Love Off Track - Pato O'Ward

DIECISÉIS

THIRD PERSON POV: 

Catalina sighed as she placed her phone down next to her, "He's still not answering?" Valentina asked. "No... not even a text message" Catalina replied, she then continued to pack her suitcase. It was currently Monday, Catalina and Valentina had to quickly fly over to England. They had to test the MCL60's aerodynamics back at McLaren's technology centre, before the next GP.  

After Valentina found out that she was pregnant, she decided to apply to work at the technology centre and not travel around the world for F1. On the other hand, Catalina decided that she wanted to rest and not travel as much as she did prior to working at indy and F1. So she decided to apply for engineering at the technology centre and step down from her position from head-engineer. 

Catalina zipped up her suitcase, it was hard to do considering she had gone shopping with Valentina over the weekend. "You ready?" she asked Valentina, "Yeah... it's just heavy..." Valentina responded. "Here, let me help you." Catalina said, she then took Valentina's suitcase. "Thank you so much." Valentina sighed, they both exited their hotel room that they shared. 

• Time Skip •  

"I'm so tired from carrying this baby!" Valentina complained, "Should of used protection..." Catalina mumbled. "What did you say?" Valentina asked, "Nothing..." Catalina answered quickly. "Thought so..." Valentina answered, she then looked outside the window of the taxi that they where in. "You ready for this week?" she asked, "God no, I don't want to do this anymore if I'm being honest!" Catalina admitted. Valentina looked at her friend with worry, "Why?" she asked. "I have lost motivation for working in F1, I miss Indycar. Yes it was hard, but it kept me motivated." Catalina explained, "Was it Indycar, or Pato?" Valentina asked. 

Catalina let out a deep breath, "Yes and no... But it isn't just I'm that I miss, I miss that I felt like I had a purpose. My main goal has always been F1..." Catalina said. "But it wasn't... it was your families goal" Valentina continued on what her friend was trying to explain. "Your brother drives in Indycar, but you are known for who you are. Not 'Alex Palou's sister', you miss that don't you?" she asked, "I feel so bad though..." Catalina cried. She spoke up again, "My family has put in a lot of effort to get me into F1, they supported me!". "Did they, or did they force it on you... Controlled you, brushed off your accomplishments and compared you to your brother?" Valentina asked, Catalina felt her own tears sliding down her face. 

∞ Flashback ∞ 

18 years ago... 

"Catalina come and see this!" Alex yelled to his sister, Catalina ran around the corner and entered the room that her brother was currently in. "What is it?" she asked quietly, "My trophy, I won it after winning my karting race!" Alex explained with a massive smile on his face, "You should do this with me, we could be in Formula One together!" he said. "Catalina in Formula One?" their father asked as he entered the room, the two youngsters looked up at their dad. "Yeah!" Alex said while he smiled at his dad, "I don't think she can be a driver, but maybe she should be an engineer." their dad said while chuckling.  

10 years ago... 

Catalina had gotten home from school, she was smiling from ear to ear. She had just finished school for the year, she couldn't wait to go to the beach during her Hollidays. "Catalina." Her mother said, "Yeah?" Catalina asked. "You dad and I want to have a talk with you... please come and sit down." Her mother answered, during that entire talk she felt betrayed. She learnt that she had to say goodbye to all her friends that she had made, the house the she had grown up in, her ballet studio that she went to every week, her school. "It's for your brother's career, don't you want him to get into F1?" Her mother asked, "Don't you want to work in F1?" her dad asked.  

5 years ago... 

"We don't care that you don't want to do this, you are going to accept the job at Carlin. You are going to appreciate what we have done for you!" her mother yelled and she hit her hand against the table, "I don't want to do this, I never wanted to move to England and I never wanted to work in F1, I don't want to do this anymore!" Catalina screamed. Alex looked over at his sister, he didn't realise that she was forced into working in motorsports. "Stop being a Perra!" her father screamed, "You only want to start arguments, you blame me and your mother for the life that you have. We gave you everything, and yet you give us nothing!" he said. 

"Nothing, I give you nothing?" Catalina sarcastically asked, "Don't give us attitude!" her mother snapped back at her. "I have done everything for you guys, I had to give up my dream of working in Astronomy!" Catalina cried, "Astronomy? Do you think that it would help your brother get into F1?" her dad asked. "I don't give a shit about his career in F1, it isn't my life. Every single decision that you guys have made has been for him, not for me!" Catalina yelled, her mother responded by slapping her across the face. 

∞ Flashback ends ∞ 

Catalina and Valentina entered their hotel room, it wasn't until Catalina sat down on her bed that she snapped back into reality. "They have controlled my entire life..." she whispered, Valentina looked over at Catalina. "From my work, to who I date. I hate it, I hate the fact that I allow them to do it." Catalina sobbed, "I want to leave my job, I want to date who I want to. I don't want to constantly worry about my brothers career, I'm sick and tired of it." she ranted. "Who's stopping you?" Valentina asked, "No one..." Catalina answered. 

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Hello Lovely People!! 

Sorry for the late updates, I have been unmotivated to write. But I do hope that you enjoyed this chapter, thank you for reading it 🤍 

Word Count: 1047   

M <3