Ivy League, Interrupted

I was Chloe, the Ashtons' beloved adopted daughter for eighteen perfect years, secure in my identity as I eagerly awaited SATs and an Ivy League future. But then came the dream: a chilling premonition of a stranger, Olivia, claiming my parents, sabotaging my SATs, and tearing my world apart. I woke up terrified, dismissing it as stress. Until that evening, the doorbell rang. There she was. Olivia. Tearful, shaky, telling Mom and Dad Ashton, "I think you're my mother." My blood ran cold.

Just like the dream, she settled in, a constant, unsettling presence. To my parents, she was perfect. To me, her eyes were cold, filled with malicious glee. She whispered lies, implying my life should have been hers, painting my biological family as poor and neglectful. She tried to sabotage my SATs, disabling my alarms and offering tainted food, and even snatched my cherished locket from my neck.

A terrible feeling washed over me as the dream unfolded, every detail unnervingly accurate. How could this be happening? Why was she so bent on destroying me? It wasn't just unfair; it felt supernatural. But through my dread, a strange clarity emerged: this wasn't just a nightmare. It was a warning.

I remembered dream-Olivia, the one who smiled as my world crumpled. This time, I wouldn't let it happen. Armed with foresight, I wouldn't just survive; I would fight back. I knew this was just the beginning, but I also knew exactly how to change the ending.

The dream was too real, the details sharp and cold.

I saw a girl, her face a mask of bitter triumph, standing in our living room.

"I'm Olivia," she said, her voice smooth, "David and Carol Ashton are my real parents."

In the dream, this Olivia, this stranger, ruined everything.

She gave me a piece of cake before my SATs, and I got sick, my scores a disaster.

She turned Mom and Dad Ashton against me, whispering lies.

She painted my biological family, the Baxters, as poor and neglectful, people who couldn't give me anything.

I woke up sweating, my heart pounding.

It was just a dream, I told myself, a stupid stress dream before the biggest test of my life.

I was Chloe, the Ashtons' adopted daughter for eighteen years, loved and secure.

Mr. Ashton, Dad, was a successful local entrepreneur, always busy but always there for me.

Mrs. Ashton, Mom, was a community pillar, her warmth filling our large, comfortable house.

I pushed the dream away and focused on my SAT prep.

That evening, the doorbell rang.

Mom Ashton went to answer it.

I heard a young woman's voice, tearful and shaky.

"Mrs. Ashton? I... I think you're my mother."

My blood ran cold.

I walked slowly towards the living room, a terrible feeling washing over me.

There she was.

The girl from my dream. Olivia.

She looked exactly as I'd dreamt, a little lost, a little fragile, but with an undercurrent I couldn't name.

She was crying, telling Mom and Dad Ashton a story about a hospital mix-up, a life she should have had.

"I'm your biological daughter," she choked out, looking from Mom to Dad.

The Ashtons were in shock, their faces pale.

Dad Ashton, usually so composed, looked completely undone.

Mom Ashton just stared, her hand over her mouth.

Olivia glanced at me, a flicker of something in her eyes – triumph?

It was happening, just like the dream.

"We'll need a DNA test, of course," Dad Ashton said, his voice hoarse.

Olivia nodded eagerly. "Of course. I understand."

She then looked at me, her expression soft with fake sympathy.

"This must be so hard for you, Chloe."

I remembered the dream Olivia, the one who smiled as my world fell apart.

I knew this was just the beginning.

The next few days were a blur of tension.

The DNA test was arranged, the results pending.

Olivia stayed with us, a constant, unsettling presence in the Ashton house.

She was sweet to Mom and Dad Ashton, always helpful, always saying the right things.

But to me, when they weren't looking, her eyes were cold.

She started her games subtly.

"Chloe has been so lucky to have you," she'd say to Mom Ashton, "I can only imagine what a wonderful life she's had."

The implication was clear: a life that should have been hers.

She'd sigh dramatically, "It must be so awkward for her, me being here. Maybe it would be easier if..."

She wouldn't finish the sentence, letting Mom Ashton fill in the blanks.

I remembered the dream, how Olivia turned them against me.

So, I played my part.

I acted distressed, confused, hurt by Olivia's sudden appearance.

"I just don't understand," I'd whisper to Mom Ashton, tears in my eyes.

Olivia watched me, a small, satisfied smile playing on her lips when she thought no one saw. She thought I was breaking.

She thought I was vulnerable.

The night before the SATs, the dream replayed in my mind: Olivia sabotaging my test with a tainted snack.

I checked my phone alarms – three of them, set for 6:00, 6:05, and 6:10 AM. I was not going to oversleep.

The next morning, silence.

My room was dark. I jolted awake, grabbing my phone.

7:30 AM.

All my alarms were off. Switched off.

Panic clawed at me for a second, then I remembered. Olivia.

I rushed downstairs.

Olivia was in the kitchen, looking concerned. "Chloe! You overslept! I was so worried."

Mom Ashton was fussing, "Oh, honey, are you okay? Your alarms didn't go off?"

"I... I don't know what happened," I stammered, feigning panic.

Olivia stepped forward, holding a protein bar. "Here, I got you this. A special energy bar. You need it for the test."

It wasn't cake, like in the dream, but the intent felt the same. Tainted.

I looked at the bar. It looked normal.

"Thank you, Olivia," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "But I'm too nervous to eat. My stomach is in knots."

Mom Ashton quickly intervened. "Nonsense, Chloe, you need something. I packed you a healthy breakfast last night, just in case."

She handed me a container with fruit and yogurt. I took it gratefully.

Later, as I was leaving, I heard Mom Ashton talking to Olivia.

"Olivia, dear, that protein bar you had for Chloe... it looks a bit discolored, doesn't it? And it smells a little off. Maybe it went bad in your bag."

Olivia's smile faltered for a second. "Oh, really? I didn't notice."

I knew then, my dream was a warning I had to heed. Every single detail.