JAN 2007 - #18

Point of View: Victor Cranston by Chip Caroon

Since it had to deal with Natalie's choice of college, I figured I start a college related conversation.

"You think college is going to treat you better than high school?" I asked.

"Definitely," Peter replied. "More free time, and a chance to start over. Maybe increase my social status."

Okay, not the best starting topic, but I couldn't change it now.

"Yeah, you still have some of your nerd image around. At least that's easier to hide in college."

"What makes you think I need to hide it?"

"The 'smart' people that get all of the answers and kiss the teacher's ass are the ones that everyone else secretly hates. Fortunately, the grades are all anonymous. Trust me, if you're the one screwing the curve, it's better that you don't advertise it."

"Won't people find out?"

"Find out what?"

"How smart I am?"

"To the people you surround yourself with, perhaps. But to the general public, the people you'll pass by on your way to class, you'll just be another person they pass."

Peter was silent for a moment. "So, why did you bring this college talk up anyway?"

I hesitated. What I was about to tell him, I'd been holding to myself for the better part of a month. "Because Natalie's going to USC."

There, I said it. It still didn't make it feel real. Natalie had told me that she was going away weeks ago, and I was still having trouble visualizing myself at college without her.

"USC. In California?"

"Yup. LA."

"I thought she'd be going to ESU with us right here in New York. Did she just tell you?"

"No. She told me back on senior skip day." I paused for a second, her words echoing in my mind from when she first told me.

"Victor, I'm going to California."

I continued. "I keep telling myself that it'll be fine, and that our relationship will be okay, but I'm not convincing myself very well."

"That sucks."

"Things have been . . . different for us lately. I'm not exactly sure if we'll be able to maintain a long distance relationship."

At that point, Mary Jane came up with refills for our drinks. She had caught the last part of our conversation.

"Who's maintaining a long distance relationship?" she asked.

Peter looked at me. I could tell he was debating on whether or not he should tell Mary Jane what I had just told him. I figured that I might as well tell her myself. Maybe it would help.

"Natalie's going to USC in the fall, MJ." It still didn't help.

"That's in LA." She put her hand on my shoulder, to comfort me. I guess, in a way it did. At least I knew she cared. "That's going to be rough."

"I know."

MJ glanced at her watch and then looked at Peter. "My shift ends in an hour. Have any plans for tonight?"

"Not yet, but I'm sure you have some for me." Peter smiled.

"Not really . . . "

At this point, their voices faded and became distant to me as my mind began wandering. I was thinking what Natalie and I could do, and how we only had three months left before she left for college.

Looking out the window, I saw Jimmy Olsen walk up. His new friend - girlfriend? - Carolyn Trainer was walking with him. They stopped and were saying something. I guess I tried to make out what they were talking about, but it didn't work.

As I drifted back to the conversation Peter was saying, "There was a nice little place that I was hoping that we'd go."

"Where?" Mary Jane asked. The anticipation on her face was obvious.

"You'll see. Just wear something nice, but not too nice."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Something that you'd wear for a school picture, but not as nice as Sunday clothes."

"Gotcha," Mary Jane said, winking as she walked off.

"So, where are you taking her?" I asked, taking a sip of my soda.

"A club," Peter replied nonchalantly.

This was a bit of a shock to me. After all, clubs are usually frequented by college students.

"A club. Getting ready for college early, huh?"

"Hey, I know she likes dancing. I found a club."

"You gonna be able to get in?"

"It's one of those clubs that caters to the college crowd. Very strict drinking rules."

"So, you'll wake up in the morning with nice big black X's on your hands."

Peter sighed. I chuckled. I'd heard some college guys complaining about having to get marked as being underage when entering these clubs.

Just then, Jimmy Olsen walked up. "Hey, guys. Mind if I join you?"

"Knock yourself out," I replied. "No Carolyn?"

"Uh, no . . . "

"How are things between you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you two together?"

"Not really. In fact, she's starting to scare me."

Peter explained, "She took Jimmy to second base, but he blacked out before they got all the way there."

"And you don't remember it?" I asked Jimmy.

Jimmy shook his head.

"At least tell me you got all the way there."

Jimmy shook his head again.

"Bummer." I took another sip of soda. Just then, I heard some loud conversation, and what sounded like a scuffle. I lifted my head up.

Following my cue, Jimmy and Peter turned their heads to see what the commotion was.

"Oh man, girl fight," Jimmy commented.

"Hate to be in the middle of that one," Peter said.

I was getting ready to agree with him when I recognized one of the girls. It was Liz Allen. Then I recognized who she was fighting.

"Wait a minute, that looks like . . . damn. It's Natalie!"

Peter and Jimmy scrambled up, fully turning to face the fight. I also stood up, ready to head over and break it up. But Peter put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me back a little.

"Down, boy," he said. "That's one fight you don't want to be in the middle of."

"Dammit, Peter, my girlfriend's in that fight!"

"I'm sure she can take care of herself."

Mary Jane was trying to break the fight up. "Natalie! Liz! Stop!" It took some time, but she was finally able to pull Natalie back. "What the hell has gotten into you, girl?"

Natalie brushed her hair back. I wanted nothing more than to rush over and comfort her. But before I could even lift one foot, the back window of the Crib just shattered. Molten Man had jumped through it.

When I saw him, I froze. I remembered what happened last time I faced him. The pain flared up where he hit me.

I couldn't really tell what happened next too well. I heard Jimmy cursing about not having a camera. I saw Molten Man advance towards Liz. Suddenly, I remembered what Natalie's beef with Liz was, and what the fight was probably about.

Molten Man lifted Liz in his left arm.

"You will obey me!" he exclaimed. Liz started banging her fists against Molten Man. She quickly stopped, I assume after her hands starting burning from touching his hot flesh.

"Hey, get off her!" That was the first time I noticed Flash Thompson was there. He must have been sitting beside Liz. Idiot that he was, he lunged at Molten Man. It didn't take much for Molten Man to toss him over to where we were standing.

Flash's collision with Jimmy's chair brought me out of my daze. We both crouched down to see if Flash was all right. I saw Peter run off. More than likely to get Mary Jane out of the way.

"I'm fine," he said. "I've taken rougher hits in football."

"Flash, a friendly word of advice," I offered. "When a big guy that doesn't look completely human barges into a public place, and looks really pissed off, don't try to take him!"

"I wasn't thinking clearly."

"That's hardly surprising," Jimmy muttered.

"Look, we better hide before he starts coming after us," I suggested. "Right now, he seems to be concentrated on Liz and her struggling."

"Good idea," Jimmy agreed. "How about that room?"

I turned to look at the door behind me that he was looking at. It was a swinging door. We got up and pushed through it.

I stood up and looked around. We were in what looked like a stockroom.

I heard a shout of "Spider-Man!" outside. I could only assume that the webslinger had shown up.

We listened for a while, and heard signs of a fight.

"You guys smell that?" Jimmy asked.

I sniffed. "Something's on fire."

"We gotta get out of here!" Flash exclaimed, running through the door.

"Flash, wait!" I tried to warn. I wasn't sure if Molten Man was gone, and there was no sense letting Flash run into a surefire ticket to the hospital. Even if he was a jackass sometimes, he didn't deserve to get the crap beat out of him by Molten Man.

Jimmy and I followed him out. The first thing I noticed was that Molten Man was gone, but he left a present. Flames were engulfing the back wall. It wouldn't be long until the whole place would go up.

"Get everyone out of here!" Spider-Man shouted at me.