CHAPTER 32: STATIC THAT HITS MY HEAD

CHAPTER 32: STATIC THAT HITS MY HEAD
What happened made me realize that maybe being with Jake was the safest option after all… and somehow, the only way to finally free myself from my family’s chains.

Maybe marrying him, after everything he did, would benefit me in the end.

“You know what? Instead of stressing yourself out over those people, why don’t you just let me and Reina have some time together? Then we’ll grab some food—real food,” Trix suggested, her voice carrying the kind of promise I desperately needed right now.

She was right. Instead of letting the pressure eat me alive, we could just eat instead.

“Yeah… I’ll drive.” I offered, insisting before I could even think twice.

Jake’s brows pulled together while Trix’s lips curved into a surprised, amused smile.

“So… you know how to drive?” she asked, clearly mocking me.

“Why not?” I shrugged casually.

“Of course not,” Jake cut in.

Both of us turned to him at the same time, surprised at how quickly he dismissed me.

“What? What’s wrong? It’s just driving.” I crossed my arms. It wasn’t that big of a deal, right?

“You’re not going to drive.” His tone left no room for argument. “You overspeed, and you panic when you’re in the city. You’re always afraid you’ll hit someone.” He explained it so smoothly, as if he had seen me behind the wheel more than once.

“Hey! You haven’t even seen me drive, old man. Do you really think I’m that careless?” I snapped, glaring at him.

Trix pressed her lips together, fighting hard not to burst into laughter.

“Old man? Ugh, gross, Reina,” Jake complained, clearly offended.

“You called me ‘young lady,’ so I’ll call you… old man. Perfect, isn’t it?” I shot back, smiling in triumph.

“Totally gross. And stupid,” he muttered.

“Come on, old man—uh, I mean, cuz,” Trix finally stepped in, grinning. “I’m with her. I can handle it. If anything happens, I’ll guide her.”

She said it so confidently, like she could really handle me and the wheel at the same time.

Well, it had been so long since I last drove a car. But there wouldn’t be an accident… after all, Trix was with me.

“You haven’t seen her drive, Trix. Aren’t you curious why her parents never bought her a car, even at the age of twenty?” Jake argued, his tone firm as if he had just presented the winning evidence in a courtroom.

“I already said—I’m here. I got her, okay? Stop worrying like Reina’s a child.”

“She is,” he muttered.

“Old man,” I shot back instantly, rolling my eyes.

“Fine. Go on then. You know what? I honestly fear seeing the two of you together. You’re both stubborn, and impossible to scold,” he said, shaking his head in defeat.

“We’re leaving!” I yelled triumphantly, grabbing Trix by the arm as we made our escape.

Walking down the hospital hallway, we both ended up laughing uncontrollably at Jake’s expression.

“Did you see him? He really looked like an old man!” Trix said before bursting out in another round of laughter.

I grinned, still catching my breath, before sliding into the driver’s seat of the car.

At first, everything felt smooth. The wheel was steady in my hands, and for a second I thought I had proven Jake wrong. But then I noticed it—the way Trix’s knuckles turned white on the armrest, her eyes darting around like she was on a rollercoaster ride with no brakes.

I didn’t know whether to laugh at her or pity her.

“You’re sweating,” I pointed out, glancing at her pale face. She looked like a zombie about to faint.

“I–you–can… y-you want me to drive instead?” she stammered, her voice trembling with fear.

The way she said it almost convinced me that maybe… just maybe… I really was that bad at driving.

“O-okay…” I nodded and forced a smile, trying not to sound defeated.

We switched places, and Trix slid behind the wheel. Relief washed over her face the moment her hands touched the steering wheel, while I leaned back in my seat, pretending I wasn’t sulking.

It took us quite a while before we reached the nearest convenience store, the traffic dragging on like forever.

Finally, we parked. I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out of the car slowly, stretching my legs as if I had just survived something bigger than traffic.

“This store… looks familiar,” I murmured, brows furrowing as a strange memory tugged at me.

Then suddenly—“Ah!”—a sharp static shot through my head, making me stumble.

Trix immediately rushed forward, holding me gently. “Hey, what’s the matter?” she asked, worry clear in her eyes.

“I don’t know… it feels like my head was struck by something,” I whispered, still caressing my temple, eyes shut tight as I tried to calm the pain.

“Do you want to stay here for a while?” she offered.

I nodded weakly. “Yes… I think I’ll just stay here.”

She carefully guided me back to the car and handed me a gum. “Here, it’s menthol. Maybe this helps. I’ll also grab some medicine for your headache.” Her voice carried a gentleness that comforted me.

I only nodded, took the gum, and leaned back against the seat. She slipped out of the car and locked the door for my safety.

Not even a minute had passed when a knock sounded against the window.

I forced my eyes open, even though the pain was still pounding.

And then—I froze.

It was Gavin.

My eyes widened in shock.

He was wearing a black hoodie, his hair messy as if he had run a long way. His fist was wrapped in cloth, like he had just been in a fight. A mask covered most of his face, but I knew—it was him.

Without a word, he pulled out a folded piece of paper and pressed it against the glass. In bold letters, it read: I missed you.

My breath caught.

He lowered the paper, straightened, and then turned away, disappearing as quietly as he came.

That brief, strange encounter left me frozen in silence. And then I realized—my headache was gone.

“He… did it on purpose,” I whispered, pressing a hand to my chest.

My heart was racing wildly, beating so fast it almost hurt.

A small, unbidden smile tugged at my lips. “That’s what he did when I was nervous about coming back to the company… he leaned closer, made my heart race so hard I forgot the fear. And now… he made sure my heart is busy again, so it won’t feel the pain.”

I could almost hear his words echoing in my mind:

‘If you’re feeling something you think you can’t control, make sure your heart is busy. That way, your mind will ignore whatever is bothering you.’

“He’s right,” I whispered again, letting my eyes fall shut.

“Gavin…”

Gavin’s POV

That was the least I could do for her—to help her in the only way I knew. It always worked before, and tonight, it worked again. I only wish she knew that the words I wrote weren’t just to ease her pain… but the truth I’ve been keeping inside me all along.

I leaned against one of the parked cars near the convenience store, making sure she could no longer see me from where she sat. Slowly, I let my back slide down the cold metal until I was half crouched, my head dropping forward as the weight pressed on me.

“If only you knew… Reina,” I whispered to the dark, my voice cracking against the silence.

It was hard living like this—close enough to see her, but never close enough to reach out. Yet no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t stop worrying. I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Reina’s POV

A few moments later, Trix came back, her arms full of plastic bags. She opened the back door, setting them down with a sigh of relief.

“Hey, you’re okay already?” she asked, her eyes flicking to me as she shut the door.

“Yeah,” I nodded quickly, trying to sound normal.

She paused, glancing out the window as if replaying what she had seen. Then her eyes returned to me. “Who’s the guy in the hoodie?”

My breath caught.

She… saw him?

I didn’t know how to answer. My lips parted, but no words came out.