บท 2: Chapter 2
The warm Kansas sun beat down on the Kent farm, its rays shimmering off the windshield of an old pickup truck parked in the driveway. Inside the vehicle, 10-year-old Clark Kent fidgeted nervously, his bright blue eyes darting between his parents in the front seat.
"Now remember, Clark," Martha Kent said, turning to face her son, "you need to be extra careful at school today. No using your... special abilities."
Jonathan Kent nodded in agreement, his weathered hands gripping the steering wheel. "That's right, son. We don't want a repeat of what happened last week."
Clark's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he recalled the incident. During recess, he'd absentmindedly lifted the entire jungle gym with one hand while retrieving a ball that had rolled underneath. The shocked gasps of his classmates still echoed in his ears.
"I'll be careful, I promise," Clark mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.
As the truck pulled up to Smallville Elementary, Clark's super-hearing picked up the excited chatter of his classmates. Among the familiar voices, a new one stood out – high-pitched and tinged with nervousness.
"Looks like we have a new student," Jonathan observed, noticing a unfamiliar car in the drop-off lane.
Clark's eyes widened as he saw a girl about his age step out of the vehicle. Her blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her bright smile seemed to light up the schoolyard. For a moment, Clark forgot about his anxieties, captivated by the newcomer.
"Have a good day, sweetie," Martha said, giving Clark a quick hug as he climbed out of the truck.
Clark nodded, shouldering his backpack and taking a deep breath. He could do this. He could be normal.
As he walked towards the school entrance, Clark found himself gravitating towards the new girl. She stood alone, clutching her backpack straps tightly as she surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings.
"Hi," Clark said, summoning his courage. "I'm Clark. Are you new here?"
The girl's face lit up with relief at being addressed. "Yes! I'm Annie. Annie January. We just moved here from Des Moines."
"Welcome to Smallville," Clark replied with a warm smile. "Do you want me to show you around?"
Annie nodded eagerly, and as they walked into the school together, Clark felt a strange sense of kinship with this newcomer. Both of them, in their own ways, were trying to find their place in a world that didn't quite understand them.
Throughout the day, Clark and Annie found themselves drawn to each other. During lunch, they sat together, sharing stories about their lives. Clark was careful to keep his secrets hidden, but he couldn't help feeling a connection to Annie's tales of feeling different and out of place.
It wasn't until recess that Clark's carefully maintained facade began to crack. As they played on the swings, Annie pumping her legs with enthusiasm, Clark found himself swinging higher and higher without effort. The familiar surge of power coursed through him, and for a moment, he forgot himself.
With a gleeful laugh, Clark let go of the swing at its highest point. Time seemed to slow as he soared through the air, farther and higher than any normal child could have managed. For a breathtaking moment, he felt free – until he realized what he had done.
Panic set in as Clark plummeted towards the ground. He could hear Annie's gasp of shock, could see the wide-eyed stares of his classmates. In that split second, Clark made a decision. He couldn't reveal his full abilities, but he also couldn't miraculously land unharmed.
Clark hit the ground hard, intentionally rolling to make it look like a rough landing. He let out a convincing groan of pain, internally marveling at how little he actually felt.
"Clark!" Annie's voice was filled with concern as she ran to his side. "Are you okay? That was amazing!"
As a crowd of students and a worried teacher gathered around him, Clark played up his discomfort, all while trying to deflect attention from his extraordinary leap.
"I'm fine," he insisted, allowing the teacher to help him up. "Just got carried away, I guess."
But as he met Annie's eyes, Clark saw something that made his heart skip a beat – not just concern, but a glimmer of recognition and understanding. It was as if, in that moment of unguarded flight, she had seen something in him that resonated with her own hidden depths.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of whispered conversations and sidelong glances. Clark's "accident" became the talk of the school, with wild speculations about how he had managed such a feat. Through it all, Annie stayed by his side, her presence both a comfort and a source of anxiety.
As the final bell rang, Clark found himself walking with Annie towards the pickup area. They paused at the edge of the schoolyard, both hesitant to part ways.
"Clark," Annie said softly, her eyes meeting his with an intensity that belied her young age. "I saw what you did. It was... incredible."
Clark felt his heart race, fear and excitement warring within him. "I don't know what you mean," he stammered. "I just jumped too high, that's all."
Annie shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "It's okay. I... I understand. Being different, I mean."
Before Clark could respond, a car horn honked. Annie's parents had arrived. With a quick wave, she turned and ran towards her ride, leaving Clark standing there, his mind reeling.
As he watched Annie's car drive away, Clark felt a mixture of emotions he couldn't quite untangle. Fear at almost revealing his secret, excitement at the possibility of someone understanding him, and a strange, warm feeling in his chest when he thought of Annie's smile.
The sound of his own name broke through his reverie. Clark turned to see his parents' truck pulling up, their faces etched with familiar concern. As he climbed into the backseat, Clark knew he had a lot to explain.
But for the first time in his young life, Clark also felt a glimmer of hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as alone in this world as he had thought. As the truck pulled away from the school, Clark's mind was filled with thoughts of soaring swings, understanding smiles, and the possibility of a friend who might truly see him for who he was.
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