Right On Track

Chapter 15

"Woah,easy there."said one of the marshals as they helped Kiara out of her car.
Kiara,surprisingly not very hurt from the crash,emerged from her car while replying."I'm fine."
She observed the state of her car,a gash in the side-pod and one of the back tires falling off.The rear wing was slightly damaged too.And she started to think about the damage that was dealt on the floor and side of the car that had hit the wall.And to think that this was only the external damage...
There was quite a bit of debris around.She didn't take off her helmet,mostly to hide the expression on her face.Her hand moved to the back of her neck,where there was a slight pain.She flexed the fingers of her other hand before smoothing it over her race suit,which had bits of gravel on it.Something soon caught her eye.A chunk of debris lying on the ground nearby.She approached a piece of the broken wing from Carlos's car,looked at it for a moment,then picked it up and threw it aside in frustration.
"Bastard."She muttered,clenching both fists as she thought about him.
One of the marshals came up to her,telling her that she needed to make her way over to the medical tent.She wanted to flip them off,but soon sighed and followed him away,thinking about how she would give that Ferrari driver hell after this.
While the medic examined Kiara,she thought about what the FIA would do about it.And internally,she wanted to shout at them to make Carlos Sainz recieve no points for what he had done.She was so frustrated that even the medic was careful when asking her questions.
"What?"Kiara frowned as her father walked into the tent.
"What?!" Toto exclaimed."Kiara,stop acting as if you didn't just crash."He walked over to her and sat down on the chair beside the stretcher."Are you okay?"
When she gave him a plain glare,He looked at the medic and asked."She is fine,right?"
The medic nodded."Just a bruise on her back and another on her left shoulder.It should be fine."
"Are you sure?"He questioned.
"Dad,I think she knows how to do her job."Kiara said,although the look of the bruises really bothered her.
Toto sighed,massaging his temples.
"It wasn't my fault."She told him.
He looked up at her from where he sat on the chair."I know.I know,it wasn't your fault.You had the apex and he hit the breaks too late."
"See-"
"Kiara?"Christian walked in.He approached her,not even looking Toto's way."Are you alright?"
"I'm good."She said,loosing a sigh.
"She's fine."Toto said,standing up."You can talk about it in your team meeting,now let her rest-"
The medic took a few steps away and went to look a report on a nearby table.Christian ignored Toto,rather saying."I am going to have a word about it with the stewards.The action is unacceptable and there has to be consequences."
"No,"Toto told him."I will be the one to talk to the stewards-"
"To help your rival team?"Christian said."Sure,be my guest-"
"Oh,my god."Kiara groaned,rolling her eyes while slapping her palm against her forehead.She hated it when they fought like this,fought like children.
"Excuse me?"Santiago walked in,clearing his throat.
"Yes,uhh-"
"Santiago,Mr.Wolff."He told Toto.
Christian asked."What is it?"
"This better be something good."Kiara said,crossing her arms.
"The stewards made the decision to give Sainz a penalty." Santiago informed them.
"Good." Toto nodded."He is the one who hit her first."
"Which team are you on again,Toto?"said Christian.
"Not Ferrari."He said,crossing his arms just like Kiara had done.
Kiara sighed,but then turned back to Santiago."How much?"
"Five seconds."
"Woah."Christian nodded."That's got to put him out of points."
"It did."Santiago said."He just missed the points at P11."
"Oh."Kiara blinked.That was a big one...One he would beg to be taken away.
"But nothing was given to Kiara,right?" Christian made sure.
Santiago shook his head."Nothing,fortunately."
"Okay..."Kiara nodded."And what about Esteban and Pierre?Are they fine?"
"Both are fine."He replied."As for their cars...I could say that Alpine have a lot of work to do."
"Alright."Christian nodded."Thank you,Santiago."
Kiara's race engineer nodded,then gave her a look that asked if she was fine.She gave him a thumbs-up and he walked out.
But Kiara was soon angry again,a slight pout coming to her face.She had been doing so well through that race.She literally had only two laps left...Her focus was on point and she had managed to pass that turn with ease each time.She was even becoming slightly proud of herself.
But then it all happened...And she had it all swiped from under her feet.
However,Carlos got the penalty for it after all.And it wasn't a small one that he could just brush off.She found herself feeling good at that,as though he deserved it all.But another feeling accompanied the pride.And this feeling pulled her down into guilt,into feeling sorry for him.
"Its okay,Kiara."Toto said,giving her a pat on the shoulder."Next race will be yours.Well...I half hope not,for my sake."
She laughed a little at that,then watched him leave.
A few moments passed by and she finally asked Christian."So,Max won it?"
He nodded."His first time here in Australia." He checked his watch."As a matter of fact,I need to go to the podium celebration now."
"Okay."Kiara nodded."That's a good one he got for the team."
As Christian was about to leave,he said."Your sister got second.I reckon you'll be watching or...?"
"I'll decide." She told him.She might consider going to watch the podium celebration for Alora.Her sister had done really well,as a matter of fact.She had really done a good job this race.
A few moments passed by and Kiara rolled down the sleeves of her race under wear and stood up from the stretcher.She let out a heavy sigh,grabbing a water bottle from nearby.
"Is she free to go?"Lydia asked,poking her head through the entrance of the medical tent.
"Yeah,"Kiara looked at the medic before taking a sip of water."Can I go?"
The medic nodded."You're good to go."She walked up to Lydia and handed her a slip of paper."Give this to her when she attends a consultation with a doctor."
Lydia nodded and motioned for Kiara to follow her out.
"Please don't tell me-"
"No interviews,for now."Lydia gave a weak smile,her grey eyes showing sincerity.
Kiara pursed her lips."He got the penalty."
"As I've seen."Lydia replied,gesturing with a hand towards one of the large tv screens nearby.
They walked through the paddock,towards the area of the podium stand,not really exchanging words.
But Lydia soon asked."So,I'm assuming that your plans for tomorrow are cancelled."
"Oh,absolutely."Kiara answered with a firm and angry tone.After the argument,after what Carlos had told her and after the crash,she couldn't help but think of the accident rather being deliberate.As much as it didn't make sense for him to deliberately crash into her,she found herself blindly believing that.
"I heard what he told you before the race."Lydia shook her head."That one was just horrible."
"Yes,Lydia."Kiara said."Telling me to just go ahead and die in crash is obviously horrible."
She went silent at that,then Kiara felt bad about her comment."I'm sorry,Lydia."She said,clenching her jaw."I'm just-Shit,I don't know what to do."She grew angrier even as she just saw the Ferrari logo while passing anything or anyone.His words echoed once again in her head,the deep comment hitting her harder each time she thought deeper on it.
Oh,then why don't you go ahead and crash to get that miserable life of yours done with?
Kiara clenched her jaw,her knuckles turning white as she kept her fist tightly closed.As she made her way to the podium celebration,she ignored any big screens in sight,since there would obviously be a chance that they would display the driver that she wanted to punch in the face.
And as if on cue,the asshole made an appearance.
Carlos walked along the walkway in the paddock,out of the Ferrari garage and avoiding questions by journalists.He seemed quite set on doing something,making his way to a certain place.
Kiara's expression darkened,causing Lydia to quickly say."Kiara,no."
Kiara shot her manager a look,then took a few steps towards the Ferrari driver's path.
Carlos immediately sensed her gaze on him,his eyes observing her.There was something like concern lacing his gaze,but she didn't bother thinking about that,rather pulling her hair up into a pony-tail with a hair tie as they both started to approached each other.He could see the rage,but chose to ignore it and come closer.
"Kiara-"
She ignored Lydia and stopped in front of Carlos,holding his gaze as his harsh words played in her mind once again.
He stopped right in front of her,in arms reach,looking down at her.He studied her face,then began to ask a question,clearly not understanding the reason she bothered to approached him.Her fist was ready at her side.
"Kiara,are you-"
She cut his question off by hooking her arm through the air,sending a punch his way while grunting in frustration.
Fortunately for him,his reflexes were good,just like that of any other f1 driver.He dodged it at the last second,leaning back.
Kiara,her anger increasing at that,pretended to send another punch.He fell for it,leaving himself distracted as she gave a kick to his shin.Carlos gritted his teeth,holding back a grunt as he slightly bent down to feel his leg.She took the opportunity to tell him something as he was leaning down to her level while looking down at his shin.He didn't fight back,rather staying quiet and listening to her as whispered into his ear."Unfortunately for you,my 'miserable' life didn't end during the crash caused by you." He held back any words,meeting her gaze with his brown eyes,which for some reason seemed to be red,as if something had happened even before this.
Kiara,having done and said what she wanted to,just held his gaze as she heard a few people call her name from behind her.
Carlos swallowed,looking at her face once more.And then he said."I'm sorry."
Lydia,who was half in shock,grabbed onto Kiara's shoulder and pulled her back.When Kiara finally backed off,Ivy ran over,putting herself between her and Carlos.
Two people from the Ferrari garage rushed over and moved Carlos aside,checking up on him.
People that were standing all around intercepted Kiara's view of him,some being the security and some being just other members of the other teams.A small crowd had formed and it would have been bigger if it weren't for the podium celebration.There were two journalists already asking questions,Lydia trying to wave them off.
Kiara ignored everyone around her.
Well...That was until Christian and made an appearance.Christian was clearly disappointed.It was written all over his face.He had left the podium celebration just to sort out this matter.
"The briefing room.Now."He told Lydia."Inform Vasseur and Sainz,as well."