Page 66 of Saving Little Clark

Before I could move, Alex was there.

"What," he seethed, precise and cutting, "in the ever-loving heck was that?"

"It was an accident, plain and simple. No need to be so dramatic."

"Accident my ass!" Alex snarled, taking an aggressive step forward. "I saw you, you lying little witch."

For a moment, Kristen just gaped at him. "Geez, try to extend an olive branch, and this is the thanks we get? I so do not need this kind of negativity in my life."

She sniffed disdainfully, flounced off the roof and turned away. But before she could take another step, Alex's hand shot out and closed around her wrist.

"You're not going anywhere until you apologize," he ground out, low and flinty. "To Clark. For being a raging psycho.”

Then, from somewhere behind me, a small voice piped up.

"You say sorry right now, you meanies!"

I whipped around, only to find Elijah glaring up at the girls with all the ferocity his little face could muster. Chin wobbling precariously, hands balled into tiny fists at his sides.

But even as I watched, that spark dimmed. Gave way to confusion and a burgeoning hurt.

"I don't understand," Elijah said plaintively, voice small. "I thought we were all gonna be friends now. Gonna put this whole mess behind us and just play nice. Like Daddy always says we should. Was that all a lie? Were you just pretending the whole time?"

Sweet, sunny Elijah. The idea that someone might feign forgiveness, might wield it as a weapon only to twist the blade at the last second was antithetical to his very nature.

Looking between us, taking in our stony expressions and united front, Kristen finally wavered.

"Fine," she spat, twisting her arm free from Alex's grasp. "Whatever. Sorry, or something. Happy now?"

"It's okay," Elijah said softly, stepping forward to lay a gentle hand on my forearm. "We forgive you." Elijah just smiled. A touch sad, but no less genuine for the melancholy tinge. "Ihope maybe someday you can forgive me too. For not seeing how sad and scared you were, underneath all the prickles."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away. Leaving the rest of us gaping in his wake, struck dumb by the sheer moral fortitude on display. I made to follow him, but Alex caught my eye. Shook his head minutely, something hard and glinting in his gaze.

"Not yet," he murmured, for my ears only. "Let him have his moment. This is important, you know? Him standing up for himself, even in the little ways."

I deferred to Alex's judgment. Settled for watching Elijah's small, retreating figure, fists clenched white-knuckled at my sides.

With a final, poisonous smile at the girls, I turned to leave. Jerked my head for Alex to follow, which he did with palpable relief. We made it halfway across the yard before he cracked. Dissolving into slightly hysterical giggles, high and thready as he clutched at my arm.

"Oh my god," he wheezed, eyes streaming. "Did you see their faces?”

"Hopefully it's enough to buy us some peace and quiet for the rest of the day. I've had just about all I can stomach of those two harpies."

Alex hummed in fervent agreement, linking his arm through mine as we mounted the back steps. As we neared the kitchen, Alex drew up short. He got down on all fours and I followed. A sly, speculative look transformed his face, eyes narrowing.

"Clark," he said slowly, uncharacteristically serious. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

I raised a brow, suddenly wary. "I don't know, Lex. Am I thinking that we should probably let this go, take the high road and all that jazz?"

He scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "No, I was thinking more along the lines of payback."

It was wrong. Petty and juvenile and everything Elijah's shining example had cautioned against. But god, it was tempting. The thought of those two getting even a fraction of their cruelty reflected back at them, of tasting real, tangible consequences for once in their charmed little lives.

"I'm listening," I said simply.

Alex's grin widened, eyes sparkling with wicked delight. He linked his elbow through mine, tugging me as we crawled towards the playroom.

Mind made up, I threw myself into planning with gusto. Joined Alex in his enthusiastic scheming, tossing out ideas and refining details until we had a workable blueprint. Elijah took a bit more convincing, torn between his ironclad moral code and the allure of justice.

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