Forever Altered

Forever Altered

By D.J. Pierson

Copyright 2013 D.J. Pierson

All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Cover by: Samantha Bagood at Cover Pub http://coverpub.samanthabagood.com

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated in loving memory of my grandmother, Joan Harkins, whose last words of advice left me forever altered.

Prologue

Alyssa

As many times as I’ve taken this trip, you would think I’d be able to do it with my eyes closed. However, driving at night is not my favorite thing to do. I could have stayed at my school, but then I would miss my boyfriend’s third annual back to school party. Jeff and his roommate, Mike, had this party every year the weekend they moved back in since we were freshman. I had all intentions of getting to their school earlier, but I’m running a little late since today was also my move-in day. This year was different for us because we moved into the new apartment building that just opened on campus. I absolutely love our place! My roommate, Leah, and I spent all day decorating it and making it special for us and two of our friends who will share the second bedroom. Tomorrow morning, I’ll head back early, so we can go shopping for some more stuff.

Jeff and I had such a great time this summer. We have been best friends for a long time. He has always been there for me and somehow, we ended up together after I had a really bad breakup with a really bad guy. I couldn’t imagine my life without him in it. A few times in the last two weeks, he brought up the subject of getting married. I’m not sure if he was just trying to figure out my feelings on the matter or if he is really ready to propose. If he didn’t know by now how much I loved him, he never would.

One hour and ten minutes after leaving my school, I pull into the familiar parking lot of Jeff’s building. I had been trying to text him for the last few minutes to meet me downstairs. He hasn’t responded yet which is weird since he was so worried about me driving here this late to begin with. Lucky for me, someone is coming out when I get to the locked door and they hold it for me to enter the building. The music from their apartment can be heard the second I open the door that leads to the third floor. Familiar faces greet me as I walk into the small living room.

Hey, Short Stuff! Mike calls out. What took you so long? I have a pitcher of your drinks waiting for you. He came over to give me a hug.

Thanks, Mike, I reply smiling. I can definitely use a few after unpacking and decorating all day.

What is it with you girls? he teases. Just throw your shit in a bag and plop it in the corner. No unpacking or decorating required. I’ll get you a drink.

Where’s Jeff? I ask looking around and not seeing my boyfriend.

I don’t know. He was right here a few minutes ago. Check the bedroom, he tells me over his shoulder.

I walk down the short hallway to the last room on the right. The door is closed, but since I know Mike isn’t in there, I push it open without knocking. There is a trail of clothes leading from the door all the way to the bed on the far wall. My eyes follow them and lock on the two people currently occupying my boyfriend’s bed. All I can see of Jeff is his naked back as he hovers over a girl with fake blond hair who is just as naked underneath of him. The sheets I bought for him a week ago are wrapped around them blocking most of what is going on from my sight. I stand there for what feels like an eternity trying to avert my eyes away as my heart shatters. When I cannot take it any longer, I turn to run down the hallway only to crash into Mike’s chest spilling the drink he was carrying for me all down the front of both of us. Tears are gushing from my eyes as I try to clear them enough to see where I’m going.

Lyss, what is it? What’s wrong? Mike asks instantly upset himself.

Jeff. Girl. Need. To. Go, I cannot get the words out as I eventually find my feet and run for the door.

Just before I make it to the hallway outside of the apartment, I hear Mike holler, What the fuck are you doing, Jeff? I don’t need to hear his reply. I don’t ever want to hear his voice again.

Chapter One

Alyssa

Thirty-two days. I groan as my eyes open and my hand hits the obnoxious alarm clock screaming at me from the dresser beside my head. It’s been thirty two days since my heart was shattered into millions of pieces with no hope of ever being repaired. I manage to inhale calmly and climb out of bed. Walking into the attached bathroom of my college dorm room, I hesitantly take a look in the mirror. For the first time in a month, there aren’t any tears streaming down my face before being fully conscious from sleep. That has to be a step in the right direction.

As quietly as possible, I turn on the shower and wait until it warms up. Once inside, my eyes close under the steaming hot water and the crying threatens as the all-too-familiar vision of walking in on my boyfriend of two and a half years tangled in his sheets with some bleached blond bimbo floods my memory. Immediately my eyes fling open and the images fade, taking my tears away with them. I shake my head and finish the quickest shower I’ve ever taken in my twenty years of life.

Getting ready as silently as possible didn’t take much effort, since my wet hair only gets pulled up in a bun and I throw on black yoga pants along with my favorite gray hoodie. Afterwards, I sneak out to the living room, making sure to grab my backpack so there would be no reason to go back in and risk waking up my roommate. Wednesday mornings sucked. I am the only one out of the four of us who has to get up. Guess that is what happens when you pick a major that would require science classes with mandatory labs as part of the grade. Why were labs only offered on Wednesdays, anyway?

Just as I am finishing up my Frosted Flakes with banana breakfast, the familiar beeping of a room card being swiped in the door catches my attention. One of the girls who shares the apartment with us stumbles through the door. Her clothes are wrinkled as though she had been sleeping in them for a week and her normally perfect dark blond hair is pulled up into a messy bun. She looks like she is still drunk from last night.

Hey, I say as Julia manages to get her card out of the door after a few tries. She mumbles something inaudibly. She staggers through our small kitchen grabbing a bottle of water on her way passed the refrigerator. After dropping her stuff on the table next to my bowl, she looks at me. Or at least she tries to.

Normally, I would have had to stifle a laugh at her. That wasn’t happening, yet. Maybe someday. Thankful that I never drank that much, I think how she is going to feel like shit for the rest of the day. Maybe even tomorrow, too. Where have you been? I ask while cleaning up my breakfast.

I went to that frat party with Tommy over in the Village last night. The Village was the older on-campus housing that now primarily held fraternity and sorority houses since this new building opened just this semester. Then I crashed with him on someone’s couch. She pauses to take a long sip of her water. He has one of those ridiculous science labs that you are crazy enough to take, so we just got back. If I were you, I’d change my major. This is too fucking early to be awake. Julia staggers into her room and closes the door a little too loudly. Her roommate, Erin, is yelling at her to shut the hell up.

While stuffing some snacks and a bottle of water into my bag, Leah pops open our door and sticks her head out. She is one of those people who looks almost perfect enough to get up and go. Her long, milk chocolate hair, which is just a shade or two lighter than mine, is pulled back in a low ponytail. Where my eyes are green, hers are dark brown. She is beautiful, but these days I am most envious of her relationship with her boyfriend. They have been together for almost three years, since the beginning of senior year of high school. He absolutely adores her and would never, ever cheat on her like Jeff had done to me.

What the hell was that? she asks through squinted eyes.

Julia. She really doesn’t need an answer to that question.

I love her to pieces, but that girl is a God damn train wreck. Leah comes all the way out into our living room that we were able to make cozy enough to feel just like home and curls up on the couch we filled with extra fluffy blue and purple pillows.

I give her a small smile, shaking my head, and pull my backpack up on to my shoulder. We won’t be able to change her so there’s no point in trying. She shouldn’t be going to those parties by herself, though. I worry about her. Wasn’t Erin supposed to go with her?

She did. She came home a little after midnight saying she wanted to go into work for a few hours today, so she didn’t want to overdo it. Julia didn’t want to come home, Leah yawns.

Go back to bed. It’s only quarter to seven. You don’t have class until one today, lucky bitch, I say walking towards the door.

I will. I just wanted to see how you were doing today. She looks at me like she is afraid to say anything, but she also has to know.

Turning around to look at her before stepping into the empty hallway, I reply sadly, No tears before waking up. That’s progress, right? Since meeting Leah at Freshmen Orientation, we have become best friends. I couldn’t ask for a better roommate and neither of us could survive without the other. After this last month, she deserves a really awesome Christmas present for putting up with me.

She sends me an encouraging smile and stands up to go back to bed. One step at a time, Lyss. One step at a time. I’ll see you around noon for lunch. Text me if you get out of lab earlier and you want me to come meet you before then. She blows me a kiss. Love ya, she calls out.

Back at ya, I say before closing the door.

I leave the building by the exit-only door that is just around the corner from our apartment. The early October coolness is starting to set in, especially at this early hour of the morning. Pretty soon, I will need to make the two hour trip home to get my winter coat and some warmer clothes. That wasn’t high on my list of priorities because I haven’t been there since breaking up with Jeff. My room was filled with unwanted memories that would have to be dealt with. Shaking off that thought for now, I start up the dreaded concrete staircase that leads the way to the academic part of campus.

The trees are not quite ready to change, but it will only be a matter of a couple weeks before they are beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red. That is one of the things I absolutely love about this campus. It is beautifully landscaped from the gates at the front of the property all the way to the back edge behind the resident student parking lot where our apartment building is now located. The property once belonged to a member of the esteemed Vanderbilt family back in the late 1800’s and some of the original buildings, most importantly the Hamilton Building, still remain part of the estate. While there have been new buildings and structures added to the campus, most of the architecture is carefully preserved. It’s like walking through history every single day.

It doesn’t take too long to get to the Science Building, another original structure to the property. A small courtyard precedes it and is surrounded by a brick wall which matches the exterior of the two-story building. When you walk through the wrought iron gate, there is a path leading to each of the two entryways. I enter through the far door to my first lab of two for the day. Physics. Sliding into my normal seat at the first table, there are a few minutes to get set up. The professor usually walks through the door exactly on time and not a minute sooner. For the first hour, he usually reviews the lecture from Monday and answers any questions. The labs for this class are usually straight forward and never take very long, so he does this to help students who are having a difficult time. It doesn’t matter to me how long he takes because I have the dreaded Cellular Biology lab next and it would be very annoying to wait around here for any length of time for it to start. Of course, there is no review lesson for Cell Bio which I’m struggling to maintain a C average in. Most of the class is in the same situation as me, so that makes me feel a little better.

Two hours later, class is being dismissed and for me, it’s time for lab number two. As usual, I’m one of the last students to arrive. My professor knows Physics lab ends at the same time Cell Bio lab starts, so he never gives me any trouble. The first thing I notice when entering the room is that my lab partner’s stool is still empty which absolutely terrifies me. There is no way it’s possible for me to do the experiment alone and get a passing grade. If this wasn’t a mandatory course for my major, I would have never signed up for this torture. Spotting me as I walk over to my table, Dr. Willis looks up from his desk on the far side of the room. His very white hair and ancient looking clothes make me secretly wonder if he is somehow part of the original staff that served the Vanderbilt’s.

Ah, Miss Adler, he calls looking over his glasses hanging from the edge of his nose. It seems as though your lab partner has dropped this class. Holding my breath, a panic attack begins to unfold itself in my chest. What the hell am I supposed to do now? I don’t know anyone else in the class to get help from. That causes a problem, you see, because I don’t normally allow for groups of three to work together and…

I’ll be her partner, Dr. Willis, an unfamiliar sultry voice says as he slides into the empty stool to my right. Turning to see who has come to my rescue, I’m immediately stunned at the sight now sitting next to me. Even though I can only see his profile, it’s obvious he’s without a doubt one of the most gorgeous guys ever. From his dark brown hair tousled in that I-just-got-out-of-bed-but-I’m-still-hot way, to his deep blue eyes, to his muscular body visible under a long sleeved t-shirt, this guy is amazing and he probably knows it.

Mr. Matthews? Are you sure you don’t mind? You normally prefer to work alone. Snapping out of the trance I’ve somehow fallen into over the last few minutes, I’m wondering why he would offer to work with me if he prefers not to have a partner.

Not at all, Sir, replies the hunk who has now turned all the way to face me. While he was looking straight ahead was bad enough. Now that he is looking directly at me, I cannot help but stare nor is it possible to form a coherent thought. I’m nervously thinking that my mouth better not be hanging open.

Alright, that is fine with me, as long as you agree, Miss Adler? Still unable to find my voice, I force myself to stop staring at my new partner long enough to turn to the professor and nod. Very well. Shall we begin today’s experiment, then?

He clears his throat and holds his hand out to me, Rocco Matthews. When I don’t answer or reach out to take his hand, he adds, If you’d rather work by yourself, I can go back to my seat. He’s pointing over his shoulder. I turn to look in the direction he’s indicating and see the girls behind us are whispering and staring at me. Instantly, I feel horrible because my reaction to him probably seemed rather rude. He pulls his hand back and begins to grab his backpack that he dropped half opened on the lab table.

No, I’m sorry. I’m still shocked over losing my first lab partner. Should I tell him how I’m struggling in this class? What if he recognized that this class is too hard to work alone and he’s looking for help? When he is looking at me with those sapphire blue eyes, it’s actually a little hard to concentrate. I have to keep reminding myself how after the second failed relationship in my short life, swearing off men is what’s best for me right now. Besides, this guy is way out of my league anyway. Look, I’m not the best lab partner. I suck in this class, actually. My brain decides without me to go for honesty and makes me sound absolutely pathetic.

In an instant, the one side of his mouth turns up into a mischievous, but sexy as hell grin and his eyes brighten again making my heart skip a beat, or two. This guy is trouble. Well, good thing for you that I happen to be doing awesome in this class. He winks at me and pulls out his lab workbook and a pencil. Following his lead, I reach over to grab mine, as well, before he continues, So, are you going to tell me your name or should I call you Miss Adler?

That actually makes me relax a little. Sarcasm I can deal with. I remember to respond this time, Alyssa.

Nice to meet you, Alyssa. Officially, anyway.

Officially? What was he talking about? Excuse me?

Rocco begins setting up the equipment in front of us that was prepared at every station by the lab assistant prior to class. He really did know what he was doing. We met last week in the laundry room. You live on the second floor, B-wing of the new apartment building, right? he says nonchalantly.

What? This guy knows me and I have no idea we had even met before he sat down next to me. What happened to my plan of going unnoticed by anyone, ever again?

Um, yes. I do. I nervously open my workbook and try to figure out what page the lab is on instead of why this guy recognizes me.

I was the guy who asked you about the Phillies because you were hanging up your shirt. Then after a long pause he adds, The lab is on page twenty five. Shit! Can he read my mind, too? Now I vaguely remember this guy. It was right after listening to a voicemail from Jeff. He was still begging for me to talk to him and I had been upset at the time. The only reason I went down to get my clothes when the timer went off was because if you didn’t get your laundry out in an acceptable amount of time, someone else would. I really didn’t feel like being bothered by some stranger even if he happened to be talking about my favorite baseball team.

Oh, right. He glances up and looks almost like he is offended that I didn’t recognize him. He goes back to what he is doing. I’m sorry, feeling the need to apologize. I was having a bad day. I pause for a second. Actually, it’s been a really bad month, I admit reluctantly.

He stops fussing with the microscope he is trying to set up and looks directly at me again. Anything you want to talk about?

So, you’re a super hero lab partner and a shrink all rolled into one? I inquire.

Rocco lets out a small laugh and jokes, I’ll just stick with ‘super hero lab partner.’ Then he mumbled something that sounded almost like ‘for now.’ So, you’re really bad at this, huh? I nod afraid he is about to change his mind and head back to his old seat. Is that why your old partner dropped?

Probably, I counter making him laugh more.

Alright, then, how about I do this and you just record the stuff I tell you? He’s still smiling, so hopefully he doesn’t think I’m a total idiot.

Sounds good, I’m able to say.

I am a little skeptical when forty-five minutes later the last empty line is filled in on the worksheet. There is still about an hour left in class. That’s it? I ask. We both begin to clean up the slides Rocco had made and then explained to me as we viewed them under the microscope. For the first time all semester, I understood the experiment.

That’s it, he declares like it is no big deal. I look around. The rest of the class is still working.

You’re sure?

Positive. He smiles that lopsided, make-my-breath-catch grin before continuing. You don’t believe me? I haven’t gotten anything less than a B since the first day of class, he says pretending to be insulted.

I laugh at him and play punch him in the arm, which is firmer than I thought it would be. Damn, this guy is hot. Do you want me to copy all of the data into your book for you? I promise to make it neat, I tease.

No, we can do it when we get together to write up the report. No big deal. He shakes his head then he walks away to put the microscope back in the cabinet. When he gets back to our table, he starts packing up his bag.

Do you want me to write it up since you basically did the entire experiment by yourself? All I did was write some stuff down.

Rocco seems nervous as he finishes packing up and pulls his bag onto his shoulder. I guess he didn’t trust his grade with someone who admitted to having trouble in this class. Can't say that I blame him, but it still feels crappy. All my life school work has come easy and the one time I have trouble, it gets thrown in my face.

No, I don’t mind helping, he manages to say as he starts walking towards the door. I follow without even thinking about it.

I could write it up and give it to you ahead of time to check it over, if you prefer?

He instantly turns around with his brows drawn inward and clears up what he means. I didn’t mean for that to sound like I thought you aren’t capable of doing it. I just meant you shouldn’t have to do it alone.

You should make me do something. You did the whole lab while I just sat there.

He smiles down at me as he puts his hand out gesturing for me to go first through the door and down the hallway. You helped. You wrote the stuff down and you even managed to write it down correctly. I kept an eye on you.

I actually laugh a little despite the fact that he is making fun of me. I happen to be a very good record keeper. That makes him laugh again.

So, when are you free to get together?

Well, um, I’m done class tomorrow at five and I’m off on Fridays. How about you? He means to work on the assignment I keep chanting to myself. We make it to the front door of the building and he reaches out to open it for me. Thanks, I murmur.

No problem, he utters like it was no big deal. How about I swing by your apartment around five-thirty, after your class tomorrow? Rocco glances at me briefly before turning forward as we walk down the path toward the apartment building, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Jeans that happen to look really, really good on him. Thankfully he looks away because my anxiety started again. There wasn’t anyone home except me on Thursdays at that time. I don’t really know this guy and it would be uncomfortable being alone with him. He speaks again before getting an answer. I’d tell you to come to my apartment, but I wouldn’t want you to go to an apartment with a bunch of guys you don’t know. And I’m pretty sure your apartment is cleaner than ours.

Okay. Come to my apartment tomorrow at five thirty, I agree. I’ve seen my ex’s apartment at his school. Guys living on their own should not be allowed.

I’ll give you my cell number. I don’t really check my room phone very often. This way if something changes, you can let me know.

I pull out my cell and punch his number into my contacts. Then send him a text so he has mine, too. No reason to sit around all night if he has something else to do. That’s what I tell myself about giving him my number anyway.

Rocco’s face lights up when he realizes what I did. Thanks, is all he says and he turns away from me again.

As we come to the spot on the path that either leads to the residential side of campus or to the main academic building, a bunch of guys are walking toward us. They apparently know Rocco. Hey, man. We were just heading to lunch. You coming? one of them calls as two others whisper to each other staring at me. I feel extremely uncomfortable knowing they are talking about me. Rocco must notice too because his shoulders and jaw seem to tense and he moves to stand in front of me blocking my view of them, or their view of me. I wasn’t sure which.

Yeah, I’ll go. He turns back to me and quietly says, I’ll see you later. Let me know if anything changes.

Okay and thanks for your help today. I hear the two guys chuckling and the first guy looks over at them to see what is so funny. Rocco simply nods before turning to walk away.

As I turn toward the steps Rocco says, She’s just my lab partner. Knock it off, asshole. I don’t look back. Hurt is probably all over my face. What the hell is wrong with me? I just met this guy about an hour ago. Why would I feel insulted that he called me just his lab partner? That’s what I am, right? I concentrate on the long flight of steps in front of me careful not to fall on my face. No need to give those guys more to laugh about.

Chapter Two

Alyssa

I walk around the front of the new, brick building trying to block out the last five minutes of my morning. It had warmed up quite a bit since being outside a few hours earlier. Maybe after going to the Dining Hall with Leah, I could find a place to sit outside and get some homework done or start the book she has been talking about. Before heading up to my apartment, I decide to check my mailbox on the main floor. I hadn’t done that for a while, not that anyone sends me anything. No one really uses regular mail anymore, so what’s the point?

The building consists of two large wings, each of which are connected to a central structure which houses the mailroom, other common areas, and the main entrance. I enter the office to the left of the main entryway, on the side