Mary Jane Watson continued to slave away at The Crib. It was a Saturday afternoon, and busy as usual. The only reason MJ even stayed at the job was for the paycheck, so she would have some money for college.
Even though it was busy, each of the waitresses still had work to do behind the main counter. MJ was filling drinks.
Two of the other waitresses, Cynthia and Ashley were talking. Cynthia was one of those rich girls who really didn't have to work, but daddy made her, as a way to get her some experience in the real world. She's a was the hot blonde, who had all the guys falling over her. But she's also the girl who's going to be the first to get completely wasted at college. I wouldn't be surprised if that little drama queen failed out before the end of one semester, MJ thought.
Ashley was a brunette, about average looking. But she hung out with all the right girls to make her a desirable target as well. Yet, she was a follower, unable to do anything well on her own.
Mary Jane had overheard enough conversations in the halls at school with guys drooling over those two and their clique of friends, it made her sick.
"Oh, my gosh, if graduation is moved indoors, I don't know what I'd do!" Cynthia was moaning. "My dress is an outdoor dress, and will completely clash with the colors in the gym."
I feel nauseous, MJ thought.
"Oh, I know," Ashley replied with fake sincerity.
As if you know anything . . .
After what seemed like an enternity, the drink orders were finally all taken care of, and Mary Jane started her round to distribute them.
Meanwhile, Peter Parker and Victor Cranston were sitting in their usual booth at the rear of the Crib. It was a Saturday, one of the busiest days for the teen hangout. The guys had been talking for a while, when Victor decided to share a secret with Peter.
"You think college is going to treat you better than high school?" he asked, trying to ease into the subject.
"Definitely," Peter replied. "More free time, and a chance to start over. Maybe increase my social status."
"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 thought that over for a minute. I'm still thinking in a high school mode when it came to personal interactions with people. Instead of the small group of a couple hundred people that you'd been around for a decade or more, it was now thousands of people who you could share a class or dorm with and never know.
After contemplating that, Peter suddenly wondered why Victor was bringing up college. Most seniors try to enjoy their final weeks without too much thinking ahead. At least not the heavy thoughts like that. Most kids are thinking about the parties and how they'd be spending time.
Finally, he asked aloud. "So, why did you bring this college talk up anyway?"
"Because Natalie's going to USC."
It was Victor's turn to pause for a moment. It still hadn't sunk in. It didn't seem real. Natalie was going to college on the other side of the country - nothing at all like they had planned . . . what he had planned.
"USC. South Carolina or Southern California?" Peter asked.
"The far away one. LA."
He was still having problems imagining college life without Natalie.
"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." Victor paused for a second. "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."
"Who's maintaining a long distance relationship?" the beautiful red headed waitress asked as she replaced the guys' drinks.
Peter looked at Victor, not sure if it was his place to tell Mary Jane about Natalie.
"Natalie's going to USC in the fall, MJ," Victor replied.
"That's in LA." She put her hand on Victor's shoulder. "That's going to be rough."
"I know," Victor replied.
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.
Victor's mind started wandering, and his friends voices began to fade. He was thinking over his options regarding Natalie, and the three months remaining before she left for college. He looked outside and saw Jimmy and Carolyn.
"Not really. But I figured that we could go flying or something . . . " MJ suggested.
"I thought I told you that I won't just take you webslinging just anytime."
"You did on senior skip day . . . "
"Those were special circumstances."
"Is that a no?"
"Maybe. We'll see. Actually, there was a nice little place that I was hoping that we'd go."
"Where?"
"You'll see. Just wear something casual. Party like."
"We're going to a party?"
"Not quite. I think you'll like this better."
"Gotcha," Mary Jane said, winking as she walked off.
Jimmy Olsen was hurrying, hoping to catch Peter and Victor at the Crib, as they had planned. Only a couple blocks away, he heard a feminine voice calling his name.
"Hey, Jimmy! Wait up!"
Jimmy sighed, recognizing the voice. It was Carolyn Trainer. Jimmy had taken her to the prom, but never expected any sort of relationship to develop. But on senior skip day, something happened at her apartment that had Jimmy paranoid every time he even thought of her.
Being nice, Jimmy turned and flashed a fake smile. "Carolyn! What's up?"
"Oh, nothing," she replied, falling into step beside him. "So, where're we going?"
"We're going nowhere. I'm going to the Crib."
"That's a bit harsh."
"I'm sorry, Carolyn, but ever since senior skip day, I've been uncomfortable around you."
"Every time?"
"Okay," Jimmy admitted, "maybe not every time, but still . . . "
"You scared we're going too far?"
"What? No! Not like that. Maybe you're going too far."
Having reached the front of the Crib, they stopped walking. Jimmy was getting worried that Carolyn might make a highly visible scene if he had pissed her off too much.
"Me? But not you?"
"Considering I can't remember most of what we do together," Jimmy mumbled.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing. Listen, I'm just confused right now. I have a lot to deal with right now, and thinking is getting complicated. You doing anything tonight?"
Carolyn smiled. It was one of those playful smiles, like she was ready for him to ask.
"Not yet . . . "
"I'll come over. You'll be at your apartment, right?"
"Of course."
"I'll be there."
"I'll be waiting," Carolyn said as she walked away.
Jimmy shook his head and turned to walk in. Something just didn't feel right. He shrugged it off, and decided to worry with it later.
He walked into the Crib to be greeted by Mary Jane.
"Hey, Jimmy. The usual?"
"Yeah," he replied. "Peter and Victor at the back?"
"As always."
"Thanks." He turned and headed towards the back.
"Ugh," Cynthia said, in a low voice. "What a geek."
"Jimmy's not that bad a guy," Mary Jane replied, hoping to be able to talk some sense into Cynthia.
"Like you have any taste."
MJ realized that talking sense into Cynthia was a waste of time. "You self-centered bitch."
Cynthia gasped and stormed into the back. Mary Jane wondered if the bigger shock came from knowing that someone didn't like her, or had the guts to actually tell her what she was.
MJ was getting ready to pick up her tray when Natalie Casswell came in.
"Victor's in the back," MJ said. "Usual table."
"Usual topics?"
"I don't think so. Jimmy's with them."
"Ah."
Mary Jane could tell her friend seemed a little distant. She wanted to say something. Not sure if she could ask her straight out if anything was wrong, she guessed, and tried to ease into it. "Victor told me about USC."
Natalie sighed. "I figured he would. I'm actually surprised he held it for this long."
"I gotta get these drinks to their tables. Want me to bring you anything?"
"Just a Coke, thanks."
Victor finally snapped back to reality.
"So, where are you taking her?" Victor asked, sipping on his soda. He had heard snippets of the conversation.
"A club," Peter replied nonchalantly.
"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, wondering if he should tell Victor about using rubbing alcohol, or let him learn the hard way in college.
Just then, Jimmy Olsen walked up. "Hey, guys. Mind if I join you?"
"Knock yourself out," Victor replied. As Jimmy pulled up a chair, he added, "No Carolyn?"
"Uh, no . . . "
"How are things between you?" Victor asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Are you two together?"
"Not really. In fact, she's starting to scare me."
Peter saw the confusion on Victor's face. "She took Jimmy to second base, but he blacked out before they got all the way there."
"And you don't remember it?" Victor wondered.
Jimmy shook his head.
"At least tell me you got all the way there."
Jimmy shook his head again.
"Bummer." Victor took another sip of soda. He heard some noise in the background and lifted his head to see what the commotion was. Jimmy and Peter did as well.
"Oh man, girl fight," Jimmy commented.
"Hate to be in the middle of that one," Peter said.
"Wait a minute," Victor noted, "that looks like . . . damn. It's Natalie!"
Peter and Jimmy scrambled up, fully turning to face the fight. From this vantage point, they could see Natalie and Liz Allen attacking each other. Victor started to head over there. Peter put his hand on his friend's shoulder and, using some of his spider strength, slightly shoved him back.
"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."
"Natalie! Liz! Stop!" Mary Jane exclaimed, trying to break the two girls up. She was finally able to pull Natalie back. "what the hell has gotten into you, girl?"
Natalie brushed her hair back. Before she could catch her breath, the back window of the Crib shattered as a large golden man came crashing through the window. He looked around, getting his bearings.
Peter clinched his teeth. Victor froze in his place, suddenly feeling the pain and heat of where Molten Man had hit him at the after prom party.
"Molten Man," Peter whispered.
"Damn, I left my camera at home," Jimmy cursed.
Peter's mind was racing. He had to find a way to change into Spider-Man, without tipping anyone off to his alter ego.
Molten Man reached out to Liz. "You're coming with me," he said.
Liz began crying. "No, Mark!" she shouted.
"You will obey me!" Molten Man exclaimed, wrapping his left arm around Liz. Liz started banging her fists against Molten Man's large body. She quickly stopped, after her hands starting burning.
"Hey, get off her!" Flash yelled, charging Molten Man. With his free hand, Molten Man lifted Flash up and threw him across the room. Flash landed on the floor and slid into Jimmy's chair.
The collision brought Victor out of his daze. Jimmy bent down to check on Flash.
"I'm fine," Flash said. "I've taken rougher hits in football."
"Flash, a friendly word of advice," Victor 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," Victor suggested. "Right now, he seems to be concentrated on Liz and her struggling."
"Good idea," Jimmy agreed. "How about that room?" He was pointing at the swinging door leading to the stockroom behind Victor.
They pushed through it.
Meanwhile, as Jimmy and Victor were helping Flash, Peter ran to Mary Jane, grabbing her arm and rushing into a back room.
"We clear?" he asked.
"Yeah," MJ replied, nearing a panic state.
Peter activated his Spider-Man outfit, and ran out of the back room. He crossed the back of the building, to where he couldn't be seen, and out of the building. He leapt up to the top of the building, and then ran over to where Molten Man had entered. He peered over.
"Hey, put that girl down, Molten Man!" he exclaimed, jumping down.
"Spider-Man!" Liz shouted.
"Spider-Man." Molten Man said the name with contempt.
"Glad everyone knows who I am," Spidey said. "Now, how about letting the girl go?"
"No!" Molten Man shouted, pointing his hand at Spider-Man, letting a glob of molten material flying straight for the wallcrawler. Spidey ducked, but the molten material landed on a table, setting it on fire. It wasn't long until the building itself had caught on fire.
Spidey tried to use his webbing to put out the fire.
In the confusion, Molten Man ran out, taking Liz with him.