By Cindy K. Green

 Freshman Year 2001

Out on the football field, students are gathered as the football team, headed by Whitney Fordman (Eric Johnson), come tearing through a paper banner that says “Smallville High, Home of the Crows, 2001. Everyone cheers as they come onto a stage with a huge banner behind them. Clark Kent (Tom Welling) stands on the ground with the rest of the students excited by the pep rally. Whitney takes a megaphone and tries to get them all riled up about the team. Then he tries to find a freshman to take a football and throw it toward the dunk tank to sink the freshman inside. He spots Clark and throws him the ball, egging him on to throw it. Clark sees that the freshman in the tank in none other than Lana Lang (Kristin Kruek). She sits inside wearing a Crows t-shirt. He sees the circle with the big X on it that he is supposed to hit to dunk her. Lana encourages Clark so that he will try. Clark smiles at her and then focuses on her Kryptonite necklace. He starts to feel the effects. But before anyone has a chance to notice, the school mascot comes on the stage. Another freshman is dressed up as a crow. She comes in shouting “Caw, Caw, support the team!” The members of the football team begin taunting her wanting to know who the loser was. Clark tries to get them to stop. Lana notices the tension. They pull off the mask to reveal a girl with horrible acne, messy hair, and glasses. The football player who had pulled off the mask says, “Hey, it’s Scabby Abby.” He gets the whole crowd to start chanting, “Scabby Abby.” The girl runs off mortified.

The screen fades to a computer display of Abby, modern day, 2004. Faze into Abby’s actual face. There is a doctor with her talking; it is her mother, Dr. Fine, saying she is glad that Abby has finally allowed her to help her. It is just before her senior year. Abby is strapped into a machine. The top, shaped like a human body, begins to lower over Abby. It contains tubes full of a Kryptonite substance. Her mother says, “Everyone will love you when they see the real you, the one that's been inside all along.” The top now completely covers Abby’s entire body and the needles inside begin poking into her skin. We see blood trickle down her cheek.

A football in an open field. In the background, a crowd is heard cheering along with the sound of a male announcer’s voice. The ball is picked up by Clark Kent. The announcer’s voice continues describing Clark Kent as “the young phenom from Smallville.” Clark throws a long pass and then super speeds through the field, past the barn and over a fence to catch his own pass. The announcer says, “Touchdown! The Meteors win! Kent is unbelievable!” Then he spies a tire swinging hanging from a tree. He backs up and tosses the ball through it. In the background, Lois Lane (Erica Durance) watches while loading her car. She walks toward him saying, “Nice arm, farm boy. When's the first game?” Clark turns around startled by her presence. He tells her that he isn’t even on the team. She wonders why because it would be his ‘Get out of geek free’ pass.” He tells her that he never thought of himself as a geek. She wants to know what he sees himself as and he says an outsider. “That's a recipe for wedgies if I've ever heard one,” she replies. Clark, now annoyed, answers, “Have I told you how much I'm gonna miss you?” Then they see General Lane (Michael Ironside) drive up in a military vehicle. The General came to find Lois to tell her that Met U withdrew her acceptance because she didn’t have enough credits to graduate from high school. The General announces that Lois failed her last semester in high school. Clark laughs out loud. Lois is irritated. Then the General declares that she will be starting at Smallville High. Neither Clark nor Lois looks happy about this prospect.

At Smallville High the next morning, Lois and Chloe (Allison Mack) drive up in Lois’ mustang. Chloe is trying to convince Lois that redoing her final semester of high school in Smallville will not be that bad. Lois couldn’t disagree with her more. Then walking into school Chloe realizes that Lois is going to need an extra curricular like working at the Torch. Lois responds, “The last thing I want to be is a reporter.” To which Chloe says, “What could be worse than, you know, uncovering the truth and protecting the public?” Lois: “And sticking your nose in other people's business.” Chloe: “Like I said. You'd be perfect.”

In the halls of Smallville High, Clark spies a football tryout poster. He stops to look at it when he hears someone whistling. He turns around to see an attractive girl getting attention from the other males in the hallway. Clark looks at her trying to place her face. As she passes him, she says, “Hi Clark.” He asks, “Abby?” She tells him that she likes to be called Abigail now. He’s a bit uneasy with her transformation. He asks her why. Her response, “I guess just one day you realize you can spend another year being resentful of what everybody else has, or you can do something about it. It's our senior year, Clark. This is my last chance.” It gets Clark to thinking about his own situation. Chloe and Lois walk by. Chloe can’t believe the change in Abby. Lois can’t believe someone would do something like that to themselves at such a young age. Chloe acts like it’s no big deal which disturbs Lois even more. Clark walks up behind them and says, “I think she looks great.” Lois looks at him and says, “What a shocker. Look, that's the problem with high school. It's all a Façade. Everyone's hiding who they really are and trying to be something they're not.” And then Chloe jumps in with, “Well, it sounds like you've got your first article. See you in the Torch.”

Lana walks through the halls of Smallville High with a note in her hand. She is dressed in a dark colored top that hangs off the shoulder, much more provocative than her usual faire. She stops in front of the Coach’s office. Upon opening the door, she sees her boyfriend Jason Teague.  She laughs and runs up and begins kissing him. You find out he put a note in her locker to meet him there. She tells him if they get caught she could get detention and he says he could get fired. She looks at him confused and then someone knocks on the door. They separate and Clark enters the office. He calls out “Coach Teague.” It registers with Lana what Jason meant now. Clark introduces himself and when he questions why Lana is there Jason says that Lana was asked by the principal to give him the tour. Clark is in awe that the new coach is Jason Teague, a football hero back at Metropolis U. Then Lana brakes in with a comical look on her face, “Well, then, I, uh, I guess we're lucky to have you here, coach.” Jason counters, “Assistant coach, Miss Lang.” Clark tells Jason that he wants to try out and Lana looks at him stunned. Jason thinks it’s a fine idea.

Out by a tractor at the Kent Farm, Martha is standing next to Jonathan talking about working at the Talon. Lex has agreed to let Martha manage it and they need the money. Jonathan doesn’t like the idea. He thinks they can find a way to keep her from having to go to work again. Martha reminds him that they need the money especially to pay his hospital bills. She doesn’t want him to lose the farm. Jonathan is more concerned that she will be working with the Luthors again. He finally gives in.

In the boy’s locker room at Smallville High, the football team members are suiting up for practice. Jason approaches Clark because he needs his permission slip. Clark hands it to him. Jason realizes that Clark’s father doesn’t know he is there. Jason admits that he was a pro at defying fathers himself. Clark looks guilty but says that he isn’t doing it for that reason. Jason wants him to decide why he is there. If he wants to change, it won’t be from the glory of being a football star; you have to change yourself. Clark tells him that’s why he’s here. At tryouts, Clark is given his chance. He puts on a helmet and walks over to call the play as quarter back. When he gets the ball, he passes a long hard pass to the receiver – so hard it knocks the guy over. Jason and Clark both smile. The football players notice Abby jog by. They think she is hot.

Abby in the school hallway opens her locker. She is approached by one of the football players, Brett. He is the one who taunted her in freshman year. He tells her that he can’t stop thinking about her and she reminds him that he called her “Scabby Abby.” He tells her that he should have been more patient to realize that the real her is the most beautiful girl in school. Lana walks by and sees them. She smiles. Brett then introduces the idea of a quieter place. He takes her to the boy’s locker room. They both start to undress. Brett begins to kiss her and Abby accidentally turns on the shower. Brett continues to touch her and then begins kissing her on the lips. A green vapor emits out of Abby’s mouth and goes into Brett. Abby notices and she begins to back away from him saying she should go. She turns to leave and redress; he taunts her that she is just the same. Then he sees himself in a mirror. He begins to freak out as he looks at himself in the mirror even though we can see that he is fine. Then through his eyes, we see that his face looks as if it is deteriorating away. He runs off and out of the school building into the parking lot right in front of Lois’ car. Lois is driving slowly as she talks on her cell phone to Met U admissions. Then Brett’s body crashes into her windshield.

The paramedics carry Brett off on a stretcher to the ambulance. Lois is speaking with the police officer. In the background, we see Abby watch it all take place. Clark comes through the mess of cars in the parking lot toward Lois asking her what happened. She tells him that Brett ran right into her car and that he was going to be fine physically but that mentally they think “he kind of lost it.” Clark is astounded because Brett was fine an hour ago at practice. Lois questions it because there are so many pressures on him. Clark disagrees and thinks Brett just didn’t see her. Lois reminds him that Brett was also half naked and soaking wet. The camera focuses back on Abby who walks away.

Back in the locker room, Clark finds the rest of the football team getting changed. Lois joins him. She thinks this is another juicy article. She begins to question the football players who are more interested in flirting with her. As Lois continues to question them, Clark walks off to do his own investigation. He sees Brett’s practice jersey on the ground near the showers and then sticking out of the shower drain he spots a necklace. He picks it up and sees that the charm is a large bejeweled “A.”

At the closed Talon, Lex opens a box and pulls out a textbook titled The Hieroglyphs of Meso-America. Lana comes down the stairs from her apartment above the Talon. She questions why he is in her mail. He informs her that the box was addressed to the Talon. Lex questions her on this fascination with ancient writing as he pulls another large volume from the box. She says that it is a school project. His response it that it must be the same project that Clark is always working on. Lex walks away talking and Lana picks up one of the books to see the symbol that was still tattooed to her back. Lex comments on what she did to bring about the Talon. She teases him that he sounds nostalgic.

 Back at the Kent Farm, Clark returns home to his father standing on the porch. Mr. Kent congratulated him for making the football team. Clark tries to reassure him that he won’t hurt anyone. His father says he is more worried about him hurting himself by being tempted to run just a little bit faster and throw the ball just far enough to win every game. Clark is angry that his father would think he could cheat. Jonathan says that “with you, it's never gonna be a fair competition.” Clark reminds him about what’s fair. “What's the first thing you remember about high school when you think back? Don't tell me it's not football. I want that, too, Dad, and I'm sick of begging for the same chances that you just had. I want my own life.” He finishes with a hurt look on his face and then stalks off from his dad.

Lana lies on her stomach on an examination table in Dr. Fine’s office. Her tattoo is exposed and Dr. Fine is scraping at it to collect a sample. Lana winces. She tells Lana that it wasn’t made with ink and that is looks like it was branded underneath her skin. Dr. Fine doesn’t think that the tattoo can be removed without a complete skin graft. Lana is disappointed. Then Dr. Fine walks back to Lana who is getting dressed. The doctor asks if she goes to school with her daughter and that she never forgets a face especially a perfect one like hers. She places Lana’s face between her hands as she examines her. Abby interrupts them and Lana asks her about Brett. Abby disallows that anything happened. Lana makes her exit. Then Abby asks her mother what she did to her. She tells her that she kissed a guy and he went insane. Her mother tries to calm her down by telling her that this is still at the trial level and there are complications sometimes. Abby rebuffs the idea because Brett is at the hospital because of her. Her mother thinks that he got what he deserves since he was the one that named her Scabby Abby. She also thinks that Lana should get hers too. Abby can’t understands why her mother would wish harm on Lana because she never did anything wrong to her. Her mother says that Lana knows and if people find out she, (Abby), will go back to the way she was.

It is now night at Smallville High. Jason leads Lana into a darkened room. When he turns the lights on he tells her it is the old drama room. There are costumes hanging on the back walls, a disco ball and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and several full length mirrors. The disco ball scatters speckles of lights throughout the room. Jason tells Lana that he will have to get over all the high school boys drooling over her. And then asks her about Clark Kent. She changes the subject. Jason goes back to Clark and tells her that Clark opened up to him today and that it feels so weird having them come to him for advice because he still feels like a kid himself. Then he goes back to the reason they are there, a surprise for Lana. He blindfolds her telling her he will be right back with a surprise since they didn’t get to celebrate her birthday. He leaves and then Lana hears the door open again. She calls to him but it is Abby. When Abby realizes that Lana is waiting for a boy, she quietly without a word leans over to Lana and kisses her. The green vapor goes into Lana. Abby backs up and Lana pulls off the blindfold and sees Abby. Lana is confused but then she sees her self in one of the full length mirrors. She stands up and walks over to the mirror. She gasps at what she sees in the mirror, her own face rotting away. She stumbles back unable to comprehend the horror. Abby is just as upset. She starts to cry as she runs away saddened that she is hurting Lana. Then Lana falls backwards and a mirror falls on top of her.

Lana is now in a room in Smallville Medical. She is unconscious and her hands are bandaged as Jason sits on the side of her bed talking to her. He is trying to tell her how much she means to him when Lex interrupts. Then Lex walks to the other side of the bed. He asks what is wrong with Lana and Jason tells him that the doctors aren’t sure. The two men introduce themselves. Lex recognizes Jason’s last name being that of a big, important lawyer in Metropolis which turns out to be Jason’s father. Jason tries to act like he was sent by the school to see that Lana was ok. Lex doesn’t buy it and then says, “Lana deserves the best. I hope you're it,” as he leaves the room.

Lois is on-line at the Torch and sees the web page for Dr. Fine’s procedure and she makes an appointment to see the doctor.

The next day at the hospital, Clark looks through the window at the still unconscious Lana. Chloe comes in and sees him there. She asks after Lana and he tells her that she is cut up and saying “Don’t let him see me.” She is acting exactly like Brett was when he was brought in. The only thing they have in common is a spike in their serotonin levels. Chloe jumps at this information because it is the brain chemical mimicked by hallucinogenic drugs like LSD. And it was the word most commonly misspelled in the article that Lois was writing on extreme makeovers. Chloe deduces that Abby just had these makeovers and she was last seen with Brett so maybe this is coming from her.

Lois, in consultation with Dr. Fine, is acting like she wants a treatment. Dr. Fine reveals that she had many surgeries herself in order to look like she does today. Lois is a bit put off by the very idea but tries to maintain. Lois brings up the procedure used on Abby. As Dr. Fine is trying to schedule Lois, they hear a small screeching sound and Dr. Fine grabs her bag and pulls out a tape recorder. Lois grabs it back and heads for the door telling Dr. Fine that she is going to expose her. Dr. Fine grabs Lois by the hair and yanks her around stabbing her in the neck with a syringe. Lois falls to the ground.

Chloe and Clark arrive at the Torch looking through the materials that Lois had pulled on Abby’s mother’s procedure. The articles show that Dr. Fine was working on a procedure for an insta-makeover with one problem; it sent their serotonin levels into overdrive. They further discover that Dr. Fine claimed to have created a suppression medication called Serythro. They deduce that Abby must have been the trial for this new medication and there is a side effect that she is passing the over worked serotonin to others. Chloe thinks that maybe all Lana and Brett need is a dose of the Serythro medication. Then Chloe sees in Lois’ dayplanner that she has an appointment with Dr. Fine.

Back in Dr. Fine’s operating room, Lois wakes up to find herself strapped to the table and the doctor looking over her. Lois groggily asks what she is doing. “Giving you the inside scoop,” the doctor replies. “You really want to know what it was like for Abigail all of those years? Hmm? Well, you're gonna find out.” She walks away from Lois and hits a switch which brings down the body shaped top which we saw when Abby got the treatment. Lois is scared and begins to breathe hard. Dr. Fine explains that Lois isn’t getting the supplement to aid her serotonin levels and that Lois will be “filing her story from the psych ward.” Lois is struggling to get away when Clark arrives. He walks into the front office and sees Lois’ work up on the computer. He super speeds through the door into the operation room and pulls the cover off of Lois. The tubes filled with the kryptonite substance release a vapor that begins to affect Clark. Lois calls out to him. He backs away to be faced by Dr. Fine who strikes him with a metal object knocking him over. Lois then kicks the doctor in the face knocking her over. Lois releases her binds and gets up and then walks Clark out of the room. The doctor tries to get up again and then Lois kicks her down once more.

Lana is in her apartment in the Talon with Jason. She is trying to tell him what she had experienced. “I don't know how to tell you this without sounding really stuck up,” she says. Jokingly, he replies, “I already know you're stuck up. In fact, I wanted to talk to you about that.” She tries to tell him about being a cheerleader and how it was her whole identity, the face that everyone wanted to see. “I keep thinking of all the times that you've told me that I'm beautiful, and, um... I can't help but wonder how much of me you really see.” He faces her and says, “Lana, I tell you you're beautiful because of who you are, not because of what I see. I mean, you're the girl I flew halfway across the world to be with. The girl who kicks the crap out of me at X-Box and thinks it's hysterical.” He tells her that “the reason I love you... it's not something you can see in a mirror.”  Lana is moved by his tender words and then he smiles and says, “That's good. I'm gonna write that down and use that later.” Lana laughs and they hug.

Clark drives back to the farm in the red truck to find his dad unloading hay. His father asks if practice ran late. Clark tells him that he is sorry if he disappointed him but he is staying on the team. His dad tells him that he realizes he is getting older and will be making his own decisions like an adult so he needs to start acting like one. He tells Clark that he should have discussed this with him first and then made the decision. Clark agrees and then says, “I know. That's why I have just one question for you. You gonna let some assistant coach from Metropolis teach your boy how to play football?”

Lois stands in the hallway of Smallville High holding the newest edition of the Torch with her story of the front cover. She is obviously very proud of herself. Chloe comes along taunting her about her great story. She then tells her that Dr. Fine is getting locked up in the psych ward but that Abby is ok. Then Chloe introduces the idea of the prep rally and gives Lois her emails from fans of her exposé. Lois tries to play it off but Chloe will have none of it. “Say what you want, but I know inside, it's getting to you. Welcome to the bullpen, Miss Lane. Now, I'm off to see Clark Kent in a wet T-shirt. Care to join me?” Lois responds, “Like I've never seen that before.”

We return to the dunk tank. This time Clark Kent is inside and Lois has been given a football in the hopes of dunking the new quarterback. Clark taunts her and she plays back. The crowd chants, “Dunk, dunk, dunk…” Lois leans back and throws the pass straight at the target, dunking Mr. Kent. In the background, Avril Lavigne’s song, “So Much for my Happy Ending,” is playing. Lois raises her hands in triumph, the crowd goes wild, and even Chloe is excited.  Lois bows to the crowd. Then Clark emerges from the tank soaking wet and smiling largely at Lois. She runs up to him and ruffles her hands through his hair and then runs back to Chloe. Lois turns back and looks at Clark jubilantly. Chloe sadly begins to notice the sparks floating between Lois and Clark and the song sings, “So much for my happy ending.” So much foreshadowing of things to come.