Awwgust Drabbles

Clothing Swap

I wake up, gasping for air, drenched in sweat. It feels like I've been run over by a truck. Every bone in my body aches and it feels like I'm being sucked into a whirlpool.

I try to remember what I had for dinner last night and come up blank. Whatever I ate doesn't agree with me. I roll out of bed, and am hit with a sharp, gut-wrenching pain in my abdomen. I hold onto the bedpost, waiting for the cramping to stop, but it doesn't. 

"Clark?" I call out, but the bedroom is silent. I search the other side of the bed and mentaly kick myself as I recognize the purple comforter. I'm back in my apartment. Huh. I don't remember coming home last night. Clark's Star Trek shirt is wadded at the foot of the bed. So that happened. But then why am I missing a chunk of time?

It's been a weird last few months. I'm tired of being sick. I'm tired of being tired. I'm tired of fighting with Clark. This virus is starting to attack my brain.

Finally the cramping stops and I lumber into the bathroom and splash cold water on my face. Lucy brushes her teeth at the sink and shoots me a worried glance as I collapse on the toilet.

"You look like hell," Lucy frowns.

"Good morning to you too," I say dryly, surveying myself in the mirror on the door.

I hardly recognize the girl staring back. I'm so pale I could pass for a Cullen family member. There are dark circles under my puffy eyes, giving me the look of a junkie on the hunt for their next fix. Thank God for makeup.

I join Lucy at the sink, brushing my teeth. My stomach revolts, another wave of nausea choking me. I lean over the sink and throw up my toe nails. It smells like rotten sushi which makes me puke even harder. 

"It's been months, Lois," she chides. "You need to go see a doctor."

"I feel a little better," I lie, wiping the puke off my chin. The truth is the only time I feel normal is when Clark is around. The lying traitor. I know he loves me, but the thought of that homewrecker's lips on Lana sickens me.

"Did Clark seem upset when he left last night?" I keep my voice casual, not wanting her to know I don't remember how I got home. Lana paid Clark a midnight visit. I freaked. The rest is history. Did I imagine giving him a hickey? That's never happened before.

"I don't know," Lucy combs knots out of her dark brown hair. "You were already asleep when I got back."

"How's Ron doing?" I tease.

Lucy's eyes widen in horror. "How long have you known?"  It's funny she thinks she can keep anything from me. I'm her big sister, there are no secrets between us. Except one big one."Did Clark tell you?" Lucy grinds her hands together.

"Clark knew before me?" The secrets just keep piling up. "Lucy!" I  screech.

"I'm not sure really," she licks her upper lip thoughtfully. "He barged into the storage room one time, but he didn't seem to notice me," she explains. "I just assumed he was being nice and didn't want to embarass me." 

Oh, shit. She was in the storage closet with Clark when he changed into Superman. Dating Ron Troupe, a Harvard graduate is one thing. The only objection the General would have is the age gap. Lucy just turned twenty. In the grand scheme of things six years apart wasn't that bad.

Clark on the other hand . . . Dad will disown me if he ever figured out his baby girl is dating Superman. This is a delicate situation.

"That sounds like him," I smile tightly. Do I ask what she saw or keep my trap shut? Best to draw her attention away from Clark. "So how did you two meet?"