Full Throttle

Truths

I escaped back to my hotel room at 11.15pm. The boys had gotten quite drunk after we went to a bar, and they'd tried to get me to drink as well; it hadn't worked. I'd left halfway through another round of shots. I had wanted to drink, but for once, I didn't want to risk anything. I know that sounds stupid seeing as I'd turned down a surgery that I very much needed, but it wasn't like I was never going to get the surgery. I just had to hold out until after the season. Despite knowing that I had done the right thing in not drinking, I still felt left out. All of them were having a good time, and it made me feel miserable that I couldn't have a good time with them. I opened my laptop, sitting on my bed, and opened Google.
"What are the symptoms of CHF," I muttered slowly as I typed. "Swelling in the feet, ankles, legs, or abdomen; coughing or wheezing; shortness of breath; weight gain that cannot be attributed to anything else; general fatigue; increased heart rate; lack of appetite or feeling nauseous; feeling confused or disoriented. Around one half of people diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure will live beyond five years, 30% of patients will live beyond 10 years. In patients who receive a heart transplant, 21% are alive 20 years later." I sat back, running my hands through my hair. This was real.
"Shit."

Humming quietly to the music playing through my headphones as I walked through the turnstiles at the Paddock, I was in an adequate mood; not happy, but not unhappy. A tap on my shoulder made me take off my headphones and pause my music.
"Hey," Lando greeted.
"You look like shit," I observed.
"I told you that she would say that," Carlos chuckled, earning a protest from his British teammate.
"Where did you go last night?" Lando carried on.
"Back to the hotel."
"Why?"
"Because I was bored?"
"You should have had a few drinks like us," Carlos joined in.
"You guys had more than a few drinks, and I already said that I didn't want any."
"Jessie Osbourne refusing alcohol. That's unlike her," a voice spoke up from behind me. I turned slowly, distaste evident in my face.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" I snarled. Jacob's face dropped.
"I-I thought you'd be happy to see me," he stuttered, visibly confused.
"Why the fuck would you think I'd be happy to see you after what you all did?"
"Jessie, I-"
"No. I'm not speaking to you here, not with the cameras nearby. Follow me and do not fucking speak to me," I spat before turning to the two rather confused McLaren drivers. "I'll see you guys later."
I stalked off towards the Toro Rosso motorhome.
"Hurry up," I said to Jacob, who was trailing behind me. I went in, scanning my card to let Jacob in with me, and walked through the canteen area and around to one of the briefing rooms that were unoccupied, brushing past Nick, who followed Jacob and I.
"What is he doing here?"
"That's what I'm about to find out."
"Jessie, I," he stammered. "I'm sorry, really I am. I didn't know what Beth had done, she didn't tell me, only Lexi. All she told me at first was that you were really busy and probably weren't going to message for a while. When you got into that accident at Silverstone, I called and called but nothing ever went through. I asked Beth and she shrugged it off. I knew something was up then because normally she would have been panicking and driving up there to meet you in the hospital, so I confronted her, and she told me. I've been trying to get Paddock Pass tickets for ages so I could come and surprise you because I figured that you'd blocked me. Did Beth say that I was in on this as well?"
"She did."
"I am really sorry, Jess. Honestly, I would never do something like that, I understand that you're incredibly busy and-"
"It's okay, Jake."
"I'm sorry." He hugged me, and I hugged him back. I'd missed having friends back home.
"Why didn't dad tell me that you weren't with Beth?"
"I didn't dare go and talk to him just in case he didn't believe me. And also, I kind of wanted an excuse to go to a Grand Prix," he giggled.
"I could've got you a ticket for free, dumbass!"
"Yeah, well, I'm here now, so, deal with it."
"Do you want to come and see the garage? You can meet Pierre as well, if you want, and later I can introduce you to everyone."
"Yes! I couldn't believe that you were talking to Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz earlier!"
"Lando's like, my best mate in the Paddock, as well as George and Alex. Oh, and you have to meet Katie, although, she might slap you. I have vented to her about you lot."
"I'll be ready to dodge," he laughed. We left the briefing room, and I went and got changed into my driving suit in my driver's room. After heading out, we ran into Katie.
"Heya, hun, who's this?" she asked, a smile wide on her face.
"Don't flip out, but this is Jacob."
"Jacob? Why is he here?" her smile dropped. I explained everything to her and, although she didn't seem fully convinced, she accepted it. She held out her hand.
"Nice to finally meet you," she said before pulling him closer and lowering her voice. "If you pull any stunts like Beth did," she warned, "you will find yourself either facing a lawsuit, or facing the lid of your coffin."
"Okay," I laughed awkwardly, breaking them up. "That's enough now. I've got to go and warm up. Jake, I will see you later, okay?"
"Seeya, Jess."