I Tried To Keep Them Safe. Oops

Synopsis

"Joel, you always drive way too fast. You're going to get yourself killed. I'm scared," I said. It was rare for Joel Owens to invite me to a race, but I turned him down. I'd been a pessimist my whole life, always expecting the worst. After marrying Joel, it only got worse. Years of being put down by him had twisted my thinking into full-blown disaster mode. Sometimes, I'd be lying in bed, convinced a meteor was about to crash through the roof. When he saw how terrified I was, his face darkened at once. "Are you scared to even get in a car? You're so pathetic. You know nothing about the thrill of speed." I didn't dare say a word. That night, he brought a woman home with him. Her name was Ella Levine. The moment she saw me, she laughed. "Joel, this is your wife? The one who wears a helmet just to take out the trash?" Right in front of me, Joel slipped an arm around Ella and started flirting. "Don't mind this coward. Let's go break the speed record tonight." I stood there, staring at the illegally modified race car parked behind them. In my head, the scene was already playing on loop, with twisted metal, broken bodies, and everything going up in flames. My hands were shaking. I told myself I should stay out of it, but in the end, I forced myself to step forward for his sake. I said, "Joel, don't. It's too dangerous. You're going to get hurt at that speed." He kicked me aside without hesitation, disgust written all over his face. "Cut the crap and fuck off. I'm taking Ella out tonight to smash that damn record." I hit the floor hard, my elbow scraping against the ground. I watched them walk away, arms around each other. Then I wiped away my tears. If Joel was dead set on getting his kicks, then I'd make sure he and Ella didn't die on the road.