Lights Out

The End Of An Era

Friday 10th December.
"Told you I'd make it up to you," Harry grinned, kissing me hard on the lips. "Shame there's no time for round two, though."
"You have some audacity!" I laughed, slapping him lightly on the chest as he rolled back onto his pillow. He pulled me with him, his arm wrapped around my waist as a make out session resumed. I stopped him.
"I can't go to the track with bruised lips from kissing you."
"Can't got to the track with a hickey either but here we are," he mumbled, his eyes hooded.
"They won't be able to see it, it's fine. What time is it?"
"Twenty five to six," Harry answered after a few seconds looking at the alarm clock.
"Okay."
"Maybe there is enough time for round two," he grinned, pulling me on top of him.

I stepped out into the corridor of the hotel, shutting the door behind me and checking my phone notifications as I started walking.
"Good morning, Jessie," a familiar accented voice said. I looked up.
"Lu! How are you? I haven't seen you in ages!" I turned to Lando. "You didn't tell me she was coming to the race, you bastard!"
"I'm very good thanks," she laughed. "And you?"
"I'm good. Tired, though, it's early."
"Nothing like waking up at five in the morning," Lando said quite innocently. I let out a laugh nonetheless and started walking again.
"What're you going to do about the photographers on track?" I asked, the realisation that they could be found out suddenly dawning on me.
"McLaren's asked that any photos taken of us together are kept out of the media, and Lu isn't going to be with me publicly, unfortunately."
"When are you two going to go public?"
"Maybe over Christmas break," Lu answered, her hand snaking into Lando's.
"Speaking of which," Lando said, "I'm spending the new year in Dubai; you're welcome to join with Harry if you want. It's the usual crew, same as Croatia, so..."
"Sure! I've got nothing else to do," I laughed.
"Cool. I let everyone know. Ah, get to obliterate you at golf."
"Last time you said that, it failed miserably. I wouldn't try again, you know I'm better than you."

Alex handed me a Red Bull before walking through the gates to the Paddock. I beamed at him and followed.
"Thank you."
"No problem. How are you feeling?" he asked, walking down towards the Red Bull hospitality with me.
"Ha! Like shit."
"Yeah... Well, look on the bright side," he said before lowering his voice, "no more Christian."
I cracked a smile.
"Yeah, I guess that is a plus."
"You'll be okay."
"Mmh," I hummed in agreement, my eyes scanning ahead. I spotted Lando's parents by the McLaren hospitality talking to a third person, who I'd recognise anywhere. I grinned.
"That's my dad over there," I said, amused, to Alex. "Hang on, I'm gonna go scare him."
We walked quietly towards the McLaren hospitality, trying to not giggle like schoolchildren who'd just seen someone fall over. Cisca caught my eye and I held a finger up to my lips and shook my head. She caught on, not saying a word. Adam also saw me and kept quiet. I snuck behind my dad, absolutely silent, quite proud of my ninja-esk skills, before I reached up and covered his eyes with both my hands from behind him. He turned and his face broke out into a massive smile.
"Hey!" I said, being engulfed in a hug.
"How are you, Jessie, love?" he asked in his true cockney accent.
"I'm alright. How was your flight?"
"Not as bad as I thought it was going to be."
"Good."
"Hello, Alex," my dad said, nodding to him in a very British manner, the thin-lipped smile even making a debut appearance.
"How are you, Simon," Alex asked.
"Very good, thanks. Congratulations on the Williams contract, by the way! I know it's a bit late. Good that you'll be back on the grid again, though."
"Yeah, thanks."
"Cisca, Adam, how are you? Haven't seen you since Croatia."
"We're very good thanks, Jessie. Nice to see you again," Cisca said, answering for her and her husband.
"Nice to see you again too," I smiled. "Oh, dad, I've flown Harry's parents and brother here. Their flight landed last night and they should be here in maybe an hour and a half or so. If you see Harry, don't tell him. I want it to be a surprise."
"Oh, you're so sweet," Cisca cooed, tilting her head with an approving look.
"I won't say anything about it to him, don't worry. Where would I find him, by the way? I want to say hello."
"You're not going to scare him, are you?"
"No," my dad said slowly. "I just want to see how he's doing. He's been looking after you properly, obviously. I'm not going to be scary."
"You'd better not be," I said, looking suspiciously at him. "He'll be in the Alpha Tauri garage. I don't know if he's busy or not, though. I'd go in the morning before things start getting hectic."
"I'll go and see him soon, then."
"Sounds good," I said, nodding once and smiling. My apple watch pinged and I checked the notification.
"Ohhhh, shit. I'm in so much trouble. Alex we need to go. We are so late."
"Yeah... I just got the notification," Alex said, looking at his phone, his face in a grimace much like mine.
"I'll catch you later," I said to the group of adults.
"Bye!"
Alex and I walked quickly away, back to the Red Bull hospitality.
"We are so fucked," I said quietly.
"Yep."
We scanned our passes and walked through the big sliding doors, up to the office area, to see Christian and Helmut standing with their arms crossed in front of them. Alex and I looked at each other and prepared ourselves for the grilling we were about to get.