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Amber Blake is having dreams, and they just might be the key to saving her best friend, Mark.
Unfortunately, she's too preoccupied pretending to hate the boy next door, Carter Hayes. Secretly hoping to rekindle what once was, Amber atte...
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"Beep."
"Beep."
The noise is deafening in my ears. Every tone makes my head feel like it's being slammed against a brick wall. I've only been hungover twice in my life: once when I was a freshman and we snuck a bottle of scotch from Chloe's parents, and again when I was a junior and drank a little too much champagne at my cousin Kyra's wedding.
This pain surpasses both those times. I try to crack an eye open, but it's the wrong thing to do. The light is blinding and makes my head pound. I squeeze it shut against the pain and instead rely on touch. Using my hands, I feel around to get an idea of where I am, but I'm already annoyed. Waking up in unfamiliar places is getting old.
I'm in a bed again, but the sheets feel foreign. They're scratchy and stiff, unlike the silk ones I was under this morning. I reach out until I feel railings on either side of me and use them to hoist myself upright. Settling against the pillows, I hesitantly squint. The pain isn't as bad this time, and my eyes eventually adjust to the light.
I curse the minute they do.
To my left is a window, the curtains pulled back to let morning light stream in. There's a bench tucked below it, situated next to a cabinet stock full of medical equipment. Across from my bed is a countertop and sink, with the door to the right that's covered in posters advertising the latest in medical advancements. Long point short, I'm clearly in a hospital, and unfortunately, I'm not alone.
Carter slumps awkwardly in a chair pulled up to my bedside, fast asleep. His face is propped up in his hand, and he snores softly, his lips slightly parted. Twisting my body carefully so I don't wake him, I find the source of the beeping; an IV and heart monitor are set up right behind me.
Seeing him brings the morning rushing back. He's still an older version of himself, ruling out any chance that this is all a dream. Then, I recall the surprise that landed me here in the first place, and I get lightheaded all over again. The idea that she's real too and not some horrifying figment of my imagination has my temper rising. Not only did Carter bring me to the one place that freaks me out the most, he's still keeping secrets from me ten years later. Any trust he's built with me over the last couple hours is gone.
