Aria’s POV
The world felt like it was spinning in slow motion.
I could hear voices, but they didn’t make sense. There was a low, soothing hum in the background, like the softest of whispers mixed with the sound of a slow, steady breath-someone’s breath. But I couldn’t make sense of anything. My limbs were heavy, and my head felt like it was full of cotton, dull and slow. I tried to blink, but my eyelids felt like they weighed a ton.
Everything felt wrong. I didn’t know where I was, but I knew I wasn’t at the party anymore. I wasn’t sure what had happened, but I could remember Jason. His hands. The drink. Then, it all blurred into a haze. I could barely recall the events, but I could feel the warmth of someone’s hand on my shoulder, steadying me. And then…
“Aria? Hey, you’re okay,” a voice murmured, rough yet caring.
I blinked again, trying to focus, and there he was. Daniel. His eyes locked onto mine, the concern in them so raw it almost hurt to look at. My brain couldn’t quite wrap itself around the situation, the fog still thick in my head, but I tried to speak.
“Daniel…?” My voice was hoarse, weak.
“Shh, you’re alright,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “Just breathe. You’re okay.”
I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. Everything felt like it was moving too fast for me to control. A wave of nausea hit me, and before I could even process it, I felt my stomach lurch. The world spun again, and I barely had time to gasp before I was throwing up into something-maybe a bowl? I wasn’t sure. My body reacted faster than my brain, and all I could do was lean over as it felt like my insides were being emptied.
“Easy, Aria,” Daniel’s voice came again, gentler this time. He rubbed my back in slow, comforting circles. “Just let it out. Breathe through it. You’re safe.”
I felt his hand there, holding me steady, the warmth of his touch grounding me, pulling me back from the spiraling chaos inside my body. His touch was familiar-strangely familiar-and it was the only thing keeping me tethered to some semblance of reality.
I wasn’t sure how long it took, but eventually, I stopped. I felt weak, exhausted, like I had just run a marathon. My head was still spinning, but the nausea started to ebb away. The room around me was dimly lit, and I slowly became aware of the smell of something cooking-something savory.
“Are you feeling better?” Daniel asked softly, still close. I didn’t even know when he had moved, but his presence felt like a steady anchor, something that made the spinning world feel just a little more stable.
“I… I think so.” My voice cracked slightly. “What happened?”
“You were drugged,” he said simply, the anger in his voice barely contained. “Jason slipped something in your drink. I saw it.”
I shuddered, the horror of that realization sinking in. Jason. He had tried to… I couldn’t even finish the thought. The memory of him leading me toward that bedroom made my stomach churn again, and I gripped the blanket tighter as I tried to steady myself.
Daniel must’ve sensed my unease because his voice softened, reassuring. “It’s okay. You’re safe now. I brought you back to my place. You just need to rest.”
I nodded, unsure of what to say. My thoughts were still clouded, and my body felt weak, like I hadn’t had any real rest in days. I closed my eyes for a moment, just taking in his voice, the comfort in his words, trying to focus on something-anything-other than the overwhelming dread clawing at my chest.
“Just stay still for a bit,” he said, his hands cool against my skin as he brushed my hair from my forehead. “I’m making you something to eat. You need to get your strength back.”
—
The next thing I knew, I was sitting at a small table, the smells of cooked meat and soup filling the air. My body felt drained, but the nausea had subsided, and I was able to take small, careful bites of the food he made. The warmth of the meal settled in my stomach, and though my body still felt exhausted, the haze in my mind started to clear.
“Here,” he said, gently offering me a glass of water with a pill. “This will help with the headache. You need to take it.”
I nodded, swallowing the pill with the water, feeling the cool liquid slide down my throat. I didn’t say anything at first-what was there to say? I just kept my eyes on the table, focusing on the rhythm of my breath, the heat of the food in my hands.
“I’m sorry,” Daniel spoke quietly after a moment. His voice was full of an emotion I couldn’t place. “I should’ve gotten you out of there sooner. I shouldn’t have left you.”
I glanced up at him then, surprised by the tone in his voice. It was full of guilt, of something deeper. Something I hadn’t expected.
“You came for me,” I said softly. “That’s all that matters.”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he sat beside me, watching me eat, his presence like a weight I couldn’t shake. I didn’t want to think too much about it. I didn’t want to think about why it felt so natural to have him here, so… familiar.
It felt safe, and for once, I didn’t want to question why.
—
The night passed in quiet moments. Daniel helped me to bed, making sure I was comfortable and that I had everything I needed before he left the room. But he didn’t go far.
He stayed nearby, in the next room, and I could feel his presence there. His eyes on me when I woke up briefly in the middle of the night. The sound of his soft breathing in the silence.
The next morning, I woke up slowly, the soft light of dawn spilling through the curtains. My head no longer felt like it was full of fog, and my stomach was calm. I sat up and glanced around, confused for a moment as I took in the unfamiliar room. Then, my eyes found him.
Daniel was sitting in a chair nearby, staring at the ground. The worry on his face was still there, though it had softened, like he hadn’t slept in hours.
“Hey,” I whispered, my voice raspy, but it felt like the first words I’d said in ages. “Thank you.”
His eyes snapped to mine, and there was a flicker of something-relief, maybe-but it was quickly replaced by a deep, unreadable expression. He stood and walked over to me slowly.
“You don’t have to thank me,” he said, his voice rougher than usual. “I’ll always make sure you’re safe.”
I wasn’t sure what else to say. His words settled in my chest, like something more than just a promise.
Instead of speaking, I just nodded, letting the quiet between us settle. This wasn’t the end. I knew that now. It couldn’t be.
“Just… take care of yourself, Aria,” he added, his voice quieter now, like he wasn’t sure where this was going either.
I nodded again, a soft smile forming on my lips. “I will.”