite my lip. "Right?" I ask Clark.

"Right." He looks at me.

"You'll have to excuse our intrepid reporter." Pete began looking at Clark. "Seems as though her weirdar is on Def con five." Then he adds, "She thought something was attacking the bus."

"Smallville is a weird town." I say looking at Pete.

"Yeah." Chloe looks at me, "Just because everyone chooses to ignore the strange things that happen in this leafy little hamlet doesn't mean they don't happen."

Chloe was talking about the list of strange things know as the, Wall Of Weird, located in the newsroom of our school, The Torch. Me and Chloe run the Torch we have a fairy large staff but nobody except her and me spent the majority of our time in there. Most of the other reporters and photographers turn in their photos and stories to the bin in the room. Its me and Chloe who makes the layout.

Pete looked between me and Chloe before saying, "Now, you know we'd love to join you and Scooby inside the Mystery Machine for another zany adventure, but we got to hand in these permission slips before homeroom." Pete had that quirky smile on his face that smile that could light up any girls day.

Clark looked at Pete,"Actually, Pete, I'm having second thoughts. I don't think going out for the team is such a great idea."

Pete glares at Clark, "Clark, listen, this is the only way."

I know what their talking about its a tradition where the members of the football team string a freshman up in Reilly feed, like a scarecrow.

Chloe has a looking in her eye like intrigue, "Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait." Chloe holds up her hand looking at the boys."You two are trying out for the football team?" She looks at me in disbelief before turning back to the boys, "What is this some sort of teen suicide pact?" Me and Chloe let out a little laugh.

Pete grabs Chloe and pulls her to the side and whispers, "Were trying to avoid becoming this years scarecrow."

"What are you talking about?" She asks them raises her voice, "And why are we whispering?"

"Its a homecoming tradition." I say know about the scarecrow thing from Jay who learned about it from some of the other cheerleaders.

"Yeah," Pete looks at me before continuing, "Every year before the big game the football players select a freshman, take him to Reilly field."

Pete pauses to take a breath I fill in. "Strip him down to his boxers and the paint and 'S' on his chest."

"Then string him up like a scarecrow" Clark adds.

"Jeez, that sounds like years of therapy waiting to happen."

"Why do you think were trying out for the team? Figure they won't chose one of their own." Pete says.

I notice Lana from across the court yard so does Clark, "I'll see you guys in class." He says before walking away.

Pete pulls out some money,"Give him fifteen seconds."

"Ten." Chloe says.

I shake my head, "Five."

"One." Pete counts.

"Two." He continues.

"Three." I say. Pete glares at me before continuing.

"Four."

"Five." Clark falls flat in his face. Dropping his books everywhere.

"Statistical fact: Clark Kent can't walk within five feet of Lana Lang without turning himself into a total freak show." They hand over the money when I'm done speaking.

They both begin the walk away while I stand and watch Clark. "You coming?" Pete asks me.

I turn around to look at them, "No." I turn back around to look at Clark who now has Lana in front of him, helping him gather up his books that fell when he did, I turn back around to Chloe and Pete, "I'll see ya in class okay?"

"Yeah." Pete says. Him and Chloe walk away.

I turn back around to my brother and watch as Whitney, a football player and Lana's boyfriend. Throws a book at Clark probably one of the ones he dropped that he's struggling to pick up.

When Whitney and Lana walk away I head towards my brother. "Hey, don't let it get to your head." I put my hand on his shoulder.

Clark looks up at me in defeat. "Let what get to my head?" He asks looking into my hazel brown eyes.

I crouch down and help him pick up his books. I look away and grab a book. "The fact that people are jerks.. and they always will be." I begin forming a pile of books on the sidewalk. "Whether it be having a relationship that you want and rubbing it in your face or..... Throwing crap at you when your down."

"Where's this coming from?" He asks standing up with the boom pile.

"Watching you over the years." I smile standing up, "I've seen you watch her over the years you like her, Whitney knows it he rubs their relationship in your face." I run a hand through my hair, "and he just rubbed their relationship in your face then..." I hand Clark the small red book Whitney threw at him, "Then. He threw crap at you when you were down."

Clark smiles."I did it Ladies and gents I made Clark Kent smile." I smile, "Lets go to class."

***

AFTER SCHOOL CLARK went out to sit on the bleachers. I went to the Torch to see if Chloe needed me.

"You need help." I say as I walk into The Torch and see a few Styrofoam cups of coffee of Chloe's desk.

Chloe looks up at me, "What exactly do I need help with?" She asks before going back to her lime green school computer.

"The load of coffee on your desk." I walk over one cup still has stuff in it. I pick it up and take a sip. "What is that five cups?"

Chloe sighs looking up from her keyboard. "I have a problem I admit it. You need anything?" She asks.

"Yeah do you need me at this moment?"

"No."

With that I agreed for her to email the article to me tonight and I checked it for any errors that she didn't fix.

I headed towards my brother on the bleachers, "-A tackle dummy." I hear Clark say.

"Hey Pete." I say guessing the name of the person whom my brother was talking too.

"Hey, How do I look?" He asks as he turns around.

"Very handsome." I pat the top of his head that is covered by a too big of a football helmet. When I touch the helmet it wobbles.

He walks away. I laugh sitting down next to Clark. "Wanna hit the road?"

"What happened to staying after to work on the Torch?"

"What happened to riding the bus?" I raise my eyebrow at Clark.

He points to me, "Good point."

A few moments later we are walking down the street. Clark stops to look over the bridge and watch the water. I set my book bag down and unzip my jacket I take it off and set it on my bag.

I feel the wind touch my skin its cold and wet I love Autumn. It's full of pumpkins and apple cider. Funny costumes and parties. Its cold but not so cold so you can't have a bonfire. Its warm but not so warm you get drenched in sweat.

I turn around and rest my elbows on the railing facing the opposite direction as my brother. "What's going on in that big brain of yours?"

"I dunno." He says not taking his eyes off the water.

"You look like you need a hug."

"Give me one then." He says.

"Fine." he moves away from the railing I wrap my arms around his waist he wraps his around my shoulders.

We let go after a few seconds. Then a few seconds after we let go of the hug we hear screeching. Then Clark gets on top of me, I see it over his shoulder. A Porsche and its heading right for us.

Soon I'm falling. I get dizzy when I hit the water. I try to swim up but water is filling my lungs too fast.

A/N: like and comment please tell me what you think.

WORD COUNT: 2799