Beyond the Sun

20

The next day went flying past, and before she knew it, Annie was sliding into the back of the family Jeep. She'd just helped load up the boot with all sorts of bits and pieces. Most things seemed to be things which both Jonathan and Martha had harvested especially for this occasion. Annie looked slowly to her other companion back here: Shelby, the dog. Panting happily away, Shelby seemed totally at peace with looking about the space, casually glancing out of the window; even yawning and trying to awkwardly settle down to sleep. When that failed, sitting upright returning to looking about issued.

"Have you ever been to a fundraiser before, Annie?" Martha asked while managing to peer over the dog to look at her.

She looked away from the window and shook her head. "There was one back in Gotham...but it didn't end well, I don't think they've had another for a while. But then celebrations usually don't go to plan there. As for attending one or any here, no, I've not. This is my first one." Annie said casually with a smile and a shrug. "I guess it'll be the first and only one, once college crops up." She said while leaning back in her seat, secretly putting emphasis on the future. She frowned gently though when the vehicle came to a slow stop, they were in a traffic jam. If any time was a good time, or not, to discuss the future, it was surely now?

"Your mum did mention something about different options you were looking at when I last saw her." Jonathan said while creeping forwards in the traffic some more.

Annie nodded, and then realised he couldn't see it. "Uh-huh, yeah, loads of the forms came through the other day." She said awkwardly, she didn't even know her mum had an inkling on her plans for college. Clearly Rebecca was sharper and more in tune than what Annie seemed to give credit for.

"You better soon starting look too, son. Before all places get taken." Jonathan turned the conversation at last to the teenager beside him. He hadn't taken his eyes off the road, as the cars seemed to become more and more compact. Annie could've sworn that each car was now literally bumper to bumper, which really wasn't helpful.

"That won't really matter." Clark started while looking out of the window, suddenly the car beside them was rather interesting to look at. He could basically feel the sudden shift in tension from the man beside him. "I'm not hanging around here." Clark finally spoke the one thing which was currently weighing heavily on his mind. Annie inhaled and exhaled as quietly as possible, yet she was relieved. She knew more than anyone else, how much Clark disliked going against his parents. It was something which people joked at his expense about at school. But Annie genuinely thought it was a good trait. Being disrespectful to the people who, in this case, bought him up despite not being their own, was a rather harsh blow. She couldn't talk though, she was a hypocrite, considering how much angst she still held towards her own father.

"Be serious now, Clark." Jonathan laughed gently thinking that he was joking about the matter. Clark just stayed silent, which if anything made the already awkward space even more awkward. The only real thing which could be heard was Shelby panting, but even that seemed to waver out in the tense atmosphere of the car.

"I need to be somewhere where I can do some good, dad. And for that to happen, I'll need to first find the place." Clark finally said in a rather short tone, he was clearly a little irritated that Jonathan believed that he was joking about this all. He honestly hadn't been more serious on something else before.

"You really think travelling about the country is the wisest thing for you to do with your time, Clark?" Martha asked from the back as she glanced over the back of the seat to look at him. It seemed like a cop out, it also sounded like a dreadful waste for someone who was as smart as he was.

"She's right," Jonathan furthered on with a slow measured nod. "It sounds like a massive waste of time." Jonathan said cutting rather to the point. Someone had to be blunt on the matter. There was no point pussyfooting around like Martha did.