Bella awoke to a world of sterile white and blinking lights. The scent of antiseptic filled her nostrils, and the incessant beep of the heart monitor became her lullaby. She opened her eyes looking up blankly, as she felt something pressing down on her.
The hospital room was small and austere, with a single window filtering in the warm afternoon sun.
Rachel was sitting on thé bed with her head on her stomach, her eyes bright with unshed tears. The sight of her childhood friend brought a pang of familiarity, a piece of her past amidst the uncertainty.
"You are gonna suffocate me" she said teasingly with a smile on her face.
"Bella, Bella, you're awake," Rachel breathed out, a smile tugging at her lips as she reached out to hold Bella's hand. The grip was firm, a silent promise that she wasn't alone.
Bella's throat was parched, her voice barely a whisper as she replied, "I remember Rachel, I remember us as kids."