I woke up slowly, the kind of slow where your body comes back before your mind does.
The first thing I noticed was the ceiling.
It wasn't mine.
That realisation snapped my eyes fully open.
My heart kicked hard against my ribs as I pushed myself upright, scanning the room in a rush of half-panic. The walls were muted, expensive-looking.
The curtains were heavier than the ones at my place. The bed...too big, too neat, too unfamiliar.
A sinking dread pooled in my stomach as I took in the silent, immaculate space. Where was I? And more importantly, how did I get here? My memory was a frustrating blank slate.
"Oh my god," I whispered.
For a terrifying second, my mind raced through a dozen worst-case scenarios. I swung my legs off the bed, grounding myself with the cold floor beneath my feet, breathing faster than necessary.
The silence in the room was absolute, a heavy blanket that muffled any sound from the outside world.
Okay. Think.
