---
'Seriously, man, this is amazing,' said Ned, shaking Henry by the arm. He was really happy for his friend.
'I know, right?' Henry replied, excited.
'You gotta tell me everything,' said Ned.
He and Ned walked toward the classroom. Henry arrived and waited for the class to end.
---
Mark Grayson had just arrived at school. Mark had black hair, a slim build, and looked like a normal teenager for his age.
His dad told him that one day he'd have the same powers as him, but that hadn't happened yet.
His best friend, William Clockwell, was walking beside him. William had light brown hair with a middle part and soft curls that hung slightly in front of his face.
They were walking and talking when they saw a rich-looking car pull up. They looked over, and a girl stepped out. She was pretty, had fair skin, and red hair.
After getting out of the car, the girl acted flirtatiously, said something to the boy inside, and walked away with her friends.
Mark stared at her with his mouth open. William, standing next to him, said:
'You better not let him see you staring at his girl,' said William, pointing at Henry, who had just gotten out of the car.
Mark quickly shut his mouth. 'It's not like that. Let's go,' Mark replied.
'I know you too well. Don't lie to me. I know exactly what you're thinking,' William said, putting his arm around Mark's shoulder.
'Now tell me, who is he?' William asked in a weird tone.
They walked together, chatting along the way.
As they headed to class, Mark saw the girl he liked. His heart started beating faster, he got nervous, and started to sweat.
Her hair was blonde, not too long—just enough to reach her neck. She had fair skin, blue eyes, and was very beautiful.
Amber Bennett walked past him holding some books, chatting with her friends.
As she passed by, Mark got even more nervous. William noticed the shift in his friend and glanced at Amber, quickly understanding what was going on.
After she walked away, he turned to Mark.
'How long are you gonna keep doing this?' William asked seriously.
Mark pretended not to understand. 'What do you mean, William?'
'Don't pretend you don't know. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I've known you since we were kids—you think I haven't noticed?' William said.
Mark sighed. 'I don't know… I just don't think I have a chance.'
'You'll only find out if you try. It's better to try and fail than never try at all,' said William, trying to cheer him up.
'Thanks. You're a great friend,' Mark replied.
'I know. So, what do you say we hang out at my place today and play some games?'
'Sure, but I gotta swing by my house first.'
---
Henry was waiting for class to end. He kept looking at the clock anxiously. On his desk were several books—truth be told, he could easily read and memorize all of them in a single day. His body wasn't just brute strength.
He had spent time in the Fortress of Solitude learning Kryptonian knowledge. He was already smart enough.
Just before class ended, he got a message—it was Cecil. He was calling to ask if Henry could handle a crisis. Henry messaged back saying he was busy and wouldn't go. Cecil wasn't thrilled, but didn't push. They'd have to manage a day without him.
The bell rang. Class ended. Henry stood up and went to Eve's classroom, leaning against the wall beside the door.
Eve came out with her friends. She saw him and said goodbye to them.
---
Henry walked Eve to his car. They were already inside.
'Where are we going?' she asked, flipping her hair. She looked sexier than before.
'It's a surprise,' said Henry, starting the engine.
'Mysterious. I hope it's somewhere nice.'
'I think you'll like it,' Henry said, stepping on the gas.
'Are you even old enough to drive?' Eve asked.
'Nope… It's illegal. You gonna arrest me?' Henry teased.
'Actually, I was wondering if you could teach me,' Eve replied, laughing.
'Sure, I'll teach you. It's good for—' Before Henry could explain how everything worked, Eve, who was in the passenger seat, unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed onto his lap.
She sat on him. Her hair fell across his face, and she had a sweet, pleasant scent.
'Could you repeat that? I didn't hear you,' she said, turning around.
Henry was caught off guard and didn't even react.
'Sure…' Henry replied awkwardly. He was extremely turned on but tried not to show it. His whole body tensed up.
---
Henry parked the car in front of a store. It sold expedition gear for Arctic conditions—high-quality stuff, the best available.
'What are we doing here?' Eve asked, confused.
'It's for the trip. You're gonna need it,' Henry replied from inside the car.
'Trip?' Eve repeated, still not understanding. Henry didn't explain.
'Let's go,' Henry said as he stepped out. He helped Eve out too. They entered the store, and Henry looked for an attendant.
'How can I help?' the clerk asked.
'I need winter clothes. The warmest you have. Price doesn't matter. Stuff for exploring freezing environments.'
'We have a few options. See anything you like?' the assistant asked Eve.
'That one looks good,' Eve said, pointing.
On the wall was a long, knee-length, white, quilted coat with a hood lined in white fur, high collar, and built-in gloves. The material looked really warm.
'Want to try it on?' the assistant asked.
Eve grabbed the coat and went to the fitting room. She came out and asked:
'How do I look?' she said, already sweating.
'Looks good…' the assistant answered. In truth, she thought the coat looked way too much—like four coats stacked together.
'Perfect for what we need. How much is it?' Henry said.
---
Eve was now fully bundled up in warm clothes, wearing a thick hood that covered her head.
Henry was in his uniform, holding Ned's car above his head.
They were in the Arctic. He was carrying the car, and Eve was inside with an injured leg. She said she could fly, but Henry thought it better to carry her—he didn't want her leg to get worse.
He flew across the Arctic, covering the car with his bio-field to help keep her warm.
He reached a mountain with a flat, open area. In the center was a large door.
Henry carefully set the car down so as not to hurt Eve.
'We're here,' he said, walking over to help her out of the car.
On the massive door was a symbol—the crest of the House of El, the same family as his ancestors.
'What is this place?' Eve asked.
'My home. This is where I come when I want to rest. I wanted to show it to you.'
'If you wanted to kill me, you could've done it earlier.'
Henry laughed. 'I'd never do that,' he said, trying to talk through his laughter.
'What's that?' Eve asked, pointing at an opening in the door.
'That used to be for the old key,' Henry replied.
'What'd you do with it?' Eve asked.
'Tossed it. Too flashy. I didn't think it was safe,' Henry said, walking to the welcome mat. Under it, he pulled out a new key and said:
'See? This is my new key.'
Henry inserted the key into the lock and opened the door. Robots he had built with Alura's help came out.
'Please bring the car inside and fix anything that's damaged,' Henry ordered.
'Yes, sir,' the robots replied.
'Robots?' Eve asked, bundled tightly in her coat, shivering from the cold.
'You built them?' she asked, surprised—she thought strength was his only talent. Meanwhile, the robots carried the car inside.
Eve looked at the tiny key Henry had used.
'You said you replaced the key, but this one doesn't look very secure,' she said.
'It really doesn't,' Henry replied. He squatted down and dropped the key on the ground. When he did, the ground cracked, forming small fractures.
'It's made from super-dense material taken from a white dwarf star. It weighs several tons. I'm one of the few on Earth who can lift it.'
'Wanna try?' Henry joked.
Eve didn't believe him and crouched down to try picking it up.
'No way…' she said, struggling. Despite the key's small size, Eve couldn't lift it—not even using her powers.
'It's so heavy…' she tried, but couldn't.
'I know. Let's go inside. I made us something to eat,' Henry said, placing a hand on her shoulder. He was taller than her—not because she was short, but because he was tall.
'Great, I'm starving,' Eve said, rubbing her belly.
---