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𝗧hree months earlier
the first thing frankie noticed was how quiet the world felt.
no pain. no voices. just a distant humming.
then the smell sharp antiseptic and something faintly metallic. her fingers twitched against stiff sheets, her eyelids heavy but fluttering like they were trying to listen. everything felt underwater, like her brain was still deciding whether to return.
then... "frankie?"
the voice was trembling. boyish. full of hope. she didn't know why it made her want to cry.
her eyes cracked open.
the lights were too bright at first, and it took her a moment to realize her throat hurt, dry and raw. her vision blurred, then slowly focused on shapes. a soft voice gasped.
"oh my god. lucas, she's— she's waking up!"
frankie blinked, and there they were lucas, slouched in a plastic chair, eyes wide, hands clutching her un-moving one. and abby, with messy hair and puffy eyes, standing at her bedside with her hand hovering over the nurse call button.
"frankie?" lucas said again, softer now, like he wasn't sure if it was real.
frankie opened her mouth but only a croak came out. abby grabbed a cup of ice chips and gently pressed one to her lips.
"you're okay, bug," abby whispered. "you're in the hospital. you've been out for a little while. but you're okay now."
frankie winced, her brows furrowing. "wh... what happened?"
lucas looked at abby. abby looked at the floor.
"you were in a car accident," lucas finally said. "on the way to our first date. don't freak out, you're safe, frankie."
she blinked again, and her face twisted like she was trying to remember. there was a kiss. headlights. spinning. pain. then nothing.
"how long?" she rasped. "three weeks," abby said quietly.
frankie tried to sit up, panicked, but her body felt like lead. lucas stood quickly, leaning in to soothe her.
"hey hey, you're okay. they had to put you in a coma. your brain was swelling, and they needed to protect it. but it worked, okay? it worked."
frankie's bottom lip trembled. she didn't know whether she wanted to scream or sob. instead, her gaze drifted to her right leg casted, elevated, stiff. her breath caught.
