Chapter 58: Planning Ahead

The first thing I became aware of when I woke up was a pair of eyes staring at me.

Everything was blurry at first, and I blinked a few times, trying to get my bearings. The room gradually came into focus, along with the face in front of me. A familiar face, with bright eyes and an expression that suggested she'd found something particularly interesting to look at.

Nicole's.

I closed my eyes again, hoping that when I opened them, my brain would have finished booting up and I'd be better equipped to deal with whatever was happening. Unfortunately, when I opened them, she was still there, staring at me with the same pleasant expression.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully.

I blinked once more before returning her greeting. "Good morning."

We stared at each other for another moment before I finally decided to ask the obvious question.

"How long have you been awake?"

"A while," she replied.