RED LINE [3]

10:00

Madeline Scott: 

She was slow and it was my fault.

I watched as her lap times got slower and slower as she rounded the pitlane, slamming my hand on the desk. I didn't even bother to ask how Jack was doing, knowing he would be fine – but my mind was on her and the words she had yelled at me.

I never knew about France and what happened, I had been so caught up in my own life, not taking a second to worry about hers, despite all the money I had invested in her from such a young age.

Come on Maddy, push.

"She needs to hurry up or she wont make it into Q2," Andrew said to me, moving his headset to the side slightly. I replied with a nod of my head, biting onto my knuckle.

She came around again, this time even slower than she was before, I felt like throwing my headset across the pit lane.

The crowd was overwhelming, their screams louder than I had ever heard before – the main screen for the pit lane zoomed in on Charles as he was talking to one of the technicians, ignoring the camera pointed towards him.

If I craned my neck hard enough I could just about see him four garages down, but I didn't have time, "Madeline you need to say something to her, she isn't responding to me," Andrews cry for help almost startles me as I draw my attention back to the screens in front of us.

Jack was doing well despite the traffic he was caught up in, I didn't need to tell him what to do, he just knew – but she needed me, more than ever.

She felt abandoned and I knew how that feeling felt first hand; I felt terrible knowing I wasn't there for her back in France a year ago, especially when something like that had happened, she didn't deserve it and I hated how she thought I was avoiding her.

"Maddy? Radio check?" I pressed her name on the wall, hoping she wouldn't ignore me, I knew the radio was working fine.

A few seconds passed and the car slowed more, Jack passing her.

I watch the cameras as he draws his car up alongside hers, pausing momentarily. I watch as he raises his hand to her, Bailey and Talia going around him.

She didn't even move her head to look at him.

Come on Maddy.

"Maddy darling, listen to me," I took in a deep breath, clutching onto the screen in front of me, watching her driver cam, "what happened to you does not have to define you, every emotion you are feeling right now, put it under your foot and drive with it."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you Maddy, that was selfish of me to shut you out like that, but you need to drive – forget about earlier, it's in the past now, but you're in the precent, you're right where you worked so hard for."

I didn't know if I was speaking to her or myself anymore.

"Aim for the stars Maddy."

Jack went around her, chasing after Bailey and Talia who were now crossing the line in front of the pit lanes.

Come on Maddy.

By some God above, she slams her foot down, pushing around the last corner. I jump up from my crouched position, shaking Andrew violently by his shoulders as I clap happily for her.

She finished in P9 despite having trotted around the first few laps, Jack was P5 – the garage was ecstatic as I crossed over, hugging a few technicians and shaking Maddy's dads hand.