The Gift

Natasha Levesque glided down the smooth cement walkway like a seal through water, clicking her stylish heels as she went. The young Canadian felt a bit out of sorts in the large Metropolis mall, more than a little out of place. But, she thought with a sigh, she had promised her little brother that she would find some good birthday presents for the eldest brother, Andrè. Why she had chosen to go shopping in the vast mall however, she did not know. The small town, country girl who liked to ride horses, was out of her element, to say the least.

Still, she had found some great shirts at a snowboarding shop, Quickgold or something like that. She had also found a radio for Andy's Neon, a car he allowed no one but himself to drive, for he was extremely overprotective of it. And, after a long, trying day of shopping, she was eager to find an isolated spot in the mall's overpopulated food court. She stood, waiting for someone to relinquish their spot in the flooded area. At last, a man got up from a small table he was sharing with his girlfriend. Natasha rushed to the spot.

She sank down into her chair gratefully, a fatty milkshake in her hand that was sure to kill any progress her self-imposed diet had brought on. She knew she wasn't the prettiest girl in the world... hadn't even had a real boyfriend yet, unless you counted that one week fling back in the 6th grade when she had flirted with an incredibly cute boy. It had ended with a one-week relationship.

Natasha smiled with certainty. She knew that her mousy brown hair that hung around her shoulders in sheared layers and the fashionable glasses she wore over her brown eyes weren't the things that threw boys off. They didn't like to ask her out and all that 'other stuff' because Natasha was an intelligent female, unlike most of the 'easy' country girls they had encountered back home. She didn't party hard with her friend Nicole, or smoke pot with her less than friend Samantha. She did like to drink a bit though. German alcohol and chocolates were the items she had a fetish for.

"I'm telling you Clark, we should buy Lana that crystal unicorn, the pretty one in the jeweler's shop. She'd totally flip over it!" Natasha glanced over her shoulder at the pixy-like blond speaking with her brown haired guy friend. Boyfriend most likely, she assumed assuredly. There was no way someone that good looking could be single.

The guy, Clark, balked at his pretty companion's suggestion. "Wouldn't that seem a bit too personal though Chloe? I mean, she's going out with Whitney right now, and it might seem that I was trying to get too close or something."

Chloe laughed. "It's from too of her closest friends, dufus. Of course it's supposed to be too personal. This is someone we hang with 24-7. Share the love, brother." Clark laughed at her and nodded his head in agreement.

"Alright," he said, "but if Whitney want to pound me or something because of it, I'm gonna blame it all on you."

"Boys," Chloe sighed. "Always setting the blame on females."

Natasha could certainly understand that statement. Whenever Andy and her younger brother, Nicky, did something that would get them in trouble, they always blamed Natasha for it. As a result, she regularly received the most groundings in her family, along with the worst chores.

She sighed. She had come to Metropolis to visit one of her many aunts and uncles and forget her immediate family for awhile, but they seemed to keep coming up in her mind. She stood up and gathered her bags together, noticing that the boy and girl, teenagers her own age she noted, were doing the same.

She started off again, through the overcrowded food court and halls, clutching her bags around her like a lifeline. She was almost out of the worst of the crowd when a large man, much larger than the petite brunette, stepped directly into her and grabbed her purse and shopping bags as she fell. She yelled loudly, but doubted if anyone heard her. By the time she had hit the floor and people started to take notice, the robber was already gone. With my passport! Natasha thought wildly, jumping to her feet and scanning the immediate area hopefully.

A loud and indignant yell to her left brought her eyes to the site of one Clark and his friend Chloe from the food court. They had been heading towards the jeweler's store, which incidentally was near the exit Natasha had been planning to use.

Clark had heard Natasha's yell and saw the man grab her bags and head in his direction. As a self proclaimed 'protector of the weak and all that is just in this world', he had jumped the man and along with Chloe's help (even though he didn't really need it), he had the man drop all of the bags and caught the eye of a mall security guard.

Natasha soon came up, her mouth flopping open and shut like a dying fish, the thank you's unable to reach her lips. "How can I ever repay you?" she finally asked as she picked up her bags to go.

"You don't need to," Chloe said. "We were just happy to help."

"Yeah," Clark added.

"Well, if I ever see you again, be sure I'll be taking you out for coffee or something," Natasha said gratefully.

"Sure," Clark said. "Do you live around here?" he asked.

"No," Natasha answered with a small laugh. "I'm taking an extended trip from my parents. I'm living with my Aunt here in Metropolis for a month or two. Maybe more."

"Cool, cool. Chloe and I live in Smallville. It's a little ways away," he explained.

"Maybe I'll plan a sight-seeing trip to Smallville then," Natasha smiled.

"Okay. Chloe and I will take you up on that coffee offer then. Just ask someone to direct you to the Kent farm. You can't miss us." He smiled as he said goodbye and walked into the jeweler's store with Chloe, presumably to buy the crystal unicorn for their friend Lana.

She's kind of pretty, She heard Clark think to himself.

Clark totally likes her, his blonde friend, Chloe thought jealously.

Natasha chuckled. Don't find many boys like that out in the country, she thought to herself. She smiled deviously, planning to take a trip to Smallville sometime in the very near future