"The best way to hold it is like this. Clark, pay attention!"
"Sorry, Peter."
"It's not like a camera you get from Wal-Mart. Photographer's cameras are bulkier. You know what I don't get? If you're an intern in photography, how come you don't know anything about it and don't seem interested?"
"I'm sorry. It's just I have something on my mind. I want to try and learn photography, while I'm here."
"J.J. strikes again, huh? It's not the first time he's put an intern in the wrong field. At least, he didn't put you in the copy room. If it makes you feel any better, I'm not that interested in photography either. It's the money that interests me. I'm working my way through college. I'm really going to be a scientist."
"You specialize in getting Spiderman photos, don't you?"
Peter gives him a hesitant, searching look and said, "Yeah."
"Have you lived in New York City all your life?"
"In the outskirts, anyway."
"I'm from Smallville, Kansas."
"That's nice."
"I bet you know a lot of places and people here."
"Smallville must be out in the boonies. Big cities don't work that way."
"I know. It's just I don't have any friends here and I've been living off my own cooking. I want to eat with some nice folks for a change."
"Well, I'm having supper with my Aunt May tonight-"
"Great! I'll be there. Just give me the time and place."
Peter wrote down the time and address and made a mental note to watch out for people from Kansas in the future. They seemed a little forward and weird.
In Aunt May's dining room at 8:17 p.m. …
"Mrs. Parker, I don't remember when I've tasted better cooking, but don't tell my mother I said that."
Aunt May laughed as she picked up the dishes, "Thank you, Clark. I loved how you gave the blessing. You have a way with words."
"I'm glad somebody thinks so. Let me help you wash the dishes, Mrs. Parker."
"That's what dishwashers are for, honey, and please, call me Aunt May. All Peter's friends do. Now if you boys will excuse me, I'm going to get some beauty sleep."
She left.
"Look how dark it's getting," said Peter.
"Yeah. You want to go talk in the living room?"
"…Sure."
"So," said Clark.
"So," said Peter.
"You like science."
"You like newspapers."
"And you like science."
"And you like newspapers."
"Ever done any interesting experiments?"
"Lots."
"Anything weird happen to you, while you were doing one of them?"
"For example?"
"Like with radiation?"
"You know!"
"I didn't know it was because of radiation. It was just an example."
"Listen, I was bitten by a radioactive spider and it gave me spider-like powers. I really do use my powers for good."
"I know and I can empathize with not wanting people to know about your powers."
"Right, because scientists would want to experiment on you, you would be like a celebrity, the people in your personal life might be scared of you. Wait, you can empathize?"
"Fair is fair. I only know because I used my x-ray vision."
Clark told him all the different powers he had.
"How did you get them?"
"I'm from the planet Krypton."
"You're an alien?'
"That's not a legally correct term. I'm adopted and therefore a legal citizen of the United States."
"So all the people from your planet have these powers?"
"I'm the only surviving Kryptonian and no. It's the Earth's yellow sun that gives them to me."
"Wow, I can see that. It has to do with gravity. I bet your planet has a red sun. There's a whole theory about it. If earth people had gone to your planet, the gravity would make them unbearably heavy. I'm sorry if I'm boring you with all the questions, it's just I love science and this fascinates me."
"I understand."
"I bet you're the kind of guy who likes football. Do you want to catch the end of the game before you go?"
"Yeah, I used to play in high school. I'd love it."
They watched it, glad to have found another person who knew what it was like to have powers.
The next day at the office…
Clark and Lois were taking their lunch break together.
"Check out the redhead!" Clark said to Lois with his mouth slightly agape.
"I'm not in the habit of checking girls out. If I were of the male persuasion, I might."
"Right. Sorry, Lois."
"Shut your mouth. She's out of your league."
Peter and the 'redhead' kiss.
"She's not out of Peter Parker's league, apparently!" said surprised Lois, "Uh-oh."
"What?"
"She wants to have a serious talk with him."
"How can you tell?"
"Clark, if you ever plan to move up to reporter status, you need to learn to read body language. Look, she's taking him to the supply room. It's worse than I thought."
"It's none of our business."
"He's your supervisor and new best friend. His business is your business."
"Lois! Come back!"
Clark followed Lois to the door. She pressed her ear to the door.
"Lois, it's rude to eavesdrop."
"Hush! I can't hear."
"Sorry. I mean good."
Lois pulled him closer and put her hand over his mouth. Clark didn't want to pull away from her because Peter and his girlfriend might hear them. He didn't want to eavesdrop but with super hearing and nothing else to focus on, he couldn't help it. The redhead, whose name was MJ according to Peter, was upset that Peter had missed her birthday party because of his Spiderman duties. There was a lot of yelling and then the doorknob was turning. For a girl without super speed, Lois could move fast, they got back to their seats just in time.
"Wait here, Clark. I'm going to go help her."
"How much of that did you hear?"
"None. The door was too thick. It was just muffled yelling."
Lois caught up with her. "I'm Lois Lane."
"I'm Mary Jane Watson."
"I couldn't help but notice that you seemed to be having a disagreement with your boyfriend."
"Yes?"
"I don't normally get involved in this sort of thing, but if you want him to appreciate you, try making him jealous."
"You know that's not a half bad idea. Thanks."
Mary Jane went up to Clark.
Lois, looking from a distance, felt annoyed when Mary Jane batted her eyelashes at Clark. She hadn't meant him. It's not like she was jealous or anything like that, she told herself. Clark was just an innocent sap and she didn't want to see him get hurt. He looked a little nervous at first, but he was falling for her act hook, line, and sinker. As she got closer, she heard her saying, "Don't worry, Clark. Peter and I were over a long time ago."
"Are you sure he wouldn't care if we went out?"
"Sure I'm sure."
Lois was more than annoyed now and from the look of it, Peter was downright angry. Peter was approaching her now and he asked her out. Sure Lois knew he was only asking her out because Mary Jane was asking Clark out and Mary Jane was only asking Clark out because of her but she said yes, anyway. Maybe next time she would remember to keep her reporter's nose where it belonged. Meanwhile, she had a date tonight.
Out the window hovering on his glider was Green Goblin a.k.a. Harry Osborn. He still had a crush on Mary Jane and he was going to take back what was rightfully his. As for the other woman, any woman who would go out with the man that had killed his father had to be scum. He was going to kidnap her just to give Peter pain.