chapter fifty-one

[ IN WHICH SHE REUNITES WITH A FRIEND ]

I gasp awake.

My heart begins to race.

Sweat beads on my forehead.

My skin prickles with horror.

I don't know where I am. This place is unfamiliar and it feels strange. It is quiet, dark —the worst of all— it is cold.

My brown eyes are wide open as they stare up at the starry, night sky. It takes a moment for me to realize that I am laying on the cold, hard ground. My arms are spread beside me as I lay flat on my back; my limbs feel weak and my head buzzes in pain. Breathing heavily, I peer down at myself. I see that my tiny pieces of clothing are still on, and that could be the reason why I'm currently freezing my ass to death. I wriggle my weak feet, noticing my heels are no longer on— I must have lost them some time while I was dancing drunk in the club.

Slowly, I start to recollect events from the bar.

Squeezing my eyes shut several times, I try jogging my memory, but the aftereffects of the alcohol in my system makes it hard to rememb