Chapter One
Everyone wakes up a little differently, but we all just come back to reality from our dreams and start our days. Eyes open and up an at 'em, or whatever. But the whole reason I'm describing this is because on one particular morning- things began differently. Universally different if you catch my drift. Like something out of an old Disney original that would play at 2am once a year, a fever dream type situation; my bedroom was now altered and my body was no longer my body.
Yep you read that right. I woke up in a strange body in an alternate version of my room.
Where my bright pale tummy once sat- instead was a small pair of abs and tan skin. My once enormous breasts now what I could only guess was a B cup. I'm supposed to have a tattoo on the left side of my chest and I do- but the skull and flowers are replaced with a snake and smoke. I don't hate it but my point is-
Aside from the lack of long hair, the tan skin, etc, the entirely different body I found myself inhabiting...my room's differences were immaculate. It had been doubled in size with shag carpeting just in front of the tv like I'd always wanted, with cute little knick knacks hanging from various spots. My mouth hung open and I rubbed at my eyes, blinking repeatedly and waiting for things to go back to normal.
I decided then that I was still dreaming because what I was experiencing seemed far too much like a fantasy my THC warped brain might've thought up.
"Serena, you're gonna be late for your first day!" A male voice that sounded vaguely familiar hollered from the right side of the house.
Weird. I scrunched up my forehead. First day of what?
I ignored the confusion and pushed up from abnormally comfy cashmere sheets- and headed towards my dresser. Or well...my dresser but improved upon. Painted white with the same handles but now adorned with cute squishy stickers. It had little signatures in sharpie on the corner of the wood also added on-I noticed. Jacob Black, Emby Call, Quil Ateara. And then my own. Except with a different last name.
I could recognize my own handwriting after all.
Serena Uley.
This is Twilight- I realized. It supported my false sense of calm, my idea that I'm dreaming. Which made me happy because there was a feeling in the back of my head like no, Ser, this is real. All I could do was go with logic because that's what I've always known. Nobody would wake up to this and just believe 'I'm in a fictional series for real.' It didn't make sense. It all being a dream sure as fuck would though. After all, I'd been an avid fan of the series on and off throughout my teens and into my early twenties.
Speaking of age…
I'm young again. I mean 25 isn't old but it's a hell of a difference with what I'm now looking at. The features that stare back in the vanity of the dresser could only be sixteen or seventeen.
How fun..
I wondered if I could also turn into the wooly mammoth of a dog Stephenie Meyer described Sam to be. I wondered about a lot of things. But if the voice was who I assumed it was, the aforementioned supposed family member, that meant I'd better move my ass. I'd hate to have a character I used to fangirl over come to my room and reprimand me.
The drawers were assorted the way I expected them to be, true to memory. I pulled out (however) fancy clothing. Clothes I never could afford before. It would be hard to choose and I'd be late to whatever the dream was about if I took too long, I knew. So I decided to go through it later if I got a chance and went with the first appealing items I got my hands on.
The finished product had me doing finger guns and blowing myself kisses in the vanity.
Go, dream me!
I kind of longed to see my actual self in the clothes and when the dream didn't budge, It didn't throw me off because I'd encountered lots of lucid dreams I couldn't control or affect.
Long sculpted calves revealed thanks to my choice of a t-shirt dress, which of course had a V-neck so I could flex my tattoo (as one does,) a pair of pretty schoolgirl-esque socks, and some easy mary-jane shoes. I decided against styling my new hair. It sat beautifully messy in a way that of course would exist in a Twilight realm. As if I'd hairsprayed and combed for a few hours. And the color, oof.
It had to be a fantasy.
A dream.
I'd always wanted strawberry blonde hair.
I was in the middle of curling a strand around my finger and wondering how I'd gotten that set of genetic material if I'm a Uley when the door to my room burst open.
"Ready yet, Tyra Banks JR?" Sam snarked in all his glory- clearly bothered.
He wasn't shirtless (thank god because I did not want to be all weird checking out someone I'm now a relative of) and rocked a dad sweater. I could only guess Emily or Leah gifted him it. He'd never buy it himself. I didn't even need to be that big of a fan to know that. It was christmas colored and made with scratchy yarn looking material.
I grinned toothily.
"Ready for what?"
After all, it's my dream. I don't care if they know that I have no clue what's going on.
"Your first day of High School here. Damn, sis- you hit your head that hard last night? I told you not to cliff dive if you can't see the rocks."
So I'd been attending school elsewhere previously?
Curiouser and curiouser.
And I cliff dive!
I waved it off immediately. After all, my head felt 100% fine.
"I'm fine" I yawned, "just still asleep."
Sam's annoyance simmered into a lovely appreciation for my wellness and he slapped a hand against the doorway before moseying off out of sight.
"Be down in five minutes or you're walkin'!"
I decidedly searched for three minutes for a diary only to find my new dream-universe phone and my backpack. Woopdeedoo. I wanted the juice, the tea, the story behind my supposed existence. After all; my brain usually crammed my dreams full of little random details.
With my time limit in mind I set off into this weird little world to discover more.
The house was expansive and a cabin- I found as I trotted down a wide set of stairs into a fireplace-warmed living room adorned with quilts and furs. A very picturesque setting that wasn't shown off in the movies or books. I was able to spot the kitchen and dining table Bella visited in New Moon just before I was forced out the door by the loud honk of Sam. Soo not a morning person it would seem.
"You got everything you need?" Sam asked, and it sounded like this was new to him. Having a dependant.
I could only assume with his father's history (thank god I read the guide book in my old life) that I was the result of his multiple infidelities. I just needed to figure out how it all went down, how I came to be in Sam's care.
"Yup" I popped the p with a wry grin.
Going to High School all over again except now I'm attractive as hell. It's just science that attractive people get certain perks and passes in life. I was ecstatic about reaping the benefits. Hello, abs, strawberry blonde hair, and a tattoo before I've even graduated? The ego and confidence was almost overwhelming at first.
I took a deep breath and humbled myself a little- remembering to be nice to every measly little soul I encounter. I had and have an innate fear of dying and being reborn as a cockroach. Therefore I'm really morally focused. Like a messy buddhist.
"You look nice, if it helps" Sam chimed after two lights went by and the silence got stuffy.
"It does" I confirmed feeling warm inside.
I didn't have compliments or people who cared about me. So this was new and something I often only got in my dreams.
"Are you picking me up later?" I asked, carrying on with the whole filling the silence spiel.
Sam snorted and rolled his eyes.
"You might need to go to the doctor later. You don't remember?" he raised his brow at me, now worried.
I laughed and tried to play it off.
"Of course I remember- I'm just fucking with you. You seem more nervous than I do my first day, bro" I said bro fondly. I'd always wanted a brother.
Just I finished saying that we hit the slice of road leading up to Forks High School's driveway and I racked my brain for a reason why I would be attending here and not the res's local spot. Sam seemed to accept my excuse of 'fucking with him' and just settled with a relatively soft arm punch.
"Pull up straight and go around that building with the sports field and there'll be the office" I recanted as I remembered all the parking lot spaces and individual scenes I'd watched over and over again for my own stories.
Sam's raised an eyebrow.
"Ya girl is well informed" I shrugged.
Maybe I studied a pamphlet, for all he knew.
He grinned.
As we swerved into an open parking spot amongst a throng of vehicles and teens- we drew stares. I could feel every pair of eyes on me at that moment. I wondered what they thought of his reliable, clean, black Ford. I wondered what I would say when they all wanted to know why I wasn't going to the school with all the other tanned beach bums.
I wondered if I actually had everything I needed.
Oh well, even if I don't- I'll just improvise. Worst case scenario I wake up I thought.
"This is my stop," Sam said excitedly.
"Ready to be free of me so soon?" I scoffed.
In an unashamed fashion- He reached over and popped open my door.
"You know Emily and I haven't been able to get any alone time, now scram" His brown eyes centering on the students staring into the car to get a peek at me from a spot or two over "and be safe. I don't wanna have to come get you for beating up the boys like when we were kids."
Huh. So we were together at some point as children?
Guess confusion would be the main theme of a dream taking place in the Twilight series.
I always wondered how good the story would've been if she'd not let her publishers rush her and went a more independent route. Probably less messy.
But I'm messy so it should work fine for now- I thought.
I just got out of the car so I didn't sit there looking silly and saying nothing, keeping my hands on the hem of my dress to keep it from riding up with the breeze.
"Drive safe" I chirped with a Princess Diaries 'wave for the peasant's move.
Sam rolled his eyes, somehow managing to land his dagger gaze back on whoever was behind me as soon as he was done. Hopefully I can be that impressively intimidating. We are related in this version of things after all.
As his car pulled away and I was left to stand I thought,
Well now what?
Sure I needed to make it to the office- I turned to face whoever Sam had been glaring at and began my strides to the office. It was a van clearly belonging to that of Tyler Crowley, with groupies like Jessica Stanley and Mike Newton. Of course I was assuming so there was a chance I was wrong. But as they hooted and hollered for my attention, and I strolled by them with focus, I felt like I was right. Since that was pretty much exactly how they greeted Bella on her first day.
Speaking of…
Where is she?
Maybe not here yet.
And if Edward's here...he's gonna know everything I know.
So that ought to go over well.
I imagined him having a breakdown in the cafeteria and throwing an apple, taking my head clean off with a cafeteria full of witnesses. It felt good to know I retained my screwy sense of humor on the inside, since my outsides were completely different.
No complaints here.
My breast's still drew attention but didn't hurt my back- with the tattoo being the eyecatcher.
So I was happy. What a good dream to have, I thought. Looking back I really should have counted my fingers or done some other stupid reality check. But since I really truly believed I was dreaming...yeah I was in no rush to get back to my desk monkey completely unfulfilled adult life by waking up.
"You must be Serena Uley," A woman said as soon as I entered the office.
A rush of cold air and the smell of mothballs. Gross.
I offered her a confident smile as she appraised my appearance with a clearly disgusted expression. A t-shirt dress that has a v neck with knee high socks and a pair of mary janes. Somebody call the police, I may as well be naked.
I snorted. Not on purpose but it was funny to me that this grown woman was worried about the wrong things.
"Can I have my schedule?" I asked, somewhat knowing how this process goes from the few moves I'd encountered in my previous schooling years.
She looked like she wanted to tell me to get lost, as her stout fingers slid the sheet of paper like it was some sort of secret. I was able to hold in my amusement that time, feeling like if Sam could see he'd be proud of the small feat.
I remembered a different kind of disgust. One from people seeing my original plus sized self. Figures there's mean people in all walks of life. That was never up for debate, I just hadn't expected it from a school official this time around. I took my schedule and proceeded out the door, reading it as I went.
First Period, English
Second Period, Government
Third Period, Trigonometry
Fourth Period, Spanish
Lunch
Fifth Period-
Leave it to me to walk into a wall in my dream.
Of course it wasn't a dream, or a wall.
But Edward Cullen.
The minute I smacked into him, I nearly fell face first on the floor- only for his pale abstract fingers to catch the hem of my skirt and spin me upwards into the safety of his arms.
With thankfully empty hallways and burning red cheeks, I squeeked out an apology. In the back of my head I remember thinking that the office woman was probably watching it through the see-through doors all nosey.
"Sorry" I stared into his beautiful topaz eyes in amazement.
I remember thinking, the books did you no justice. He looked confused and I just continued to stare blankly.
After all, I assumed I'd wake up. It felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. His cheekbones, his full lips, and the smell of the woods on his coat, but peppermint in his hair. Ladies and gentlemen I give you: an actual greek god.
But I didn't wake up.
Why aren't I waking up? I thought directly to Edward, as if he could answer my confusion.
As far as the Cullen-s knew (pre Bella) the tribe has no knowledge of their individual gifts so that threw him for a loop. The fact that I knew that he could read minds.
His mouth opened and he was about to say something so I cut him off with a memory.
One was seeing the commercial for Twilight for the first time, I hadn't dredged it up in so long that it was mighty dusty and blurry. I reached into my brain and thought about another one. Me watching the end of New Moon, the Volturi, Alice, Jacob, etc.
Of course now I knew- those were all poorly cast actors. Because the character's right in front of me were and are actually glorious. In a way that words can't capture.
And with the panic attack building in my chest- it was then that I thought,
What if I don't wake up? What if I'm in a coma? Or worse, dead, and stuck here? Could I really be a Quiliete? Could I live a life with a bunch of people who I know what's gonna happen to them? When I know I shouldn't exist.
What would Stephenie Meyer, the author (I shouted mentally), think of me being in your arms when it's supposed to be Bella Swan that catches your interest because you can't read her mind once she transfers here? Not my impossible, shouldn't exist, screwed up self.
I couldn't see her happy ending turning out the same with me at the same school as her, spoiling everything to come for the Cullen's with Edward now knowing too much.
So I did the only sensible thing I could do.
I ran.
It felt like the time my appendix almost burst. My temperature was rising and I was getting dizzy. There were a few alarmed shouts as I tore down the entrance of the school like a bat out of hell, 'should we get help?' followed by 'nah, Cullen's going after her.' What?
I picked up the pace until I couldn't see anything- my lightheadedness getting to me. With eyes shut, I pushed my legs to carry my weight as far from the school as possible. I couldn't be there. I just couldn't. None of it could possibly be real.
This type of shit only happens on the internet, I thought as my legs gave out.
I tasted moss- my mouth landing mid groan on the floor as the weight of my own back breaking threw me to the side.
I opened my eyes. Yep, made it to the treeline. Hurray for small victories.
It should've been cool realizing I was about to turn into a wolf but I just felt like I was being mutilated. Everything that made me me before felt like it was being stripped. Because once the agony stopped, like I knew it would, and I stood on all four legs- my thoughts would be bare.
For all of the pack to see.
And if they saw what I knew- they'd stop it before it happened. They'd go on a witch hunt until the Cullen's were gone or they were all deceased, Sam included.
And even though it had only been a few moments- I cared a great deal for those around me. After all, I'd read everything there is to ever read about them. Why would I want them to tear each other apart in reaction to the future?
Edward must have heard that because while I seized and blood poured from my reshaping body- his blissfully cold hands gripped my mess of flesh and ran like the wind. I didn't care where he was taking me because of the pain I was in.
I just passed out with my final thought being,
Please wake up in my grungy apartment.