-Maya’s POV-


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    A wave of nausea rolled over


    me threatening to pull me under. The room spun, a dizzying carousel of white walls and blurry shapes. A cool hand settled on my forehead, aforting


    My eyelids fluttered open, battling the heaviness that threatened to keep them shut. Slowly, the blurry shapes merged into a face –


    Ivan’s face, filled with worry and a hint of relief. Relief washed over me, momentarily eclipsing the fear and pain that gnawed at the edges of my


    consciousness.


    “Ivan?” My voice was a dry rasp, barely audible even to my own ears. The memories, fragmented and terrifying, began to flood back–


    the crowded bar, Natalia’s mischievous grin, the squeal of tires, then… darkness.


    Panic wed its way up my throat. “What happened?” I croaked, the question a desperate plea for answers.


    He held his hand up in a cating gesture, his grip firm yet gentle as he pushed me back down onto the bed. “Calm down, Amaya. It’s okay. You’re safe


    Safe? That word felt foreign in my current state. “No, it’s not okay,” I insisted, my voice rising with a tremor. “Natalia… Sarah… Riley. What about them?”


    Sarah’s infectiousughter, Riley’s calm demeanor, Natalia’s fiery spirit.


    “They’re fine,” He assured me, his voice a steady counterpoint to the storm brewing within me. “Everyone’s okay. Just rx. You need to


    rest”


    Rx? How could I possibly rx when my friends could be lying in simr beds, their bodies broken and bruised? The fear morphed into anger, a hot c


    He reacted swiftly, his hand pressing against my shoulder. “Whoa, there. The doctor said you need to stay in bed for observation. They’ll be fine. They’re


    His words did little to quell the frantic energy coursing through me. “But what happened?” I demanded, my voiceced with a desperation! couldn’t contro


    Ivan sighed, a deep breath


    that spoke volumes about the worry he was trying to mask. “You got hit by a truck,” he admitted, his voicew. “Drunk driver. The cops are still piecing th


    My breath hitched in my throat. A drunk driver? The image of a car careening out of control filled my mind, the


    screech of metal on metal echoing in my ears. Relief battled with a fresh wave of terror. We were lucky- incredibly lucky – to be alive.


    “Oh my god,” Images of mangled metal and shattered ss flickered behind my closed eyelids. The memory of the crash was a terrifying void, but the fe


    A heavy silence de