Elena's eyes fluttered open, the harsh white light above her sending a sharp sting through her vision. Her body felt heavy, her limbs unresponsive, and her mind clouded with fragments of memories she couldn't piece together. For a moment, she lay still, trying to make sense of where she was. The sterile smell of antiseptic and the faint beeping of monitors told her she was in a hospital.
Her throat was dry, each breath scraping against it like sandpaper. She tried to sit up, but her body protested, forcing her to stay flat against the bed. Panic began to creep in as questions flooded her mind. How did I get here?
The door creaked open, and a nurse stepped in, her face soft with concern. "You're awake," she said gently, walking over to Elena's bedside.
"What... happened?" Elena croaked, her voice barely audible.
The nurse handed her a cup of water, helping her bring it to her lips. "You were brought in last night," she said. "You were unconscious when you arrived. Do you remember anything?"
Elena tried to focus, to dig through the fog in her mind. There had been a party, loud music, and Hamly asking her to swim. Her chest tightened at the memory of the pool, the water engulfing her, the laughter surrounding her as she struggled. Her breath quickened, and the monitor beside her began to beep erratically.
"Easy," the nurse said, placing a calming hand on Elena's arm. "You're safe now."
Safe. The word felt foreign. She didn't feel safe—not in her own skin, not in her own life. She closed her eyes, willing the tears to stay hidden.
"Who brought me here?" she asked after a moment, her voice trembling.
The nurse hesitated. "We don't know. A man rushed you in but left before we could get his name."
Elena's heart sank. She wanted to know, needed to know, who had saved her. The last thing she remembered was the cold water pulling her under and the faint sensation of being lifted. But beyond that, it was a blur.
The nurse stayed for a while longer, checking the machines and jotting down notes before leaving Elena alone again. The silence was deafening.
---
When her parents arrived, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Her mother's face was pinched with worry, her father's expression unreadable. They bombarded her with questions, their voices a mixture of concern and frustration.
"What were you thinking, Elena?" her mother asked, her tone sharp. "Why were you near the pool if you can't swim?"
"I didn't go there willingly," Elena murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Then how did you end up in the water?" her father demanded.
She hesitated, unsure of how much to say. Would they even believe her? Would they care? She stared at the white sheets, avoiding their piercing gazes. "Someone pushed me."
Her mother let out a frustrated sigh. "You need to be more careful, Elena. You can't always expect others to look out for you."
Her father crossed his arms, his disapproval palpable. "This could've been avoided if you'd just stayed home."
Their words stung, but Elena had grown used to it. No matter what happened, it always seemed to be her fault. She stayed silent, knowing there was no point in arguing.
---
The ride home was quiet, the tension filling the car like a suffocating cloud. Elena stared out the window, the city lights blurring into streaks of color. Her parents didn't speak, and she didn't try to break the silence.
When they finally pulled into the driveway, Elena hurried inside, avoiding any further confrontation. Her siblings were in the living room, their laughter echoing through the house. None of them looked up as she passed by.
In her room, Elena closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath. She felt drained, both physically and emotionally. The events of the past day played on a loop in her mind, each detail sharper and more painful than the last.
The laughter, the cold water, the darkness—she couldn't escape it. And yet, somewhere in the chaos of her memories, there was a faint glimmer of hope. Someone had pulled her out, saved her when no one else cared.
As she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Elena made a silent promise to herself. She didn't know who had saved her, but one day, she would find out. And maybe, just maybe, she'd start to believe that not everyone in the world was as cruel as she thought.