—Krasikeva, I'm Paige "Evaine" Kraiskeva. The dark umber-haired teenager repeated the mantra mentally, taking deep breaths as her glassy, amber-brown eyes gazed at the empty music stand, mindful of the violin resting across her lap. She sighed, wondering if she'll ever come to terms with her identity crisis. It's not like she can talk to her parents, or anyone about this without sounding crazy.

Maybe Deaton might know what to do, but that would mean revealing herself to the supernatural world, especially the Hale Pack. Plus, he's one cryptic bastard.

How does one approach the topic of reincarnation? How does one go about their life, carrying the pangs and aches that came hand-in-hand with the memories of their previous life, her as Evangeline Carter? She swallowed back the frog in her throat.

For 15 years, her mind tore itself apart trying to decide whether she was Paige Krasikeva or Evangeline Carter. Always too mature, lost in melancholy, too advance. Always uncertain of whom exactly is in control. Evangeline had heard of Paige Krasikeva. Evangeline knew Paige Krasikeva's fate. She was the catalyst. The girl who lit the match, setting events into motion. The girl, who was also a fictional character, supposed that was why she chose to learn the violin instead of the cello. Maybe that's why she went by Evaine rather than simply Paige. Because she wasn't just Page Krasikeva, Evangeline Carter lingered in her soul.

Going to bed one night, expecting to wake up to her alarm clock ringing its bells off for her morning lecture or her phone ringing — Mum making sure she's awake — only to find herself screaming, and drenched in amniotic fluid. How cruel of life to let her die at 19, in her sleep, unnoticed, alone and so far away from home?

God, her — Evangeline's Mum must've thought she just overslept. How long before she realized something was wrong? Would her roommates have noticed her absence? How long before Mum finally decided to check in on her, only to find a corpse—

Fuck. Evaine bit down hard on her lip. 'Calm down Evaine, having a panic attack at school won't do you any good,' she chided herself.

Taking a long deep breath, she shoved all her anxieties aside. Evaine sent the metronome ticking. Straight back, shoulders relaxed, her body eased back into a familiar stance. She rested the maple violin on her collarbone and shoulder. The dark umber-haired teenager gently leaned her head into the chin rest and drew the first note. Rosin-waxed horsehair sung beautifully against the catguts. Her eyes vanished behind her eyelids as she let her fingers dance across the fingerboard.

Thud. Tick. Thud. Tick. Thud.

Amber-brown eyes snapped open, gasping. The metronome continued to tick away accompanied by the arrhythmic thud. She glanced over at the double doors. Biting down on her lip, she turned back to the empty music stand and continued playing, her hands trembling as she drew her bow across the strings. Evaine gulped, her features shadowed in pain each time the ball thumped against the vinyl floor.

Tentatively, she made her way towards the door, but dare not open it. What if I just ignore it? What if I just stay here until they leave? Evaine wondered.

Then you'll be interfering with the timelines.

There's a chance that all the things that happened in Beacon Hill won't happen Evaine argued

Murphy's Law. Whatever can happen, will happen. Nothing good comes out of those who try to change their fate. Oedipus Rex.

Who's to say that he'll fall in love with me anyway? I'm not Paige. I'm nothing like Paige.

Who's to say that he won't?

Evaine growled at the voice in her head.

Who's to say, you wouldn't survive the bite?

A beat. A moment. Laughter and a few more bounce of the ball banging against the floor and locker, steel slipped into those amber-brown eyes.

"What you going to do?" His friend said, dribbling the ball just out of his reach. Derek laughed, crouched and ready to tackle it away when a scent caught his attention. Honeysuckle, Lotus, and rain.

"Hey, do you guys mind?"

Frowning, he turned around. She was gorgeous, with dark chocolate hair that tumbled down in waves, a delicate paleness highlighted by her gray-burgundy top and gray jeans. She stood there, pointing her bow at them with dark amber-brown eyes eying each one of them in annoyance. "I'm trying to practice here."

His friends jeered at her with their 'oos.' A cocky smirk lifted the corners of Derek's mouth. He clutched onto the ball in-between his hands, "How do you know we're not trying to practice here too?

She quirked a brow and snorted. "You see, I was practicing in the music room," she pointed with her bow, "and I'm pretty sure that basketball practice takes place in the gym." Swinging her bow expertly, she pointed in the general direction of the gym.

"Well, I'm pretty sure basketball practice takes place anywhere you got a basketball." He stated, this made his friends laugh. Assured, he dribbled towards her. She rolled her eyes and tightened her grip on her bow. He could practically smell the frustration and annoyance coming off from her. "See?"

Shaking her head, irked, she turned around to head back to the music room. Derek panicked for a moment and called out, "Wait. Hold on, hold on."

She stopped but doesn't turn around. "If you can get the ball from me… maybe I'll stop." He proposed.

A beat. The brunette spun on her heel, suspicion gleaming in her eyes.

"Come on." He encouraged, bouncing the ball at a slow pace. "It'll be easy."

Eyes never leaving his, she moved to snatch the ball, but not quick enough thanks to his enhanced reflexes.

"Oops." It was a little unfair, but she looked so adorable, he couldn't help it.

He dribbled again, she tried and failed again; she bit her bottom lip. Derek dribbled around her, then between his legs. After a few moments, she walked away, returning to the music room. His friends chuckled at her pathetic attempts and turned to leave.

He watched her go, wondering if he had gone too far. His friends began to leave, all eager to head home.

"Come on lover boy."

He ignored him, eyes still on the doors of the music room.

Evaine picked up her violin from the chair and resumed playing. Her heart thrumming away as hard as a hummingbird's. The adrenaline from their encounter left her hands and feet blue and trembling, but they remained steady as her fingers dart across the strings and confidently played.

She's done her part, now it's down to him. Maybe she got lucky and he—

"Sorry about that."

She froze, midway through a note. She glanced out of the corner of her eye, refusing to give him his full attention. Humming her indifference, she closed her eyes to continue playing.

The amber-brown eyed girl barely got a note in before he implored, "Hey, what's your name?"

Evaine took her violin away from her collar, holding onto it by the neck, limply by her side, "I'm trying to practice," she reminded him, rolling her neck and shoulders, getting the creeks out, "if you didn't notice."

"Okay." He closed the distance between them, "I'll leave you alone, then…" Evaine relief was brief, vanished as quickly as it rose, "after you tell me your name."

Frustrated, she shot him look that unquestionably said: 'are you kidding me?' He smiled, with the right corner of his lips curled upwards.

She lets out a deep breath. "Alright, I'll tell you my name, if you can play one instrument in this room." Evaine gestured with her bow.

"One?"

"Just one." She stated.

"Any one of them?"

She quirked a brow.

Derek walked over to the rack, looking a little nervous at the sight of all the instruments. Evaine sat down on the chair, resting her violin on her lap and bow on her shoulders, waiting for him to pick an instrument.

After a moment of consideration, he picked one but hid it behind his back. She let her head lull to the right as he approached. Standing in front of her, he pulled out a triangle and struck a note.

"Damn." She cursed, should've remembered that it was a triangle."My name is Paige, but I go by Evaine." She stood up and places the violin back on her collarbone, "Now, please make yourself scarce, I have to practice." She had hoped he'd just leave, but lucky simply wasn't on her side today.

"My name is—"

"I know who you are," Evaine commented, looking into his eyes. Hazel meeting amber-brown.

He smirked, brows raised cockily as he turned to finally leave.

Evaine didn't realize she was holding her breath until those double doors swung shut.