"Sorry that I've taken you straight from the airport, but this is just an opportunity that you can't miss. Toto got the phone call for it yesterday, and it's all very last minute but it's because the artist saw you in the news and just knew you'd be perfect!" Debbie rambles as she drives through the busy streets from the airport to the Silverstone circuit.
"I'm not sure about it Debbie." Sophie begins to bite her nails as she looks out of the window. "I mean I'm a good driver but I'm not actress. How does this singer know I'll be the right fit?" She begins to overthink the situation, wondering if the reason Debbie told her an hour ago, was because if she said it any sooner she would have definitely ran in the opposite direction is she had the time. She was barely given any warning, and all she knows is that she's doing a lap of Silverstone and a small bit of acting with no lines. It can't be too hard but it's completely unfamiliar which scares the crap out of Sophie.
"You'll be great at it Sophie, honestly. I've been sent the running order and the expectations but once you're there they'll give you more information. From what I know they'll do the acting bit first because you'll need to be in hair and makeup, and then you're doing a lap of the track. There's going to be another driver there who you'll be racing against, but they won't be doing ana crying bit." Debbie informs her before turning off of the A43 on to the road to the Silverstone car park.
The security was mad, Sophie and Debbie had to provide their ideas at least twice and have a full search. With all the security involved Sophie wondered if she was meeting the queen.
After being taken through a minefield of trailers Sophie was dropped off at hair and makeup after filling out paperwork upon paperwork of NDA's, but it all made sense when they opened the door.
"Sophie, hi, it's so good to meet you!" Standing in front of Sophie was the one and only Taylor swift, wearing no makeup and a bald cap.
She didn't know how to react. Sophie had always been a big swiftie at heart, but she couldn't believe that she was standing in front of her.
"Hi." Sophie replies, trying to act like a normal human being and not totally fangirl out. "Thank you so much for having me here. It's safe to say o wasn't expecting this." She awkwardly laughs looking to the floor.
"Awww, I'm so excited for you to be here for this. I really do believe that you'll be perfect for it. Come in, come in and I'll tell you more whilst we get ready." She loves to the side to allow space for a still silently freaking out Sophie to enter.
Sophie follows in behind her and takes the other seat in the room whilst the makeup artists get busy to work on the pair.
"So this is going to be the music video for one of the songs off of my Lover album and we're hoping to drop it February next year, so that's just why there was a lot of paperwork." Taylor explains.
Sophie smiles along, wracking her head of the songs from that album that would tie in best to a race track. Part of her thought it could be for cruel summer since for Sophie it gave her summer night drives vibes, but also she thought it could be I Think He Knows because the bridge is about driving which is what she was there to do, or if it was driving they were focussing on it could also be Paper Rings. Her kind was running so fast with possible outcomes that she almost missed what Taylor said.
"So the reason I really wanted you to be a part of this, was because I think you could really relate to this song, I mean, you're the female in a male dominated sport where the press is constantly on top of you and so are the fans. So I just knew when I heard about you, I was like, this girl knows this song, she's perfect for it."
"You're doing a music video for The Man!" Sophie almost has to pick her jaw up off of the floor, making Taylor laugh a bit.
"Honey, WE are making a music video for The Man. We're standing up for all of the girls out there who are going through what we've went through. It's time to point out to society how we get treated differently and it's time to make a change."
"It's time to make a change." Sophie voices to herself. All of her life she had told herself that she had to suck up and deal with the constant hassle and comparing to her male competition, but rather than taking it on the chin she should try changing the system.
—
Sophie was waiting at the side of the track before her part began. They were filming the acting part first which scared the living daylights out of Sophie - driving a single seater car at an ungodly speed wasn't an issue for her, but standing in the back of a shot shaking her head and rolling her eyes was a completely different ball game.
At the moment they were just finishing off with Taylor so Sophie was outside enjoying the sights of one of her favourite tracks from the paddock whilst everything gets set up.
A buzz from her pocket catches her attention, and the sight of Charles names made her stomach erupt. She hasn't spoke to him since last night, she was very much leaving the ball in his court considering it was his attitude which caused the issue in the first place.
Charles ♥️
I'm sorry
I shouldn't have acted and said what I said last night. I was drunk.
Sophie took in a breath of relief at his reply. He knew what he did was wrong, and he knew that Sophie was hurt by it. Coming out of the text messages she pulled his contact up and tries to phone him, preferring this conversation to take place the closest way that it could be to face to face. The phone rings twice before it's sent to answer machine on his side.
Pulling the phone away from her face she stares at it confused as the three dots appear to tell her that he's typing back.
Charles ♥️
I'm just getting on my flight just now so it's a bit noisy but I can phone you back later if that's okay
Sophie
Thank you for apologising
I'm sorry as well for leaving early, I just thought it would be best
"Sophie!" Taylor shouts as she gets closer. Putting her phone down Sophie lifted her head but can't seem to spot Taylor anywhere. "I had a great idea."
"Oh my god." Sophie places a hand over her heart, slightly shocked, not expecting Taylor to look like a man.
"Oh yeah, forgot to say that for the full video I'm in makeup to act as a man." She slightly laughs. "But whilst I was getting ready I had an idea. We should Google your name and read the bullshit headlines to get you riled up. Really get the angst going."
"I don't know if that's a good idea." Sophies heart rate begins to pick up as she feels her anxiety setting in. "I try my best to stay away from it all."
"Why? Because of what they say?"
"Yeah." She nods her head slightly. "It's just they never have anything good to say so it's best if I just stay away from it all."
"Yeah, I understand." Taylor kindly smiles. "It's just that whenever I read your articles and compare it to others you can see how critical their word choice is. But as long as you have enough anger to channel then I'm sure it'll be great."
"Trust me, I have enough anger to fuel an F1 car." Sophie lightly laughs before putting her phone in her pocket.
—
I'm really sorry. I started writing this chapter because I wanted to grow Sophie's connections out-with F1 but continue to address issues that she's currently facing, but I've gotten writers block and it's taken me over a week to even write this much. So I'm just putting a pin in it and continuing onwards.
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REMEMBER THE NAME
FanfictionWhen Sophie Stoddart enters F1 it isn't exactly lights out and away we go. With a few stalls and bumps in the road she needs her friends and family to support her through the highs and lows - perhaps she needs one of them more than the rest. Interes...
