reason to smile ~ jonathan kent

the bonfire that went wrong

Later into the evening, the younger population of Smallville gathered around a roaring bonfire at the 'Old Shuster Mine'. The scene was ripe with those drinking from a keg, those taking drugs, those acting out or maybe all of the above. Tilly was kind of excited to witness the chaos that was bound to occur. She had missed it for too long.

Sarah had previously met Tilly halfway so that they could walk into the party together, not wanting her to arrive alone for her grand entrance she was planning. Or maybe Sarah didn't want to arrive alone herself. But whatever the reasons, Tilly agreed. There was a light flow of conversation between the girls as they walked along the streets of the small town. It was as if they could already feel the sisterly bond returning with every word they spoke. It made them both happy. Whether they showed it or not.

Once they finally arrived, the party was in full swing. Walking towards the crowd, other teens finally began noticing the two. Some greeted Sarah but most were gazing at Tilly, seemingly wondering the same thing.

Who was this girl? Why did she look familiar?

The blonde felt the power rush over her as recognition flowed through certain people's eyes before they swiftly looked away. Most of these people she recognised, if not all of them. But none of them were those she would ever class as old friends.

"Tilly?" a voice called out from the crowd and as she scanned it over, looking for the source. A smirk grew on her face as a familiar face stepped out, sporting a familiar grin.

"Tag Harris, long time no see" she stated as he walked up, wrapping her in his arms.

"You're never leaving again, I'm telling you that right now" he sighed, his smile contrasting between his strong words.

She rolled her eyes at his dramatics but hugged him back anyway.

Good to see he hasn't changed.

"Oh really? Well, your prayer has been answered. I am back. For good" she smirked, trailing her eyes across the crowd of familiar faces, who were now staring. Everyone seemed to glance at each other, not knowing how to really feel or react to the girl's news.

She looked expectantly at everyone, glancing back at Sarah, who gave her a small supportive nod with a smile, as Tilly addressed them all, "well what are you looking at? Let's party!"

Cheers echoed across the area and the eyes that were once on Tilly, had now pointed themselves away, the teens returning back to their previous antics. The night was back on track.

For a while, Tilly stood with Tag, catching up on the gossip she had missed out on after the years she wasn't there. If she were being honest, it felt good to be talking with her old friends again. To finally be home.

Home.

A place. A memory. A person.

Home can mean different things to different people. Home can mean more than one thing to the same person.

For Tilly, home was here. Home was Smallville. It will never not be.

After a while, Tilly ventured over to Sarah, beginning to mindlessly talk with a few people she recognised from the high school. She could tell that they were intimidated by her, but she didn't care. At all. If anything, she thrived from the reaction. Well, at least that what she tried her best to put across.

They were trying to ask her questions about where she was and what happened to her but she couldn't help but give blunt answers. Sarah felt herself playfully rolling her eyes at her friend's actions but knew that it was simply how Tilly was. She was back. That was all that mattered to Sarah at this moment. Maybe everything could start getting better now that her best friend was back. Sarah knew that the façade of sorts the blonde girl put across wasn't her true self but she could never get her to be truly herself for an extended period before she reverted back into the persona she put across and she never knew why she wouldn't. Sarah was her closest friend so why wouldn't she tell her? Why couldn't she tell her?