The Superhero Chronicles

Jennifer Polizzi

“I look like a slut.” I mumbled while tugging at my skirt uncomfortably. Chris frowned slightly but did not respond, I assumed it was because we were sitting in a limousine with his father, Frank D’Amico. See, some people would totally pass up using the word ‘slut’ in front of their friend’s parents – but I am ruthless. Just kidding. I was just stating the obvious, the last thing I needed was for a real thug of sorts to approach me. The plan was to use me as bait to draw Kick Ass in so that Red Mist had the opportunity to befriend him. I had never actually been used as bait in a situation before but that’s because I had been babysat by bodyguards my entire life. I could not go to the mall without one of Frank’s goons tagging along behind me. I wanted to have friends but that just wasn’t possible. I glanced out the window and felt a strong hand on my shoulder, Frank.

“You’re going to be just fine. Louie and Ricky are going to be across the street the entire time. Just use the same acting you used to get me to buy you that BMW.” Frank joked with a grin. Don’t get the wrong idea! I am not some spoiled brat, despite what people think abut me. I do get what I want when I want it, but I don’t ask for too much. If you’re saying something like, oh sure what kind of ‘not spoiled’ girl gets a BMW from their best-friend’s father for her sixteenth birthday – shut-up. Frank had taken me to a car dealership a week before my sixteenth birthday to pick out a car, I just happened to pick a BMW. I took a deep breath before stepping out of the vehicle and wandering down the street, how was I suppose to act normal at night on the streets of New York? I could hardly walk the streets of New York during the day. I was suppose to keep walking until Vinny and Mario started to ‘harass’ me, at which point I was to play the victim. The whole, oh no I am too weak to handle myself if only there was someone big, strong and handsome to save me, all that crap.

“Hey!” I heard Vinny shout from behind me. I passed a quick glance over my shoulder, watching the two goons hurry towards me. I quickened my pace, hey if I was going to play this part well I could not just stop and let the two large Italian men have their way with me. “Get her!” Vinny yelled. I so was not prepared to run, I was wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton heels that absolutely tried to kill me every single time I slid them on. I could hear their feet crash against the sidewalk not far behind me before Mario grabbed my purse. Okay, now what? Was I suppose to rub my magic lamp three times before this dork in a scuba suit showed up.

“Stop it!” I shouted while attempting to snatch my purse back from Mario. However, Vinny grabbed me harshly by the arms and pushed me up against the brick wall of the building closest to us. Is this what getting mugged was like? I could stick my heel where the sun doesn’t shine and win this fight. Unfortunately I was not allowed to fight my own battle, story of my life. “Someone help!” I yelled, trying to sound as convincing as I could under the circumstances. I mean, what if your uncles were pretending to mug you? Wouldn’t you burst out in fits of giggles at the mere sight of it and pull out something along the lines of ‘wait until mom hears about this’. Before Vinny, Mario or I could even take another breath a figure appeared from the alley next to us. Well thank God, you know if Vinny and Mario were really mugging me I would have been dead. I had to restrain myself from rolling my eyes – superheroes had terrible timing.

“Let her go!” The man exclaimed. Oh, my hero. Please note that I am quite sarcastic when I am playing the victim so that Red Mist can prove himself to Kick Ass. I wanted to laugh when Vinny did not remove his hands from me, this kid was not threatening what-so-ever. “I said let her go!” He added.

“Yeah, and what if we don’t what are ya’ gonna’ do about it?” Mario asked the boy while poking him hard in the chest. Kick Ass grinned slightly before punching Mario in the nose and grabbing his arm. I had seen Mario in fights before – this was not his best. Kick Ass shoved the man as hard as he could in to the wall of the alley way. Vinny on the other hand, took this as an opportunity to draw his hand gun from the inside of his jacket and point it at Kick Ass. Was I suppose to warn him? He was the worst superhero ever, if Vinny had orders to kill this loser he would be laying lifeless on the cement beneath us.

“Kick Ass look out!” I shouted, he turned around and noticed Vinny’s gun. Before Mario, Vinny or Kick Ass had the opportunity to make their next move their attention was set on the revving of an engine. I felt my jaw drop slightly at the sight of the car that Chris was sitting in. I was impressed with the car okay? It’s hot. Vinny hurried towards Mario, helping the man who was slumped against the wall to his feet. However I was more interested in the boy who stepped out of what he called ‘The Mist Mobile’. Chris pulled out a gun from each side of his waist and pointed them at the two men who were beginning to ‘panic’. I watched as his index finger pressed down on the trigger and there was a loud bang – Vinny and Mario both took off, purse in hand in to the shadows of the alleyway that lead to Central Park. “Woah.” I let the word escape my lips without thinking.

“Kick Ass.” Chris acknowledged the boy who was standing next to me like a deer in headlights.

“Red Mist.” Kick Ass countered, barely.