CHAPTER 1

THE HALLWAY was buzzing. Talia knew the hallways were always rowdy, but not to this extent. Something must be on with the social gossip. She thought that maybe there's a desirable piece of a man who was transferring; she hoped that it's the case.

Social gossip, the portal to know who's in and who's out. After so much hard work, Talia ruled her small kingdom named the Saint Martin High. She's at the peak of her youth. What more could she ask?

Well, maybe a boyfriend.

She's turning seventeen, but she's still the 'flirt to make out' not the 'flirt to get laid'.

A blue-eyed brunette came trotting into the classroom. They were a couple of minutes early for class. One thing about Talia was she may rule the entire High School, but she also excelled in the academic. She was aiming to be her year's valedictorian. And the one that just came in was her not-so-sincere-so-called-BFF, Gemini. Talia knew that she's a two-face hypocrite, but they benefited each other so she let it be.

"What's with the fuss?" Talia asked Gemini. Since the latter was the fastest gossip informant in their school.

Gemini slumped onto her seat. "Netflix just announced to stop the franchise of my fave series." Her gloomy mood reflected beneath her crystal blue eyes.

A knot lodged in between her perfectly carved eyebrows. "Which one?"

With her question, Gemini's shrilling voice resonated inside the room as she stood like a mother hen ready to attack her. "Which one? The series with the most gorgeous edible men, Thorny Crown! Jesus, Talia! Do you live in a cave?"

Oh, that one.

"Yeah yeah."

Talia saw that one, but she stopped watching it at Season 5. The story was centering the male leads obsessing about a two-faced female lead who's ambitious enough to covet the throne even when she's a half-blood noble with a commoner's blood from her mother's side. Talia hated the wench since Season 3 when the stupid Victoria, the female lead's half-sister, got executed for a crime that was planned by the female lead. It was such a twisted story, but it was still a hit all around the world since there's a touch of vulgar schemes and harsh politics in the main plot.

Still, Talia did not care about the story. The final season, the seventh one, was what Gemini was talking about.

Talia placed her chin atop her palm, her elbow resting on her desk. "Why's that?"

"The last book is yet to be released in the market or any publishing house. So when the writer died in the fire accident last week, the book perished along with it."

Talia, who was not really familiar with the writing industry, muttered a question under her breath as if she was talking to herself. "Can't any writer create the last book?"

"Of course not! It wouldn't be the same."

Talia inwardly rolled her eyes. The only reason Gemini loved the said series was because of the male leads that were truly drool-worthy. She changed the topic to lighten up Gemini's mood.

Wriggling her eyebrows, Talia flipped her hair. "Dion invited the entire cheerleading squad this time. Well, she invited the entire football team first. You coming with me?"

Gemini immediately perked up with mentioned of the upcoming frat party. This would be the biggest party right before homecoming, so everyone wanted to be invited. Unfortunately, the wealthy and picky Dion Lockhart chooses only the best of the best. Anyone invited would have a boost in social standing for sure. And when anyone was talking about the best of the best, that would mean her – Queen Bee Talia of Saint Martin High.

"Hell, yeah. You got a date, Talia? What about Jake?"

Jake was the team captain of the football team. He's also Gemini's apple of the eyes.

Checking her hails, Talia gestured to Gemini. "You can date him. I'll just go solo and see it from there if I can see some chocolate man. You know what I mean."

"Ooh. I am looking forward to this party."

THE LAST thing that Talia remembered was the headlights dashing towards them along with the screeching sound of wheels, and then it turned into darkness. No, it turned into nothing. She couldn't see anything, neither hear nor feel anything.

"Am I dead or dying?" Talia knew she spoke, but she couldn't even hear her own words. She flailed her limbs, but she couldn't feel anything. Everything felt cold and void.

Talia surrendered herself into the darkness. She hoped everything would be a dream and when she woke up – she would be beside a hot tattooed guy and naked. But no matter how many times she closed and opened her eyes, she's still there.

Damn. So much for hot tattooed guy and his naked butt, huh.

"Please. Someone. Help me," Talia somberly whispered to the nothingness that whipped her ever since she regained consciousness. She hoped that someone would hear her plea. But no one did.

When all hopes seemed lost, Talia, both defeated and scared bordering on insanity, closed her eyes as she tried to relive her life. Her mother's hysterics, her nosebleeds every time she studied without sleep, her A grade, her cheerleading audition, her very first standing ovation when she sang in front of many students, her very first kiss with someone she didn't even like, the pressure to stay on top in the social circle, her very first catfight with a senior cheerleader, her first party, her first date, and her college applications. Talia had so much yet to do.

Without knowing, tears fell. She shouldn't have attended that blasted frat party! She's very sure that she was sober when she was driving. That stupid car crossed the fucking lane and caused her death!

No way!

She died without even putting in a fight! She should have at least thrown her stilettos to the other driver's head.

"Child. Are you hurt?" A calm and warm voice stopped her weeping frenzy. Talia took a peek and was almost blinded by the light just by looking at someone's silhouette.

No shit, Sherlock.

"Are you the grim reaper? Well, you dressed rather odd than I have imagined." Talia imagined a rather gloomy appearance, but this presence before her was so blinding. If she would have a term to describe the person before her, it would be an angel or a celestial being. Talia could not discern the gender of the person before her because of the loose silver robes around the person's body. A silver hair complimented by an almost grayish eye. The darkness around Talia washed away slowly and the surrounding scenery changed.

Her senses that she thought she lost came back. The once dark pit became a vast flower field with an amazingly clear blue sky above her. And the figure that approached her just watched her reactions unfold.

"I'm dead." Realization dawn upon Talia, and the only conclusion she could come up with was that the person before her was her angel. Talia continued, "So is this it? The heaven that my mother spoke of?"

The figure smiled knowingly. "No, Talia. This is the bridge to all the Realms. You are here because of the wishes from different people and because someone wants to meet you."

Yep, I'm dead. Talia thought.

"As you can see, my favorite soul died suddenly. But he carried a heavy burden, and he could not pass peacefully unless we would answer the desperate pleas he heard." The figured paused and sighed before he continued, "Ironically, this person's wish coincides with yours. The moment you drew your last breath, you wished for a second chance to live. That person also wished to be given a second chance, not to live, but to correct his decisions."

Huh? Talia couldn't understand what this angelic person was blabbering about. Was it the roundabout way to tell her she's dead?

The angelic person laughed heartily that it startled the surrounding petals, creating a whirlwind of petals that seemed to sway around Talia. It was like that this person was one with the place.

"You will understand everything in due time, Talia. Before I bid my farewell to you, another soul wanted to tell you something before she passes to the spiritual realm." The angelic person snapped her fingers and a silhouette of another person appeared before her. It was a smoky appearance, but Talia could still see the soul's features.

An oddly familiar golden hair and ruby eyes of a young woman appeared before Talia. The soul was smiling sadly before her. "Live splendidly. If it is someone like you, I am sure you can do it. Save them. Those people died in vain. And do not lose yourself."

"What?" Talia could not understand the soul before her.

Save who? How can I save someone when I'm dead, anyway?

The soul just smiled as its smoky appearance scattered into the wind – her ruby eyes still gazing on Talia with sadness and gratefulness. Talia, though not knowing the soul before her, felt a wave of heavy emotion in her, an immense emotion of betrayal and frustration. She clutched her chest as a lone tear slipped from her.

What the?

She couldn't hear the last words that the soul whispered. One thing was for sure, the look when the soul closed her eyes, Talia saw the tranquility in it. The soul was at peace.

"Now, Talia. It is time for you to wake up and live your life the second time around. And remember, Gaia blessed you." With the wave of the angelic person's hand, Talia felt herself float.

LIKE A person deprived of air for a long time, Talia woke up in that state. She was catching her breath as everything around her was a blur except the familiar flower field drawn on her canopy.

Wait. When did I have that canopy? No shit. I don't have a canopy in my room, just a ceiling with stardust designs. Where the fuck am I?

"Lady Victoria? Lady Victoria? The doctor is coming." A frantic voice snapped her from reverie and the next thing she saw, a brunette with chocolate eyes and freckles around her button nose while wearing a maid uniform was hovering over her body.

She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat was scratchy.

How long am I asleep, anyway? Where's my mom? Wait, what? Lady Victoria? Who's that?

"Water," she spoke in a raspy voice. Her voice was a little different. It was velvety, even with a scratchy throat.

Is this the result of my accident?

"Where am I?"

The shock and horror reflected on the woman with a maid's uniform were so clear that Talia wanted to laugh. "You're in your room inside the estate of the Duke of Rozenreff, Lady Victoria."

Rozenreff?Why is it familiar to me as if I heard it countless of times already?

Talia froze when she realized why the name Rozenreff was familiar. She heard it countless times while watching the Thorny Crown! Talia briskly sat up even when her body protested. She had to confirm something.

"Hey, you. What's your name?" Talia nudged her head towards the maid as she tried to stand up to look for a mirror. She needed to confirm something – anything.

"Me? My lady?"

Talia rolled her eyes from the woman's stupid question. "Who else am I talking to?"

"I-I'm your personal maid Lillian, but you called me–"

"Lily," Talia continued. Like from the Netflix Series that she had watched.

Lily's face beamed when she mentioned her name. Talia knew her too well. She was the only loyal person to Victoria Rozenreff until the moment they executed the latter.

Talia spotted a body-sized mirror near her dresser. Slowly but surely, she walked towards her new reality. When she was right before the mirror, the same image of the soul whom she spoke to in her dreams stood before her. Golden ringlets paired with the coldest ruby eyes. The only difference was the body size. The woman in her dream was older. But the image before Talia was younger.

"Lily, how old am I?"

"Sixteen years old, my lady."

Talia touched her reflection.

So this is what they meant in my dream. I became a villainess inside a popular Netflix Series which will, later on, die when I reached the age of eighteen from the hands of the crown prince, the male lead of this story! Fucking unbelievable!

Wait.

Talia stopped panicking when she realized something off. The official plot of the story started when the female lead met the male lead at a banquet when they were eighteen years old! She still had two years to change her coming death!

Just like in my dream. I am a blessed child of Gaia.

Sabina, the female lead. Ha! That bitch!

"Lily, what happened to me?"

Worry came back on Lily's face, but she answered her. "You fell to the stairs when you tried to push Lady Sabina, my lady."

Her eyebrow shot up immediately.

Looks like Sabina manipulated the scene, making me, Victoria, the culprit again. Because this is before the plot started, I don't know the happenings of this time. But hell will freeze over before I let you win again, Sabina dear.