The sharp cry of Talia's alarm cut through the quiet morning, dragging her from the thin edge of sleep. For a moment, she lay still beneath the dim gray light spilling through the window, listening to the unfamiliar silence of Forks settle around her. Then reality caught up. School. A new town. A new name. A story she already knew was waiting to begin. With a steadying breath, she pushed herself out of bed and moved through the motions of the morning, letting the hot water of the shower chase away the last traces of sleep before she dressed for the day ahead.
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Talia made her way downstairs, the house still wrapped in the quiet hush of early morning. The wooden steps creaked beneath her boots as the gray light of Forks filtered through the windows, cool and muted. She headed for the kitchen, intending to grab something quick before school, but stopped when she saw a note waiting on the table. A set of keys lay on top of it, catching the dim light like a promise.
Talia,
They dropped your car off as I was headed to work so here are your keys. Love, Dad.
Outside, waiting in the driveway beneath the low gray sky, was her car—a black 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It looked solid, sharp, and ready for anything, the kind of vehicle that felt less like transportation and more like a declaration. Talia stared at it for a moment, the keys heavy in her hand, and felt the faintest spark of a smile tug at her lips. Forks might be quiet, but at least she had arrived with something that looked like it could survive a war.
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The redhead smiled, a slow spark of satisfaction lighting her face as she looked out toward the driveway. She loved her Jeep already. It sat there like it had been chosen specifically for the version of her who had survived islands, battles, and death itself. With a faint smirk, Talia pocketed the keys.
Talia was still getting used to the shape of this new life—the quiet house, the damp air of Forks, the strange weight of memories that belonged to another girl and somehow to her now. But beneath the confusion, amusement began to take root. This was a second chance, one she had never expected and sure as hell had not asked for, but she intended to enjoy it. If fate wanted to drop her into this world, then she was going to make the most of it—starting with messing with her new twin sister.
