Chapter 8: Chapter 8
"Whitney?!"
Lana glanced at her boyfriend, puzzled by why he'd stopped Mitch.
Whitney reached out and patted Lana's arm, trying to reassure her.
The other students, who had been watching the commotion in the corridor, now turned their attention to Whitney.
This blond, good-looking guy was Lana's boyfriend and also the captain of the rugby team.
Whitney approached Mitch, locking eyes with him even though he was clearly outmatched in size and presence.
"It looks like we've got ourselves an interesting showdown here. My money's on Whitney losing in the end!" Chloe dug into her pocket, pulled out five dollars, and handed it to Pete.
"Alright, though I've got a feeling it might not go down the way you think. Mitch's a Kent, and they have a knack for surprising you when it counts, just like Clark." Pete couldn't help but remember Clark's history of unexpected heroics.
"Watch out, Kent boy! You might have bitten off more than you can chew," Whitney issued a rather brash threat.
"Really?" Mitch narrowed his eyes, a hint of a challenge in his gaze.
"Is it you, a severely concussed idiot, trying to start a conversation with me?!" Mitch's tone was laced with disdain.
Whitney, the target of Mitch's scathing remark, instantly froze in his tracks. He looked like he'd been thrown into an icy pit, unable to move or speak.
The onlookers, including Peter and Chloe, couldn't fathom why Whitney had suddenly gone silent.
"Whitney."
Lana looked at her boyfriend, who seemed unsteady and slightly trembling, with concern in her eyes.
Just as she was about to step forward, her vision blurred for a moment.
At some point, Clark had appeared behind her boyfriend.
"Mitch."
Clark suddenly materialized and placed a hand on Mitch's shoulder.
With a pleading look in his eyes, Clark shook his head at Mitch.
"Don't do anything... Mitch, we're at school."
Seeing the humility of the "Son of Krypton" in front of his girlfriend, Mitch furrowed his brow and repressed his aggression toward Whitney.
Though he had only been in this world for sixteen years, Mitch frequently engaged in real combat training in Metropolis.
He'd dealt with drug dealers, gangsters, and criminals, and many had met their ends during his training.
He was no stranger to violence and bloodshed, and the aura of danger he could emit at will typically rendered ordinary folks silent and immobile.
"Clark, do you really think it's worth it?" Mitch asked, halting his departure.
"What do you mean?" Clark blinked, clearly confused.
"Forget it. I just hope you won't keep putting on this act of a do-gooder in front of me next time. My patience tends to run thin."
Having said his piece, Mitch left the corridor.
Clark stood there, puzzled, and Whitney was left grinding his teeth.
The other students in the corridor, witnessing the anticlimactic resolution, dispersed.
"Clark, that was so awesome what you did today!" Chloe approached Clark with praise.
But judging by Chloe's clenched teeth, it didn't sound like a compliment at all.
"It seems Chloe is slightly upset with you for helping Whitney," Peter commented, shrugging.
"Those guys from the football team practically tried to take me out! Can't I express my displeasure?" Chloe grumbled, "As the ringleader and captain, shouldn't Whitney be held accountable? If it weren't for Clark stepping in, that guy would probably be in pieces courtesy of your brother."
"Sorry, Chloe," Clark said with a hint of apology.
Chloe, who spoke as rapidly as a machine gun, rolled her eyes. "Alright, apology accepted, but next time you face Lana, try to keep your wits about you." She turned to Peter. "Hey, Pete! Did you notice something? It feels like someone from the rugby team specifically targeted me."
Seeing Clark's embarrassed expression, Rose swiftly changed the subject. "I suppose it's because of that article I wrote before, 'Rugby: Sport or Brutality.'"
Chloe added indignantly as she retrieved her book from Peter's grasp.
Engrossed in his conversation with Chloe, Clark's attention shifted to Lana and her departure with Whitney.
Their eyes met, and Lana gratefully acknowledged Clark with a glance.
Whitney, on the other hand, glared at Clark with resentment.
After classes were over for the day, Mitch picked up his backpack and began his walk home.
The school bus was currently undergoing repairs due to an accident the previous day, so Mitch was left with no option but to rely on his two feet.
Even though, for him, the school bus couldn't match his walking pace.
Kent Farm.
"Mitch, didn't Clark come back with you?" Martha asked from the kitchen as she prepared dinner.
"No," Mitch replied, sitting at the dining table and flipping through the Torch Newspaper.
"The Torch" was Smallville High School's student publication. While its print quality was average, its content quality exceeded its school magazine status.
"I wonder where Clark is. If he's at a friend's place, he usually calls."
Martha, wearing an apron, stepped out of the kitchen and looked at the wall clock. Worry creased her forehead.
The clock's hour hand pointed at seven.
Typically, at this time, Clark would be seated at the dining table, having dinner with the family.
"I'll give his friend's house a call. Mitch, go search around nearby. Maybe Clark's somewhere close to the farm," Jonathan suggested as he got up to make the phone call.
*Power Points and Follow*
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone