Peter embraced Felicia and passionately returned her kiss. For a moment he was no longer Peter, he was Spider-man: strong, confident and daring. But then his sensibilities returned and he was Peter again.
"Felicia, I'm sorry." He stuttered. He couldn't believe he had just kissed the most beautiful girl in school.
"Why?" She pulled back surprised. That wasn't the response she had expected. Most men couldn't stop themselves once they started making-out with her.
"I shouldn't have kissed you," Peter replied meekly.
"But I wanted you to." Felicia was confused. This was definitely unusual behavior.
"You're dating Flash. It was wrong of me. I, I'm sorry." Peter avoided her eye contact and hurriedly gathered his books.
"Thompson! We're not really dating. I mean its nothing serious. I'm free to do as I please." Felicia replied.
"So you're not dating him?"
Felicia shook her head.
"I still feel this is kind of awkward. I don't normally kiss people I'm helping with Chemistry. Molecular physics isn't really a turn on," Peter forced a laugh. He continued uncomfortably, "Maybe, we could go out to dinner or a movie? Somehow that seems more natural."
The moment was gone. Felicia regretted kissing him. For a moment, he kissed her back and everything felt right. Now, it seemed stupid. She couldn't date Peter. Ha! To be seen in public with him. He wasn't bad looking but girls like her don't hang out with science geeks. But just a moment ago she had wanted him unlike anyone she had ever wanted before. And this scared her.
"I dunno, Peter. I'm tired. Let's call it a night." Felicia finally stated. She didn't want to date but she didn't want to say no. She was still confused by all the new emotions brewing within her. "Will you walk me home?"
Peter wasn't surprised. 'She'd never date someone like me,' he thought. 'That kiss was just a moment of confusion." So Peter justified their kiss and decided to pretend nothing had happened. "I'd love to walk you home. It's dark out and I wouldn't let you walk alone."
Felicia rolled her eyes. Guys were always flattering themselves that way. They think that they can protect you just because they're men. She collected her books and Peter and her walked out the door together, neither uttering a word to the other. Both were more than willing to forget what had just happened.
The two strolled silently through the commons in the middle of campus. It was dark and Peter felt it would be a long walk to the dorms especially since neither of them was speaking. Suddenly Peter's spider-sense went off. Something wasn't right. Peter heard a rustling in the bushes a few feet a way.
"Did you hear that?" Peter asked.
"No," Felicia replied nonchalantly. She wasn't in the mood for any games. She just wanted to get home.
Peter held up, as Felicia walked forward a few more steps. He stood still and concentrated on his surroundings.
Felicia noticed that he wasn't walking anymore. She turned to him and put her hands on her hips. "What is it Peter?"
Peter didn't look at her. He was still concentrating on the area he had heard the noise. He moved his finger toward his lips signaling for Felicia to be quiet.
Peter slowly moved toward the bush. Then a large figure darted out from behind the bush and swiftly ran away.
Felicia's eyes widened in disbelief and she couldn't find the breath to muster up a scream. Finally she managed to utter, "Oh my god! What was that?"
"I dunno," Peter replied as he moved toward Felicia. Had she not been there he would have gone after it. "It's gone now. We probably scared it off."
"How did you know it was there? I swear I didn't hear anything."
Peter ignored her question and grabbed Felicia's arm, pulling her with him as he hastened his step. He wanted to get out of this dark area. It wasn't safe. Something wasn't right. After walking quickly for a few minutes, Peter and Felicia heard a scream from nearby.
"Go run for help!" Peter yelled at Felicia. He then turned and ran in the direction of the scream. When he'd gone far enough out of sight, he ripped off his clothes revealing the suit beneath and he pulled on his mask. Spider-man emerged.
He came across a large man dressed in animal skins. The man was holding a girl by the neck. A smile came over the man's face when he saw Spider-man. He spoke with a large, grisly voice, "I was wondering how many students I'd have to abduct before you came, Spider! You were quicker than I thought."
"Let the girl go!" Spider-man demanded.
"Of course!" The man laughed and released the girl, "It's you I want."
The girl fell to her knees. She coughed but quickly got up and ran, leaving her backpack behind. The large man in animal skins got down on all-fours like a football defensive line-man. He motioned with his hands for Spider-man to come forward. "You're an interesting creature, Spider. Let's see what you've got!" He then lunged toward Spider-man.
Peter was having trouble taking this man seriously. He easily jumped, doing a back flip and avoided the man's attack. "New York really has it's share of weirdos!" Peter remarked aloud.
Felicia had called 911 on her cell phone and reported the attack. Her common sense told her to run back home. But her curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to see what had caused the girl to scream. She had just come across the scene in progress. She saw the young student fleeing and there was a large man in some make-shift fur costume. And then there was Spider-man. She'd heard about him. He'd been all over the papers. But part of her never believed in him. And here he was. She watched in amazement as he flew threw the air and perched himself on a nearby lamp-post.
The man had regained his balance and shifted his moment toward the lamp-post. He shouted up to Spider-man, "Come down here or I will come up after you?"
"If you insist!" And Spider-man leapt from the lamp-post, soaring over the man. He crouched on the ground in fighting position ready to challenge the man.
The man hurled himself toward Spider-man. Spider-man rose up to meet him. Spider-man easily threw him to the ground. "You know, leopard print was last year's fashion statement. You should think about getting a new outfit." Spider-man used his webbing to entangle the man.
"I killed that leopard with my bare hands. Just as I will kill you." He ripped free from the webbing.
"I don't think so," Peter replied.
Felicia watched as the two men wrestled and fought. It was clear that Spider-man had the upper hand. She was close enough to hear Spider-man's quips and the large man's grunts.
"I've had enough exercise for one night. Why don't you go home to mamma-bear, or wherever you came from. Leave the students on this campus alone." Spider-man dealt three successive punches knocking the man over.
Blood drizzled from the man's lip. He quickly got up. Instead of running to attack Spider-man he turned. "I smell young blood. A female!" He ran straight toward Felicia.
He grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder. He began to run. Spider-man followed close behind. They came across a busy street. Felicia was kicking and struggling to get free. The man turned and looked at Spider-man.
"You've got no where to go. You can't make it across that street." Peter replied as cars whizzed by.
"I don't intend to. I'll be back, though, Spider. I am Kraven the Hunter and I will not rest until I have defeated you." He then threw Felicia into the oncoming traffic.
To be continued…