"I love you." Alyssa opened her eyes and looked at John, no words had ever crushed into her like those three words had just done. "Good night." John leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Alyssa lay there stunned as she watched John headed to his own bed and drift off to sleep. All she could do was lay her with her mouth hanging open…love?
"I love you?" Alyssa was pissed off. Why would he tell her that? She was trying to focus on her modern physics class, but she couldn't. Love? That was such a foreign concept to her. All her life that was what she craved for and thought about. She's spent countless hours imagining what it'd be like, how'd it feel, who'd she give it to but his was all so sudden. Love was a calculated thing, wasn't it? Or was everything she ever thought about a lie?
"Ms. Sullivan?" Alyssa looked up from her sight on her pencil.
"Dr. Carmichael."
"Would you care to explain to the class the concept of inner space conundrum?" Alyssa rolled her eyes, but recited the concept in a few simple sentences. Dr. Carmichael nodded in response.
"Maybe one day you could live up to your potential by actually working instead of only utilizing your photographic memory." Alyssa shook her head, why was everyone always taking her accomplishments and tearing them to shreds? She couldn't catch a break. Needless to say, Alyssa went back to her thoughts.
Two hours later, Alyssa was walking around the property. She liked to be alone with nature without actually identifying with nature. She hated bugs and all things that flew. Ugh. She sat down on a bench on the far end of the field. Finally she'd get a chance to clear her head, no John, no Dad, no nothing. She took a deep breath. Peaceful serenity….for all of five seconds. Her stupid phone was ringing.
"Hello?"
"Alyssa dear, is that anyway to talk to your mother?" Great, it was Gloria the mother of the year.
"HI Mom."
"Hi Mom, oh you're such a little downer. Anyway, I only called you to inform you of a party that I need you to appear at on Friday. I have a new partner and we must work to show how family oriented we are." Alyssa sighed, great she was going to be a china doll yet again. Yay.
"When is the limo coming to pick me up?"
"I'll send the info to your blackberry. Bye dear." Bye mother, she said to no one in particular. Well back to peaceful thoughts. Of course she should know that nothing in her life ever went as planned.
Alyssa sat on the plane to Orlando and she couldn't help but to think about her conversation with her father the night before. She had been watching a documentary when her phone rang flashing her father's face.
"Alyssa Sullivan."
"Good job, you finally learned how to answer the phone." Alyssa sighed, well that was a great compliment. "So Sport, how are things?" She was pretty skeptical of his change, he hadn't been this nice in months.
"Um, pretty good thanks."
"Great great, you know I'm sorry about what happened when I came to visit. You know I have a bit of a temper."
"Yeah."
"You know, I'm very anxious to see your progress on your thesis. How's that coming along."
"Great, um actually I just finished working on it. I'll send a copy to your blackberry."
"Alright good. Hey um Lyss, I've got a something I want to tell you. I um will be sending you to intern at our teenage clothing line. Sales have been down and I want you to get in there and turn things around. I know you can do it."
"James, I'm not quite sure, I mean…"
"Alyssa you can do this. You're a Sullivan and besides if you don't I'll cut you from my will. Sink or swim my dear. Sink or swim."
"Yes sir."
"My girl." James shuffled some papers on his desk. "Alright Kiddo, goodnight." Alyssa sighed.
"Goodnight Dad." The line went dead.
Alyssa sat back and put her ear buds in. A man she'd known for months knew he loved her and could tell her, but her own father couldn't. What a way to bring in the new year.
Alright, there's an update to chew on. I've got some big stuff planned for this. Stay tuned…and suggestions are welcome! I love you guys!