Forever Altered by D.J. Pierson Read Free Book Online Page B

She’s honestly a great girl who’s had some
shit happen to her.  There’s something with her mom.  The guy she
dated before Jeff was even more of a prick, from what I understand.  She
really knows how to pick ‘ em .”  He’s shaking his
head.  “I don’t know the whole story.  Julia doesn’t even know, but
whatever happened, he was arrested.  We only know that much because Alyssa
slipped one night when she was drunk.”  My stomach has twisted up in
knots.  “Jeff was there to pick up the pieces after that.  I think
they were friends for a long time before that happened, if I remember
correctly.  She’s been so upset because she really thought if she’d be
safe with anyone, it would be Jeff.  Look, don’t tell her I told you any
of that.  The poor girl doesn’t need any one throwing this shit in her
face.”
      “I
would never,” I assure him.  We head back up the steps to the door we came
out of.  Tommy leans over the railing and knocks on the girls’
window.  I look at him.
      “We
always do this.  Beats walking all the way to the front of the
building.”  I agree with him as Julia opens the door.  “He’s gone,”
he tells her.  “I made sure he left the parking lot.”
      She
wraps her arms around his waist and he looks at her adoringly.  I’m
envious of what they have and it sucks that I will never be able to have that
with anyone.  “Thank you for coming, Babe.  What happened? 
Alyssa is freaking out in there.”
      “Come
on.  Let’s go in and calm her down.”  I say pushing my way in front
of them to get to her. 

Chapter
Five
    Alyssa
     
     
    It
feels like it’s been hours since the guys ran out after Jeff, but it’s only
been about fifteen minutes.  My heart is racing and I’m wearing out the
living room floor.  Julia closed the blinds blocking my view of the
parking lot and she’s refusing to let me go out after them.
    “Jules,
if something happens to any of them, it will be my fault.”  I run my hands
through my hair and then pull it up making sure I don’t do it again.
    “Relax.” 
She’s watching the door from our couch.  I can tell she’s nervous, too,
but she’s trying to make me feel better.  “Tommy isn’t a fighter, you know
that.  He just wanted to talk to him.  Nothing is going to
happen.  What you should be worried about is what the hell Leah is going
to do to me for letting the asshole in here.”  I stop pacing and look at
her.  That’s the second time she’s said that and she needs to tell me
why.  She sighs then continues something she obviously wasn’t supposed to
say.  “We all decided we’d do whatever we had to in order to keep Jeff
away from you.  You were a mess.  We were all so worried about you.”
    “I’m
not a kid, Julia.  I can deal with this,” I say a little irritated.
    “We
know that.  It’s what friends do, Alyssa.  You know you’d go after
Tommy, Mark, or Tyler if they did something like that to one of us.”  I
relax because she’s right.  It would actually be worse if it were one of
them because they all live here on campus.  Jeff doesn’t have to face
their wrath every day.  “It’s our job to look out for each other.” 
We are quiet for a little while before there is a pounding on the window.
    I
jump again.  “Damn it!  Why does he always have to knock so loud?”
    “I’ll
go open it.  You stay here and don’t open the door.  I have my
card.”  She runs out before I can protest leaving me standing alone in the
living room.  They finally come back in just when I’m ready to run out to
see what’s taking so long. 
    Rocco
comes through the door first, handing Julia her keycard over his
shoulder.  He’s staring right at me and he looks upset.  I instantly
think something happened, but when I glance at Tommy, he’s smiling.
    “What
happened?  Are you guys okay?”  I’m watching both of them
anxiously.  It doesn’t seem like there was any sign of a