It was already late when I stumbled out of the bar, leaving the music behind me. "hey! You alright?!" I hear someone, no wait, Ella, yell from behind me. "you look a little pale." Ella is right, I'd had one too many. I didn't remember the last few songs, or even how many drinks I'd had, but it was way more than my body could handle. I felt dizzy, my head felt heavy as I tried to walk, my vision blurring.

Before I knew it, I was collapsing onto a bench close by, my legs giving out. Ella was beside me, her expression tinged with worry.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked, crouching in front of me.

"I'm fine, I just need a second," I mumbled. The world around me was swirling. The conversation from earlier at the bar, the music, the flashing lights, everything was a blur.

I blinked, trying to focus, but my body was too tired and my mind was still a fog. My eyes fluttered shut.

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on a hard bench, prob one of the benches that stood outside of the bar. I slowly sat up, my head pounding as the surroundings finally came into focus. Ella turned, noticing I was awake, and gave me a careful smile. "You good?" she asked, her voice steady but with an edge of worry. I nodded, swallowing the last traces of sleep as I tried to gather my thoughts. "Yeah... I think so." The words felt clunky as I said them, and the confusion must have been clear on my face, because Ella looked at me for a long moment.

"You sure you're okay to get home?" she asked. "I could give you a ride home? My car is just down the block." I could see the worry in her eyes, but I forced a smile, not wanting to appear as messed up as I felt. "No, really, I'm fine," I insisted, waving her off. "I'll be alright, have fun at the bar!"

But as I stood up, my heart dropped into my stomach. My bike... it was gone.

I rushed outside, my mind spiralling into panic. I searched the parking lot, scanning for the familiar sight of my bike, but it wasn't there. .he thought of losing my bike made my heart pound. That bike was more than just a way to get around; it was my last bit of independence, the only thing keeping me grounded since everything had changed. But as I scanned the parking lot, it was nowhere to be seen.

The thought hit me hard, and I tried to keep the panic from showing on my face.I was about to get a fucking panic attack when I saw Ella walking toward me.

"Rose, are you sure you're okay?" she asked, concern etched in her voice.

I nodded but didn't say anything. There was no point in explaining the sinking feeling in my chest. "It's... it's fine."

Ella looked worried, "you sure you don't need a ride home?" she asked, worry taking over her eyes.

Before I could even think about it, I shook my head. I fucking hated getting into cars. No way I'm getting into ger car. Ever since the accident, the thought of being in one made my skin crawl. "No," I said, my voice shaky. "I'll... I'll walk."

Ella frowned, but she didn't argue. She probably knew better than to push me. "Alright," she said quietly. "Let me know if you need anything."

I nodded, forcing a smile before I turned to leave.

The night air was colder than I'd realized, and by the time I was halfway down the street, the exhaustion began to settle in. Each step felt heavier, the ache in my head growing with every heartbeat. The street was nearly empty, and the silence made me feel strangely exposed. Then I heard the low hum of an engine approaching from behind me. A car rolled up slowly, the headlights cutting through the darkness. "Need a ride?" the voice called out from the car window.

I wanted to say no. It didn't seem safe.

But my mind was spinning. The night was getting darker, my thoughts were scattered. And, for some reason, the idea of getting in the car felt safer than walking home in this state. Before I could stop myself, I opened the car door and slid in.

"Where to go?"

I gave them my address

---

I woke up the next morning, in my own bed. How I got home, I wasn't entirely sure. But I had a sense it was Ella who helped me. It was hard to shake the feeling of her presence lingering.