Music Theory [Smallville Chlex [18+]

Gravity

Gravity

        Chloe stood, swaying like a leaf. She held a backpack full of her clothes and her laptop, and held on tightly to a duffle bag that had all the shoes she could carry. She wore her most comfortable stretchy jeans and a long loose thin knit brown and green striped sweater. Her hair was wind blown and too long, her face too wet.

        When Lex opened the door to his penthouse suite, Chloe thought she saw a twinge of surprise in the usually haunted icy depths of his blue eyes. He didn’t say anything, didn’t have to. He stood so tall and clean in trousers, and a pressed plum shirt. He’d ordered Chinese and she could smell it and see the sheen of Singapore Mei Fun on his lips. It made her hungry but for what, Chloe was scared to discern.

        They stood just inside the door, moving in a strange choreographed dance she’d moved in before. Something always brought her back to him; it never took too long. 

        “I ordered Chinese,” Lex said with a forced casual lilt to his voice. It always made her beam with satisfaction to know how bad he was at pretending with her, as if he forgot how to lie.

        “Were you expecting me?” Chloe teased, pulling out an uneaten carton of Cheng Du Chicken. It was her favorite dish from her favorite Chinese restaurant. Lex rarely ordered Chinese food, and never without her. 

        “No matter what I say or do, I still feel you here…” He stopped short, stared down tightly smirking at his carton of noodles as if by staying very still and silent, she wouldn’t notice him, wouldn’t remember his touching words. It made her heart sting and she cleared her throat, smiling warmly, too brightly and brought him a napkin.

        If they avoided the topic long enough, Chloe could stay, could look passed their problems and just ease into the life she had before. That meant she couldn’t rehash their last argument, couldn’t let herself cry about it now that it was over, and couldn’t, could not; let herself fall another moment into his gravity. 

        Throughout the night, she felt herself being tugged, it was nearly undetectable at first, just like falling in love with Lex always was, but it became a noticeable pull. Chloe, with all her strength, resisted him as well as she could but it only made him all the more desirable. He could always hold her without touch, and eventually keep her without chains.

        And because she was afraid to repeat her own silly schoolgirl follies, and she remembered how heavy those chains were, Chloe stood abruptly and held on to her chopsticks in her clammy fist, shaking with the anxiety she felt at being in love with someone like Lex. She’d stood so tall, just the way she was suppose to be, but he was on to her. His eyes were all over her, assessing her, figuring her out.

        He stood with her, and, gentle because he saw her coiled energy, stepped close and pulled her into his arms. His lips were glossy, like her own, salty and spicy but the pressure was sweet. His hands held her arms as if she was fragile, and for an instant, Chloe thought she was strong. It wasn’t long before all her fragile strength was gone. 

        Chloe knew she’d fallen in again. She knew Lex would keep her down, keep her chained in the most despicable ways; it was all over. 

        “Something always brings me back to you, it never takes too long,” she said in a hush against his mouth, writhing against his body. She’d meant it as a confession of her love, but it seemed more like defeat. 



Song: Gravity
Artist: Sara Bareilles
Album: Little Voice