Summary:
Mariana is exposed to a shocking new world when she meets the Cullens for the first time. Unfortunately for her, she's Jasper's singer. Things only get complicated when one of the werewolves imprints on her. Can life get any worse? Of course it can.

Author's Note:

My story was inspired by the "what if's" scenarios and the consequences of them. Though this is an AU and OC-centric fic, this story still parallels with the original storyline when it comes to those monumental events/situations.

Chapter One - Curriculum vitae

-The course of one's life-

A timid person is frightened before a danger,

a coward during the time,

and a courageous person afterward.

- Jean Paul Richter -

—

I knew about this trip and had physically been there through the details down to the minute I would arrive in Port Angeles; yet, once I stepped out of the small plane and onto the tarmac, I felt out of place. Perhaps I was disoriented, what with the long flight from San Diego, California to Seattle, Washington followed by another hour-long flight up to Port Angeles. But I knew better as I followed the line of people walking towards the terminal. The reason I felt this way was that I had not paid attention, and had not listened as my future was being laid out before me.

It was one thing to be physically there and another to be present.

It was that simple.

In any normal situation, I would be attentive but that wasn't the case. After all, how many people are alert and enthusiastic after a loved one has died? To my knowledge, there was none. A fog of numbness befalls over you and, in a daze, you continue forth with life. In a strange sense, it felt like a dream or at least that's what I felt as I drifted through in auto-mode.

How I wished it was a dream.

How I wished it was a bad nightmare.

It's been two weeks to this date since it happened, since my dad was killed in a car accident on his way home from work. It's true to what they say whenever a significant event happens that jolts you, one that impacts your life in one form or another, you can always remember what you were doing at that specific time. Like a bookmark in your life, you can easily recall the event that impacted your life at that very moment. In my case, it was on a Friday evening. I was at a friend's house watching the latest Marvel movie when my cell phone rang. I was so engrossed in the movie that I chose to ignore the call until my friend read out the caller ID — it was from the city hospital.

He was pronounced dead when he arrived in the emergency room, there was nothing the doctors could have done to save him. Considering I was a minor, I was not allowed to see him. My friend and her mother were with me at the time and so was Lisa, a close family friend and neighbor who later arrived after us at the hospital. While I was officially the next of kin and recently orphaned, I was unable to, thankfully, make any decisions so it was Lisa who dealt with the paperwork. It wouldn't be until hours later that I was informed she was chosen by my father to temporarily take charge of the legality of documents if he was incapable of doing so. Since my closest adult relative happened to live in a different state altogether, it was fitting that Lisa had the role that also extended to my well-being.

I was numbed, I didn't care what happened to me as I was in deep mourning at the loss of my one parent. Even so, Lisa still sought my input during those following days. If you asked me what they were, I wouldn't be able to answer them now. I was a literal zombie that first week, merely responding with yes's or no's. There was one specific moment I can recall clearly and that moment consisted of finding out my father had appointed my uncle Charlie the legal guardianship over me. By the time Lisa had informed me of this, she had already made the call. It made sense really, he was the only family I had left and I was at most okay by this. It wouldn't be until another topic was brought up that I was unnerved by it.

I was required to move to a whole different state.

It was the only thing I had no say in. I was required due to the legalities of being a minor, to transfer my life from one location to another until I came of age. As much as I would have preferred to stay with Lisa, it was out of the question. There was no other option but to accept this new fate of mine. To start a new life and a new school almost halfway into my senior year and though I momentarily thought of returning home once I turned eighteen, I still had months to go before I was legal enough to do so.

It wasn't until today that I realized how much Lisa had done for me, between exchanging calls with Charlie, dealing with my school transfer and other important matters, she also oversaw my father's cremation. In his will, he had requested his ashes to be buried in Forks where he was born, the city where half of my family originated from, and where he wanted to finally rest. As callous as it sounds, we didn't have a funeral for that reason. So not only did I bring a few of my belongings that I couldn't part with but my father's ashes as well. I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't bothered by this, because it did. It wasn't the fact of what I carried or what was inside of said dark oak wooden box, but the idea that it was once my dad. There was something both unsettling and overwhelming about it. I suppose for that same reason I never placed it directly on a surface where someone would sit; even with an empty spot beside me, I would still hold it on my lap.

Something to do with respect I guess.

The only things I brought along with me were enough to fit between the backpack I carried and the large rolling luggage. Most of it contained some of my favorite clothing along with sentimental or important objects I couldn't part with. Considering I lived in an apartment with my dad, there was no way I could keep everything. So in the second week and with Lisa's help, I started to sell a couple of things before leaving the rest for Lisa to do for me. It was a bittersweet feeling as I watched one thing after another be whisked away by a stranger during my last week in the city. I suppose you could say I had grown fond of those materialistic objects though it was mostly for their sentimental value.

I cupped my hands over my mouth warming them with my breath as I stared out at the entrance of the small terminal. The wide automatic sliding glass doors were propped open by orange cones which naturally let in the cold air. You would think with how chilly the temperature was, the people here would let the doors close to keep the terminal decently warm. I had noticed the temperature difference earlier when I stepped out of the small plane, it didn't hit me how chilly it really was. Even though I grew up in a city where it was mostly warm 90% of the year, I enjoyed the cold weather whenever we had it. I knew Forks was not known for its warm weather, so I brought along the very limited warm clothes I had used for our "winter" season which I hoped was enough. Unfortunately, based on the weather app I had, it was currently 47 degrees — I had underestimated the coldness. The only thing I wore was my zipped-up black hoodie and dark blue jeans. Letting out an audible sigh, I pulled the hood over my head but not before I quickly tied my dark hair into a loose ponytail.

It was January, a Thursday. Two months into my senior year and the weather back home would have been cozy. I found it mildly amusing that through my short seventeen years of life, I had complained about the weather being too warm and now I'm currently wondering if I have enough for this cold weather.

I carefully maneuvered my right hand into the front pocket of my pants, fishing out my phone while simultaneously trying to avoid tipping the box I held. Once my phone was comfortably placed, I checked the time.

It was twelve-thirty seven pm.

It was agreed that my uncle would be waiting for me once the plane landed. To my mild surprise, I did not see him once I walked through those very same double doors that stood open. With cars and their passengers slowly driving by as I waited outside the building, I kept a keen eye out for any new cars that could have belonged to Charlie's. Lisa had called to check up on me as I trudged back into the building with my bags and it wasn't until I settled myself onto the plastic chairs that I returned her call. I lied to her about meeting up with Charlie since I didn't want her to worry about me. I knew he was the Chief of police for Forks and he might have been caught up with something. At worst, I had the phone number of where he worked in case he didn't show up, though I hoped it would not get to that point.

He was supposed to be here by eleven-thirty though…

For the umpteenth time, I glanced towards the terminal's open doors, expecting to see Charlie coming through but saw no one. I turned my sights to the vending machines near the doors, the last thing I had eaten was a granola bar and that was before I was dropped off at the airport for my six am flight. My stomach reminded me once again I needed a hefty meal but given my circumstances, I would need to settle for a snack.

Though I intended to feed the vending machine with my change, my eyes lingered on the large corkboard next to the double doors. It was a community board of sorts based on the type of notices on it that ranged from flight lessons being offered to acres of land being sold, but what stood out the most was the pristine missing person poster in the center.

"Riley Biers," I read under my breath before I caught the sight of someone entering through the entrance in a hurry. It was at that moment when I decided to get a better view of the person that he did the same.

…and then my world went to a standstill as did my breath.

Standing there, almost a yard away from where I stood was the one person I thought I would never see again.

'Dad… ?' I stared at him in bewilderment.

"Mariana?" He called to me from where he stood, a flicker of confusion crossed over his familiar features.

My shoulder slumped against the wall as my arms tightly wrapped themselves around the box I held since the beginning of my trip.

'His voice…'

I could feel my eyes tear up and that instantly broke the spell over me as I closed them.

"Hey, hey… are you okay?" I felt him gingerly touch my shoulder which only made me snap my eyes open. I looked tentatively up to his own dark brown eyes.

'So alike…'

I let out a shuddering sigh, "I-I am all right." His brows furrowed. He didn't believe me. A nervous chuckle escaped through my lips, "I-um-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…." I trailed, trying to muster a smile but quickly gave up on that and turned to look down at the floor instead.

God, I felt stupid…

"Oh!" he exclaimed, seeming to realize what just happened. "Mariana, I'm so sorry." He honestly looked ashamed and that only made me feel even worse.

I yanked off the hoodie from my head, "No, you don't need to apologize." I started as I mustered a half-hearted awkward smile, "You two were just born that way."

Charlie and my dad were identical twins after all.

Thank you for reading!