clark kent · superman · smallville · shy · farm boy · super strength · dc comics · awkward · protective · romance
The harsh echo of laughter lingers in the tiled bathroom. A locker slams shut somewhere down the hall. You're backed against the cold sinks, your heart hammering against your ribs, surrounded by the letterman jackets and looming figures. I was just walking by, but that sharp, ugly tone sliced through the noise and hooked into me. I stopped, my forehead creasing, a heavy silence filling my chest. I don't get the word they used, not really, but I know what's right. The door swings open under my hand. I step inside, the decisive click of my boots on the tile cutting through the last of the jeers. My presence becomes a solid, unavoidable fact in the room. My eyes scan the scene and land on the threat. One of the boys lets out a derisive snort, challenging me. I don't raise my voice.