I blinked several times, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The sterile smell of cleaning products filled my nostrils, and the harsh lighting of the white room made my head ache. As my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I realized I was lying on a narrow hospital bed, hooked up to various machines that beeped rhythmically. 

          The rhythmic beeping of the machines surrounding the hospital bed matched the chaotic drumming of my thoughts as I tried to piece together the fragmented memories swirling in my mind. The sterile white walls seemed to close in on me, suffocating me with their clinical indifference. Flashes of anger, pain, and confusion danced behind my eyelids, each memory a sharp jolt to my senses.

          I winced as the image of my dad's hand connecting with my cheek replayed in my mind like a cruel loop. The sting of betrayal cut deeper than any physical pain, the weight of his accusation heavy on my heart. Why couldn't he understand? Why couldn't he see the truth beneath the tangled web of misunderstandings?

          Alex's face swam into focus, his eyes wide with shock and concern as he stepped between my father's rage and me. I could still feel the echo of the punch that sent him sprawling to the floor, his body crumpling like a marionette with severed strings. Guilt clawed at my insides, knowing that he had been caught in the crossfire of a storm he had no part in creating.

          But then, the memories dissolved into a haze, a foggy abyss where time seemed to blur and twist. How had I ended up here, hooked up to machines that whispered a symphony of life around me? The gap in my memory yawned like a black hole, swallowing any clarity that might offer me solace.

          I tried to move, to push through the fog that muddled my thoughts, but my limbs felt heavy, weighted down by a leaden weariness that seeped into my bones. Panic clawed at the edges of my consciousness, a wild thing desperate to break free from its cage of uncertainty.

          As I struggled to make sense of the fractured pieces of my reality, a flicker of doubt crossed my mind. Could it be possible that the slap from my father hadn't been as forceful as I remembered? Was it my mind playing tricks on me, twisting the truth into a distorted reflection of events?

           Questions swirled like a turbulent whirlpool, threatening to drag me under their relentless pull. And in that moment of uncertainty, I clung to the faint glimmer of hope that somewhere in the tangled maze of memories, the thread of truth awaited, ready to guide me back to the sanity. 

Suddenly, a man of mysterious demeanor entered the room, his jet-black spiky hair adding an air of enigma. With a clipboard in hand, he addressed me with a solemn voice, "Ms. Peters?"

My mind, previously lost in a labyrinth of thoughts, snapped back to reality. "You have the clipboard; you should know," I replied hastily, attempting to rise from my bed. The man, however, swiftly moved towards me, obstructing my path and gently urging me to remain in my current state. "I'd advise you to stay in bed. You have suffered a significant blow," he cautioned.

Reluctantly, I settled back into the comfort of the sheets, but my thoughts were consumed by the absence of Alex. "What became of Alex? The young man..." I inquired, my voice tinged with concern.

His gaze met mine, an unspoken question lingering in his eyes. "He is no longer here. He departed before any explanations could be provided," he disclosed.

"In more pressing matters, your father has been relocated to a facility approximately two miles from here. He will remain there until he finds his footing once more. In the interim, you will be placed in temporary accommodations and subject to questioning by child protective services. Take care," he informed me with a grave tone before departing, leaving me to contemplate the tumultuous path that lay ahead. Though my life appeared bleak, wallowing in self-pity was a luxury I could ill afford.

As the relentless tick-tock of time marched on, I found myself receiving visitors, but only one familiar face graced my doorstep - my best friend, Samantha. The absence of any word from Alex stirred a storm of worry within me, causing sleepless nights spent pondering his whereabouts and well-being.

Samantha was currently perched beside me, lending a helping hand as I packed my belongings, remnants of her generosity scattered around the room. These were the same possessions that I would carry with me to my new abode, nestled in the quaint town of Night Falls. A temporary residence, yet a part of me secretly wished it could be a permanent escape from my father's presence.

Lost in my thoughts, I felt a gentle tug on my consciousness as Samantha's voice called out my name. Slowly returning to the present moment, I mustered a smile and began to gather my bags. Night Falls, with its enigmatic past, awaited my arrival, along with the Henderson Family who would serve as my new temporary guardians. Two young girls, Annabel and Sarah, around the age of five or six, would be my new companions in this uncharted territory.

Despite the physical distance that would now separate us, Samantha turned to me, her ponytail swaying in rhythm with her movements, and posed the question that lingered in the air between us. Would we still maintain our unbreakable bond, even with the miles that stretched ahead? With a warm embrace, I reassured her that our friendship would endure, despite the geographical barriers that threatened to pull us apart. After all, I was just a short 20-30 minute drive away, a mere heartbeat in the grand scheme of our enduring companionship.

A soft, rhythmic knock echoed through the sterile hospital corridor, breaking the silence that had enveloped the room. The sound seemed to reverberate in the air, a prelude to the momentous occasion about to unfold. "They're here. They'll be waiting for you in front of the hospital," the doctor, a kind soul named Doctor Smith, informed me. His presence had become a comforting constant during my time here, his demeanor reassuring and his gestures thoughtful. I couldn't help but appreciate his small acts of kindness, like sneaking me treats in the midst of my confinement.

Stepping out of the room, I embarked on a journey down the corridor, each step carrying me closer to the threshold of a new chapter in my life. The elevator ride felt like a slow ascent towards a new beginning, the chime of the doors opening akin to a herald announcing my arrival. And there she was, Samantha, a familiar face in the sea of strangers, her presence a silent reassurance of the bonds we had formed in this place.

The lobby unfolded before my eyes like a tableau of anticipation, the figures of my new family standing at a distance, their gazes fixed on me. As I prepared to bid farewell to Samantha, fate intervened in the form of a collision, a collision with Alex. The scent of burnt wood and sharpie wafted around him like a cloak of familiarity, a scent that stirred memories and emotions within me. Our eyes met, his gaze piercing mine, and I found myself grappling with unspoken questions that lingered in the air like ghosts of the past.

Confusion and hurt mingled in my heart, threatening to spill over, but his touch on my hand arrested my movements. A silent apology hung in the air, mirrored in the shimmering of tears in his eyes. In that moment of vulnerability, I found myself reaching out, wiping away the traces of his sorrow, a gesture of understanding and forgiveness. "It's okay. I'm leaving anyway. Here's my number. Call me," I said, a bittersweet smile tugging at my lips as I turned away, leaving behind a chapter in my life.

Embraced by my new family, the Hendersons, I felt a sense of belonging and warmth, their words of reassurance like a soothing balm for my restless soul. Annabel and Sarah, with their infectious energy, enveloped me in a cocoon of companionship, while Mr. and Mrs. Henderson painted a picture of a future brimming with promise and adventure. Yet, as the car glided away from the hospital, my gaze lingered on Alex, his silhouette bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun. In that moment, as the distance between us widened, I found myself grappling with a whirlwind of emotions, a kaleidoscope of feelings that spoke of endings and beginnings, of forgiveness and letting go.

A/N 

Ty for reading. A little longer chapter. Honestly I didn’t know I was gonna send her away which makes it so sad but hint she does come back but with someone.