Pete Ross is Clark Kent's best friend in high school. Pete loved to play sports, particularly basketball, and was always trying to improve his position on the football team. Pete learned Clark's secret early in his junior year, and was initially intimidated and scared by the notion that his best friend all his life was an alien. However, he came to terms with the fact, and accepted Clark as the same as everyone else- to a degree. However, by the end of the school year, Pete was burdened by keeping such a huge secret. With his mother's oaccmompanying divorce and move to Wichita for a new job offer, Pete took advantage of the chance to leave the burneden behind him in Smallville.