Alicia's Room
The room was shrouded in dimness. Only the light from the lamp cast a yellowish glow over the desk. The rest was darkness.
Alicia sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers gently sliding over the photos scattered in front of her.
Clark.
In every image, he was the only thing that mattered.
Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the first photo.
Clark standing amidst the flames, his body steady, unshaken.
'He doesn't feel pain. He doesn't fear fire. He's like me.'
Her heart raced.
In the second photo, he held Jason Dante by the neck, his eyes filled with something… strong. Deadly.
'He killed that man. He didn't hesitate. He wasn't afraid.'
Her breathing grew uneven.
'He's perfect.'
The third photo captured the exact moment Clark dropped the charred body.
She bit her lip.
'Everyone says he's good, that he protects people. But I see what no one else does.'
Her fingers slowly traced the edge of the image.
'He can kill.'
Alicia pressed the photo against her chest.
'Does love at first sight exist?'
A low laugh escaped her, almost a whisper.
'Of course it does. And I love Clark Kent.'
She lifted her head, gazing at the other images.
'He's different. Like me.'
Her eyes narrowed.
'But there are people trying to keep him away from me.'
She pulled out another photo.
Clark, alone on the road, his face lost in thought.
'Who's getting in the way? Who's lying to him?'
Her fingers tightened around the edge of the paper.
'Chloe. The ex-girlfriend. She must be trying to trick him again.'
Her breathing quickened.
'She must be saying things to make him doubt. Maybe she's trying to pull him back to her.'
Alicia closed her eyes for a moment.
'But it doesn't matter. Because she'll disappear.'
Her nails lightly scratched the desk.
'But what about the other one? Who is she?'
Her chest heaved heavily.
'If there's another girl in his life, I need to find out. I need to protect him.'
Alicia stood, her bare feet sliding across the carpet.
'Clark, you don't need anyone but me.'
Her hands trembled slightly as she picked up a new photo.
Clark, gazing into the night.
'I want to be by your side.'
Her smile widened.
'I will be by your side.'
She kissed the image gently.
'But first, I need to clear the path.'
The lamp flickered faintly.
Her shadow stretched across the wall.
Alicia sat back on the bed, clutching the photo to her chest.
The room was warm.
But nothing compared to the fire burning inside her.
Clark was hers.
And she wouldn't let anyone ruin that.
---
Chloe's House
Rain tapped softly against the window, creating a calm rhythm in the room. The yellowish light from the lamp made the space cozier, but Chloe didn't seem relaxed at all.
Clark leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching as she paced back and forth.
"So, tell me, Clark, how many more women are going to drop into your life before I start charging rent?"
The corner of his mouth twitched upward.
"Dunno. You think I should start keeping count?"
She stopped in the middle of the room, turning to him with her hands on her hips.
"You think this is funny?"
Clark raised an eyebrow.
"A little."
Chloe narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms.
"Well, I'm not laughing."
His smile grew.
"Because you're jealous."
She huffed, turning away and grabbing a pillow from the bed.
"Don't start."
Clark tilted his head, amused.
"It's just a fact. Every time someone gets close to me, you make that face."
Chloe threw the pillow at him without hesitation.
"What face?"
He caught it mid-air effortlessly.
"The 'who the hell does this girl think she is?' face."
Chloe opened her mouth to argue but hesitated for a second.
'Damn Clark Kent. How does he know me so well?'
She threw her hands up.
"Fine. Maybe I'm a little jealous."
Clark took a step forward.
"A little?"
She rolled her eyes, looking away.
"Okay, more than a little."
Clark stepped closer, his voice low and teasing.
"So you're scared of losing your spot as my lover?"
Her eyes snapped back to him in an instant.
"First: I hate when you say that out loud."
He grinned.
"And second?"
Chloe crossed her arms.
"And second… maybe I just don't like the idea of someone trying to take what's already mine."
Clark blinked.
"So you're claiming me?"
Chloe sighed.
"You're impossible."
He laughed, shaking his head.
"You know this doesn't change anything, right? I'm not the type to just switch people out of nowhere."
She stayed silent for a moment before sitting on the bed.
"I know. But still… I don't like it."
Clark sat beside her, relaxing his shoulders.
"Then don't worry about it. I've already got you and Diana. That's enough to keep me busy."
Chloe shot him a skeptical look.
"You say that like she and I couldn't turn your life into hell if we wanted to."
Clark smirked.
"But you like me too much for that."
She bit her lower lip, fighting a smile.
"Maybe."
Silence filled the room for a moment. The rain continued falling outside, a peaceful backdrop.
Clark looked at her, his eyes softer now.
"You know nothing changes between us, right?"
Chloe sighed, fidgeting with her fingers.
"I know."
He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close.
"Then stop overthinking."
She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling the familiar warmth.
"Since when are you the guy giving emotional advice?"
Clark chuckled softly.
"Since my lover turned jealous."
She laughed against his shoulder, the tension easing.
"Idiot."
He smiled, holding her a little tighter.
But deep down, Chloe knew.
Alicia Baker was a problem.
And she hadn't yet figured out how big.
---
Clark ran a hand through his hair, feigning distraction.
"So… who's got you like this?"
Chloe narrowed her eyes.
"Like what?"
He waved a hand vaguely.
"With that face. Half-pouting, half-trying to hide that you're insanely jealous."
She pulled away from him in a quick motion.
"I'm not jealous."
Clark raised an eyebrow.
"So you don't want to tell me?"
Chloe huffed, crossing her arms.
"It's ridiculous. It's not a big deal."
Clark tilted his head.
"If it wasn't a big deal, you wouldn't be ignoring me on purpose."
Her eyes flashed with irritation.
"I'm not ignoring you."
He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.
"Then tell me."
Chloe bit her lip, as if holding back an internal explosion.
"Alicia Baker."
Clark blinked.
Silence.
Then a curious smile crept onto his lips.
"Ah."
Chloe let out an exasperated sigh.
"Ah? That's it? That's all you've got to say?"
Clark leaned back on the bed, crossing his arms behind his head.
"Alicia Baker… that name sounds familiar."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Well, it should. Because apparently, she finds you fascinating."
Clark smirked.
'Alicia Baker…'
The name echoed in his mind, a silent warning only he could hear.
'That explains everything.'
The photos. The flashes. The feeling of being watched.
'It was her.'
The puzzle pieces started falling into place. Alicia Baker, the girl with the ability to teleport. A girl obsessed.
'A Yandere.'
Clark closed his eyes for a moment, letting the memories flood in. In the other timeline, Alicia was possessive, intense, unstable. Everything about her screamed danger, but not ordinary danger. Passionate danger.
'The type who'd do anything for what she wants.'
Her smile always carried something extra. Something that sent a chill up the spine of anyone who noticed too late.
'So it was her taking pictures that night…'
Which meant she already knew.
'She already knows I'm different.'
The problem with Yanderes was simple: they didn't take rejection. To Alicia, Clark wasn't a person. He was an idea, an inevitable fate, an unbreakable obsession.
'This is going to be interesting.'
Sure, she could kill Chloe, her parents, anyone in her way. But in the end, it didn't matter.
'Because I can always go back in time.'
The thought was so casual it almost made him laugh.
'Alicia thinks she's in control. But she hasn't realized I'm the real predator here.'
The problem was Chloe.
She didn't know how far Alicia could go. She didn't understand this wasn't just a rivalry between girls.
'But maybe that's for the best.'
If Chloe knew, she'd only get angrier.
Clark opened his eyes and looked at her.
So stubborn, so full of herself. But vulnerable in a way she'd never admit.
'I need to keep her out of this.'
Alicia Baker was a problem.
But a problem that, in a way, was also… entertaining.
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