Rise Up

Chapter 22: My BFF is a Detective

Although the flight from Austin to Mexico wasn't that long, I was already planning on taking a long nap, as sleeping last night was quite impossible and I was feeling still a bit hangover for the party.

But clearly Pierre had other plans for me, as he sat in the vacant seat next to me and stopped my hands that were trying desperately to untangled the headphones to listen to some music while sleeping, in other words I was trying to isolate myself from the rest of the plane.

"So." My teammate was looking at me intensively with his deep blue eyes.

"So what?" I pouted back, already guessing where he was trying to go.

"Why did you run away last night?"

Of course he was going to ask me about it. He was the most curious and gossipy person I've ever met. Everyone in the paddock called him "Gossip Girl" for a reason.

"First of all, I didn't run away. Second, it was already late. Third, I was tired, exhausted and devastated."

"I see you have made up well your lies. C'mon, spill the tea, confess what happened."

What a great best friend I chose.

"Pierre, nothing happened, really. Now let me sleep, I'm still hungover. Actually how are you so hyperactive?"

"Ok, you don't want to talk, get it. Let's try like this: I'm the one talking. Your eyes are still red and puffy from last night. Possible reasons? You cried or you drugged and we both know that this is not the right option. Then, when you ran away, on your face was evident that you were crazily mad. Again, possible reasons? Some random dudes flirted with you in a very bad way or you argued with someone. This last option has more credit for me. So with who did you argue? I mean, we were together so, did you fight with some girls at the toilet for the queue or maybe, and I repeat maybe, you had a heated conversation with one of the guys?"

I couldn't believe my ears. He wasn't a driver but a detective.

"Your silence speaks louder than words, my dear. So who is the dude that I have to beat, bestie?" He asked with a big grin on his face while his hands were brushing one against the other, as if he was getting ready to punch someone. 

"Pierre, what the- how- ok, I literally have no words. Who are you? Sherlock Holmes?"

He laughed but returned serious in an instant.

"I'm gonna be honest. After you went back to the hotel, Lando came back too, I think from outside and, I don't know, but he seemed... upset." He said, grasping his chin covered in beard. 

"How funny! Him? Upset? Wow."

Oops, not the best way to keep a secret.

"You know you have just cleared all my doubts, right?"

"No shit, Sherlock. Oh my gosh, I am so stupid. Fuck me. Ehm...Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course!"

We sat better in our seats and I started telling him the story about this huge mess, from the start in Hungary to the latest Austin's events. Obviously I was whispering as I couldn't let anybody else hear it.

***

The weather in Mexico was amazing, that amazing that I could have fall asleep in a hammock, with a sombrero on my head and a margarita in one hand. Instead I was working, basically filming stuff for the media and giving cool answers to a bunch of journalists. 

I've just finished a funny video for the YouTube channel of the team with Pierre, where we had to taste some typical Mexican food.

After filming,  I was walking back to my room, with finally a huge and colorful sombrero on my head, in order to change clothes, get ready and go back to the hotel, also handing a huge bowl of nachos between my hands. On my way, I offered the great food to everyone I was walking by as I was attiring some attention for the hilarious situation-the only things I was missing were a poncho and a pair of mustaches, then I would be the perfect stereotypical Mexican man.

"Can I have one too?"

Without thinking twice, I pulled the bowl towards the guy on my left but only when I pulled my head a bit up, to move the big hat away from my eyes, I realized who was. 

Immediately I grabbed back and tightly the food, as a kid who doesn't want to share his candies with the others children.

"Kiara." He called me but I kept ignoring him.

My walk became almost a run to the motorhome but it was difficult with the nachos in one hand and through the crowd.

Me running on my purpose? It must be something serious.

"Please Kiara, stop!" He was following me behind, avoiding the fans and other people in the paddock and running on my steps as well. 

My eyes were already a bit watery but I won't forgive myself for crying in front of him.

"Can we talk for just a sec?"  He tried again without understanding how difficult it was for me. The crowd all around, us in the middle, catching everyone's attention as animals at the zoo. It was too risky, as the media was always ready to make up strange stories about everyone, every time they had the chance.

Fortunately I was saved by Susanne, who was waiting for me in front of the building, ready to go. Seeing me on the edge of a breakdown, she grabbed the nachos from my hands and put his arm around my shoulder, comforting me, almost protecting me, and of course asking what happened.

I still felt his eyes on me but I was glad that at least he stopped his chasing, not following me also inside the hospitality.

"What was that for?" She whispered in my ear while going upstairs.

"He's and idiot, nothing new. Can we go, please?"

I knew Suz wouldn't accept this few words as an explanation, mostly because she didn't know anything about it all, but at least in that moment she didn't insist, pretending to drink my lies.

"Yeah, c'mon honey. Let's grab dinner on our way back."

The night went by quickly, with some take-away food with her and one of our favorite movie streaming on the big TV in my room.

"You know, I'd like to know if there's something going wrong with you. I mean, if you're really alright." As always, Susanne tried to touch the topic in a very gentle way, wearing white gloves and being extra cautious with her words. But she knew me too well and just looking into my eyes, got the fact that I wasn't in the mood to talk so she didn't force me at all, leaving her doubts without concrete answers.

When she left my room, it was still quite early, so I read a bit of my current book, trying to empty my mind and find some peace before going to sleep, but everything was useless.

Turning off the lights, I was pretty sure that my bed was begging me to stop tossing around but I just couldn't, as finding some peace was impossible. 

Only a cigarette could have helped me.

Exhaling the last cloud of smoke, I pointed my eyes to the sky and sighed loudly at the mess I put myself in.

No boys, no problems. I was done with Norris.