Calendar Girl (2/12)

[serafina19]

Title: Calendar Girl

Summary:  Chloe leaves for Star City to start fresh after inadvertently seeing Clark and Lana consummate their relationship. But she soon finds herself hesitating to let another guy into her life when she accidentally runs into Oliver Queen during her first day at Star City University.

Rating: PG-13 (subject to change... it shouldn’t but I’m covering my bases in case for later chapters)
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Evie Chambers, any resemblance to another character is coincidental.

Warning: So I never checked the collegial schedule for American colleges/universities until I had the bulk of the storyline written, so I'm using an American university with a Canadian schedule. (aka early September to mid-December, and early January to mid-April. (by 'mid,' we usually end around the 17-22)). Spring break I'm trying to keep to American standards... the moment I figure out which one... some have early-March, some mid-March... you get the point.

Author Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter... it was completely unexpected and it helped turn my week around. I'm a little nervous to post this because I can only hope the rest of the story lives up to your expectations.  This chapter is dedicated to  geek_or_unique as a thanks for the banner.

 

August

Banner courtesy of: geek_or_unique 

September

If I am lost for a day, try to find me
But if I don't come back then I won't look behind me

September 4

Chloe sighed as she turned the doorknob of her dorm room. She didn't like the idea of living with a stranger, but Star City was a big enough city that she couldn't live with Lois, not until she had enough money to buy a car anyway, and rent was expensive as it was.

Entering the room, she saw her roommate trying to determine where to hang up a photo. She was a little taller than Chloe, wearing loose-fitting athletic shorts and a blue t-shirt while her shoulder-length medium-brown hair was done back in a ponytail. Evelyn Chambers was a nice girl according to her RA… different, but nice. Chloe wasn't sure how to interpret that, but the way she saw it, Chloe wasn't that normal either.

As the door clicked behind her, her roommate quickly turned around.

"Evelyn?"

Putting the photo on her mattress, she walked over and grabbed one of Chloe's bags. "No one calls me that but my mother. It's Evie." She held out her hand.

After dropping her other bag by her side, Chloe shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You must be Chloe."

Chloe shrugged. "That would be me."

"You're not... how do I ask this without sounding ridiculous?"

"Maybe an explanation will work better."

Seeing Chloe face, Evie's expression softened. "Last year, my roommate ran what would have been the equivalent of a red light district. Every two nights, there would have a sock on the doorknob, and I ended up sleeping in the library most of the time. Residence isn't cheap and I'd like to live in my dorm room this year."

Chloe broke out into a smile, slightly relieved that was her roommate's only worry. "Believe me, I'm not that kind of girl, nor do I plan to be."

Evie raised an eyebrow. "Career-driven?"

"Yeah, I didn't have time for relationships when I ran my high school newspaper."

Chloe knew that was a lie... there was one particular relationship that she wanted in Smallville, but obviously that didn't pan out.

"So you're the journalism program too?"

"Uh oh... I'm hoping you're not my competition."

"Not likely, I'm one of the sports writers for the Journal." She heard Chloe laughing in the background, so she turned her head slightly. "What?"

"People say that you're... different. Is that why?"

Evie sighed as she fumbled through her bag. "Sadly, yes. Most of the money families at this school are very conservative: family values yadda yadda. So they frown upon one of the top sports writers being female, which influences the looks I get from some profs and students."

Thinking of her own experiences with Lex, Chloe knew all too well what Evie was talking about. "I know what you mean... what is it about billionaires hating female journalists?"

Pulling a Red Wings poster out of her bag to hang it on the wall, Evie titled her head in acknowledgment. "I don't know, but I don't care. Sports are the one passion I've had since I was little, and I'm not letting any pompous snobs take it away from me."

"Why sports?"

"I had two older brothers who lived and breathed sports. Taught me everything they knew, and I played any team sport that I could balance with school." She pounded her palm against the final thumb tack and grinned lightly. "I owned them in knowledge though. Down side is that it's a relationship killer. Guys hate it when we go into their supposed domain."

"Men... who needs them?"

Jumping off her mattress, Evie faced Chloe. "Something tells me there's a story behind that."

Chloe admitted, "A long one." She opened her mouth to explain how she didn't want to get into it, but Evie quickly patted Chloe's shoulder and shook her head.

"No need to spill, I'll wait until you're willing to share that with me."

Chloe was grateful that Evie was nothing like Lois. She had gotten so used to her cousin's meddling that being left alone was nice for a change "So... you've been here longer than me, where's the best place to buy coffee?" Chloe thought about the Talon, and about how she was going to miss her daily visits.

"I'm biased because I work for Lazee's to pay the bills, but I do make a mean almond mocha."

Chloe's eyes gleamed upon the mention of her favourite drink. "Do you have a friends discount?"

Evie smiled as she plopped on her bed. "I do." She fluffed her pillow and laid down.

"Well... friend... I might make Lazee's my new hang out. But in return, I'm willing to go with you if you need a buddy for the big game."

Bolting to an upright position, Evie's head whipped in Chloe's direction. "No way! You're just messing with me right?"

Laughing slightly at her reaction, Chloe smiled. "Can't play them, but I don't mind sitting on the sidelines."

Pointing to the sky, Evie happily sighed. "Somebody clearly likes me up there... or they're making up for last year."

Chloe gritted her teeth momentarily before saying, "The downside is you may have to deal with my cousin Lois every now and then. She wants to crash the parties."

"That's fine with me, but honestly, they're usually a bore. The best part is watching all of the idiots getting soaked with drinks."

Chuckling slightly, Chloe stated, "Evie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Chloe mentally rolled her eyes at the thought of saying the cliché, but it rang true in her mind.

Evie paused slightly before saying, "I think so."

"Are you from around here?"

"I'm from Michigan actually... hence the poster. I got offered a partial scholarship opportunity here and I wanted to see what the fuss was about on the west coast."

"Wow... that's quite the offer." Chloe wasn't even sure how she got into SCU last minute. In fact, she was partially convinced Lois had to blackmail someone. But she wasn't complaining; anything was better than hanging around Lana and Clark at Met U.

"How about you? You're not from California, are you?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Is it that obvious?"

"Honestly, for me, it's easy to spot the people who aren't used to the bright lights of the city."

"You'd be right; I'm from a little town in Kansas. Smallville."

Evie nodded in acknowledgment. "I've heard of it."

"Really?" Chloe's eyes widened; it wasn't every day she met someone from outside of Kansas who knew her hometown.

"They have a decent sports program. I keep an eye on promising high school prospects, no matter how small the town."

Chloe was tempted to ask about Clark, but was afraid of any resulting conversation. Instead, she said, "That must take a lot of work."

"It's worth it, and…" Evie rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I'm probably boring you."

Shaking her head, Chloe quickly said, "No, far from it actually."

"Yeah well... enough about me. What's your dream?"

"If all goes according to plan, I want to be the lead investigative reporter for the Daily Planet."

"You're a lot braver than I am, I don't think I could handle the pressure. It's funny though that both of us intend to go home after school."

Looking out the window, Chloe sighed. "Yeah, I need a breather from the Kansas lifestyle."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I shouldn't be worried, should I?"

Chloe turned her head back to face her roommate. "You mean about me investigating you? Not if you haven't done anything illegal."

Evie quickly put her hands up in defence. "Oh no... I'm about as straight of a shooter as they come. My definition of illegal activity is jaywalking."

Chloe couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Then you have nothing to worry about, but if you ever need me, I'm here."

"Noted."

Finally taking a look around the room, Chloe sat herself down on her mattress, grateful that she didn't need to look for one. Sure, the mattress wasn't four-star-hotel material, but she'd been through a lot worse. Besides, considering how fast she packed for California, Chloe hadn't considered what things she'd need for residence. She felt good about the move though, Evie was a nice start.

Unpacking her bags, she plopped her pillow beside her, the scent of home still lingering from the pillowcase. She stroked it slightly, and her lips twitched before Evie's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Evie's voice. "Hey Chloe, you..."

Once Chloe turned and saw Evie holding the photo in her hands, she quickly grabbed it back, causing Evie to look at her feet. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. It fell out of your bag."

Shoving it back into her bag, Chloe tried to cover her actions by shaking her head while attempting to smile. "No need to apologize, it wasn't your fault."

It was true, it wasn't Evie's fault that someone had managed to snap a picture of Clark and her slow dancing at the spring formal all those years ago, and it wasn't her fault that Chloe had framed it as a sign of hope. She didn't even know how it got into her bag because that day was something Chloe would rather forget. However, her naive expression at the time was still staring Chloe in the face, which caused her to grab the photo out of the bag and storm out of the room.

Walking down the hallway, she tossed it into the first garbage can she could find. After swiping her hands together, Chloe's expression faded. It hurt to toss that feeling away, but it had to be done, she had move on.

September 6

After her first class, Chloe was desperate for coffee of any form. Taking a grammar class was draining her brain and she needed to caffeinate herself. Walking up to Lazee's, she smiled, hoping Evie was serious about the friends discount. It was a miracle that it had taken Chloe this long to take advantage of it.

She shifted back and forth on her feet, waiting patiently as she moved forward in the line. Spotting Evie behind the espresso machine, Chloe waved to her. Evie grinned and gestured her towards the counter. Chloe was the third person in line, so she didn't feel too bad about cutting in line.

Evie grin widened as Chloe approached her. "You're starting to use it already?"

Chloe shrugged. "Hey, you offered."

"I'm glad to. I don't have a lot of friends around here."

"Why not?"

"Snap judgments. Girls think you're stealing their boyfriends, guys hate that you know more than they do." She shrugged it off. "I'm used to it really."

Chloe quickly changed the subject. "So you talked about an awesome almond mocha. It happens to be my favourite."

"You got it. Two dollars for a large."

Raising an eyebrow, Chloe asked, "Are you serious?"

"First time special. It's almost five for a large, so it'll be four in the future."

"Okay." Chloe handed her money to Evie and waited as her friend left to make her drink.

Evie looked back a couple times, thankful for her new acquaintance as put the finishing touches on the mocha, praying she'd meet Chloe's expectations. Evie had gotten used to being alone, and she hoped that she could hold onto this friendship... the mocha would help. She planted a genuine smile on her face and started heading back to Chloe.

"Ready to have your mind blown?"

"Absolutely."

Placing the mocha on the counter, Evie reached over to grab Chloe's shoulder. "Take this, savour this, and then let me know when you get back from class. This is not a flavour that should be rushed and I want your honest opinion."

After Evie retracted her hand, Chloe chuckled as she grabbed the mocha. "I will." Unfortunately, as she turned around, she hit the person behind her, causing the lid to dislodge and the drink to spill. Before she had a chance to think about it, she had grabbed some napkins and started to wipe the person's shirt. "I'm so sorry, I'm not usually such a klutz." After that, she paused, realizing that she was wiping down a random stranger.

"It's Evie, right? How about you get this lovely lady another mocha? My treat."

Chloe dropped the napkins instantly once she heard him speak. She knew that voice, but she had hoped she wouldn't hear it again. Finally looking up to face the inevitable, she found the brown eyes of Oliver Queen gleaming at her. After Lois told her about him, she did her research, like any reasonable reporter would do, and found out what was likely the reality of that night.

Trying to hold herself together, Chloe slightly turned towards the counter and shook her head. "Don't bother Evie... I've got class. Thank you though, Mr. Queen."

"Chloe..."

She thought about saying something, but instead, she quickly manoeuvred her way out of the cafe and tried to get away, but she could hear his footsteps in pursuit.

Oliver repeated, "Chloe, wait."

Chloe continued walking away. "Why?"

He grabbed her backpack to prevent her from getting away. "Because I'd like to have another opportunity to be your knight in shining leather."

Her chest tightened at the thought of the note she left behind. "Why couldn't you just stay a stranger?"

She wasn't facing him, but she could almost see him shrugging. "Fate works in mysterious ways."

"Fate, huh? That's the best you've got?"

"Just... give me a half hour, I owe you an almond mocha anyway. If you hate me afterwards, I'll leave you alone."

Chloe turned her head to the side. "Why are you pushing this?"

Oliver placed his hand on top of her backpack strap. "I told you. You're a different breed of girl, and while I know you're against the idea of dating, you can't be opposed to having a friend."

She wasn't, but she was torn between the man depicted in the tabloids and the man who saved her just over a week ago, and Chloe wasn't sure that she was willing to take that chance. Uncomfortable with how close he was to her, Chloe shoved the hand off her and took a couple steps to widen the space. "You being friends with a female? Really?"

Without hesitation, Oliver responded, "It's possible."

Chloe bit her lip and titled her head up, trying to figure out if she was going to regret what she was about to say. "Fine...Friday, 1:20. I have class at 2."

"See you then."

"Okay."

Chloe then realized after a couple of steps that she was going the wrong way to get to her class. She was worried to face him when she turned around, but he was gone. After rolling her eyes, Chloe grinned as she started walking down the pathway.

A couple hours later, Chloe felt a little scatterbrained. She sighed entering the building, wanting nothing else but to hit her head against the pillow and let the day be over. But she stopped at the door, knowing that she would have to explain herself to her roommate, something she didn't really feel like doing.

After opening the door, Chloe found Evie on her bed reading a book. Hearing the door click behind her, Chloe walked over to her bed and lay down. She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable comment. But it didn't come, and for some reason, it made Chloe more nervous. "Evie... about today..."

Not even moving her eyes from her book, Evie said, "Don't sweat it."

"That's it?"

"I figure you wouldn't want to talk about it. Everyone else will be bothering you about it... last thing you need is a gossipy roommate, right?"

"Thanks Evie." She said the words, but Chloe was so confused by Evie's casual attitude that her tone was shaky.

Sensing her agitation, Evie set her book down and sat up. "But you do want to talk about it, don't you?"

Chloe peered over her direction before pressing her fingertips on her forehead. "I don't know. I just..."

"Want to clear the air?"

"Exactly."

"Okay, so how does a small-town girl who's only been in town for about a month get to be on a first-name basis with Oliver Queen?"

She sat up and crossed her legs on her bed. "I met him about a week ago to chase away a guy at a nightclub." Seeing Evie's expression, Chloe quickly continued. "I know I'm underage, but it was Lois' idea and it's not something I plan to do again anytime soon."

"Wow, Chloe, you sure know how to pick 'em."

Chloe shook her head; she was more than aware of that now. "I didn't know who he was."

Evie got up to sit beside Chloe. "I believe you. If I wasn't on campus, I probably wouldn't know who Oliver Queen was either. So you just... talked, right?"

"Yeah, but he knows some things about me that... he said that he wouldn't tell anyone, but now knowing who is, I'm not sure what to believe anymore." Chloe closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She really wanted to trust Oliver, but considering her luck with men, she wondered if she was better cutting her losses here and letting him down easy on Friday.

Evie's eyes squinted momentarily before she patted Chloe's back reassuringly. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but he helped you when he didn't have to, he listened to you, and he remembered your name after a week. In my book, he seems genuine."

Nodding, Chloe realized the validity of Evie's argument. "You're right, and I could use a male friend around here."

"Mull it over at least, you've got until Friday right?"

"How did you know that?"

Evie bit her lip. "Oh... I thought he was bothering you, so I left the cafe , figuring I could try and intervene. It was the only thing I heard... sorry."

Seeing Evie's expression, Chloe's eyes lit up for the first time since leaving the coffee shop as she tried to reassure her friend. "I appreciate the concern, but next time, bring a new almond mocha."

Bringing her head up, Evie chuckled. "So...how was your first day?"

Chloe managed a grin. "Stressful, but I think I can handle it. I just don't know why I need a grammar class."

"Daransky's your prof, right?"

"Yeah."

"Piece of advice... do your homework. He mainly bases his exams off the assignments and the examples in the book... have you bought yours yet?"

"No, I wanted to avoid the first day rush."

Evie stood up and ruffled through a bag on the end of her bed. "Aha!" She pulled out a book and tossed it perfectly onto Chloe lap. "Have mine."

"What do want for it?"

Shaking her head, Evie leaned over to put her shoes on. "I hated that book and I was hoping to sell it to a freshman, but I'll settle with you coming with me to the game on Friday."

"Aren't you covering it?"

"I got the night off, but we can watch it from the press box."

"No, I want to have the college game experience beforehand I think."

Evie walked over to the door, opening it before she turned back to face Chloe. "Fair enough, but if you expect to get tickets, you better get off your butt and get your shoes on."

As she stood up, Chloe rolled her eyes. So much for relaxing the day away.

September 10

Friday hit sooner than Chloe wanted because she still wasn't ready to face Oliver. Unfortunately, there was only one way to find out the truth, so she approached the table with as much confidence as possible. She smiled as she sat down in the seat across from him, noticing the coffee cup in front of it. Sipping it slowly, Chloe smiled as her almond mocha momentarily satisfied her homesickness.

After a couple minutes of silence she asked, "So...are you planning on charming me to death?"

"You had no problem talking to me when you didn't know who I was."

Placing her cup on the table, Chloe shrugged a shoulder. "You were a guy to save me from the others... lesser of two evils."

"Disregarding the fact you took me up on my offer to listen that night, even if that was your real reason, that still means that you didn't mind my company, and you trusted me enough to look out for you in a place you weren't even supposed to be... legally anyways."

As the gleam in Oliver's eyes deepened, Chloe's eyes were widening. Seeing that she had no reaction to that statement, Oliver chuckled before continuing. "You spent the night talking about high school... kind of a give-away. If I wanted to bust you, I could have, but I didn't want to." He took a sip from his coffee before putting it back on the table. "Even if you didn't, I enjoyed your company, although I have to admit," Oliver pulled the napkin out of his pocket and placed it on the table. "Weirdest goodbye I've ever gotten from a girl."

Chloe was shocked that he held onto it. "Well, you're probably not used to having a girl walk away from you."

"The problem is keeping the wrong ones away and keeping the good ones close."

She could feel her pulse racing at his words, but she hid her thoughts with a roll of her eyes. "Save your flattery, Oliver. It won't get you anywhere."

"What? You don't think I enjoy having an intelligent conversation?"

Putting her hands up in frustration, Chloe said quickly, "I don't what to believe anymore... you've got quite the reputation."

Oliver sat back in his chair and looked around the cafe. "Nothing wrong with living before my life's figured out for me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Refusing to look back at Chloe, Oliver rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. "It's complicated."

A week ago, Chloe had let that slide. There was no way he was going to get away with it twice. "Nice try, I gave you the fine print of my life... your turn."

Oliver paused momentarily before giving in, telling Chloe about losing his parents, how his selfish actions led to a boy being killed in a car accident at boarding school, and how he swore to himself he would change, be the man his parents would be proud of. But he also resolved to enjoy his young adult life, as he figured goofing off would be a satisfying way to live until he was catapulted into his day job. The executives knew how smart he was, and how much he contributed to QI, but they kept it a secret from the media.

Chloe had to admit that she was amazed by how easily he had fooled the locals and the media. "So it's an act? The playboy with an undertone of bad-boy deal... it's all fake."

"The way I see it, let them have fun with the by-lines, and shock them when they discover that I actually have a brain."

His response caused Chloe to snicker as she took another drink. "Shrewd... risky... but shrewd. I take it that you're trying to tell me that I met the real you that night?"

"I'll let you be the judge of that, but what I can tell you is," Oliver sipped his coffee slowly before meeting Chloe's eyes again. "I've never told anyone any of this before. So we're even."

After thinking about it for a moment, Chloe nodded, but there was something that was still bothering her. "Why me? I get it, I'm different. But seriously, why tell me all this?"

"I don't know, but for some reason, I feel like I can trust you. You've got good morals, even for a journalist."

She raised an eyebrow. "You remembered that I was a journalist?"

"Don't seem so surprised, you weren't the only one who did their homework. Chloe Sullivan from Smallville, Kansas. Daughter of Gabe Sullivan and cousin of intrepid tabloid reporter Lois Lane... which totally explains the attention you were receiving by the way."

Chloe scoffed. "Are you going to tell me who my great-grandfather is, or does recalling my family tree have a point?"

Oliver grinned back at her. "Just getting started, believe me. First off, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading your high school articles, very different subject matter for a school paper. Even more impressive is that you practically ran the Torch by yourself." He paused as he looked out at the campus. "Honestly, the program is lucky to have someone of your calibre."

"Doesn't quite answer my question... what makes you think I wouldn't print this?"

"A valid point. There's something that changes in your tone in your high school articles. It makes me think something happened... that you're holding something back, but based on what I've seen and read, you're not afraid to hold back your opinion of anything. Yet something seems missing...might even be linked to the real reason you left Smallville."

Initially, Chloe was astonished that he had taken the time to research her past, but it scared her how easily he was able to spot the difference in her writing. She supposed that's what happened once discovering her best friend... if he was still that... was an alien and fought crime during his spare time. But the last thing she wanted to talk about was her life in Smallville, Oliver knew too much already, and Chloe wanted to put that behind her.

"So you think you've got me all figured out."

"No, not even close. But I'd like to try."

Chloe flipped her phone open to see the time. It was time her to leave, to make up her mind about a guy that had gone through hurdles just to talk to her… and not just any guy. She wasn't used to having guys pursue her, so it was a nice change. But she was still apprehensive of having a guy like Oliver around.

She let out a smile as she got up from her chair. "I'll think about it."

"Which means what exactly?"

"It's a strong maybe."

"You're never giving me a straight answer, are you?"

Chloe pursed her lips, trying not to smile. "See you around, Oliver."

As she turned around, Chloe noticed Oliver rolling his eyes but she didn't care. At this rate, she'd likely be late to class, hardly the impression she wanted to give for the first week.

~0~

After dropping off her bag at her dorm, Chloe began to head towards the football stadium, where she found Evie not far from a side entrance.

"Ready for the weekend?" Seeing Chloe nod, Evie pointed towards the door. "Want to check out the press box so we can skip the line-ups?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "We can do that?"

"The advantage to being a sports writer."

"Which you likely take advantage of even when you're not writing an article?"

Evie put a finger to her lips and smiled. "Shh... don't tell anyone." She banged on the door and waited. After a minute, a security guard came by to let them in. Evie smiled and turned back to face her roommate. "After you."

Evie spent the next little while showing the arena to Chloe, saving the press box for last. She could hardly contain the grin on her face as she opened the door. "This will be my home for the next three years when I'm not in class or in the dorm."

Both women walked up to the pane of glass, and Chloe admired the beauty of the arena at a distance. It was definitely a step up from her high school stands and turf.

A guy came up from behind them and tapped Evie on the shoulder. "Don't hold your breath."

After pushing the guy back with her elbow, Evie rolled her eyes. "Scott Kane... Chloe Sullivan. Fellow sports writer... roommate."

Chloe turned towards Scott, initially scared because his hair colour was identical to Clark's. However, Scott's hair was a bit longer and his dark brown eyes allowed Chloe to relax.

He grinned at Chloe before turning his head back to Evie. "So this is the new roommate? Chloe, is it true that you're interested in working for the Journal?"

She actually hadn't had time to mention the Journal to Evie yet, but she went with it. "I was the editor back home, and I honestly miss it. I don't have to be the full-time editor, but I'd love to be a part of it."

"Good, John told me that he's interested in meeting you."

"Who's John?"

Evie spoke up. "John Collins is the editor and coincidentally Scott's best friend. I figured if he knew what was good for him, he'd talk to him about you."

"Chloe, you won the jackpot when it comes to roommates."

Her grin widened before saying, "I'm starting to think so myself."

"Hey, like I said, you're already world's better than my roommate last year."

Scott slightly raised his hand. "I can vouch for that. Her writing was starting to suffer at the end of the winter semester."

"In your dreams, Kane. I just was levelling the playing field."

"Which would explain I'm still the primary sports writer for the paper."

Evie rolled her eyes before she punched Scott's arm. "Oh come on, John feels obligated to give you something after you introduced him to his girlfriend. It'll die off, just wait and see."

Rubbing the place where Evie's fist made contact, he grinned mischievously. "Dream on Chambers."

Chloe couldn't help but laugh at the playful banter between the two sportswriters. When Evie and Scott noticed, Evie backed away from Scott. "Anyway, the game is about to start, we should be heading to our seats."

"Well...good to see you Evie. Nice to meet you Chloe."

"You too Scott."

As the door closed, Evie hollered, "Later, Buzz."

Chloe raised an eyebrow in Evie's direction. "Buzz?"

"Oh... his high school's teams were called the Killer Bees. He was their mascot... named Buzz. It's a newspaper thing; everyone gets a weird name from their high school days."

"What's yours?"

"I don't have one." Evie had tried to shrug it off, but she refused to look Chloe in the eye, a fact that didn't escape the blonde.

"So why are you so nervous?"

After letting out a sigh, Evie looked down to her feet. "Because mine is worse... and it doesn't suit me at all."

"Oh come on... it can't be that bad."

Peering up, Evie said, "Poison Evie?"

Chloe bit her lip to try and hold back her laughter, but it was no use. She eventually broke. "Sorry... I know it's not funny, but that is terrible."

"I've managed to get most of the staff to back off, but Scott refuses to completely stop calling me that." Hearing Chloe chuckle, Evie quickly whipped her head towards her to ask, "What's so funny?"

"You like him."

Evie paled at the statement, but shook her head. "I don't... just a friendly competition, that's all."

Chloe knew better than to buy a statement like that. She had been around mutual unrequited feelings throughout high school, so she knew all the tell-tale signs. "I've heard that one before."

However, instead of backing down, Evie's eyes gleamed momentarily as she started to head down the steps. "I could say the same about you and Oliver. It was hard not to hear your banter at Lazee's, and any casual observer could see that..."

She interrupted as fast as she could. "Okay... backing off now."

Evie said with a wide grin on her face. "That's what I thought."

"So, where are our seats?"

Evie lead her through a row, but stopped suddenly. "Here."

"What's the problem?"

Oliver leaned forward in his seat and smiled. "Chloe? Evie? So nice to see both of you."

Chloe grabbed Evie's arm and whispered. "You didn't plan this, did you?"

"You think I had time to plan this between classes and work?" When Chloe's expression persisted, Evie sighed. "No, but there is no way I'm sitting between you two."

She begrudgingly squeezed past Evie, giving her an annoyed glare as she sat down.

Meanwhile, Oliver's grin widened as he said, "Well, isn't this a lucky coincidence."

Both of Chloe's eyebrows raised at statement. "Lucky? That depends on the party. As for coincidence, when you're concerned, I don't think there's such thing."

Turning back to face the game, Oliver said, "You never did give me an answer at coffee. I was hoping to see you here, but I never imagined it like this."

"Am I supposed to believe that?"

Oliver shrugged. "You can believe whatever you want. I just want to watch the game." He held out his popcorn bucket to her. "Want some?"

"No thanks."

Chloe stared at Oliver, who was trying to get on her nerves by pretending to ignore her. For ten minutes, he just sat there, nonchalantly eating popcorn without a care in the world. The stupid part was that it was working. She couldn't focus on the game while he smugly played her like this.

"Fine… you win."

Oliver simply grinned as he kept his eyes on the game.

The first half of the football game was too eventful for much conversation between the three. As the time winded down in the half, SCU scored a late touchdown to lead 17-10 over the visitors.

"Well... our team's not too shabby."

Oliver turned to Chloe and stated, "Just wait until the game against Met U. Apparently they've got this new QB that's already lighting up the college fantasy pools."

Evie whipped her head around with her eyes widened.

"Evie, are you okay?"

"I... He shouldn't have..." Evie bit her lip and shook her head.

"What's the big deal? She knows who it is."

"Oliver!"

Great, Chloe thought. She knew only one quarterback during her tenure at Smallville High, and considering Oliver knew she went there, as well as the staff of the Torch, there was only one logical conclusion.

Chloe finally spoke, "So Clark broke it big?" It's weird, she wanted to be happy for him, but she couldn't exactly manage a smile considering how she left Smallville.

"He never told you?"

"We... didn't leave on the best of terms."

Chloe could see Oliver's realization before he spoke. "Wait a minute... he's the guy."

Evie tugged on Chloe's arm. "What guy?"

Ignoring Evie, Oliver continued. "He's the guy you're running from."

"How does he know about Clark?"

Chloe was getting dizzy going back and forth between Evie and Oliver, but settled on Evie to give a quick explanation. "He didn't... not really. Just one of the many things I might end up regretting telling him. But how did you know about him?"

"I had heard about Clark Kent from college scouts and I thought about asking you about him, but after seeing the reaction that photo received, I realized that the photo was taken at happier times."

"When's the game?"

Evie said softly, "Early October I think."

That gave Chloe some time to absorb the idea that her old best friend was the big guy on campus. On the positive side, at least she didn't have to witness it first-hand.

October


Author Note: In case you're wondering, I'm in a writing program and it took a while for people to understand that I wanted to be a sports writer... so while I don't quite get the attention Evie does... the skeptics do exist.

Comments

[paulingui.livejournal.com]

I'm in love of this fic!

Aww Evie! I like her a lot! :). She seems like a great roommate and a good friend.

Ollie at the game LMAO. I love the talk between the three of them about Clark hahahaa and Evie saying "How does he know about Clark?"

Hahaha that was great!

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Evie's going to be sticking around, so I'm glad you liked her.

Hehe... I had to have him at the game and let Clark slip into the conversation. It better that he finds out sooner rather than later.

Thanks for reading!

[geek-or-unique.livejournal.com]

First, thanks for dedicating the chapter to me. :D

I love this chapter! It's even better than the first one!

Evie is amazing, I love her already.

I can't wait for october. :D

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Hey, no problem. It's the least I could do, so I'm glad you liked the chapter (and Evie).

October's almost done, but I'm trying to get Nov/Dec closer to finished so I can update more consistently

[luminare91.livejournal.com]

okay. i am officially in love with this fic. i love the way that oliver's just worming his way into chloe's life. i can't wait to read more about what happens!!

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Oliver's always persistent, so he'll subtly let himself into her life. But things will pick up in October, so I hope you'll like it.

Thanks for the feedback.

[f-queen.livejournal.com]

WOW i love your fic =)!!!!! i want read moreeee!!!!!!! :p

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'll try to update soon.

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

A roommate who makes almond mochas and has connections at the paper -- that is the jackpot for Chloe. Did you ever see the series My Boys on TBS? For some reason a girl sports writer made me think of PJ.

I enjoyed this chapter and seeing Chloe get used to her new world and Oliver stalk court her a little.

Now I really can't wait to see what Clark's presence brings in October.

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

No, I never saw that show. I have my writterly reasons for the mocha, but the sports writer thing isn't a fluke. I'm hoping to be a sports writer, but Evie is by no means me. I figured it would be fun for Chloe to have a roommate who's a little more laid back and not too girly (for lack of a better term).

You know, I still haven't decided if him sitting there at the game was a coincidence or not.

Yep, Clark's coming to town, and it isn't long before he meets Oliver and gives his two cents.

[552158.livejournal.com]

No worries about living up to expectations, this chapter was superb :)

I am in love with how easy flowing your dialogue is and how the plot is being moved forward. I also quite adore the idea of Ollie wooing Chloe :D

Very well done, looking forward to October :D

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading and taking the time to leave feedback. I'm glad I'm living up to your expectations so far, and I'll try to keep updating as often as I can.

[nienna87.livejournal.com]

I love Evie! She's so awesome! What a cool girl. I like how good Chloe and her get along how well they work together. And of course Ollie would be at the game hehe he makes me laugh at how he just irritates Chloe. I like watching him get under her skin. Give him a chance Chlo! ;D Great job girl this is so good and I can't wait for more!

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you like Evie. I struggled with the idea of having a full-time original character, but considering the response, I'm happy to report she's not going anywhere.

It's fun watching Ollie get under Chloe's skin, isn't it?

Well, I have a feeling everyone's going to like the next chapter, so I'm going to try to get it up soon.

[ms-mojo-risin71.livejournal.com]

I love this story sooo much and I love Evie (she too reminded me of PJ from My Boys) I like that Chloe will have a laid back friend like Evie, hopefully she can still get crazy with her cousin Lois.:) I love Ollie(okay who doesn't) and not going to lie, I awwwed when he kept the napkin! So cute! Okay, but I do have a really dumb question?? Is Chloe a freshman in this fic, so she's around 19? I wasn't sure if I missed that somewhere...Guess I will have to reread it!! :) Can't wait for next update!!

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Really? Well, like I said, I've never seen the show, so, purely coincidence, but glad to know you enjoy Evie's character.

But no worries, Lois will be back.

*grins* I'm a sucker for notes playing important roles, so the napkin had to play a part.

Yes, Chloe's a freshman. In August, I only imply that she's underage, but it's an easy detail to miss.

Thanks for reading!

[brittany2922.livejournal.com]

OMG I love this story so much!!!! It's already one of my favs, and I am soooo excited to read the next chapter!!!

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

*blushes at the icon* (it is kind of epic, by the way)

Yay! So happy you're loving it this much.

[abarbiestory.livejournal.com]

awesome update!!Evie is beyond awesome, i;m def looking forward to her character.

I like how you have all of them at the game! they can be three besties! lol Great job with bringing Clark into the convo, at least Ollie knows now so he knows that chloe has high standards(not that i think Clark is the greatest lol)


can;t wait for more! I hope evie and lois meet ! that should be fun!

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Glad you like Evie, but it's funny how everyone suggested a Evie/Lois meeting scene because I just realized I don't have one! So I'm adding it in the next chapter.

Hehe, she does have standards, and I figured getting the Clark situation out of the way earlier would make things easier for Chloe.

Thanks for reading!

[gaialy.livejournal.com]

Love Evie! Can't wait for her to meet Lois, that will be something to see. :) And can I just say that I really like the sneaky Oliver...

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm actually adding a scene where Evie meets Lois because I completely forgot! (Whoops)

[modscho.livejournal.com]

I'm just loving this!

Evie seems to be the perfect roomie, but I can't shake the feeling that she isn't the nice girl she seems to be ... I mean she seems nice and all, but there seems to be something amiss still.
I guess I have to wait and see, huh?

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Yes you will, because I'm not saying anything on that comment except I have ideas when it comes to her character, and I'm not sure what to do with them yet.

[kachica.livejournal.com]

Great update. Can't wait for the next one!

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Hopefully you enjoy the next chapter.

[pompeypearly-v2.livejournal.com]

i have a feeling this is going to become my new favourite multi-chap.

Love the character Evie, sounds like just the friend Chloe needs.

Let's hope the BDA doesn't swoop in and make things a mess for Chloe.

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

High praise, thanks.

Yeah, I figured Chloe could use someone like Evie in her life.

As for BDA (assuming this means Clark), he swoops in, but Chloe's ready for him this time.

[saurina.livejournal.com]

I love this fic so much, especially Evie and Scott are a nice addition to the canon cast. Chloe really deserves a friend who will look out for her and I'll bet Chloe will return the favour. Can't wait for more..:))

Btw one question: Has Oliver already been stranded on the island or will that occur later on or not at all? Sorry I'm no good when it comes to time lines, so I was just wandering..:)

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Glad you like the new additions. Scott won't be around too much (or at least from what I've written), but Evie's sticking around for the long haul.

As for your question: no comment.

Hope you like the next chapter.

[iheartbl.livejournal.com]

Great chapter! And I'm really liking Evie.

Don't let people get you down, I'm sure you'll be a great sports writer :)

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all your kind words. And no worries, I'm not letting them get to me, not anymore.

[chlollie64.livejournal.com]

hi serafina!!!

i translated in french as I said you...here is the link....http://forums.taplanete.net//index.php?act=ST&f=16&t=19859&s=40f715ba7c17ff3e6583e0b5905dd066

the 2 chapters are translated!!!!

i love very much this fic, all characters: Ollie, Chlo, Edie, Lois....it's so great, beautiful...

french people enjoy it too; find it well-written, amazing....full of imagination....

like me, they are looking forward a sequel....

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

Disregard my last comment, I actually managed to get October up today.

Thanks again!

[slytherinpunk.livejournal.com]

Okay damn I'm I slow on the uptake... This was reall great! I really love Evie, having gone for sports journalism as well, I can relate to her a lot, and not just because she's also an awesome Detroit Red Wings fan! ;) I think Chloe and Evie could have a strong dynamic, they seem similar, but opposites.

Love the way Chloe ran into Oliver again, and I can't wait to see how their relationship develops further. I laughed when she asked out loud why he couldn't have just remained a stranger. Especially since hebproved at th game h has great insight to her and he listened when they talked before. I just hope there's not too much Clark in this. Great update!

[serafina19.livejournal.com]

No worries, I'm always glad to see that people enjoying this story. However, part of me did hope you'd read this chapter because of our common interests in sports (and the fact we're both looking into sports journalism).

Evie had to be a Red Wings fan... there was no other option for me. I also figure she'd be a nice change of pace from Lois.

The coffee incident was from a different story idea that I ended up shelving, but I couldn't resist using it, along with the stranger line.

The game was definitely one of my favourite scenes to write, so I'm glad you liked that. But no worries, I don't have Clark around if I don't have to in this story.

Thanks for all of your comments.