Resort to bribery

"Wait," you say in terror, remembering your conversation yesterday - Jane said she’d use your powers to claim a new ride, didn’t she? "You want a car, right? I can get you one! Right now! What do you say?"

Jane stops pulling on you exactly one second before she's **** your hands off the pole. She purses her lips speculatively. "Wait. Like, right now, right now?" she asks.

Finally, you'll be able to catch your breath.You breathe a sigh of relief. "Yeah. Course. Right now, right now, anything you want," you say, gesturing to the parking lot around you. "Pick a car, it's yours."

Jane forgets all about the run and turns in a full circle to take stock of all nearby vehicles. "What if somebody else needs their car more than me, though?"

"Please, this is a technology business park, they all make six-figure salaries," you say. But you give in. "But fine, we’ll check if the owner can afford to lose their car before taking anything."

Jane's excitement grows out of bounds - she practically vibrates with excitement. "Yes! Hell yes!” Immediately, she takes off at a half run, gawking at parked cars one after another like a kid who’s been told they get to pick their own Christmas presents this year.

Ribs hurting, you try not to laugh as you hurry to follow. You laugh anyway, sucking in a sharp breath at the sudden lancing pain.

--

Inspecting potential cars under the warming light of the morning sun, Jane grows more and more hyped. It begins sinking in that she’s getting a real car, for real. Her family's never been able to afford two vehicles.

After spending an hour debating literally hundreds of options, the search comes to an abrupt end when Jane comes upon a bright yellow jeep.

The athletic skater throws her arms around the vehicle, hugging the hood . "This one! This one!" she says eagerly, holding tight to the jeep like if it’ll bolt if she drops her guard.

"A jeep?" you ask.

"Oh my god, I’ll have my own freaking jeep,” she mutters to herself. Then louder, to you, eyes wide with wonder, she explains, “So I can do off-roading and crap. Or whatever! Please, Chase? Can I?"

“Can you what?” you tease. You know what she means, but you like seeing her so excited. All because of you.

Jane quickly corrects herself. "Can I have this jeep? Please? Please please?”

You rub your chin, pretending deliberation to string her along. You’re enjoying Jane hanging on your every word way too much to let it end. "Well, we’ll need to ask the owner first to make sure he can stand losing it…”

"But I can have it, right? For real?" Jane asks, almost scared you'll say no.

You can't help but chuckle. You've never seen this side of Jane before. Hopeful. Eager. ****. She’s usually so casual, or aloof - but right now, your tomboyish friend is fully engaged with you, and what you have to say.

"What's the magic word?" you tease, unable to keep the smug satisfaction out of your voice.

"Please?" asks Jane, glomming onto the yellow hood of the jeep with her entire body. "Please please please?" There's a **** edge to her voice.

This is your power. You can give your friends whatever they want. But maybe you're jerking Jane around too much with this. For you, this was merely a ploy to get out of a 1.5 mile run, but for Jane, she suddenly has a whole car on the line.