DRIVE ME CRAZY

5

Grace

The day went slow. I had a terrible headache from yesterday's beers and wasn't being very productive in class. I couldn't stop thinking about my driving test. I was scared and embarrassed. And not very excited for my class today with Reed. I was excited to see him. But definitely not the class.

Reed hadn't texted me all day and I thought he would have forgotten about yesterday and our class for today. So I decided to go grab a coffee to clear my mind.

My phone buzzed in my bag. It was Reed.

Reed: Be ready in ten.

I rolled my eyes when I saw his text. He was so busy. I put back my phone in my bag and started walking to my dorm. It was a ten minute walk and I knew that Reed didn't like it when I kept him waiting.

When I arrived, Reed was leaning casually against his car, a cigarette dangling from his lips like always. His backward baseball cap, paired with that effortlessly cool posture, made him look ridiculously good. My cheeks flushed at the memory of last night—the quick peck I'd given him before retreating to my apartment. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it.

"Grace," he greeted me, hands shoved into his pockets, his tone neutral but with that edge I was starting to recognize.

"Hi," I replied, my voice a little more breathless than I'd intended.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in my appearance. "Did you walk here?" he asked, a frown creasing his brow.

"Uh, I—" I began, but he cut me off before I could finish.

"I could have picked you up," he said, clearly irritated.

"I didn't want to bother you," I mumbled, suddenly feeling silly.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Grace?" His tone was sharp, a mix of frustration and concern that caught me off guard.

"Uh..." I stammered, unsure of how to respond.

"I don't care about driving two more minutes. You have to stop walking in the cold," he said, his voice softening slightly, but the concern was still there.

I looked down, embarrassed by how much his words affected me. "Sorry," I muttered, feeling a bit foolish.

He sighed, flicking his cigarette away and stepping closer. "Next time, just call me, okay? It's not a big deal." His voice was gentler now, and I finally looked up to meet his eyes.

"Okay," I agreed, nodding.

"Good," he said with a small, satisfied smile. "Now, let's get going. We've got some driving to do."

An hour later, I found myself standing in front of Reed's car, tears streaming down my face. Frustration and embarrassment welled up inside me, making it impossible to hold back the sobs. "I'm never going to pass the stupid test," I choked out between sobs, wiping at my eyes with the back of my hand. "I hate driving."

Reed stood nearby, his expression softening as he watched me. He took a deep breath, clearly trying to figure out what to say. "Grace."

I shook my head, the tears blurring my vision. "I've practiced so much, and I still can't get it right. I just... I just can't do it."

"You just need to focus."

"No! This is too hard. I'll fail again."

"Then you try again," he replied, his tone unwavering.

"I don't want to fail," I admitted, my voice small.

"You won't," he said confidently.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Reed's unwavering support was something I hadn't expected, and it made me feel a little less alone in my struggle.