Right On Track

Chapter 13

"Good luck,Wolff."Daniel said with a smile,giving Kiara a thumbs-up as she climbed into the car.
Kiara gave Daniel a nod of acknowledgment as she got into the cockpit,giving him a hand-gesture that indicated that she was feeling good about it.But in reality,she felt as though she wasn't ready as yet for the qualifying session.She muttered a curse to herself about her luck and mood this weekend.
"Radio check."Santiago said over the radio.
"All good..."Kiara confirmed,pulling down the visor of her helmet early to hide the anxiousness in her gaze.
"Okay,let's try to put in the time necessary."Santiago told her.
She closed her eyes for a moment,told herself that she was fine and opened her eyes again,waiting for confirmation to leave the garage.
Once it was confirmed that it was clear for Kiara to exit,she drove out of the garage.

It was ten minutes into qualifying when Kiara set the fastest lap,taking it from Max a while after he had set it for himself.She had been surprised at first when Santiago had reported the situation on the radio.But he had also reminded her that she was not done yet and she had to either keep the time set or exceed it before anyone else tried to pass it.And that pressured her a little.As if she wasn't already under pressure.During the first five minutes,she had nearly messed it all up again.At the exact same turn.The rest of the laps were shaky,but she somehow managed to push herself a little further to set a good time by the tenth minute.
And now Kiara kept on driving through the start of another lap.She passed the first three turns with ease,moving from the first sector to the next.Hopefully,she would keep up the good work.Pole position was,of course,what she and every other driver on the track wanted.Any small mistake could cost her a lot.She could lose her current position,if not careful.
Kiara started to catch a glimpse of the last corners.She took a deep breath and moved along,trying her best not to recall the image of the marshals having to drag her out of the car while it was stuck in the tyre barriers.
However,she started to feel more nervous as she got closer to that same turn.
"Careful on the next turn."Santiago said on the radio,because he was well aware about the situation as well.He knew what was going on.
"Easy now,Kiara."He said,caution in his tone.
"Santiago."Kiara snapped in harsh but also shaky tone."Im trying,ok?I'm doing what I can!" She would have felt regret after reacting like that,since the guy was only doing his job.But she wasn't exactly in the position where she felt as if she was going to apologise.
A moment later,her gaze slowly drifted towards the barrier of that one corner,her breathing going slightly faster.Something tightened in her chest and every sound around her dulled to almost nothing.Santiago spoke again on the radio.But she didn't hear whatever he had said.And instead of regaining her focus,darkness rose up again.Just like it had done so when she was stuck under the barrier.Just like it had done when the only sound left was her heavy breathing and her heartbeat in the darkness.
Before Kiara knew it,her car slid off the curb,losing control as gravel flew through the air.
She finally came to her senses,snapping out of the horrible memory as she looked at the barrier.As a last minute resort and the only thing she could do,she tightened her grip on the steering wheel and tried to steer the car and stop it where it couldn't hit the barrier.She swore and cursed as the nose of the car hit the tyre barrier,causing her to jerk forward a little in her seat and feeling as if her heart just skipped a beat.
The car stopped,nothing more hitting the barrier.
There was silence.That uneasy silence that made one feel embarrassed and stressed all at once.Kiara swallowed,glancing from side to side.She could see a few of the marshals hurrying over.
"Kiara,are you okay?"Santiago asked.
Kiara was quiet for a few moments.She was disappointed in herself.It was a shit feeling.
"Kiara?"Santiago said again.
"I'm fine."She told him,shutting her eyes for a moment.
"What damage do you have?"He asked.
"Aside from the front wings and nose cone..."She replied."I think my confidence for this weekend has really taken a hit after that."
"Easy there."He said."Switch off."
She sighed,switching off the car and grabbing the steering wheel as she steadied herself and climbed out of the car.As soon as she got out,she turned to the barrier and grunted as she kicked it,frustration slowly taking over.She pulled flicked up the visor of her helmet and rubbed at her eyes with her fore-finger and thumb,backing away from the barrier and glancing at her car.The damage in the front didn't seem too bad.But she would only be able to confirm that in the garage.
One of the marshals made sure that she was fine and she ignored them,many thoughts running through her mind.And even as she was given a lift back to the garage,she didn't say a word as she knew what her position would be on the grid the next day.
In the garage,Kiara felt a little nervous as she met Christian's gaze.At first he gave her a look that asked if she okay.Then,once she confirmed that she was fine,a look of disappointment came to his face.But it wasn't Christian's express that made her feel guilty.It was the replay on one of the screens in the garage that made her feel that way.The replay showed what she had said on the radio.And from the camera angle,it looked as if she had carelessly just slipped up.
Lydia put a hand on Kiara's shoulder to cheer her up.It didn't help at all,of course.But Kiara gave her a nod of acknowledgment as she set her helmet aside pulled down the zip of her race suit,leaving it low at her waist.
A headset was handed to her and she moved over to one of the monitors to view the rest of the session.
"You alright?"Daniel asked as he came up beside her.
She nodded,avoiding his gaze.
"What happened?"He questioned,clearly concerned.
"I fucked up."She muttered,choosing not to mention the reason.
Daniel sighed and put an arm across her shoulders,giving her a reassuring side-hug.
"Don't worry."He said."You'll show them tomorrow."
"I doubt that."She shook her head.
"Hey,"He said."Trust me.Just put your mind to it."
She gave him a lazy smile,grateful for his support and encouragement.

While exiting the media pen after interviews,Kiara met up with Ivy,who had qualified seventh after the session.Ivy made no comment.She mostly talked about what she would do during the break,which Kiara was thankful for.
"And maybe you could join if you want to?"Ivy offered as she talked about a day of activities she and Lando had planned out.
Kiara kindly declined the offer,since it mostly seemed like a time for both Mclaren drivers to be together.Even if she did happen to accept,she guessed that she would most-likely be third-wheeling since Ivy did not mention anyone else going.
"Nathan interviewed me,by the way."Ivy rolled her eyes.
"I saw."Kiara said,since she had noticed it already when in the media pen.Thankfully and once again,he did not interview her.
"He asked me if I would consider you a big rival both on and off track."Ivy said."Like,honestly-"
"My suggestion," Kiara told her."Find an answer that humiliates him for asking in the first place."
"Yeah."She nodded."Like,I get the question about on track...But off track?"
Kiara shrugged,shaking her head at the that man's annoying personality.
"So..."A smile slowly crept up to Ivy's face."Did he ask you?"
"Who?Carlos?"Kiara glanced at Ivy.
"No,Kiara."She sarcastically replied while rolling her eyes."Nathan."
"Not funny."Kiara gave her a flat look,receiving a lazy smile in return."But...Yes,Carlos actually asked me yesterday."
"When?"Ivy demanded."Where?"
"Monday."Kiara answered,holding back a smile.
"And where?"
"He never told me yet..."
Ivy nodded with a grin."Oh,so I'm guessing it's a surprise?"
"A surprise on the first day?" Kiara arched a brow.
The Mclaren driver shrugged."Stuff happens,Ki."
"Hey,"Someone said,coming up beside Kiara.
"Speak of the red demon and he arrives."Kiara said without glancing at Carlos.Ivy laughed at that,then looked away and spotted someone."See you guys later."She waved,purposefully walking off and leaving Kiara with Carlos.
Kiara glared at her as she left,a warning look that only got a wink in return.
"So,I see that you're talking about me."Carlos joked.
Kiara looked at him and shook her head."Assume what you want."
"Oh,I'll assume what I know,cariño."He smiled.
"Are you that desperate,Sainz?"She asked,slightly smiling.
He lifted his brows at her and she just gave him a lazy smile.
A moment of silence passed by,Kiara not knowing what to say.She had her gaze lowered,feeling a little shy as Carlos observed her.Of course,she wouldn't admit that aloud.But she was quite sure that he could sense it.
"Are you okay?"He asked.
She didn't meet his gaze,only nodding.And she had no interest in talking about the mess from earlier.
"Are you sure?" He made sure.
"I'm fine."She said,sighing."It was a stupid mistake."
"The same corner from last year,no?"He pursed his lips."I don't mean to offend-"
"Just some deja vu,Carlos."She shook her head.
"It's to do with last year."He said."I can tell.And don't even try to lie to me."
"Fine,"She told him."Yes,it's about my crash from last year.Is there a problem?"
"Yes,Kiara."He said with a more serious tone."It is,in fact,a problem."He paused for a moment,then added."One that you can talk to me about."
"And why should I do that?"She lifted an eyebrow.
"Because what happened last year was my fault,which means that this year,I am still to blame."
"I appreciate your honesty,"She sighed."But what's done is done.I messed up.Its in the past."
"The race is tomorrow."He tried to make things clear to her.
"And?"She snapped,avoiding eye contact and glancing around to find an excuse to leave.
"And you need to focus."He said."Let me-"
"I don't need your help."said Kiara."Its none of your business."
She found herself feeling as though she was back to the time she and Carlos always argued over petty things.And this time,she seemed a bit too good at letting that feeling take over.
He sighed and glanced around,looking as though he was about to say something.And she expected him to,which was why she turned to walk back to garage.But he didn't say anything,rather keeping silent as she felt his eyes watching her from behind while she walked away from him.
Kiara half-regretted the way she spoke,since he was only trying to help her out.And she also felt that regret because the man was literally taking her out tomorrow on a date.To be honest and obvious,nobody would do that to their date before the actual date even happened.Most people would,of course and definitely,not snap at the one who was only trying to help.Yet,she seemed to fall in the category that did it.
Something caught on to her mind,which caused her to make a last minute decision and go back to apologising,even though apologising was something she found hard to do.
Kiara turned around,taking a deep breath.She avoided eye contact with anyone in the crowd that was dispersed around the paddock,looking back to where she had left Carlos.But,not so surprisingly,he was nowhere to be seen.