Ariana POV
Warmth, That’s the first thing I feel — a soft, artificial warmth brushing against my face. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, the light above me blurring into a hazy glow. My head feels heavy, like someone stuffed cotton inside my skull. My body is even heavier, pinned down by exhaustion.
I blink slowly.
I’m in a room…
Not mine.
Not anywhere familiar.
The ceiling is too black with stars. The air smells like something sharp, almost like chemicals. I try to shift, but there’s a sting in my left arm. I look down and see it — an IV needle taped into my skin, a thin tube running to a clear bag hanging beside the bed.
My breath catches.
A hospital?
No.
Smaller. Warmer. More private.
And definitely not a place I chose to be.
My mind flicks back — flashes of today sla
