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Chapter 4

Author: Millennium Moon
When I woke up, the sharp smell of disinfectant stung my nostrils.

I tried to move, but my chest felt as heavy as lead, and every breath sent a sharp pain through me.

The doctor told me that my heart had stopped for nearly two minutes after I nearly drowned. I had developed aspiration pneumonia from inhaling a large amount of water from the tank.

My knees were bruised, I had a hematoma at the back of my head, and I had abrasions all over my body.

If help had arrived just a few minutes later, I would not have survived.

The hospital room door stood slightly ajar, and Katelyn’s voice drifted in from the hallway.

“I honestly had no idea they’d lock her inside… I just casually complained to my roommates that Cora seemed upset. I never thought they’d go that far.”

She was crying, her breathing growing increasingly rapid as though she were on the verge of an anxiety attack.

“It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, Cora wouldn’t have nearly…”

Sean’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“Stop thinking about it. You’re going to have another attack if you keep this up. Take a deep breath, and follow my lead.”

Just then, the door swung open. Katelyn entered with red-rimmed eyes, followed by Sean, Joel, Isaac, and Mitchell.

The moment she saw that I was awake, Katelyn rushed to my bedside.

“Cora, you’re finally awake!”

She trembled with sobs as she clutched the edge of my blanket with both hands.

“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have said those things to them. I never thought it would turn out like this…”

I looked at her without saying a word.

Joel stood behind her, his expression conflicted.

“I know you’ve been through a lot, but Katelyn never meant for any of this to happen. Her anxiety has gotten so bad over the past two days that they’ve had to increase her medication again.”

Isaac chimed in. “Katelyn has already apologized, so just let it go. The school has disciplined her roommates, too. Let’s put this behind us.”

Sean sat in the chair beside my bed and looked at me. For a brief moment, his expression faltered before settling back to its usual calm.

“What’s done is done. There’s no point in going over it again and again. You know Katelyn wasn’t the one behind it.”

Mitchell said nothing. He simply placed a bag of fruit on the bedside table.

I listened to everything they said, but when I tried to speak, I could not get a single word out. After what felt like an eternity, I finally heard my own hoarse voice.

“It’s behind us.”

Katelyn looked up at me through tear-filled eyes, as though she could hardly believe I had agreed so quickly.

Sean visibly relaxed, too.

“Then, focus on getting better. Don’t dwell on it.”

One by one, they left, and the hospital room fell silent again.

I stared at the ceiling and pulled the blanket up to my chin as tears streamed down my face.

“It’s behind us. Yes, it really is. But some things, once broken, can never be put back together.”

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