5.

Jessica looked in the mirror as she dressed. She put on a good pair of jeans, a blouse, and a nice dark jacket. Hopefully, that would be good enough for a date to a diner. She couldn't understand why it would not be.

She leaned against the wall and turned on her music, putting her headphones in. Jewel's "Jesus Loves You" came on over the music player, followed quickly by OneRepublic's "Secrets."

Eventually, she left to begin the walk to town. "Off on your date?" Mom asked, smiling, from the kitchen. "I'm off to class soon myself."

"Have fun," said Jessica softly, a bit absently. Her head was already on her date with Justin.

"You're the one who's going to have fun," said Mom. "Not me."

Jessica made it to Sam's, a cozy little place with ample portions and chicken decorated plates hanging from the walls and lots of comfy corner booths, and found Justin already waiting there. He smiled and hurried forward to open the door for her. They found a table and he slid out a chair, helping her into it.

They just... talked. Justin talked about his frustration over his family's contempt of his art, and his goals once he got out of school - he wanted to go to an art college. Jessica mostly listened - she was a good listener. She tried to be supportive.

"I think it's really cool what you do," Jessica offered.

"Thanks," said Justin, smiling. "But you're a writer. I couldn't do that."

Their food arrived and they ate with gusto. Justin laughed as Jessica's appetite matched his. (Jessica was a big-eater, steak-over-salad kind of girl.)

Jessica held back a smile. "You don't have a problem with how much I eat, do you?" she asked slyly.

"No," said Justin in amusement. "I was half afraid you'd be one of those stupid girls who's on a fad diet. Guess I shouldn't have worried. You're a lot more classy and sensible than that."

"Well, it's not stupid," Jessica argued softly. "They're just... they're caught up in this image society has told them of how they should be. I get caught in that sometimes just like any other girl. When the standard you're supposed to live up to is impossible, you can't help getting down on yourself sometimes."

"Sort of like how all guys are supposed to be jocks," Justin agreed thoughtfully.

And they got into a whole conversation about the standards society had set for them.

Afterward, they held hands and walked around on Main Street, looking through the antique shops together. Mom's friend Mrs Greer - who ran one of the shops - smiled secretly as she watched them, and her daughter Tina, who was distant friends with Jessica and her friends, came up to them beaming.

"Are you guys on a date?" she asked loudly. Jessica fought the urge to wince. Tina could be a little awkward at times.

"Yes," she said.

Tina's eyes flashed. "You'll have to call me so we can dish about it later," she said, beaming in a 'nudge-nudge-wink-wink' sort of way. Jessica smiled, a little overwhelmed.

It was as they were walking along main street in the quiet that Justin suddenly leaned over and kissed Jessica. Jessica's eyes flew open in surprise as their lips brushed.

Justin shrugged, smiling and blushing. "It just - seemed like the thing to do," he said. Jessica smiled, and kissed him back.

"Thanks for telling me about this, Chloe," said Lana firmly. "I've already quit the cheerleading team."

"Whoa, isn't that a little extreme?" Chloe asked in surprise.

The four girls were walking along campus before class, talking about Chloe's latest Torch article, which was about seven football players cheating on their math midterm so they could stay on the team.

"No. I never liked being a cheerleader; I only became one because my mother and aunt were cheerleaders," said Lana. "I'm not a fan of the parties, I don't like the people on my team, and I don't want to cheer for people who would cheat to win. Whitney and I got into a huge fight about it," Lana admitted. "He actually supported them! Can you believe that?"

"Well, I can sort of see why they did it. Not in an 'I would do it myself' sort of way," Emily added quickly, because Lana was glaring. "But, I mean... Football is a huge social part of any person's life. I can see being willing to do anything not to let that go."

"On the note of not being able to let go, I've already started getting hate mail," said Chloe cheerfully. "Over my article on the cheating? I implied in the article that the football players were abusing their privileges as jocks. The hate mail's just been flooding in."

"That's awful!" said Lana heatedly.

"Are you sure it's from the football team, though?" Jessica asked. "I've read some of it, and it seems a little third person."

"Are you kidding me? With the horrible grammar and all the times they say the word 'fuck'?" Chloe grinned. "It's gotta be the football players!"

"That's it. I'm joining you guys," said Lana. "Chloe, I'd like to be a part of The Torch. And Jessica, do you think you could put in a good word for me at The Beanery?"

"We are looking for a new employee," said Jessica. "Sure, I can talk to Zoe for you if you'd like." She was a little taken aback, but Jessica supported her friends.

"What about me?" Emily pouted, injured. Then she brightened. "Ooh, I know! I could invite you to my friends' parties!"

"Sounds good," Lana laughed.

Just then, the football players walked by to gather with the cheerleaders around the football coach, Coach Walt, a big old man - a football player gone to seed - with a Brooklyn accent.

"Ooh, ooh, I need a picture of the cheating jockstraps!" said Chloe eagerly, taking out her camera.

"Chloe, I'm not sure if that's such a good -" Lana began, but Chloe's camera was already clicking away. Suddenly, a football player saw Chloe's camera. He chucked a football right at Chloe's face.

Before Chloe could do more than flinch, Jessica stuck her hand out and grabbed the ball. She glared, her face twisting. Then she chucked the ball hard and hit the player right in the nuts. All the other football players backed up, laughing, as the boy fell to his knees.

"Let's go," said Lana in disgust. "They're not even worth it."

"Kent!" Jessica turned around in the hallway. The women's basketball coach Heather Johnson, a tall woman with a dirty blonde ponytail, was walking over to her. "Coach Walt told me to talk to you. He said you have one hell of an arm. And you'd better be good, because you're a hell of a lot shorter than I'm used to."

"Umm - Coach Walt? He, he doesn't know me," Jessica stuttered, nervous.

"He saw you nail some kid in the nuts with a football." Heather smirked. "I thought that was such a cool story I decided to take him up on his word and come talk to you."

"Well - I can't join the team, Coach Johnson," said Jessica shyly. "My parents don't want me on a sports team."

"Traditionalists, eh? I hate them. Let's just put you through your paces, kid, and see what you've got."

"But - but -" Jessica was pulled away to the gym despite herself.

It only took Coach Johnson a few minutes at tryouts to figure out Jessica was who she'd been searching for. Jessica made up for her size by jumping high and having really strong arms. She was fast and strong, she was good at what she did, she wasn't a showoff who was trying to impress with flash, and she was capable of coordinating with the other people Heather had roused up to play with her. Her technique wasn't perfect, but they could work on that.

"Okay, stop! Kent, you're on the team," said Coach Johnson brusquely. She scowled, hands on her hips.

"But - Coach, my parents -"

"Kent, do you want to be on the basketball team? Just you. No one else." Heather looked at her intently.

"Well - yeah. I mean, my Dad taught me how to play when I was really little. Sports could always be something we could do together. I like basketball and I'd love to play on a sports team," Jessica admitted quietly.

"Then you'll find a way to make it happen," said Coach Johnson. "Dismissed. Oh, and Kent?" she added, as Jessica went to turn away. "Put your hair back. I don't want it getting into your face during a game."

Jessica told her friends about what had happened at lunch that day.

"And then she told me to keep my hair back for the games. As if - as if she's actually going to play me during my freshman year," said Jessica disbelievingly.

"Don't take that too literally," Whitney warned her. "Still. Good job, Kent."

"What are you going to do about your parents?" Lana asked.

"I think I'm just... not going to tell them," Jessica admitted. "Coach Johnson didn't seem to see anything... off. You know, about a girl playing basketball," she covered, though she, Lana, and Emily knew that wasn't really what she was talking about. Jessica was saying Coach Johnson hadn't seemed to see her as unduly strong and fast. "But I think they'd get mad all the same. So I just won't tell them. I'll tell them I'm taking extra shifts at work instead.

"I also think I'll join the school robotics club. If I'm going to rebel, might as well do it all the way," said Jessica.

"Revolutionary. I like it." Justin smiled. "She's right, you know." He took out her headband and threaded it through her hair, pushing it back from your face. "You really do look nice with your hair back."

Jessica looked down, then looked up shyly under her eyelashes and smiled.

Helped along by combined encouragement, she started wearing her headband more often. She also began wearing more tank tops and capris, in lighter colors, to go with her new look. Her parents were surprised, but Jessica thought the new clothes reflected her new happiness and confidence.

Between her new boyfriend, basketball, robotics, the school newspaper, and her job, Jessica quickly had almost no time for anything. But she was about to make time for something in particular. Everything was about to blow up in the school's collective face - it was about time for Jessica to start saving people again.

A few days later, Jessica was leaving the school late one evening after basketball practice and she saw something rather odd. There was a flickering light coming from across the teacher's parking lot. She paused, squinting and looking closer... A car was on fire!

In half a second, she was beside the car. In another half a second, the car door had been torn clean off. She reached inside through the flames, pulled the unconscious man out of the burning wreckage, and put out the fire on his clothes. She looked into his face - it was Principal Kwan, his thin face covered in soot, making his high cheekbones look gaunt.

Jessica made the call with her cell phone and watched as Principal Kwan was loaded away onto an ambulance stretcher. As she was standing there above him, his eyes fluttered open and he looked into her face.

"What happened?" she asked sympathetically.

"I don't know," he muttered. "The car just spontaneously burst into flames..."

Jessica looked after the ambulance worriedly as it drove away. (The firefighters were busy working on the wreckage of the car.) What kind of car caught fire of its own accord?

The first thing that came to her mind: one that had been jinxed.

She didn't leave her phone number with the officials, not wanting them to call her while she was at home. She dusted herself of all soot, and when she got home she pretended it was just another evening coming back from work at The Beanery. She had dinner with her parents, then went up into the loft after dinner and called Chloe.

"Chloe, you're queen of all things weird -"

"I always knew you liked me, Jessica."

"I've got a story for you. What do you make of this?" She told her about the fire set to Principal Kwan's car, leaving out the parts involving her abilities.

"Someone had to have done that to Principal Kwan's car," said Chloe. "Maybe they sabotaged it through technology, or maybe a meteor freak who controls flame did it. But either way, it was no accident."

"The cops said it was probably faulty wiring," said Jessica. Chloe scoffed. "Okay, I admit, it sounds a little implausible. The question is, what was Kwan doing that was so controversial?" Jessica asked.

There was silence on the other end for a moment. Then, "... He's investigating the cheating scandal," said Chloe in realization.

"You think it was someone from the football team?" Jessica asked.

"It's the only logical explanation," Chloe insisted. "Who else attempts to assassinate a high school principal?"

Lana had started work at The Beanery. Chloe and Emily came by on her first night for moral support.

"How is she doing?" Chloe asked Jessica as they watched Lana wait tables from a distance.

Jessica winced. "She's - well, she's trying," she said.

Emily laughed. "Oh," said Chloe, smiling.

"She's a little absent minded. She forgets tables and gets drinks wrong a lot," said Jessica. "Day-dreaminess is great for Jane Austen literature, poetry, or photography. Not so good for a waitressing job."

But Chloe was already looking at something else. A football player in a letterman's jacket had walked up to some others who were sitting down. Jessica recognized them with a jolt - they were the ones who had cheated on the math test.

"Coach wants to see us on the field right away," said the first football player - Jessica thought his name was Trevor. All the football players immediately got up and left.

Jessica and Chloe exchanged a look, and then Chloe stood and moved toward the door to follow the players. "Chloe," said Jessica, and Chloe looked back. "Be careful," she said simply. Chloe nodded and left. Jessica wished she could go with her, but -

All of a sudden, Lana's tray fell with a crash, breaking mugs and spilling hot coffee everywhere. Jessica sighed, and went to help her clean it up.

Jessica had other things to do.

Later that night, Jessica got a phone call. She answered it immediately. "Chloe?"

"It's Coach Walt," Chloe breathed. "I eavesdropped on his meeting with the players. He supplied them with the test. Trevor admitted that to Kwan and that's why Walt attempted to kill Kwan."

"But how do you know it was -?"

"He threatened them with streams of fire. He's a meteor freak. I don't know how, but he's a meteor freak. I have photographic evidence."

"So what's your plan from here?" Jessica asked.

"Tomorrow night, after school, I talk to Trevor and print out the picture."

"No. Chloe, listen to me. Trevor admitted his betrayal to Walt, didn't he? Why?" Jessica asked intently.

Chloe paused. "Because Walt threatened him," she said.

"And Walt will do that again. Talking to any of the players isn't safe. You know it's Walt and he's threatening people in order to win games. That's all we need. Come over to my house tonight and we'll print out the pictures using my printer. But I want you to wait before giving them to anyone."

"Wait? Wait for what?" Chloe asked.

"Chloe," said Jessica, "you're just going to have to trust me."

She went to the school pep rally with Justin the next night. She figured Walt would show up - after all, all his players were at the pep rally. People sat on logs around the great bonfire, watching the football players and crow mascot dance around to marching band music. Jessica watched Walt closely from across the bonfire. Walt seemed jumpy. Shifty eyed.

At last, Walt broke off to head to the parking lot, and Jessica stood up. "Justin, I'll be right back," she said. She followed Walt out to the darkened parking lot, and called to him, "Walt! Are you really so determined to win that you're willing to kill and threaten people in order to do it?"

Walt turned around, his face threatening. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Sure, you don't. I have photographic evidence, you know. Evidence that you can control fire." Jessica was calm - confident.

"Your father played for me! I gave you that recommendation to Coach Johnson! You should understand! This will be my 200th win on my 25th year. They can't shut me out now. We're not talking about just a game, we're talking about my legacy!" Walt shouted.

"No legacy is worth hurting people over," said Jessica. "And I'll tell you what. I'm recording this conversation with my cell phone. You just admitted to what I thought you did." She was bluffing.

Walt's face twisted - and then flames flickered to life on Jessica's front. She stood there, unmoving, as the flames slowly flickered out of existence with nothing to give them life. Walt's eyes widened in surprise.

"What are you?" he asked.

Jessica moved, and the world stopped. She ran easily over to Walt, and then stopped. The world returned to normal again. Walt jumped. To him, it was as if she had disappeared in one place and reappeared in another. Jessica pushed Walt, and he went flying, landing hard on top of a car.

Walt sat up and flames ignited around him - and onto the car. Seconds later, the car had exploded, and Walt had gone up in flames. An awful smell filled the air as Jessica was pushed back, away from the blast.

She stood up, and ran at low speeds back to the bonfire. "Walt's a meteor freak!" she shouted. "Quick! He just set himself on fire!"

People went running, and Justin quickly pulled her into his arms when he saw what had happened to Walt. "Thank God he didn't hurt you," said Justin. "What were you even doing out there?"

"Sorry, I just - I wanted to thank him for the recommendation to Coach Johnson," Jessica whispered.

Chloe was giving her a very certain look. Jessica met her eyes, and then winced. Chloe looked away again, and said nothing.

Meteor rock was found later in Walt's private sauna in the boy's locker rooms.

The next night, Lex came in to work at The Beanery with some paperwork. Jessica came over to his table, which was spread with sheets of paper, to take his order. "And what would you like?" She smiled, brandishing the pad of paper.

"Cappuccino, please," said Lex, smiling. "Is that Lana behind you? She's working here now?"

"... Yeah," Jessica admitted, wincing.

"I take it it's not going well," Lex observed dryly.

"Zoe came up to me and said that if Lana's work doesn't improve, she's going to have to fire her," said Jessica, troubled. "I haven't exactly told her yet."

"Eerie parallel," said Lex. "I'm here because my father's forcing me to fire twenty percent of my work force."

"There's no way around it?" Jessica asked.

"No way my father will accept," said Lex.

"What does that mean?" Jessica asked.

"It means that I'd like to be increasing my workforce. If we spend and our competitors retreat, when the sector bounces back, we'll corner the market. But my father prefers the standard method of retreating to save money. And as much as I'd like to rebel against him... But I suspect you don't know a lot about that."

"About not rebelling against my parents? I don't know about that," said Jessica. "Can you keep a secret?" Lex nodded curiously. "I've joined the basketball team and the robotics club. I haven't exactly told them. They're pretty traditionalist."

"Good for you," said Lex. "We need more women in sports, math, and science."

"If only my parents were as enlightened," despaired Jessica. The real reason her parents were against it, of course, was because of her abilities, but Lex didn't need to know that. "Do you play any sports?"

"Polo and fencing," said Lex.

"You're such a rich boy," said Jessica, smiling.

"Hey! I also do boxing," he added. "Maybe not when it comes to sports, but I'm also pretty familiar with what it's like to hide things from my father. To say we don't have a great relationship would be the understatement of the century. I wish you good luck, and I'll keep your secret."

"Thanks," said Jessica, smiling. "Let me go get your drink."

Lana went to meet with Jessica the next afternoon outside the football stadium. It was the last game of the season, and the mood was subdued thanks to Walt's sudden death. Jessica was there with Chloe, Pete, Justin, and Emily.

"Zoe fired me." Lana frowned. "Why didn't you tell me she was considering it?"

"I wasn't sure it was my place, and I was kind of hoping she wouldn't," Jessica admitted. "I'm sorry."

Lana nodded. "... Can I squeeze in?" she asked.

"Sure." Jessica waved her over and smiled.

They sat and watched the game, and it was a win for Smallville. Jessica looked up at the sky. "What do you know, Walt?" she whispered. "You won your 200th game and you didn't even get to see it."