Spiderman's Sister

Monday morning

Monday morning - the only day of the week that I have to show up at the office. By the time I get up at eight in the morning, Peter is already on his way to school. I quickly hop in the shower, do my makeup and hair before getting dressed - cream pencil skirt, white blouse, dark brown wide belt and matching heels. In the kitchen I fill my to-go mug with coffee and grab an apple before I leave the house and take the bus to the office building where the offices of the newspaper I work for are located. I've just got off the bus when my cell phone rings. Aria - my colleague and friend - calls.

Victoria: Good morning Aria.

Aria: Good morning. Are you there soon? Colin already asked when you were coming.

Annoyed, I roll my eyes. Colin is my boss. As far as the business is concerned, he is really a genius, but unfortunately he has had his eye on me for years and is unfortunately much too fixated on me.

Victoria: I just got off the bus. I'll be there in ten minutes.

We hang up and I walk the last few yards to the office. I enter the entrance area after a few minutes and take the elevator to the fourth floor. There I go past the reception - which is once again not manned - into the small office that Aria and I share.

Victoria: Good morning my dearest favorite colleague.

I greet her. She is sitting at her desk reading some article in a competing newspaper. I've known Aria for about five years now and we immediately liked each other. She's a little whirlwind. She's just under five feet tall, thin, has her black hair always cut in a stylish pixie cut, and has enough energy in her for both of us. She wears her heart on her sleeve and is one of the most loyal and loving people I know.

Aria: Good morning. Have you read the article about Tony Stark's escalated party yet? It must have been violent again on Friday.

She greets me absently. Always those lurid articles about the Avengers. I don't understand all the hype the media is making about them. As if anyone ever really knew what they were doing. Although in this particular case I know for a fact that there was no party at the Avengers last Friday because I was there myself. I'll keep that to myself though. Aria doesn't know that Peter is one of them and it should stay that way. Not because I don't trust her, but I shouldn't really know that either.

Victoria: Why are you even reading this crap? As if anyone would know what Tony Stark does or doesn't do. They're just making it up.

I say as I start my computer.

Aria: You're probably right.

She puts the newspaper aside and looks at me.

Aria: How was your weekend?

Victoria: Saturday and Sunday was relaxed. Friday, however...... I almost made myself an only child.

Aria: What did Peter do?

I give her the summary of what happened on Friday night, in a modified form though. Instead of mentioning the Avengers, I'll say that Peter skipped school to hang out with friends. Even if it's not the whole truth, she's just as shocked as I was on Friday.

Aria: Wow, I wouldn't have thought Peter would do that.

Victoria: Me neither. Believe me, when his teacher called me, I thought I misheard.

After a few minutes, my boss calls me into his office. While Aria grins knowingly at me I just roll my eyes in annoyance - she's just waiting for the day when I'll tell Colin in no uncertain terms that I'm not interested in him. I don't even know exactly why i don't like him. Any other woman would probably be flattered. He's not ugly - although he's a little small for a man, he has lot's of muscles and has a bright smile that looks like it's straight out of a toothpaste commercial. But I can't stand him from the start.