My Alterations to Chasing Yesterday book 1- Awakening

Book by- Robin Wasserman

I OWN NOTHING!

Change one- The part where J.D. and Daniel are attacked by the man in the Alley way.

-Move it to after J.D. and Daniel have run away from J.D.'s "mom"-

J.D. shrugged. "Probably nothing. It just sounded like-"

The man rushed out of the darkness and hurtled into Daniel, knocking him against the side of a building. He slumped to the ground helplessly.

"Daniel!" She shrieked and ran to him. "Daniel wake up!" she shook him. "Daniel, please! You have to wake up!" But then the man was on her, his dirty fingers wrapped around her wrists, dragging her backwards towards the alley. "No!" she screamed and struggled and kicked wildly, as hard as she could, her foot connecting with something soft. He grunted and, as his grasp slipped, she ran.

Two heavy footsteps behind her, then he was on her again, trapping her in a corner. "Calm down J.D. I'm here to help."

"How is knocking out my best friend helping!?" She flailed wildly, but he lunged at her. In his hand was a handkerchief. He thrust it towards her nose and mouth. She avoided it, not knowing what it was. She took a deep breath of fresh air. Then he shoved the cloth to her, holding her head up against a wall. It was only a matter of time before she would have to breathe.

Had he said her name? She thought so. She wondered why.

J.D. had to breathe. She gasped, breathing in the chemical fumes. She took another breath, involuntarily. The world was getting blurry, dizzy. Everything seemed to be moving slowly. Her eyelids drooped.

"That's right J.D. Just a little more. Breathe in, breathe out. Come on." The man murmured. J.D. was too sleepy to fight him off.

On the ground, Daniel had already stirred. "J.D? J.D.!" He stood up, looking around wildly. He saw the man, holding up J.D. No! Daniel charged forward.

The man heard the boy. Dang! He had been hoping he would be gone with the girl before the boy ever woke up. Oh well. "That's right J.D. Just a little more. Breathe in, breathe out. Come on." He tied the hanker chief around J.D.'s mouth.

He was so busy with J.D.; the man didn't notice Daniel approaching until it was too late. A howl of rage echoed down the alley, and Daniel flew into the man, knocking him sideways. He yanked a knife out of his pocket. "Leave her alone!"

The man's eyes widened and he ran. Daniel turned back to his friend. "J.D.!"

J.D. blinked wearily. Daniel? He was okay? Then she realized that the hanker chief was tied around her mouth. She fumbled with it. Daniel gently moved her hands away and untied it. She took a gasping breath of fresh air, but it was too late.

"Daniel," she mumbled. She felt arms catch her, and then the world blacked out.

______________________________________________________

J.D. opened her eyes. Arms were locked around her. She struggled to get away.

"Shh, it's just me. Keep quiet."

She realized she and Daniel were in some sort of cement box, barely big enough for them. Her head was pressed against his chest and their knees were curled with their feet behind them. He was holding her down. There was a grate like an air duct in front of them.

"Wha"-

"Someone's out there. We need to stay quiet."

Loud voices echoed through the area. Footsteps passed the air duct but didn't stop. After several minutes all was silent. Daniel peered through the grate. Slowly, he eased it up. They were gone. He started to get out when something caught his eye- a small blinking light. He tried to close the grate. The bomb went off just as it shut. His head smashed against it.

He heard J.D. shout at him.

Then there was nothing.

_________________________________________________________

Daniel struggled his way to consciousness. J.D. had gotten them out after the bomb went off. They were in a small room off the big room with the grate. It hadn't been blown up. His eyes opened slowly. J.D.'s image was blurry, but he knew it was her. He blinked and his vision cleared.

"Daniel? Are you okay?"

He nodded a bit and tried to sit up. "Not so fast!" J.D. cried. He fell back, dizzy and nauseas. "Just lie still and breathe for a minute."

Daniel closed his eyes and drifted away again. When he opened his eyes J.D. was still beside him. She breathed a sigh of relief and helped him sit.

"How long was I out?"

"The bomb went off a few hours ago. You've been in and out the whole time."

"Really?" Daniel only remembered waking once.

"Yeah, I was pretty sure you weren't all there. Guess I got my answer. Are you really okay now?"

Daniel nodded. "We need to get out of here."

………………………………………………………………………………

Change two- The end of the book.

"What did you do?" he repeated, louder this time. J.D. tried to put a hand on his shoulder, but he pulled away.

Tears springing into her eyes, she nodded and stepped back. "I don't know. I just…don't know." She whispered. The tears fell down her cheeks.

Daniel's face softened. "It's okay. I'm sorry. We'll figure this out."

J.D. looked up, surprised. "You'll still help me? After…that?"

Daniel nodded. "Of course. Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have freaked out on you. We already knew about it, so now that I'm looking at without freaking out, it makes sense."

"How does it make sense?" tears still slid down J.D.'s face. Obviously, she wasn't ready to stop freaking out.

"It's some sort of thing that only happens when you're defending yourself." He smiled. "So I just won't attack you."

"The other stuff?"

"I don't know. We'll figure it out as we go."

J.D. smiled and nodded. "Okay. But that's not true you know."

"What isn't?"

"I wasn't defending myself, with Mel. I was defending you. By the time that I actually started fighting her, I could have cared less about my own safety."

"Wow. Okay, we'll just avoid trouble in general then!"

J.D. laughed. "Good plan. But you and I? Actually staying out of trouble?"

"Oh. I see your point. And I am sorry you know."

J.D. nodded. "I know. Hey, let's never mention the crying. Ever."

"Agreed. Crybaby."

"Hey! Are we seriously going to start up this argument again?"

"Yup. We are."

"Can we argue later and figure out where we are and where we're going first?"

'Good idea."

-Add rest of ending-

Change 3- Adding something to what Dr. Styron does.

He was holding a needle. A long, thick, syringe filled with pale, green liquid. Dr. Styron smiled and thrust the needle into J.D.'s arm. Her eyes opened and she sat up.

"Think of your friend, Daniel. Forget him. Forget you ever met him. He does not exist."

"He does not exist," J.D. repeated back to him in a robotic voice.

"Good. Now think of J.D. You are not her. She has never existed. You are Alexa Collins, and that is all you have ever been."

"It is all I have ever been."

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Yeah, and I was like, 'No you can't.' and she was all 'Yes I can.' I swear; I can't stand baby sitting that brat." Tara griped, again.

"So ditch the job." Alexa snapped her gum. She'd heard this dozens of times before. She knew what Tara's answer would be before she said it. She mouthed the words along with her, glad that this was a phone conversation, that she was lying on her bed, where Tara couldn't smack her for it.

"I can't. There aren't any other babysitting jobs in town."

"Get a different job."

"Nothing is open. I need the money so I can buy a car."

Alexa rolled her eyes. Tara always used this argument. Every one knew dang well that Tara's mom planned on buying her a car for her 16th birthday.

"So, can you come over later?"

"Don't know. Let me ask." Alexa held the phone away from her mouth, so she wouldn't be shouting in Tara's ear. "Mom? Can I go to Tara's later?"

"What time?" Her mom called back.

"What time?" Alexa said into the phone.

"Four o'clock? Why don't you just sleep over?"

"Kay." She put the phone down again. "Four!"

"Are you sleeping over at her house?''

"Yeah!"

"Have fun!"

"Tara? Yeah. I can go."

……………………………………………………………………………………..

Alexa threw her favorite outfit into a bag. That was the last thing left to pack. "Bye mom!"

"Have fun!"

Alexa slung the bag over her shoulder and grabbed her house key. Hopefully Tara wouldn't want to roast marshmallows. They might actually catch their hair on fire this time! Alexa hurried down the street towards Tara's house. Tara lived just under a mile away. It wouldn't take her long to get there. It never did.

Alexa was so wrapped up in her own thoughts, she didn't notice the boy until it was too late. "Watch out!" he called, but he was going so fast he plowed right into her, knocking her down.

"Ugh! Watch it!" she snapped. This dirt on her totally messed up the outfit!

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I just didn't see you and- J.D.?" The boy stared at her in shock. "J.D. it's me! Daniel!"

"Excuse me? First of all, my name is Alexa Collins; second of all, what kind of name is J.D.? It sounds like a guy's name. Third of all, the only Daniel I know is the cute blond guy who sits in front of Tara in geography. Yeah, you're not him." She started walking away.

"From the Center. Remember? You beat up Mel and she broke her collar bone and-"

"No! I do not remember that. It has never happened. You must be thinking of someone else." She glanced around. There! Her boyfriend was in the diner two stores down. She set off at a faster pace.

"J.D., come on! This isn't funny!"

Alexa barged into the diner. "Cody? I need help!"

Cody stood up. He was taller than this boy. "What's the problem Alexa?"

"This guy is following me! He's scaring me!" she burst into tears.

"I'll handle it." Cod started forward. "Where were you going?"

"Tara's house for a sleepover"

"Go there then. We'll handle this freak." He motioned for his friends to help him. Once again, Alexa was glad that Cody was a full year older than her.

Alexa stepped out of the diner after them. "Leave me alone! She's my best friend! I can talk to her if I want!" the boy shouted. "J.D.!"

Alexa shook her head and headed for Tara's house. The boy was still shouting behind her. "Okay! I'll go! Get off! J-Alexa!"

She turned around. "What do you want from me!?" she cried.

"I heard about your mom. Awesome. Wish I could get out of here too. Guess you got your answers right?

"So you know where to find me. If you need me. They won't let me skip class to say goodbye, but I left you something. Maybe you'll need it, but I hope you don't I know you're going to remember everything soon. Just don't forget me. –D

"P.S. This time I made you cry didn't I? You're such a girl!" The boy finally finished what he was saying.

"Excuse me?" Alexa said. "What is that supposed to mean?"

The boy sighed, looking defeated. "You don't remember. Well, I tried my best. Have a good life." He turned the opposite direction from Alexa and walked away. The boys went back into the diner.

"Wait!" Alexa ran after the boy. "Was I supposed to know you?"

The boy smiled wryly. "Yeah. Oh well. Who needs friends, right?" He walked away.

Alexa shook her head. She felt bad for the poor guy, but he wasn't making any sense. She sighed, turned and headed for Tara's. Maybe she would understand.

"So let me get this straight. This random guy walks up to you and starts talking to you like you're someone else, then quotes something you've never heard before?"

"Pretty much. That's not normal Tara!" Alexa and Tara sat on the floor of Tara's bedroom.

"Creepy. Wait. Was he cute?"

"Sort of, yeah."

"Maybe that was him attempting a pick up line."

"That's a pretty weird pick up line." Alexa shuddered. Had that guy been flirting with her? Okay, creepy to the 1,000,000th power. "He sounded really serious. He really did think I was this J.D. person."

"Then he's just crazy."

Crazy. Was that it? 'You're not crazy. I've seen crazy.' The words echoed in her mind. Who had said them? Her mom? Tara? No, she didn't think so. Karen or Amy? Definitely not. Dr. Styron? No. Not any of them. Then who? "No. He wasn't crazy." Alexa said. She was a hundred miles away or really a block and a half away, two hours ago. When she'd talked to that boy.

"Either way. Hey guess what? I talked to Daniel."

Alexa jumped on the chance to change the subject. "Really? Doesn't he hate us?"

"No! He was just teasing us because we're hot he says! Hot!"

"Great! So did he ask you out?"

"No. I asked him!"

"What did he say?"

……………………………………………………………………………………….

The next morning, Alexa was back home, looking at her diary. She turned a page and something fluttered to the ground. She looked at the entry.

Dear Diary,

I got another email from Daniel. He locked Kendall AND Mel in the bathroom this morning. They got in so much trouble! I swear I could almost see his face when that happened. I miss him so much. He was the only good thing about the Center.

Mom doesn't want me talking to Daniel anymore. She says that she wants me to make a fresh start; that it might be easier if I forget about Daniel, the center, everything that I was and had when I was J.D. I do want to remember, but I don't want to lose Daniel for it.

Dr. Styron has me going to longer sessions. It isn't a bad thing I guess. It's just that I don't like that feeling I get when I wake up with no memory. That's what hypnotherapy does though, and I want to remember.

I talked to my friend from being Alexa today. Her name is Tara. She seems nice and all. She's a little shallow. That girl Amy is sweet. Karen reminds me of the smaller children in the Center, hyper, bouncy, energetic, and happy no matter what. I like her.

Anyways, the bore-fest that is being J.D. is calling. Later.

-J.D. (Alexa Collins)

No. She thought. Impossible. She was Alexa; that was all she'd ever been. Maybe this was some kind of joke. It had to be. She scooped up the paper that had fallen. Maybe it would tell her what was going on here. It didn't. All it said was an address.

Alexa sighed. Nothing. It was a dead end. She could ask her mom. But she was tired of not figuring things out on her own. She sighed again and opened her laptop. She penned a quick message to the address from the paper.

'Who are you? Why do I have your email? Have we met?' She hit send and waited.

The reply came back almost instantly.

'I'm the guy you saw today. Sorry to freak you out. We used to be friends and I moved away. Kindergarten and first grade. I sent you a letter a while back. Ringing a bell?'

She replied quickly.

'Where can we meet?'

…………………………………………………………………………..

Alexa hurried down the street to the coffee shop next to the diner. She was going to meet that boy. She didn't know why, but she needed to see him. She didn't understand why she had gotten this urge to meet him. She hoped it was jus curiosity, and not insanity.

She stepped into the shop and went to an empty table. The boy arrived shortly after her. He sat down. "Hey…Alexa."

"Hi. So we've met?"

"Yes. I didn't realize it had been so long that you wouldn't recognize me."

"That was kindergarten! How am I supposed to recognize a teenager if I have never seen him at this age?"

"Good point. So how is everything? How are Tara and Amy and Karen?"

They're good. Amy is visiting her aunt and Karen is away on a family vacation, but Tara is here. She's got a boyfriend."

"Great! How are you?"

"Fine. Mom's got me going to see Dr. Styron a few times a week. She thinks I need hypnotherapy to deal with my father's death. He died a long time ago. I told her that I'm okay, but, you know how moms are."

He smiled sadly for a moment. "Yeah. But why hypnotherapy?

"How should I know?"

"Hmm…odd, but okay. Listen, I have to go. You have my email address still?"

"Yes. It was nice seeing you again. Bye!" She waved as he left.

………………………………………………………………………………………

Daniel had to be careful. Dr. Styron could come in at any second, but he knew what was wrong with J.D. Dr. Styron had to be doing something to mess with her memory. He pulled lock pick from his pocket. Carefully, he picked the lock and opened the door. There. On the desk was a laptop. He clicked on a video icon and chose a video that was labeled- J.D. - Daniel.

On the screen was Dr. Styron and an unconscious J.D. Dr. Styron was holding a needle. A long, thick, syringe filled with pale, green liquid. Dr. Styron smiled and thrust the needle into J.D.'s arm. Her eyes opened and she sat up.

"Think of your friend, Daniel. Forget him. Forget you ever met him. He does not exist."

"He does not exist," J.D. repeated back to him in a robotic voice.

"Good. Now think of J.D. You are not her. She has never existed. You are Alexa Collins, and that is all you have ever been."

"It is all I have ever been."

"No." Daniel whispered. "J.D."

"Ah yes. Mr. Daniel. How nice of you to join me." Dr. Styron strode into the room, locking to door behind him.

"LET HER GO! You hear me? Give her back!" Daniel shouted.

"Now, now Daniel, let's not do anything rash. That would be very unwise, considering I have control of J.D.'s memory." Dr. Styron smiled pleasantly. "And as for your memory, well, don't worry. J.D. will be out of your mind soon enough."

"No! I won't let you do that to me! Never! Daniel ran to the window, glad he was on the ground floor. He shoved it open and jumped out. "Never!" With that he ran off.

………………………………………………………………………………………

Daniel spent the night plotting. If only there was some way to get back her memory, everything would be fine. He was sure of it. He could show her the videos. She would just think it was a hoax. Would he ever get J.D. back?

Well…there was one way. But it was risky. He slipped out again and waited outside Dr. Styron's office. When the secretary went in, he slipped in after her. J.D. came in at her time and Dr. Styron led her into the office. Daniel was hiding under the couch. Dr. Styron's voice turned to the tone he used when he was hypnotizing J.D. Daniel started to drift for a moment. But as soon as Dr. Styron's voice stopped he snapped awake.

Sliding out quietly, he decked Styron, who fell unconscious. J.D. was sitting up already. "Please, J.D.! Remember me! Remember what's real!"

"Remember the truth. Dr. Styron's lies hold no power over you," a voice said calmly. Daniel turned to see Alexa's mom behind him.

Alexa blinked and shook her head. "D-Daniel? What are you doing here? How did you find me? Why aren't you at the center?"

"J.D.!" Daniel threw his arms around her.

She pulled away. "You didn't answer my questions. Where's Dr. Styron?" she gave him a stern look. "What did you do?"

Daniel filled her in on everything that had happened. "And then your mom helped me out."

J.D. looked at her mom. "So are you or are you not my mother?"

"I am." She told her of their plan, the one they'd made back before J.D. appeared on the street.

"So I'll never remember?"

Daniel put an arm over her shoulder. "You don't need to. I like you as you are."

J.D. shook her head. "But I don't." Tears spilled down her cheeks and this time Daniel didn't comment. He pulled her close and let her cry into his shoulder. When she was done and had pulled away she blushed. "Sorry."

"It's cool. Sometimes, you just need to get it all out." He bit back every witty remark that came to his mind.

J.D. nodded. "Where do we go now?"

"Far away from him," her mom took her hand and led the two away. "By the way, I'd prefer you two don't kiss in front of me. I am a mom."

Both kids turned bright red. "Oh, like we all didn't know it'll happen soon anyway." They didn't answer, didn't look at each other.

ONE MONTH LATER

The three were in hiding somewhere in California. The kids didn't go to school, and J.D.'s mom didn't go out much. True to her assumptions, J.D. and Daniel started dating. It was awkward at first, but they found it easy to be with each other. And they did not kiss in front of adults.