Unexpected

Part 39

I'm in a room with some fellow drivers, waiting for the start of the press conference in Spain. Today I dressed up in a full white skirt, and plaited my hair into milkmaid braids. A pair of dangly earrings, with a sponsor name, are in my ears, along with a matching necklace. And my wrist sports a sponsored watch. Our tee shirts have all our sponsors' names, but with a little bit of extra effort, I feel like I can draw more attention to them. Which they love, and in turn is good for me.

George eyes me up and down. "I see you've brought out your girly side again."

"As if I hide my girly side," I retort.

"I don't usually see you in a skirt."

"You don't look hard enough."

"I don't want to look hard. I have a girlfriend, and you're married."

"That I am."

The F1 reporter ushers us inside the press conference, and I take my spot behind the table, fiddling with the microphone. I glance around at the gathered reporters, trying to remember if I know any of them. After they open the floor to anyone I get asked a question before long.

"Sochi, you're the only one of the rookie drivers who hasn't crashed yet, during practice or the race. Why do you think that is?"

Honestly? I'm supposed to know why? "My philosophy is, you either have several small crashes or one big one. So later on in the season, I'm going to crash huge. I'll take out half the grid, ruin someone's chances of a championship, get a race ban, and cost my team a million dollars in repairs."

I hear laughter from my right. "As long as it's not my chances you're ruining."

"Really?" asks the reporter.

"Or maybe it's because I'm not pushing my car or myself to the limit."

"That's probably it," agrees George.

And I get one more question before the end. "Is that a wedding band I see on your left hand? It wasn't there before, I believe. Has your relationship changed?"

"Yes, it is a wedding band." I hold my hand up as several cameras go off. "My relationship with Sangil hasn't changed. We're still married."

"Officially married?"

"No, just for the show." Since I agreed to be on WGM, I shouldn't be annoyed that I get asked these type of questions. I've heard other drivers get asked some ridiculous things (did you get a dog as a good luck charm since you're not having a great season?), so while I'm not singled out, I think I get asked more of them. And I have no problem with questions that aren't about racing, since that's not only who I am. But my relationship with Sangil is complicated. I'm not going to tell the whole truth anytime soon.

"Nice ring," says George as we're walking back to the paddock. "Anything change?"

"Did I not just answer this question?"

"But that was a reporter. I'm a friend."

"It was Sangil's birthday. I bought them for us."

"Have your feelings changed?"

"I fall in love with him deeper and deeper every day." I cross my hands over my heart.

"Your delivery needs work," says George as he waves goodbye and heads up the stairs to the Williams' building.

Sangil and Sebin are arriving Sunday morning, because Snuper had an event in Canada. But Yahagi Honoka, Sebin's date, flies in on Friday. She's an actress most known for her role in the drama Itazura na Kiss, the Japanese version of Playful Kiss. I tease her often for that, since she was fifteen when filming started on the first season. And her character got married in the end, so in the second season a year later she had many kissing and bedroom scenes.