The Team // A Formula One AU

Lewis

We pull in next to a big glass wall in the shade of the airport building. Thank gosh. I swear it's hotter in this bus than it was in the middle of Death Valley.

We climb out and take the last few looks at America we'll get before we walk into the plane in a few hours' time. I'm sad to be going but I won't miss that bus. Max gives it the customary hollow sounding slaps and Peter drives off to wherever it is we're leaving it. I watch it for a moment before I feel the shadow cool the flush in my cheeks. It's still hot though.

"Good job we're not further south or we'd be dead of heat exhaustion," Kimi comments and I nod at him, exhausted from that zero-suspension journey.

"I wish we could have nice things." I sigh and he chuckles.

"Thankfully that's the last journey we're going to have on that bus."

Tom leads us into the blissfully cool airport but is only half successful as Lando, Carlos and George stay outside. What the heck? It's blistering. I make a tactical stop under the fan to watch them.

Lando starts to run down the road after the bus, picking up handfuls of the gravel by the path as he goes. As the bus slows down for a bend in the road he catches up and hurls the rocks at its back window. He could get told off for that, or even worse he could get a grid penalty.

But I get the gesture. Our luggages.

"TOM YOU... You... Uh..." Carlos trails off as Weird Old Phil stares him down.

Lando runs back through the door in time to hear his friend's internal struggle. "BABOSO!"

Carlos explodes laughing. Tom realises what he's forgotten and doesn't worry about the insult as he sprints back towards the road. I share a quick glance with Kimi and follow through acres of bright sunshine as about half the team go after them. The bus eventually comes back into view as Peter notices what's gone wrong then pulls over in a deserted area of melting car park. He gets out, apologising.

"Hey Carlos, what does baboso mean?" I ask breathlessly as we wait on the soft tarmac to collect our luggages.

"Um... Look it up," he replies with a grin. I make a mental note to do so. We retrieve our luggages, mine feeling even heavier than usual in the LA sun. As I turn to follow the adults back inside I overhear part of Max's conversation.

"So it's probably going to scrap, right?" he asks as I stop to listen. Sounds like trouble making.

"It already is scrap," Daniel replies making the congregation laugh.

"So it wouldn't matter if we vented a little frustration, would it?" Max has them convinced within three sentences and he bends down to pick up some gravel. The others copy and all wait on the leader's command.

"Ready... THROW!" he yells and a smattering of rocks hit the side windows. I grin and so want to join in. We may have a lot of memories in the bus but that doesn't stop us wanting to destroy it.

Kimi is beside me, watching on and no doubt considering the terrible possibilities. He picks up a heavy looking stone and weighs it in his hand. I watch in wonder, this is my calm friend, the intelligent one, the one who wholeheartedly despised this bus...

He throws it. It hits the window along with Max's others but leaves more than a scratch. A huge crack from top to bottom. I step back as the glass falls in slow motion, in and around the frame. Kimi...

I turn but he's gone. I'm left alone at the scene of the crime.

"Lewis," Max is trying not to laugh. "That's exactly what I like to see!" He slaps me on the back and goes for more gravel. I need to get away. I think I might faint. Where's Kimi?

I run to the building, all the way non-stop, up to Tom with a look of fear on his face. He's seen it. It's all over for me. But he walks straight past.

"Max!" I hear a distant crash in response to Tom's screams. "Max Verstappen I am kicking you out!"