LAUREN'S POV
Beep. Beep. Beep.
That was the first sound I heard as I slowly began to regain consciousness. For a moment, I didn’t recognize it. I didn’t recognize anything. My mind was foggy, floating somewhere between confusion and panic. I had no idea where I was, and my body felt heavy, like it had been dipped in cement.
As my eyelids fluttered open, a flood of bright white light stung my eyes. I winced and turned my face to the side instinctively. That’s when the smell hit me — antiseptic, sharp and sterile, mixed with a faint trace of something metallic. The beeping beside me became more consistent now, matching the rhythm of my unsteady heart.
Then it hit me.
I was in a hospital.
The moment that realization clicked, I sat up quickly — but instantly regretted it. A sharp, splitt
