That afternoon Sarah cut a wide swathe through Smallville. She marched down main street, doing her own version of window-shopping. She’d peer into the front of the stores until she found one with a male clerk or manager, and then she’d enter, strike up a conversation, and moments later, walk out with whatever her heart desired. It was cheap, literally and figuratively, but as Sarah reasoned out, she deserved it. Her father had never been one to spend any more money on her than he had needed to. On himself, sure, but never on the family. His Mercedes, hers now, was just another example. And besides, she thought, it wasn’t like it was stealing. They were giving it to her, practically throwing them at her, what was she supposed to do, turn it down?

Keeping up behind her was Whitney, still happily under the thrall of his voice. Watching him, she started to understand how her powers affected men better. It wasn’t that her voice forced them to do anything; it just made them so happy that they’d do almost anything to return the favor, to keep her happy. It was almost like a form of worship, she thought once, instantly feeling both shame and that same dark, excitement. That feeling was one that just wouldn’t go away, not that she had decided she wanted it to. It was deep and awful, sending little shivers through her body every time she started talking. No one had ever told her about this, not her mother with her bashful, halting attempts to tell her about ‘the changes of growing up’ as she called it, or the teachers at school with their dry, no-nonsense way about it. No one had told her how heady it felt, how full. And now Sarah was starting to realize why.

“So where to next?” she said slowly, glancing up and down the street. She bounced a bag of clothes on her hips, pursing her lips as she tried to decide. Whitney waited anxiously beside her, staring raptly at her face. Clothing bags were looped off his shoulders and arms making him look like a pack animal, but he hardly seemed to notice. The only thing he did seem to notice was her.

“We can go back up the block some more,” he said eagerly. “I think there were a few stores we missed.”

“Only because they didn’t have anything I wanted,” she replied.

“What about my dad’s store?”

At that she frowned and shook her head. It might have been part of the process, but every time she ‘spoke’ to someone, they seemed to go stupid. “We already checked there,” Sarah explained to him patiently. “Remember?” His eyes clouded, struggling to recall. “Your mom was minding the store and half the clerks were women. If we wanted anything, we’d have to buy it.”

Whitney brightened up and immediately dug his wallet out. “I have money!” he said triumphantly, thrusting his wallet out at her. “Here, take it.”

“No…” Sarah backed up a little, glancing away from him. All at once the excitement had turned into a heavy weight in her belly. “I can’t take your money.”

“But I want you to have it,” he said, holding it out to her.

“NO!” she yelled, forgetting they where they were. People glanced at the two curiously as they passed by. Sarah looked around nervously and then turned back to Whitney. He stood there dumbly with his hand still out stretched, looking vaguely puzzled and upset. “Put that away,” she ordered him in a whisper. He did so immediately, breaking out into a grin once more. “Look, Whitney, I don’t want anything from you,” she said. “Do you understand me?”

“Of course,” he nodded. “But I really want to-“

“That’s fine,” she interrupted, “but you need to just listen to me, alright? Just let me decide what you can give me.”

“Just say the word and it’s yours,” he told her breathlessly.

“Isn’t that a nice thing to say,” she murmured to herself, but she didn’t smile as she said it. She was still bothered about the money, that had really upset her and she didn’t know just quite why. Whatever it was, she needed to fix it, and she thought she saw a way. “Tell me Whitney,” she asked him slowly, “how would you like a brand new car?”

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He blinked rapidly trying to process this, his grin growing even wider, if it was possible. “I’d love one, yes! You would do that for me?” he asked as ingeniously as a child. She nodded, amused, and he threw his arms around her unexpectedly. “I love you,” he exclaimed. Sarah stiffened up, more from the words than the hug. For a moment, she couldn’t speak, and then finally she shook her head, pushing him away.

“No, no, that’s all wrong,” she muttered to herself, backing up. Whitney looked shocked, still holding his arms out to her. “Don’t say that again,” she told him forcefully. His smile faded and he looked down like a scolded child. Looking at his expression, she softened slightly and reached over to tilt his head up with one finger. “I’m sorry about that. It’s just; you’re not the one I want to hear that from, okay? But no hard feelings.” She dug into her pocket and fished out the keys to the Mercedes. Turning around, she tossed them over her shoulder and started to walk off.

He caught the keys easily, staring at them as they lay in his hands. Then suddenly he looked up. “Wait, you forgot all the clothes,” he yelled, waving the bags he carried in the air. Sarah kept walking, not looking back. Crestfallen, he stood there, staring after her pitifully. He was about to call out to her again, when suddenly he grimaced, his fingers going to his temples. He held them there for a moment, his eyes screwed tight in pain. Then slowly, like a man surfacing from some great depth, he opened them to stare around, confused. The bags slid off his arms unnoticed. “What?” he started, looking up and down the street. Finally he noticed the shopping bags at his feet. One of them had spilled open on the sidewalk, piling short jeans and lingerie on his shoes. Whitney gaped at them for a second and then jumped backwards as if they could bite. Two old women stared at him goggle-eyed through a shop window. He saw them and jumped again. Forcing a grin on his face, he pointed to the bags and said, “Oh no, they’re not mine.” They looked back, unconvinced. The grin on his face slipping badly, he stared panicky for a way out, but there was no such luck. Finally, throwing dignity to the winds, he took off running down the street. The women leaned over towards the glass and watched him disappear around the corner.

Sarah hadn’t gone far when she saw someone who made her forget completely about Whitney. She’d first noticed him leaving a shop fifty feet ahead of her. Lengthing her stride to catch up to him, she smiled eagerly. Even with his back to her, she could automatically tell who it was. After all, how many young, bald men were there in such a small town?

As he bent to open the door to his car, a jaguar she quickly noticed. Had I really been so concerned about a Mercedes just a day ago, she wondered. I should have known to hold out for the better deal.

“Lex Luthor,” she said slowly, almost tasting them name. He turned slowly, eyeing her carefully. His eyes didn’t pause at her stomach or chest, she noticed, but took her in completely and then fixed on her eyes.

“Just Lex is fine,” he told her, shifting a small bag in his hands. “You’ve got me at a bit of a loss, you know me, but I don’t recall meeting you before.”

“You haven’t,” she laughed, “and even if you did, you probably wouldn’t have remembered me. I’ve gone through some changes recently.”

Lex seemed to suddenly look through her then and then nodded to himself. All of a sudden his demeanor changed from open warmth to a cold hostility. It was so great that Sarah took a step back, startled. “I hear that’s normal for girls your age,” he said dryly, his eyes going to his car and then back to her. “I’m flattered by the attention, but frankly, you’re a little young for me. Now if there’s nothing I can do for you,” he said, edging around her to the driver’s side of his car.

“Just wait a minute,” Sarah snapped at him, and true to form, he froze where he was. She stared at him, so flustered and angry that she didn’t know where to begin. “What was all that about?” she asked finally.

“Oh I didn’t mean any of that,” he told her at once, shaking his head. “It’s just… rich guy plus young girl equals lawsuit and sometimes jail time, you know? Of course I’d be glad to go through all that for you…” he trailed off, looking at her.

“Right,” she said, shaking her head. “Well don’t go breaking any laws just yet.” Sarah leaned against his car, thinking to herself for a moment. “That’s something I didn’t think about,” she murmured. “A little attention’s fine, but if I keep someone older hanging around me at all times, somebody’s going to get suspicious. If it’s a guy that starts asking questions, that’s nothing to worry about, but if it’s not…” She chewed her lip quietly, thinking.

Lex’s eyes started to focus and he shook himself slightly, waking up. He turned to his door, and then turned back and stared at her. “I’m sorry, must have dozed off on my feet. Where was I?”

“Waiting until I’m done with you,” she said offhand. At once he broke out in a grin again, staring at her adoringly. After a moment, she nodded to herself and pushed herself off the side of the Jaguar. “Okay, first things first: keys,” she said simply, holding out her hand. Lex jumped to pull them out and drop in her hand. “Next,” she smiled wickedly, “credit cards and cash.” He emptied out his wallet almost as quickly as he had given up the keys. “That’s it for now,” she told him, opening the driver side door. “If I want a helicopter or my own private yacht in the near future, I’ll be back.”

“Where are you going?” he asked her, his voice just as pitiful as Whitney’s.

“To take your advice, Lexie,” she smiled. “I’m going to find someone more my own age. Someone I’ve wanted to say a few things to all my life.” Tossing her head, she sank into the leather seats with a laugh and gunned the engine. The car lurched and then tore off, roaring down the usually quiet streets of Smallville. Lex stared after her sadly for a moment, and then he shook himself awake and reached for his car door. When he found nothing however, he jumped back, staring at the now vacant parking spot. Far down the street, he heard the Jag’s horn receding into the distance. Looking up and down the street, he stared around, passing a hand over his bald head incredulously.

“What the hell is going on here?” he wondered out loud.