Chapter 18

Chloe, standing slightly apart, lowered her gaze, forcing a small smile as she flipped through the printed pictures. Her fingers gripped the edges a little too tightly, but no one noticed.

Lisa, watching them, waggled her eyebrows. "Ooooh, okay, we got some chemistry happening here."

Chloe forced a laugh. "Yeah, yeah. Can we move on before we start narrating a rom-com?"

Apollo turned to her with an amused look. "Why? Jealous?"

Chloe froze for a split second before quickly covering with a smirk.

"Oh, definitely—jealous that Skye gets to be your problem instead of mine. At least I don't have to worry about being an accomplice when she the government finally catches her" Chloe said to them.

"You would at least have a killer mugshot though, especially with those eyes. Although it would ruin your perfect, boy scout farm boy persona" Lisa quipped

"Really? I get teased for my hacking obsession, but you get mocked for being too perfect. Life really is unfair, huh?" Skye said a jokey smile on her face.

"You know," Pete mused, "between Apollo's brain, Skye's hacking, and Chloe's journalistic bloodhound instincts, I feel like I should be a secret agent or something just to keep up."

"You're charming, Pete. That's your superpower," Chloe quipped.

"Don't forget good-looking," Pete added, winking.

The group laughed, and Apollo shook his head. Chloe let out a slow breath, her fingers still gripping the photos.

As the group stepped away from the photo booth, still laughing at Pete's exaggerated poses and Lisa's playful attempts to cover his face in every shot, they found themselves caught in the flow of students moving toward the refreshments table. The prom was in full swing, the air filled with music, laughter, and the occasional shriek from someone being spun too fast on the dance floor.

"Alright, we've taken pictures, we've danced a little—what's next?" Pete asked, slinging an arm around Lisa's shoulders.

"Food," Lisa answered immediately. "Dancing makes me hungry."

"You barely danced," Chloe pointed out with a smirk.

"Details" Lisa replied.

As they neared the refreshment table, they spotted a small crowd gathered around a circular table where a group of students sat playing poker. At the center of it all was Whitney, flashing a confident grin as he shuffled a deck of cards.

"Apollo!" Whitney called out as soon as he spotted him. "Man, I was just talking about you. You ever gonna stop being the most annoyingly talented guy in school and actually try out for the team?"

Apollo chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was planning on it next year actually, seeing as I won't have to work on the farm as much."

"Finally! It's about time!" Whitney laughed. "Dude, you're the best athlete in school, and you don't even try. You embarrass everyone in gym class. I've seen you outrun the track team, lift more than the weightlifters, and throw and hit better than anyone in Smallville. What's your secret?"

Pete snickered. "Trust me, we ask him about it all the time. His answer is always just 'good genes'.'"

Whitney shook his head with a grin. "Well, if you're as good on the field as you are at everything else, we'll be unstoppable."

"I'll try my best," Apollo said with an easy smile.

Whitney gestured to the poker table. "Speaking of being good at everything, you guys wanna get in on a little game? We've got room."

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "What's the buy-in?"

"No money," Whitney assured her. "Just pride. And—" He smirked. "The losing team has to do the chicken dance in the middle of the dance floor."

Lisa gasped. "Oh, I love this."

Skye smirked. "What do you guys think? Does Apollo's perfection extend to poker?"

Chloe tapped her chin dramatically. "Only one way to find out…"

Apollo sighed. "Why do I feel like I'm being set up?"

Pete clapped him on the back. "Because you are."

The game started with friendly competition and playful jabs. Pete, ever the charmer, tried to bluff his way through the first few rounds, but Lisa saw through him immediately.

"Pete, stop grinning like that. You always do that when you're bluffing," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"What? No, I don't," Pete protested, but everyone laughed as he was forced to fold.

Chloe was more calculating, carefully watching the others' expressions. Skye, meanwhile, was fearless, taking risks and playing aggressively.

"Do you hack poker games, too?" Apollo teased after she won a round.

"Tempting," Skye said with a wink, "but no. Just natural skill."

"I bet she programmed an AI to analyze poker hands," Chloe joked.

"Now that's an idea," Skye mused playfully, making Pete groan.

"Please, no one encourage her."

As the game progressed, more classmates and football players joined in, eager to take down Apollo's team. The table grew crowded, and the stakes—though still centered around the humiliating chicken dance—felt higher with each hand.

That's when Kyle, one of the more competitive players on the football team, leaned forward with a grin.

"Alright, Kent. Let's see if you're as good at cards as you are at everything else" Kyle challenged

Apollo smiled modestly. "Just here to have fun."

"Fun, huh?" Kyle smirked. "We'll see about that."

The banter continued, with players trying to psych each other out. At one point, Pete attempted an exaggerated bluff, pushing all his chips forward.

"I'm all in," he declared dramatically.

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Pete, you have nothing."

"What makes you say that?" he asked, feigning innocence.

"You're sweating," she pointed out.

"It's hot in here!"

"Sure it is," she said, calling his bluff and winning the hand.

The table erupted in laughter, and Pete threw up his hands. "Alright, alright. I'll work on my poker face."

Throughout the game, Apollo remained calm and observant. His perfect memory allowed him to track the cards and players' behaviors effortlessly. When Skye made a risky bet, he subtly tapped her wrist—just enough to signal that she should go for it. She grinned and pushed her chips forward.

When Lisa hesitated, Apollo met her gaze and gave the slightest nod. She went all in.

Kyle, growing frustrated, tried to challenge Apollo directly. "You've been quiet over there. Let's see what you've got."

Apollo glanced at his cards and then met Kyle's gaze. "Alright."

The tension at the table rose as the two faced off. Kyle attempted to intimidate Apollo with aggressive betting, but Apollo remained unfazed. When the cards were revealed, Apollo had the winning hand.

The table erupted into laughter and cheers as Kyle groaned dramatically. "I swear, man, you are not human."

Apollo chuckled. "Just lucky."

"Yeah, yeah," Kyle muttered before standing up. "Alright, fine. A bet's a bet."

The losing team—including Kyle and a few other football players—was forced into the center of the dance floor. The DJ, catching onto the moment, smirked and quickly switched tracks to the "Chicken Dance" song.

The entire room exploded into laughter as Kyle and his team reluctantly started flapping their arms and waddling around.

Skye leaned into Apollo's shoulder. "Remind me never to bet against you."

Apollo chuckled. "I'll consider it payment for all the times you've hacked into my desktop."

"Pfft, please. That was one time."

"It was five times."

"Details," Skye said borrowing Lisa's phrase from earlier in the night while waving a hand dismissively.

Chloe, meanwhile, was trying to focus on the hilarity of the football team's humiliation. She turned from them to see Skye and Apollo and she forced a smirk.

"Well, I'll give you this, Apollo. You're good at winning" Chloe told him

He grinned. "I try."

"See, this is why you need to be our ringer for every bet we ever make" Pete said as slung his arm over Apollo's shoulder.

Lisa grinned. "Oh, definitely. Apollo is officially our secret weapon going forward."

As the football players finally finished their humiliating dance, the group was still laughing when Chloe's expression turned more serious.

"Alright, fun and games aside," she said, crossing her arms. "There's a story I am going to publish."

Apollo raised an eyebrow. "What story?"

Chloe's smirk widened. "The one where a bunch of jocks have a yearly tradition of stringing some poor freshman up in a cornfield like a scarecrow."

The laughter around the table faded.

Apollo's eyes narrowed. "Wait. What?"

And just like that, the night took a sharp turn. The energy at the poker table had shifted. The game was forgotten, replaced by the weight of Chloe's revelation as she told them the ritual, how she figured out their target a freshman called Jeremy Creek and even pointed out the jocks who would actually do the so called prank and Pete instantly noticed that those jocks weren't around.

Pete, arms crossed, scanned the dance floor again. "I still don't see them. This doesn't sit right with me."

Skye leaned forward. "You think they actually went through with it? Even after Chloe warned Jeremy?"

Chloe let out a breath. "I told him to stay home. But if he didn't listen…"

Apollo, who had been listening intently, spoke up. "Then we should check."

Skye nodded, already pushing her chair back. "Agreed. Let's go."

Lisa, Pete's date, raised an eyebrow. "You're just gonna up and leave?"

Pete shrugged. "Duty calls, beautiful."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Fine. But don't take forever."

Whitney, still standing nearby, frowned. "You sure this isn't just paranoia? I'm on the team and this is the first I'm hearing about it"

Chloe shot him a look.

"If you're so sure, why don't you come with us?" Chloe challenged.

Whitney hesitated, then sighed. "I… can't. I'm on court duty."

"Convenient" Chloe replied.

Whitney sighed. "Look, I really don't know anything about this. But if you find out it's real, I'll back you up."

Apollo nodded.

"Fair enough. Let's go" Apollo said wanting to rush off and help Jeremy.

The four of them left the gym, stepping into the cool night air. The distant hum of music from inside faded as they walked across the parking lot.

Pete stuffed his hands in his pockets. "So, what's the plan? We just start knocking on doors?"

Chloe shook her head. "No need. I checked Jeremy's address earlier just in case. His house is a few blocks away."

Apollo hid his relief. That meant he could slip away without them immediately noticing.

"Chloe, Skye, you two check his house," he suggested. "Pete and I will ask around, see if anyone spotted him."

Chloe frowned. "Why split up?"

Apollo offered a small smile. "Efficiency."

Pete gave him an odd look but didn't argue.

"Alright I'll look for the jocks in their hangout spots, you check around the rest of the school. Figure with you being faster that'll work best" Pete told him and Apollo nodded.

"Alright, let's do this" Chloe said as she and Skye left.

As soon as Chloe and Skye turned the corner and Pete was out of sight, Apollo moved.

He was gone in a blur.

The night air was frigid as Apollo streaked across the fields, his glowing blue eyes cutting through the darkness like beacons. His ears honed in on the faint, labored breathing he had heard before, now weaker than ever.

He found Jeremy tied to a wooden post in the middle of the cornfield, shivering violently, stripped to nothing but his boxers. His lips were blue, his body barely responding.

Anger surged inside Apollo.

Hearing about this tradition already made Apollo mad but seeing it firsthand made his stomach turn.

He landed softly, the dirt beneath his boots crunching. "Jeremy?"

The younger boy flinched at the voice, barely conscious.

Apollo stepped closer and gently untied the ropes, catching Jeremy as he slumped forward. The kid was shaking uncontrollably.

"H-Help…" Jeremy's voice was barely a whisper.

"I got you," Apollo said softly, wrapping his suit jacket around the younger teen's freezing body. "You're safe now."

Jeremy's glassy eyes flickered open slightly. "W-Who…?"

"A friend," Apollo assured him.

Jeremy's breathing hitched as he shuddered, struggling to stay conscious. "Th-they said… it was j-just a joke…"

Apollo clenched his jaw.

"That wasn't a joke. That was cruelty" Apollo said.

Jeremy swallowed thickly, his voice barely audible.

"W-why d-do they do this?" Jeremy questioned tears in his eyes.

Apollo exhaled, adjusting his grip so the kid was more comfortable.

"Because they think power gives them the right to hurt people. But they're wrong. And I promise you, Jeremy—this ends tonight" Apollo told him.

Jeremy let out a weak, shaky breath, eyes fluttering.

"You're not alone," Apollo continued, voice steady. "Everything will get better. This doesn't define you. And I swear, things will be different from now on."

Jeremy gave the faintest nod before his body finally went limp.

Apollo held him close. "I got you," he murmured, before bending his knees and taking off into the sky.

In a blur, Apollo reached Daniel's house and landed quietly on the porch. He gently carried the unconscious boy inside through the unlocked door—likely left open for his return—and laid him in his bed.

He pulled the blankets over Daniel, ensuring he was wrapped up tight. But the kid was still ice cold.

Frowning, Apollo raised a hand, activating his heat vision at its lowest intensity. A soft, warm glow filled the room as he gently heated the blankets, making sure to keep the temperature controlled.

Within moments, Daniel's shivering lessened, and his breathing evened out.

Apollo smiled slightly. "Sleep tight, Jeremy."

And with that, he slipped back outside and into the night unnoticed.

Now, it was time to deal with the ones responsible Apollo thought as he took off back into the cornfields.

Apollo crouched atop an old wooden fence near the main road leading back to the school. The roaring sound of an engine caught his ears long before the headlights came into view.

A beat-up truck swerved wildly, the laughter of drunk teenagers spilling out from the open windows.

The jocks.

Apollo narrowed his eyes. He recognized the voices—Trevor, Rick, and Donnie. Three senior football players, all of them laughing like this was the funniest thing they'd ever done.

The truck skidded slightly as they sped past the cornfield.

Perfect.

With a gust of wind, Apollo shot forward, landing unseen in the tall stalks. In the blink of an eye, he ripped a wooden post from the ground, snapping off the edges until it resembled the old scarecrow they had tied Jeremy to.

Then, moving faster than the eye could follow, he draped the tattered remains of the actual scarecrow's clothes over himself, letting the wind whip at the fabric like something out of a nightmare.

Finally, he stepped onto the dirt road directly in the truck's path.

Trevor, the driver, barely had time to react. "What the—?!"

He yanked the wheel to the side, sending the truck into a violent swerve. The vehicle skidded off the road, spinning out into a ditch, kicking up dust and dirt as it came to a screeching halt.

The doors flew open, and the jocks scrambled out, cursing.

"The hell was that?!" Rick yelled, staggering slightly.

Donnie squinted into the darkness. "I think we almost hit—"

Then they saw him.

Standing in the middle of the road was a scarecrow that hadn't been there before.

The tattered fabric billowed unnaturally, and the glowing red eyes beneath the stitched hood gleamed like a pair of lasers.

Trevor's breath hitched. "What… the hell…?"

Apollo tilted his head slowly, the motion inhumanly smooth, as if he were a puppet whose strings had just been pulled.

The jocks went pale.

Then the scarecrow moved.

One moment it was standing still—the next, it vanished in a blur, appearing ten feet closer.

Rick let out a strangled yell, stumbling backward. "WHAT THE—?!"

Trevor's hands trembled. "This… this ain't funny, man…"

Apollo blurred his boots crunching against the gravel. The wind picked up around him, rustling the corn like whispering voices. He began running in circles all around them. From their perspective it looked like the scarecrow with glowing red eyes was teleporting all around them.

Then finally after doing this for a few moments he spoke, his voice a deep, distorted echo—enhanced by his alien vocal cords to sound like something from a horror movie.

"So you believe I am something to be mocked. Something to be used for cruelty. Well I can be cruel too" Apollo said.

Trevor turned to run, but his foot caught on a rock, sending him crashing onto his back.

Apollo lifted a hand—his fingers curling ever so slightly before he blurred and lifted the truck up with one hand and aimed it at them like he was going to throw it at them.

The truck lurched violently, its headlights flickering, as if responding to his will. The engine sputtered, dying instantly.

The jocks screamed.

Donnie, panicked, tried to rush away —but the scarecrow was suddenly right in front of him.

He barely had time to yelp before the force of running into the scarecrow sent him tumbling backward.

Apollo crouched low, his glowing red eyes locking onto Trevor's terrified gaze still lifting their truck over his head with one hand.

"You will never do this again!" he whispered, his voice carrying through the night.

Trevor nodded frantically, scrambling away on all fours. "W-We won't! I swear!"

Apollo's gaze lingered for a moment longer, then—

WHOOSH.

He was gone and their truck was on and working again in front of them.

The jocks didn't waste a second. They bolted for the truck, fumbling to get inside.

Trevor practically ripped the keys turning the ignition.

The engine roared back to life.

Without looking back, they floored it, tearing down the road in blind panic.

Apollo watched from a distance, still hidden within the cornfield. A smirk tugged at his lips. That should do it.

Apollo flew back to the school leaving his makeshift scarecrow outfit behind. He touched down softly behind the school, adjusting his sleeves as he casually strolled back inside.

The moment he entered, he spotted Chloe, Skye, and Pete chatting near the entrance to the gymnasium.

They turned at his approach.

Chloe smiled. "Good timing. We were just about to head back in."

Apollo arched an eyebrow. "Find anything?"

Chloe shook her head. "Nope. But I called Jeremy's mom. She said he's home, resting."

Apollo nodded. "That's good to hear."

Pete patted his back. "Guess it was a false alarm."

Apollo chuckled. "Guess so."

With that, the group rejoined the party, none the wiser.

And somewhere on the road, three terrified jocks were still trying to convince themselves they hadn't just seen a real-life monster as the group went back to partying and dancing without a care in the world.

After dancing for what could've been hours they all took a break and went to the punch bowl to refresh themselves. Lisa fanned herself joking about how unfit she was as they watched their schoolmates dance.

As songs changed to something softer, Apollo felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Chloe standing there with her arms crossed, her usual smirk in place, though there was something almost hesitant in her expression.

"So," she said, rocking slightly on her heels. "You gonna dance with your best friend, or do I have to write an exposé on how Smallville's golden boy leaves girls hanging?"

Apollo chuckled and extended a hand. "I'd rather not get smeared in the next issue of The Torch. Shall we?"

Chloe huffed a laugh but took his hand, letting him pull her onto the dance floor.

As Apollo settled one hand at her waist and she rested her arms around his shoulders, Chloe took a deep breath, then muttered, "Okay, so this is weird."

Apollo raised a brow. "Dancing with me is that bad?"

"No, you idiot," she scoffed, though there was no real bite behind it. "It's just… I did not expect to find myself dancing like this with you at prom of all places. I mean, come on, we've been through some wild situations together. Remember when we got stuck in that abandoned grain silo during a storm? Or when we had to outrun those guard dogs on Old Man Foster's property?"

Apollo grinned.

"How could I forget? You screamed louder than the dogs did" Apollo playfully teased.

"I did not!" Chloe protested, swatting his shoulder lightly.

"You totally did," Apollo said. "But to be fair, I think it was justified."

Chloe rolled her eyes but smiled. "The point is, we've been through some insane stuff together. But somehow, this feels just as surreal."

Apollo tilted his head. "Dancing with me is that terrifying?"

"You'd be surprised," she quipped before pausing, biting her lip for a second before adding, "Besides, technically, I was your first kiss. So really, this should feel normal not so weird."

Apollo laughed, shaking his head. "That's one way to look at it."

"I mean, I didn't have to kiss you to get that dumb cheerleader off your back in seventh grade, but I did, and you're welcome," Chloe said with a smirk.

"Still, it is kind of funny that I beat Skye to it" Chloe added something Apollo couldn't quite place in her voice.

Apollo chuckled.

"That's one for the record books." He then softened, looking down at her. "But honestly, I really am glad you're my friend, Chloe. You always stand up for what you believe in, no matter what. Even if it gets us into trouble—"

"Which it always does," she interjected.

"—it's still one of the things I admire about you," he finished.

Chloe's teasing expression wavered for just a second, something more vulnerable flickering across her face. She averted her gaze for a moment before glancing back up at him.

"Well, if we're handing out compliments, I gotta say… you clean up pretty well, Kent." Chloe told him.

Apollo smirked. "You think so?"

Chloe scoffed. "Oh, don't play coy. With those glowing starry eyes of yours, I'm honestly surprised half the girls in here haven't swooned into unconsciousness by now."

Apollo laughed. "Well, you're still standing, so I guess I can't be that dazzling."

Chloe grinned, but a faint pink dusted her cheeks. "I have some immunity by now."

Apollo let out an amused breath before his own expression softened. "You look lovely too, by the way."

Chloe blinked, caught off guard for a second before she quickly recovered with a smirk. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But it's still nice to hear."

Apollo let out a small laugh.

Chloe hesitated, her smirk faltering just a little before she said, "But, uh… it's not just that you're my friend, Apollo. You… you inspire me. You always have."

Apollo tilted his head. "I do?"

Chloe scoffed. "Duh. You're always helping people, always trying to do the right thing, even when no one's looking. It's infuriating, really."

Apollo laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should," she said, nudging him lightly. "Because despite my better judgment, I actually mean it."

She hesitated, then added, a little softer, "You're my hero, Apollo. You always have been."

Apollo's teasing expression faded into something warm and sincere. "Chloe…" He shook his head slightly, smiling. "That means a lot."

There was a pause between them, a moment where Chloe's usual teasing softened into something more genuine. Then, before it could linger too long, she smirked again. "But don't let it go to your head, farm boy. You're still annoyingly perfect."

Apollo grinned. "I'll try to stay humble."

As the song ended, Chloe hesitated, as if debating whether to say something else. But Apollo's eyes had already locked onto Skye and so Chloe didn't say a thing.

Apollo stared at Skye for a few seconds before he turned to Chloe, giving her a grateful look.

"Thanks for the dance, Chlo" Apollo told her honestly.

Chloe smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Anytime."

She watched as he was pulled away, her expression shifting just for a second.

"Yeah," she muttered under her breath, "anytime."

The DJ soon started playing slow romantic music signaling to everyone that it was time for the couples to dance together. Various couples went to the dancefloor like Pete and Lisa and Apollo felt his nerves hit him again. It was crazy, he felt more nervous and scared about getting struck by lightning than he did about taking Skye to the dancefloor and slow dancing with her. Apollo swallowed anxiously, steeling himself before turning to Skye and sticking out his hand.

"May I have this dance?" Apollo asked his hand shaking a little.

"I thought you'd never ask" Skye replied

The two took to the dancefloor once more walking by Pete who was kissing Lisa and Apollo gulped a little at the implications of the slow dance. Skye squeezed his hands as if to comfort him and Apollo felt his nerves disappear. The two found space on the dancefloor and faced each other as a new song started playing.

What day is it? And in what month? This clock never seemed so alive

Apollo held Skye close to him and the two of them started to slowly dance. Apollo swallowed again nervously as he looked down at Skye. Skye looked up at him trying to read the expression on his face. The two tried to not trip over each other's feet as they got into rhythm and let themselves flow into one another.

I can't keep up, and I can't back down I've been losing so much time

Skye looked deep into Apollo's eyes which seemed to be glowing brighter as he smiled at her and she moved her hand to his shoulder and the two continued to sway for a bit. Skye stared at Apollo wondering what he was thinking and hoping he was thinking what she was. Apollo looked back at her noticing how Skye was closer and he felt his hearts beat loudly in his chest. Apollo smiled at her reassuring not just her but himself.

What are the things that I want to say Just aren't coming out right?

Skye shook her head a little as she looked at Apollo.

"Apollo Kent, man of mystery. Just when I think I have you figured out you surprise me" Skye softly said to him losing herself in his eyes.

"How's that?" Apollo said not fully understanding what she meant.

"Just this dance, the tux, tonight…. And you're still here" Skye answered adoration in her eyes as she moved even closer to him.

"Of course I am. There's nowhere else I'd rather be" Apollo replied as he looked at Skye lovingly.

You got my head spinning I don't know where to go from here

Skye smiled at Apollo and he smiled back at her before she slowly got closer to him. Apollo felt himself begin to float with her in his arms a little and quickly willed himself back to the ground. Skye didn't seem to notice and if she did she didn't seem to care instead she got as close as possible and laid her head on his chest.

Cause it's you and me. And all of the people with nothing to do

Skye smiled to herself as she laid her head on Apollo's chest and the two of them swayed. Apollo was overcome with joy and he held Skye closer to him as he smiled to himself. The two of them slow danced together forgetting they were even other people in the hall.

There's something about you now. That I can't quite figure out

Skye listened to Apollo's heartbeat so entranced by the moment that she didn't even notice they were two of them. Apollo worried about his hearts but then he felt Skye's arms completely wrap around him and he let himself go if just for a moment and the two both closed their eyes and swayed together.

Everything she does is beautiful. Everything she does is right

Apollo steeled himself sensing his moment. He motioned for Skye to look up at him and she did. Apollo reached into his pocket and pulled out the necklace.

"Skye, there's something I've been wanting to give you for a while" Apollo said as he held out the necklace.

"Oh my god Apollo, it's beautiful. Thank you" Skye said as she admired the necklace before turning so he could put it on her. Apollo delicately put on the necklace for her and then she turned back to him and went back to resting her head on his chest as they held each other.

Cause it's you and me. And all of the people with nothing to do, Nothing to lose. And it's you and me and all of the people and I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you and me

Apollo looked down at Skye as they danced and she took her head off his chest and looked up at him. They looked into each other's eyes, having completely fallen for one another. They then glanced at one another's lips before they let themselves lean in to kiss one another.

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Also read Superman(Marvel+DC) and Marvel: Hyperion.