Right On Track

Chapter 38

"Good luck today."
"Thanks."Kiara said as her mother wished her good luck for the race.
Holding her phone to her ear and leaving the house,her mother added."But most of all-"
"Be careful?"Kiara chuckled."Yes,I know.I will."
"I'm serious."She said."This is Monaco.Remember what happened to Alora last year?"
"Yeah..."Kiara muttered,remembering her sister's crash from last year."But I promise,I'll try my best and be careful."
"Good."She sighed."And you know,Elijah is already waiting by the television to watch this race."
"Carlos is going to pass her by turn three."Elijah shouted from wherever he was near the phone.
"Mom,tell Elijah that Carlos is only starting in fourth."
"And you're only starting in second,Ki."He replied.
"Better than fourth."She said,walking to her car.She got into her car,closing the door and saying."Anyway,I have to go now."
"Okay.And good luck."Her mother said."Bye,Ki.
"Bye."She said,hanging up and putting her phone away.
She started her car and was soon on her way to the circuit.

"All good?"Santiago asked,showing Kiara the strategy for,probably,the fourth time.
Kiara nodding,slowly starting to walk away.
She walked out of the garage,following Lydia.Apparently Lydia and Caco had planned yet another thing for the stunt they believed to be going on.Kiara didn't know when she and Carlos would finally break it to them,but today seemed like the perfect opportunity with what they had planned.
"Okay..."Lydia said as they neared the Ferrari garage."You ready?"
Kiara shrugged and played along with it."Do I have a choice?"
"Nope."
"Yeah,that's what I thought."
Lydia checked her watch,then motioned to the Ferrari garage as Carlos stepped out into the pit lane and approached her,Caco following Lydia as she stepped away.
Carlos held back a smile,stopping in front of Kiara."So,what has my cousin and your manager decided now?"
"Oh,it's horrible,Carlos."Kiara said sarcastically,making herself sound dramatic."We have to hug!"
He laughed."You know,maybe you should have just considered being an actress."
Kiara shrugged,finally letting herself smile."Can we just tell them about it.Like now."
"We can hint it."He snickered."I mean,they're literally watching us from nearby."
"Okay..."She said."What do we do,though?I mean,aside from what they want us to do."
"Well,they're just expecting a hug."He smiled."I'll add something more."
"And that it?"
"Trust me."He winked.
Kiara glanced around,seeing that the pit lane was still a little crowded.She nodded and then looked over at Lydia and Caco where they stood near the Ferrari garage.
Lydia gave her a thumbs-up,obviously not knowing what was about to happen.
Kiara looked at Carlos again,holding back a laugh.Carlos took that as the cue to go.He pulled her by the waist,into a hug.
She leaned her head on his chest for a second,quietly saying."They're either going to be mad or just speechless."
"Yeah,"He chuckled."They think that you probably just want to slap me right now."
"Hey,don't test me."She said."I'll do it if you tempt me."
"Okay,okay."He laughed,moving a hand up to her shoulder."I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted."She smiled,placing both hands on his chest.
He winked,then leaned down and kissed her.
So,that was his idea.
Kiara kissed him back,then laughed in-between,trying to imagine Lydia and Caco's expressions.
After a moment,Carlos pulled away.
"We are such great schemers."Kiara said.
"Partners in crime."He winked.
A minute passed by and Lydia finally approached them,Caco following.
"Carlos."Lydia nodded,then cleared her throat."You didn't have to-"
"Just a hug."Caco said."We just told you two to hug!"
Kiara shrugged,then looked at both the managers."Sorry,we got carried away."She checked her watch,saying."I should probably get back to the garage.Anyway,good luck on the race,Carlito."
Lydia frowned,Caco's lifting both brows.
Kiara smiled,then motioned for Lydia to leave with her.
Though,just before she could even walk away,she stopped as someone called Carlos' name and approached.
"Amber?"Carlos arched a brow.
"Hi."She smiled.
Kiara paused,glaring at the woman who was once her personal trainer.
"What are you doing here?"Carlos asked,avoiding Kiara's gaze as Amber gave him a side-hug.
He knew.He knew who Amber once was.And he hadn't said a thing,rather pretending if she was someone that Kiara didn't know.
"I got invited."She said,holding up her paddock pass,putting her other hand on Carlos' arm for a second,then dropping it.
Kiara narrowed her eyes,looking her up and down.
"By?" Lydia frowned,clearly thinking the exact same thing as Kiara.
Amber,pretending as if she hadn't seen them there at first,turned to them."Oh,Lydia.Long time no see."
"Better that way."Lydia muttered.
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
Amber looked at Kiara."And you...Well,hi,I guess."
"What are you doing here?"Kiara snapped."Isn't Nathan waiting around for you or something?"
"Kiara."Carlos said."Please-"
"What?"
"It's clearly not her day."Amber said,looking up at Carlos with a smile."Don't worry."
"Umm,Carlos-"
"Try not to talk that way about my driver,Amber."Lydia cut Caco off."Disrespecting a driver yet again can have it's consequences."
"What?" Amber put on an innocent face,glancing between Carlos and Lydia."I don't-"
"Carlos,can I talk to you for a second?"Kiara glared at him,clenching a fist.
"Kiara,please."He wouldn't even meet her gaze."Just calm down."
"Carlos,"Amber said."I need to talk to you.Can we go to the garage?"
Kiara stared at her in disbelief.
It wasn't fair.She had the right to know that one of friends was literally the woman who Nathan cheated on her with.
That night in Baku,in the car.Carlos had lied to her that it wasn't the person that she was thinking about.And he-
"Kiara."Christian said from behind.
Kiara clenched her jaw,looked Carlos up and down,then turned to her team principle.
She left them,Lydia following her as she walked up to Christian.
"We need you in the garage."He said.Then,he glanced behind her for a second.He seemed to hold back a scoff as he noticed Amber nearby."Oh,god."
"Yeah,well she got invited to the paddock."Kiara rolled her eyes.
"By who?"Christian frowned.
"We don't know."Lydia sighed."But I'll find out."
He looked at Kiara."Was it Sainz?"
"I...don't know."
"I swear,if it's him-"
"Okay,okay."Lydia stopped him."Let's not go all parental mode on Kiara here.She needs to get ready for the race."
Kiara sighed,almost throwing her hands up in frustration.
"Okay,"Christian nodded."Just...Stay focused during the race."
Kiara nodded,then walked off to her driver's room.On her way,Carlos ran up behind her,asking her to hold on for a second.
She whirled around,snapping her gaze to his.
"Kiara."He said."Why-"
"Why did you lie to me?"She asked.
He swallowed."I didn't want to make you mad.And things were just starting to settle down.I didn't want to mess it up by bringing up who it was."
"Carlos,I had the right to know."She crossed her arms.
"I know."He said."And I'm sorry.I didn't mean any harm."
She looked at him for a moment.His expression seemed sincere.But she didn't know what to think.
"Just be honest with me next time,Carlos."She sighed,eventually giving up on what to say.
"I'm sorry,mi amor."He said,putting a hand on her arm and stepping closer.He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead,trying to pull her closer,probably into an apologetic hug.
Kiara put a hand on his chest,stopping him."I have to go get ready.We'll talk later."
"Okay."He nodded,pursing his lips."Good luck on the race."
"Thanks."She nodded,then turned to leave.

"Woah,Kiara."Santiago said on the radio as she went onto her next lap,setting the fastest time along with it."Try to keep the tyre wear in mind.We have no more scheduled pit stops."
Kiara gave a dry response,having the urge to just do better than the last lap.
She had just taken the lead from Max,setting a gap with it.
"Okay,five laps to go."Santiago said.
His words barely went through her mind.She didn't even give a response,still gripping the steering wheel firmer than she normally would,her gaze hard and set on the track.
She was pushing to win this race at all costs.She had to.It was as if it was the only thing that could prove how she wasn't a driver to be meddled with.
Like Christian had said,though,she had to focus.
Some time passed by,then Kiara finally heard it from Santiago."Yes!Yes,Kiara you did it.You are now a race winner in Monaco!"
"Yes!"She exclaimed,starting to smile."Thanks to the team.Really appreciate it."
Now,that's what made her mood lighten up.
As soon as she got out of her car,she didn't even hesitate to show how excited she was.
She ran straight to the team,all.of them cheering her name,patting her on the back.
Santiago gave her a hug,a grin on his face as he said."Well done,Ki."
"Thanks."She said,giving him a high-five.
Kiara was soon in the cool down room minutes later.Fernando,as well as Esteban,were also on the podium.
She ran a hand through her hair,sighing and taking a sip from a bottle of water.
"Good race."Fernando said,nodding as she sat down beside him.
"Yeah."She chuckled."I can't believe I did this.Just two days ago I was complaining about my performance on this track."
"And you."Fernando said,turning to Esteban."Well done."
He ruffled up his hair and Esteban grinned."I did my best."
Kiara nodded in acknowledgment.For an Alpine to reach the podium...That was a really good result.
Kiara grew more excited by the second,even as they approached the podium.She just couldn't wait to see that trophy.
Smiling brightly,she started to think about Carlos.Oh,she was definitely going to rub this in his face after this.She planned to go find him as soon as the celebration was over.
After the trophy was handed to her,she grinned and held it up,listened and watching as the team cheered for her from below.And before the champagne was sprayed,she glanced at the crowd,trying to see if she could spot Carlos.Just in case he had an opportunity to come.
When she couldn't see him there,she shrugged it off and sprayed Fernando back as he poured some of the champagne on her.
She was definitely going straight to Carlos after this.She loved the look on his face when he saw her like this.And she always got excited to see him after a good race.
As soon as the podium celebration was over,she left and started off to find him.Sje even avoided Lydia and took off,forgetting that she still had her trophy in hand.He must have been in the Ferrari garage.Maybe his drivers room,which would be better since there would be less interruptions.
Kiara started to pick up her pace,way too happy to stop and just go back.
She even still had the trophy in her hands,since she didn't really have anywhere to put it after she had just left the podium without a word to her team.
Kiara tried to avoid some of the crowd as she approached the Ferrari garage.
Her smile grew as she saw the red Ferrari racing suit first.He was standing outside the garage.Though,he wasn't alone.
He was talking too Amber again,seeming ad though he was confused and trying to reason with her about something.
Kiara arched a brow,wondering why he looked so confused.She could have sworn that Amber even glanced her way for a second.She had a bad feeling about it all.
Then,just as Kiara was about to approach them,she stopped dead in her tracks.
She paused,eyes slightly widening as Amber pulled Carlos down into a kiss.
Kiara even heard her own breath hitch as she watched it in that moment.She even felt her heart start to beat faster,her grip tightening on the trophy in her hand.
She watched as Carlos didn't pull back after even three seconds.
Though,when he did,that's when Kiara turned around and started to walk away,something like deep hurt running through her.
Carlos seemed to realise that she saw it.He called her name and she even heard him running up to her.
"Kiara-"he tried to stop her,putting a hand on her arm.
She shoved his hand away,walking faster.
"Please,listen to me."He begged,reaching out again and coming closer.
As soon as he was close enough,she wasted no time in shoving him really hard,causing him to stumble back.
And a second after she did that,she actually started crying.And she ran away to her drivers room.