The Superhero Chronicles

Amelia Richards

There I laid, in a pool of my own blood of my own lies, my own faults, my own stupidity. I let a tear roll down my cheek, I couldn't move or speak. I never wanted to end up like this but I was driven by what I thought was love, I should have known better. I've read comic books, I know that behind every superhero is the woman he claims to love. The woman he does not want to put in harms way, but by being with her he does just that. Although, given the opportunity I don't think that I would take anything back. I don't blame Dave for anything that happened though; if I was worried about what was going to happen to me than I would not have continued my "relationship" with him. If you can even call it a relationship, I don't know what it was all I know is that my heart was completely broken, like my body. I guess it all started that day in Atomic Comics; if you must know.

If you asked me a month earlier who Chris D'Amico and Jennifer Polizzi were, I would have told you what I knew. Jennifer was that girl, the girl that your boyfriend checks out while he's holding your hand. You can pretend that you don't notice but you know exactly what he is thinking. If I could be anyone other than the nobody that I am I would want to be her, but merely for her appearance. I had never actually spoken a single word to her but I had known of her for most of my life. “Amy, don’t you go to school with Jennifer Polizzi?” My mother asked me, the morning of my first day of high school. Of course I did, she was all my friends talked about. As it turns out, her father had been shot and killed in Central Park. I can remember the picture of the girl that was on the front of the New York Times vividly to this day. She was wearing a large pair of sunglasses and was trying to get in to a car but there were about twenty photographers around her. It was the only time I felt sorry for the girl. I heard that since, she had been living in the D’Amico building but it was just a rumor. No one ever had the opportunity to talk to Jennifer or Chris for that matter. They were always accompanied by a body guard. Marty swears it is because Frank D’Amico is a ‘mob boss’ or something. Chris D’Amico, can be summed up quickly; spoiled rich kid.

“So, have you heard of this new super hero? Red Mist?” I asked the boys sitting at the table. Dave snorted in response and muttered something along the lines of ‘what’s so good about him’. “He caught some most wanted guy. I mean he’s not Kick Ass but he has a cape.” I added while grinning at Dave who let out a small laugh. Oh God I loved his laugh. It took all the self-control I had not to throw myself at him every time we were alone together, this time Marty and Todd happened to be present. Before anyone could say anything else we all had our eyes set on the car that pulled to a stop in front of the comic store. I rolled my eyes, I knew exactly who would step out of the vehicle without thinking twice. “Of course.” I said under my breath.

“Is it just me or does she have the nicest legs in New York?” Todd asked his friend, watching the young girl step out of the car with Chris D’Amico stepping out after her. Chris adjusted his jacket before wandering passed her towards the door of Atomic Comics with the girl trailing along behind him. “Dude, dude! No bodyguard!” Todd squealed with excitement. I could not help but let a smile slide on to my lips, what was Todd planning to do? Go and talk to her? Todd did not have the balls to be frank.

“You should go talk to her Todd.” Marty suggested.

“No way dude, what if D’Amico has some button that he presses and eight big dudes come and try to fight me? Dave, come with me.” Todd replied while tossing Dave a pleading look. I wanted to shout ‘no’ but it was really none of my buisness who Dave associated with. We were not dating, he did not belong to me and I did not belong to him. But it still hurt when Dave nodded reluctantly. Has the guy you’ve liked since the second grade ever totally ignored you for the girl with ‘the nicest legs in New York’? No I didn’t think so. Sometimes I just wanted to wave my hands in front of his face to remind him that I was sitting there. Both Todd and Dave got up from the table we were sitting at and wandered over to the girl who was laughing quietly at something Chris had said. However, once they noticed the two boys approaching them their faces dropped immediately. I actually felt relief wash over me.

“Hey, uh we were wondering if you guys wanted to like – I don’t know hang out or something?” Todd asked the two of them. Both of them simply stared at Todd. It was probably because the two were incapable of communicating with anyone other than each other. I let out a laugh at my latest assumption, earning a questioning look from Marty who was still sitting across from me. We both watched the girl take a step towards the two boys looking them up and down with what appeared to be interest, I don’t want to say lust – it was Todd and Dave after all. I wanted to drag Dave away from the girl. I wanted to remind her that she had her common-law boyfriend Chris D’Amico and she did not need to associate with my friends. Even if they were the ones that wanted to associate with her. Chris D’Amico grinned widely before looking down at the stack of comic books in front of him.

“Go away.” The girl said and I watched Todd’s heart break into a million pieces.