Superman: Dawnbreaker (DC Icons #4)(42)

“Wait, but that’s amazing.”

“I had to decline.”

Clark was confused. “Why?”

She handed him the letter. “All that extra attention might’ve led the school officials to dig around in my background. And my mom…she wasn’t born here. We’re a mixed-status family. With the way things are going right now, I couldn’t risk putting us in any kind of jeopardy.” Gloria pulled her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees.

Clark’s heart sank. Gloria was one of the two smartest and most deserving candidates, and nothing should have stripped her of that opportunity. He could feel his blood starting to boil as he read the short letter. He handed it back, shaking his head. “That’s not fair, Gloria.”

She shrugged, folding the letter up. “But maybe that’s what getting older is all about, right, Clark? You start to realize just how much of the world is unfair. And how few people care. It’s not about justice, right? It’s about power. And the people where I live…we don’t have any. Not yet.”

Clark’s heart ached for Gloria. But it ached for himself, too. He was afraid to let anyone know who he really was, for the exact same reason. To protect his family. “I wish there was something I could do.”

“Me too. But I wish for a lot of things. I wish my parents didn’t have to worry about money. I wish I was going to college next year.” Gloria smiled wistfully. “I wish someone would take me ice-skating.”

“Ice-skating?” This last one surprised Clark. His phone buzzed again, but he ignored it.

She nodded. “I’ve always wanted to do that. It seems so…American. Gliding across the ice with your friends. Maybe doing a little twirl or going backward.” She laughed at herself and tucked a long strand of dark hair behind her ear. “Anyway, I didn’t mean to unload all that on you.”

“I’m glad you did,” Clark told her.

She placed her hand on top of his and gently squeezed, then crumpled the letter and stood up. “Well, I better go. My uncle Rene is organizing a rally this weekend in front of city hall, and I promised to help run the meeting tonight.” Gloria handed Clark another strand of licorice before stashing the rest and shouldering her backpack.

Clark could still feel the warmth of her touch on his hand. “What are you doing with that?” he asked, gesturing toward the crumpled letter.

She glanced at the ball of paper in her hand. “Tossing it. I’m not sentimental when it comes to stuff like this.”

“No matter what happens,” Clark said, pointing at her with his strand of licorice, “you should feel really proud, Gloria. Valedictorian. That’s amazing.”

When she smiled at him this time, he felt it all the way inside his chest.

“Clark, you may be the kind of guy who runs women over in school halls, but you’re also a really good listener. Thank you. And if you ever need me to repay the favor, come find me.”

He chuckled a little, beaming.

“Seriously,” she said. “Doesn’t matter when or where. I’ll drop everything.”

“Okay. Thanks.” And then another bold thought occurred to Clark. “And, hey, maybe one day we’ll go ice-skating.”

“And do leaps and twirls?”

Clark nodded. “All that.”

“Count me in.” She waved, and Clark watched her start back toward the school building, stopping only to toss her crumpled letter into a nearby trash can.

Before Clark left, he decided on a whim to pull Gloria’s letter out of the trash. Just in case she might want it in the future. He smoothed the paper and slipped it into his backpack, then checked the messages on his phone.

There were four, all from Lana:

Hey, let’s talk at lunch.

Clark, where ru???

I’m sorry if I made things weird last night. But stop ignoring me!

Hey, I stopped by your farm because you were IGNORING me. You need to get over here ASAP. Your parents just invited Montgomery Mankins INTO YOUR HOUSE!!!





The first thing Clark noticed after sprinting home from school was the shiny black car parked outside the farmhouse. It was a fancier, more modern version of a Lincoln Town Car, and anyone who lived in Smallville would have recognized it immediately. It was the car Montgomery Mankins was chauffeured around in.

Inside the house, Clark’s mom and dad were seated at the dining room table across from Montgomery and a man who wore a business suit and had a briefcase open in front of him. He was shuffling around some papers while Montgomery spoke.

“…really think you’ll find it more than generous,” he was saying. He paused when Clark entered. “Clark, good to see you again!” He stood and reached out to shake Clark’s hand. “Please join us. I’d like the whole family to be present for this.”

“We’re talking about the value of the farm,” Jonathan said. “You’re welcome to sit with us. But just so you know, Lana’s upstairs waiting for you.”

“She claims you were ignoring her?” Martha said.

“My phone was turned off.” Clark looked at his dad. “Everything okay?”

His dad nodded. “We’re having a good conversation.”

“Okay.” Clark eyed Montgomery and his associate as they passed a few papers back and forth. “I’ll see what Lana wants.”