26 I craned my neck to the side as my eyes remained shut. Instantly, pain shot through my whole skull. I winced as I blinked my eyes a few times to adjust to the bright lighting. It took me a second until I opened my eyes. "Oh God," my dad rushed over to me, placing a hand on my head and running his fingers through my hair. His eyes were pooled up with tears. "Thank God. You're awake, kiddo. You're okay. You're going to be fine." It was painful to swallow because my throat was ridiculously dry. I had no idea what was going on. Why am I in a hospital? "Wha—" I could barley speak. "Hold on," my dad grabbed a water cup from the table on the side of the hospital bed and put the straw in my mouth. I took a large sip of the water, the cool and wetness hitting my throat and making me feel

