Chapter 1

Sierra’s POV

“Where am I?”

That was the first thing I said when I opened my eyes. My voice was shaky and dry, like it hadn’t been used in a long time. I blinked hard, confused by the bright lights above me.

“Miss Sierra, you’re awake,” a nurse said quickly, walking towards me. “Don’t move too much, okay? You’re in Eastfield General Hospital. You’re safe.”

I frowned. “Hospital? Why am I here?”

The nurse glanced at the clipboard in her hand. “You were found by the side of the highway. Someone called it in. You were unconscious when the ambulance got to you.”

I slowly pushed myself up on the bed, ignoring the heaviness in my body. “Wait…….Highway? I don’t remember that. I don’t remember…” My words trailed off as I realized something worse.

The nurse leaned closer. “You don’t remember what?”

“Anything,” I whispered. I looked around the room like the answer might appear in the walls. “I don’t remember who I am.”

The nurse sighed. “That explains a lot. We couldn’t find anyone who knew you. No phone either. But we were able to find your ID, that’s how we were able to know your name. You had some injuries, nothing too serious, but maybe the impact caused memory loss.”

I gripped the sheets. “So, I don’t even know my name?”

The nurse shook her head gently. “The name on your ID is Sierra Cruz. I believe that’s it.”

I tried to focus, tried to pull something from my mind, but there was nothing. Just a blank space. Then, out of nowhere, I noticed something on my hand. A silver ring. I turned it nervously with my thumb. “This… this is a wedding ring.”

The nurse looked at it too. “Yes, that was on you when they brought you in.”

“Then I’m married?”

The nurse didn’t answer right away. “Possibly. Do you remember your husband? A wedding?”

“No,” I said quickly. “Nothing. Just this ring.”

My chest tightened. I can't possibly be married. To who? Did someone out there know I was missing? Were they looking for me?

The nurse gave me a soft smile. “Don’t panic. Memory loss clears up in a few days, sometimes weeks., alright? We’ll take care of you.”

I nodded but didn’t feel reassured.

A few hours later, after the doctor came in and repeated the same thing, I was left alone. I stared at the ring again, hoping it would spark something. Instead, I felt frustrated. I had no idea who I was.

The door creaked open again, and a girl walked in holding a juice box. She was about my age, maybe a bit younger, with messy hair tied up in a ponytail and ripped jeans.

“Hey,” the girl said casually, plopping into the chair by the bed. “You look like you could use something better than hospital water.”

I blinked at her. “Who are you?”

“Lena. I’m in the next room. I saw the nurses bringing you in earlier, thought I’d say hi.” She handed the juice over. “Go on, drink it. You look like you’re about to pass out again.”

I hesitated, then took it. I was thirsty. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Lena leaned back in the chair. “So, what’s your deal? You hit your head or something?”

I looked down. “I don’t know. I… can’t remember anything, not even my name.”

Lena whistled softly. “That sucks. Like, completely blank?”

“Completely,” I muttered. “The doctor said maybe it’ll come back. I don’t know if I believe that.”

Lena tilted her head, studying her. “Well, you need a name for now. Can’t go around being called ‘hey you.’ Does anything at all sound familiar?”

“Sierra,” I whispered.

“Sierra?” Lena asked.

“Yeah. I think… Sierra Cruz. That's the name on my ID.” I replied.

Lena grinned. “Nice. Sierra it is, Sierra Cruz. It has a nice ring to it.”

Lena leaned forward. “Listen, when you get out of here, you should crash at my place. You don’t look like you’ve got anyone else around, and hospitals suck.”

I stared at her. “You don’t even know me. Why would you offer that?”

“Because you look lost and I don’t like seeing lost people. Plus, I could use someone to split the rent with. Trust me, I mean no harm. I just thought you could use some help. You have nowhere to go.” Lena said, smirking.

I couldn’t help but laugh a little. “You’re serious?”

“Totally. You’ll see, I’m a good roommate. I clean… sometimes, I cook… not really, but I make good company.”

I shook my head. “You’re insane.”

“Maybe. But come on, it’s better than staying here.” Lena said.

I sighed. “Fine. Maybe. I’ll think about it.”

“That’s all I ask. I’ll be expecting a response from you though.” She said.

The nurse came back in to check my vitals. “Everything looks stable. You’ll probably be discharged in a couple of days.”

I nodded, trying not to feel overwhelmed. The rest of the day blurred. Nurses came and went, checking machines, giving me food, and asking questions I couldn’t answer. Lena kept talking, telling me stories about her job, about how we would start going out together. She laughed at her own jokes, hoping I’d laugh too. I tried, but it felt empty.

Later in the evening, when the hospital quieted, I asked her, “Do you think I’ll ever remember?”

“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “Maybe not everything, but enough. Your heart will know even if your head doesn’t.”

Her words stayed with me long after she left.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I pushed myself slowly out of bed and limped toward the small bathroom attached to the room. The floor was cold under my feet.

I turned on the light and faced the mirror.

For a moment, I just stared. The woman looking back at me had long dark hair, pale skin, and tired eyes. She was pretty, maybe, but she didn’t look familiar. She was a stranger.

I touched my cheek, then my lips, then the ring on my finger. None of it felt real.

My throat tightened as I whispered to my reflection, “Who am I?”