Hollow River

13.

The next race was in Monaco. It was gonna be my first race as a strategist and probably the most challenging one if one of the drivers crashed.

Please don't crash.

I thought about what to write back to my mystery guy a lot.
I couldn't meet him. Not yet.

Hi mystery guy,

I don't think I am ready to meet you just yet. You could be a murderer for all I know ;)
I hope you'll understand because I don't think I am ready to lose you.
You're the highlight of my day.

Well yeah I thought you worked for Red Bull - so I guess you don't.
Can I have a little hint? What color is your hospitality?

PS: I guess our first date is settled then. PIZZA!

PSS: I attached something I wrote. You can keep it.

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"I will give you a little hint who your secret admirer is, just to motivate you" Max said as we walked in the paddock together.

I was excited to hear that. I really wanted to figure out who he was, maybe I would gain confidence to actually meet him.

"I am listening" I said as I scanned my paddock pass. "He has brown hair" he said with a smile on his face.

Almost everyone had brown hair in this paddock, it wasn't a hint at all.

"That's a shitty hint" I chuckled. "Hey, that's all you get before the race" there was something in the way he said that, he said the word 'before' a little louder, especially the end of that word.

Fore.

What does that mean?

He was playing with my mind, as if that was gonna help to make him win races. I shrugged it off. Monaco was difficult enough without his games.

"Hi River" Christian greeted me as soon as I walked in the hospitality. "Are you ready for today?"

I was ready. I spend so much time preparing for qualifying, but I couldn't prepare everything.
Monaco was also challenging because you never knew what was gonna happen.

You had to be ready for everything and I felt as if I was. I definitely was.

"I am, let's get this pole" I smiled, trying to hide my nerves. "Well she definitely has a good motivation to do well" Max started laughing but quickly stopped when he saw that I actually wanted to kill him.

Christian couldn't know that I was talking to someone who didn't work for Red Bull, or just someone who worked in this paddock in general.

He didn't need to know I was talking to a guy.

"Yeah? What's the reason then?" Christian asked. "I like Max so much that I really want to see him on pole" I lied and wrapped my arms around Max.

Yes Max, you've to suffer with me. It's because of you that I am in this position.

"Damn it's cosy here" that damn British voice. What was he doing here? I quickly let go of Max and turned around.

Before I even could ask why he was here, Christian smiled. "Good to see you Lando, follow me please"

Lando and Christian both walked off to his office, but not before Lando smirked at me.
That damn smirk.

"Someone got jealous" Max nudged my shoulder. "No, we hate each other" I almost laughed at Max's assumption

Lando wasn't jealous, he hated me. It also kinda worried me that he didn't take revenge yet. I stole his money and he just did nothing about it.

It made me think he was actually planning his revenge. Planning it carefully so it would hurt me even more.

He wouldn't let me get away with spending his money.