CHERYL'S POV
The first thing I noticed was the smell.
That awful antiseptic stench, thick and artificial, clinging to every inch of the hospital room. It filled my nose, stung the back of my throat, and told me exactly where I was before I even opened my eyes.
Then came the pain.
A dull, persistent throb in my skull, like something was wedged behind my right eye, pulsing in slow, miserable beats. My throat felt dry—raw, even—as if I had swallowed a handful of broken glass. My limbs were heavy, my body ached, and the crisp hospital sheets tucked around me felt suffocating.
The accident.
The memory crashed into me all at once. The party. The argument. The way I had stormed out, my heart still racing from Aiden’s kiss, my mind an absolute f*****g mess. Then the road, the headlights—Anik
