Torn
Chapter 1: New Beginnings
A cold breeze filled the room, covering the girl's body as she lay in bed, stirring often though never opening her eyes. Daylight scatted across the carpet, casting shadows upon half of where she lie. The other half was unguarded by the sun, causing her to eventually wake up, instinctively looking at the clock. A cloud of confusion hung upon the girl's face, and her feet slowly emerged from under the covers as she observed her surroundings.
The start of her morning daze began at the window, part-way open and letting in a pleasant early morning air. Unfamiliar curtains dangled in the breeze, the outside bringing upon beautiful colors and the start of a new day. The girl's room was nearly spotless, the only thing scattering the floor being new school supplies and a rug which separated the closet and the door. Most people would consider it an impressive sight, belonging to a person who was very organized. This, however, startled her, making the girl jump back in surprise.
A large oak desk and bookshelf sat against the wall, seeming to mock her as not even a piece of paper lie upon it. In the center, a laptop sat unopened, taunting the girl silently while screaming 'animated' all over it. Everything looked strange, almost like a cartoon only more detailed. Not even her hand had a lot of realness to it. Without hesitation, the girl opened her closet, wondering exactly would be inside it. An excited gasp escaped her chest, and before she could think, realization shot through her as she sat staring at a familiar school outfit. It came from an anime, but she wasn't sure which one. With a shrug, the girl slipped on the outfit, almost instinctively. If she had this outfit in her closet, it definitely meant something, so it was obviously going to be worn. I mean, who wouldn't want to cosplay like a pro?
Loud voices came from downstairs, vibrating through her room like a loud drum beat. Alarm went through her as she realized that she was still seventeen, and lived with her parents. If this was a dream, which she highly believed it was, her parents wouldn't be here, especially since she usually didn't dream about them. With a snicker, the girl put together her school belongings, finding a medium shoulder bag that would accompany her as a backpack. Acting as this was her normal schedule, she ran to the nearest bathroom, checking herself to see if everything was in order. A strange face met her in the mirror, looking straight at the girl with wide eyes and an anime look.
There, standing before her, an unfamiliar person stared with bright amber eyes, long, flowing brown hair, and a smile that seemed to outmatch any mere mortal. The confusion set upon her was great, and with a jolt the girl realized that nothing was right, not even her own body. Right as she stepped forward, a call rang upstairs, shocking her back to reality. "Adalynn!" came the voice, sounding like her mother's only a bit different. She jumped back, running to her room and grabbing her schoolbag. If the girl was correct, this was a weekday, and her mother was calling her to go to school. Since her outfit was from an anime school, an opportunity came to play, and soon everything she wished for would be ready. All she needed was a plan, and quick. Groaning, the girl ran down the stairs, suspecting that her shoes would be by the door. This was Japan, after all.
Her mother looked almost the same, only younger with lighter hair and bright, green eyes. A smile stretched upon her lips, as if she was happy all the time. "On schedule, as always, Adalynn!" she said, her voice slightly high-pitched yet soothing and calm at the same time. "I bet you can't wait to start school today. A third-year at Daikoku Private Academy…how exciting!"
A shot of dread overcame the girl, nearly causing her to shout in frustration. Without losing her temper, the girl kept her calm, and smiled at her mother with invisible regret. "I'm excited, too. It's always good to know that I've made it this far with straight A's," her words were said against her will, as if something was forcing her to say them. "I'd hate having to fail you, Mother."
The woman smiled. "You know you'd never fail me, Ada," she assured her, pulling two pieces of toast out of a toaster. The kitchen was strange, as well, an ominous place that the girl felt highly obliged to hate. Everything about this room and every other was unfamiliar, and now the understanding of where she was hit her like a fiery bullet.
"Yea, it's really cool, sis," A voice emerged from a table near her, coming from a blonde-haired boy about the age of eleven. "I hope I can be like you, someday," He said, continuing to eat the toast laid out in front of him.
A harsh laugh came from her own throat, and this time she knew it wasn't by instinct. "You should try to live up to Light Yagami," she said, bitterly. "Apparently, I'm nothing compared to him. I heard he's trying out for To-Oh University, as well. What a jerk…he's always trying to get in my way," A hint of hatred came through her as she said these words, though the girl hadn't said them according to her will. She didn't hate Light Yagami, especially not in this anime.
Her mother laughed, shocking her. "Well, you've always been competing," she pointed out, handing a piece of toast to the girl. "It's no use trying to fight…you'll always end up equally matched, just like two parallel lines. It wouldn't be surprising if you stood side by side during the opening ceremony, if you get in."
The girl scoffed, sitting in a chair and eating her toast. Memories rushed back to her, different from her own. Mixed together, fuzzy thoughts filled her head, revealing things she hadn't known before. Her name was Adalynn in this world, while it had been different in the other. This confused her, and she nearly tumbled out of her seat trying to figure it out. A voice called from across the room, bringing her back to the present.
"It's time to go!" her mother chirped, grabbing Adalynn's arm and yanking her out of the seat she sat in. With a yelp of surprise, she ran after her mother, putting on her shoes and rushing out the door after her.