Ingrid stirred from her deep slumber, groaning softly and feeling disoriented. Blinking her eyes open, she squinted at the unfamiliar surroundings, the room bathed in dim morning light. Panic surged through her as she sat up abruptly, the memories of the previous night hitting her like a freight train.
"This isn't my hotel room," she muttered to herself, her heart racing with anxiety. She glanced down at herself and frowned, noticing she was dressed in clothes she didn't recognize—a far cry from the sleek dress she had worn to her friend's birthday party the night before.
"Oh god," she whispered, bringing a hand to her forehead in disbelief. "Anong nangyari?"
Frantically, Ingrid tried to piece together the events of the night before. She remembered the laughter, the music, the endless stream of cocktails. And then... meeting someone? A guy? Her stomach churned with unease as she struggled to recall his face, his name, anything about him.
Pushing aside the blankets, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and winced as her feet touched the cold floor. She tiptoed across the room, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings for any clues.
There was no sign of the mysterious guy she had met, no trace of his presence except for the lingering scent of his cologne in the air. Panic threatened to overwhelm her as she realized she was alone in a stranger's room, with no idea how she had ended up there or where she was supposed to go next.
Taking a deep breath, Ingrid tried to calm her racing thoughts. She needed to focus, to figure out a plan of action. With shaky hands, she reached for her phone, hoping to find some answers amidst the sea of missed calls and unread messages.
But as she unlocked her phone and scrolled through the notifications, her heart sank. There were no messages from friends, no familiar names among the contacts. It was as if she had been transported to an alternate reality, disconnected from her usual life.
"At talagang walang naghahanap sa akin?!" she screamed.
Gathering her scattered belongings, Ingrid's fingers trembled as she hastily stuffed them into her bag. She couldn't shake off the feeling of disorientation, the nagging question of how she had ended up in this hotel room still lingering in her mind.
But as she made her way towards the door, a glint of paper caught her eye. Puzzled, she stooped down to pick it up, her heart racing as she unfolded it. Written in neat handwriting was a phone number, accompanied by a brief message: "In case of emergency, call."
Without hesitation, Ingrid snatched up the note, clutching it tightly in her hand as she hurried out of the room. She didn't stop to second-guess herself, didn't dare to dwell on the unanswered questions swirling in her mind.
Summoning a cab with trembling hands, she climbed into the backseat, the note burning a hole in her pocket. As the cab pulled away from the curb, Ingrid leaned back against the seat, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and uncertainty.
What would I say if I call the number?
———
Ingrid finally reached her place where she was greeted by her housekeeper. She tried to hurriedly past her housekeeper's concerned gaze, plastering a forced smile and brushing off the questions about her disheveled appearance with a vague excuse about staying at a friend's house for the night.
"I'll go straight to my room. No more questions please. Please lang."
Ignoring the prying eyes, she made a beeline for her room, the weight of the night's events heavy on her shoulders.
