I froze for a moment. “A month? Alright.”
My voice was calm, but beside me, Jason stiffened. “A month? What are you talking about?” he demanded.
I didn’t bother to answer and for once, he didn’t push the issue.
At the race track, the team erupted in cheers as soon as Jason and Paula appeared.
“Jason!”
“Sister-in-law!”
Jason instinctively glanced my way, seemingly afraid I’d react. But I didn’t flinch. I kept my face unreadable, which seemed to let him breathe a sigh of relief.
It was only then that the team noticed me. “Who’s that?” someone asked, looking curious.
In the past three years, all the familiar faces had been replaced. I recognized no one here.
Before I could respond, Paula cheerfully looped her arm through mine and said, “She’s the chaperone I brought along.”
Then she turned her sugary gaze on me. “Hailey, I heard you used to be an amazing racer. Why don’t we have a little match? Just for fun?”
The team murmured in awe. “Sister-in-law’s friend? A pro racer? This will be interesting!”
It had been a long time since I’d held a steering wheel. The challenge stirred something in me. I didn’t refuse.
As I approached the car, Jason stepped close, lowering his voice. “Paula doesn’t take losing well. Let her win. You owe her that much.”
I shot him a cold, cutting glare. Without saying a word, I got into the car.
The engine roared to life and as I pressed the gas pedal, a surge of long-forgotten excitement rushed through me.
“Paula wants to win?” I thought. “Let her chase me.”
To my surprise, Jason announced over the radio that he would serve as my navigator for the race. His voice crackled through the headset, steady and familiar as he guided me.
Despite myself, I began to trust him. How could I not? Years ago, he was my navigator—my partner in every sense of the word. The rhythm came back easily, the tacit understanding we had built over six years resurfacing like muscle memory.
I pulled ahead of Paula in minutes, leaving her far behind.
Then, just as I approached the final stretch, Jason’s voice echoed in my ear.
“After this big turn, it’s a straightaway. Step on the gas and take the win.”
I trusted him. I accelerated hard.
But it wasn’t a straightaway—it was another curve. A sharp one.
The car broke through the guardrail, flipped several times and landed with a sickening crash. Pain seared through my body as everything went black.
When I briefly regained consciousness, all I could hear were cheers and laughter. Through blurry vision, I saw Paula surrounded by the team, celebrating as though she were some kind of hero.
In the center of it all, Jason wrapped her in his arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
“Paula, I knew you’d win!”
It hit me like a dagger. Jason—my navigator—had lied. He had gambled with my life to let Paula win.
The last thing I saw before slipping back into darkness was his smiling face.
***
When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. The sterile smell stung my nose and my head throbbed. Beside me, Jason sat slouched in a chair, his face lighting up when he noticed I was awake.
“Hailey!” he exclaimed, almost in relief. “I didn’t think… I didn’t think the car would actually go off the track. I just wanted Paula to win. That’s all.”
His voice was soft, guilt-ridden.
Then, as if it would make up for everything, he reached out and touched my face tenderly. “Why didn’t you tell me you went abroad for surgery?”
He held up a medical record in his hand. Brain cancer. Three years ago, I had left to undergo surgery and fight for my life. I never told him—I had said I was studying abroad. I thought I was sparing him, but now it all seemed laughable.
I stared at him coldly. “So what if I did?”
He faltered, unable to respond.
