Ariana’s POV
I woke up slowly, not because anyone disturbed me, but because the bed felt unfamiliar.
For a moment, I didn’t open my eyes. I stayed still, half asleep, trying to understand what felt different. The mattress was too soft, too wide, holding me in a way my body was no longer used to. The sheets were smooth and cool, untouched by rough edges or movement. There was no sound from outside the window, no creak, no early noise from a busy street or someone already moving through a small house.
Everything was quiet.
Too quiet.
I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. It was high, untouched, exactly the same as I remembered. The light coming through the curtains was soft and controlled, not the uneven brightness I had grown used to waking up to.
I turned my head slowly, taking
