Right On Track

Chapter 43

"Careful."Santiago said on the radio."Lando behind.Gap is three seconds."
"Is my gap extending?"Kiara asked after a few moments.
"Yes,but keep it up,though."He replied."Ferrari and Mclaren are fighting for fourth behind you."
"Okay."She said,trying to push further to keep her podium position.
It was currently the spring race,the race which wasn't going as planned for Kiara.
During the shootout,she managed to get P2 for the start.
But now,during the sprint,she had dropped to P3,Alora taking second away from her.
Kiara tried to get the position back from the Mercedes driver,but she eventually found herself defending her spot at P3 against Lando.
Thankfully now,though,Lando was caught up with one of the Ferraris behind.
Kiara soon set her sights on catching Alora again.Her sister,just like her,obviously wanted to win something at home as well.
She tried decrease the gap,getting closer to Alora by the next lap.
However by lap eleven,Santiago came back on the radio,reporting."Lando fell behind.Ferrari have gained the position."
"Copy."Kiara said,looking at her mirrors to see if they were close.The gap wasn't so big after all.
"Sainz or Leclerc?"Kiara asked Santiago.
"Sainz."Santiago said."The gap is closing,currently at two seconds."
Kiara pushed further,trying to add on to those seconds as she moved on to the next lap.She needed to be on the podium.She really wanted to.For herself,for the team and for her family who watched from the garage.
After a few moments,Kiara was starting to approach the main straight.She went through the last turn and sped towards the straight.Though,she soon found herself being pressurised into speeding up as Carlos gained more momentum than her,catching up at the start of the straight.
She tried to hold the position,doing her best.
But then Carlos used the slipstream to find the needed speed,quickly swerving beside her,starting to get ahead.
Kiara still tried to hold the position,though.She wouldn't give it up easily.
They approached turn one,both cars beside each other and wheel-to-wheel as they reached the end of the straight.
Kiara chose to brake late,turning on the outside and pulling towards the middle of the track to cut him off and get ahead.
Then,just as she thought it to be the perfect   thing to do,she felt her car swerve to the side,almost drifting as Carlos hit the rear.
The car skidded off the track,almost doing a 360°.But Kiara managed to hold it,using her strength to direct her car back to the track.But by the time she did so,he was already ahead,even creating a gap already.
"That's not right!"Kiara claimed on the radio."The stewards have to check that out!"
"We know,Kiara."Santiago said."We're already on it."
"He fucking pushed me!"She snapped,trying to regain her momentum as she started to drive properly in-line again."That has to be a penalty."
She carried on driving at P4 for the last remaining laps,trying to get back to Carlos.But she was too far away to clear the  gap in time.He managed to set one really fast already.She knew that she wouldn't reach on time.
And her hopes of getting that podium for the sprint were all taken away as she passed the checkered flag in fourth.
"P4."Santiago said."Not a bad result.But we definitely deserve to be on that podium."
"Any feedback from the FIA?"Kiara asked in her now hard tone as she pulled her car into the pit lane.
"They are still checking."He replied.
Still checking? Kiara thought to herself. He hit the car from behind.
Kiara sighed as she got out of her car.She walked around to the back to see the damage done by Carlos' car.Seeing a dent and also a part of the rear broken,Kiara muttered a curse under her breath.No wonder she couldn't catch up in time...
Kiara looked up from the car and saw her sister at a distance,getting out of her car happily as she received P2 for the sprint.

Kiara didn't feel like going anywhere else but the garage after the sprint race.She really needed to know what was happening in terms of the contact made on track.
Elijah and her mother were going to head over to the Mercedes garage to see Alora as she had just finished her interview.They asked Kiara more than once to come along.
She had declined each time,wanting to wait to hear from the stewards as soon as possible.She needed to hear that Carlos got the penalty he deserved.Five seconds would fit just fine.
Kiara crossed her arms,standing near one of the monitors in the garage.She waited for Santiago to report back to her.And after another few moments,he finally walked back from the pit wall to the garage.
"And?"Kiara asked,pulling her hair up into a pony-tail and putting her cap on.
Santiago sighed,shaking his head."The stewards are not handing over any penalty to Sainz."
"What?!"Kiara frowned."But why?"
"Apparently you were the one to be driving dangerously at that turn."He sighed,pinching the bridge of his nose."Christian and I still tried to reason with them.But they eventually stopped us and warned us that we would receive a penalty for dangerous driving if we continued to negotiate."
Kiara clenched a fist,letting that sink in.
Unfair,as always...
She clenched her jaw and nodded at Santiago,then turned around and started to walk out of the garage.
She stepped out and started to walk along the length of the paddock,her expression stern because of the news.In terms of fans,she only stopped for a few,continuing forward to go to the Ferrari garage.
If Red Bull were warned about receiving the penalty for negotiations,Ferrari could just receive it by admitted it themselves.And Kiara wanted to make that clear to Carlos as soon as she saw the idiot.
She got a little deja vu as she did this,but she pushed those memories away and stormed over towards the Ferrari garage.Even a few people around noticed her mood and stayed out of her way,some even stopping to watch.
But just as she was about to go ahead to the Ferrari garage when it came into view,someone grabbed her by the wrist,saying."Woah,what mission are you on now,angry Red Bull."
Kiara turned around to face Esteban,her anger still displayed on her expression.
He arched a brow,looking down at her."What's the situation?I only heard that it has something to do with penalties."
She exhaled."Carlos hit me and pushed me off the track.My car now has damage and the stewards aren't even going to give a single penalty to him."
Esteban frowned."What?Why?"
"Apparently,my driving was 'too dangerous' and I could also be one to receive a penalty."She crossed her arms.
He frowned."So,now what?You're just going to waltz into the Ferrari garage and demand that they accept a penalty?"
"Well...Yeah."Kiara snapped."It's not fair!I worked hard for that and now he just took it away-"
"Kiara,relax."He shook his head."There's literally a whole Grand Prix tomorrow still.Race day is only tomorrow.Just calm down."
By telling her to calm down,he only made her angrier.
She sighed in frustration,immediately turning away from him.Why wouldn't anybody just understand her?
She started off,but he grabbed her by the arm and quickly pulled her back.
She almost hit his chest as he did so,but he put hand on her back and pulled her into a hug,saying."I know,it's frustrating."
Kiara stood there,hesitant for a moment.
He stroked his hand down her back reassuringly."But sometimes there's nothing we can do.And we just have to deal with it and do better next time."
She swallowed,slowly lifting her hands to hug him back as he tried to reason with her.
"Trust me,okay?"He said,still holding her close."You'll show them tomorrow."
Kiara calmed down a little at that.Not completely,but a little.She put her arms around him for a moment as he gave her a reassuring squeeze,leaning down and whispering into her ear."Besides,what goes around,comes around.They will eventually get what they deserve."
Kiara almost smiled at his sudden change of words.But what stopped her from even smiling that little bit was the feeling she got.Something felt wrong.And it felt like someone was watching.Of course,There was always someone watched in the paddock.But this felt different.
Kiara cleared her throat and stepped back from the hug,suddenly grateful that he had stopped her from doing something so stupid.
She looked up at Esteban,saying."Thanks."
He smiled,nodding."No problem."
She glanced towards the Ferrari garage,then back to him.An idiotic thing she would have done if he hadn't stopped her...Such a stupid mistake.
Kiara thanked him one more time,then greeted him and turned to go back to the Red Bull garage,feeling a little embarrassment with it as she thought about her actions.
She started to walk off,checking the time.She had totally forgot that she had better things to do than argue with Ferrari over a penalty in a sprint.Not only would Ferrari make it a problem,but Christian would actually get really mad at her for doing such without telling him.
On the way back to the Red Bull garage,Kiara pulled out her phone.She saw the first text from Lydia.She had forgotten about Lydia...The interview she had to attend in about fifteen minutes.

Lydia: Where are you??

Kiara: Went for a walk.I'll be there soon.

L: Meet me at the media pen.

K: 👍👍

Kiara started to pick up the pace,walking faster to get to the media pen.
While still looking down at the phone,just as Kiara sent that final message,she almost yelped as she dropped her phone when bumping into someone.
"Woah,I'm so sorry."Kiara said to whoever it was as she caught her balance and crouched down to pick up her phone.
She bent down and grabbed the phone,but her gaze paused on the person's shoes as she noticed that it was red racing shoes.Still crouched down,her gaze slowly moved up from his legs,to his chest,and finally to his face.
Kiara cleared her throat,shoving her phone into her pocket.She stood up from the ground and changed her expression,now almost frowning."Watch where you're going."
Carlos arched a brow."You're the one who bumped into me."
"You're the one who was standing in my way."She shrugged.
Amusement hit his gaze for a second.But it soon left,his gaze going stern again.
"What was that?A minute ago with Esteban?"
"Why do you care?"Kiara rolled her eyes,looking up at him as she crossed her arms.She started to think about what happened during the race,too...How he had snatched her position by hitting her off track.
He clenched his jaw."Moving on that fast?"
"What?"Kiara frowned."I am not in a relationship with him."
"It sure looked like it."He said.
"Oh,so now I'm the one who moves on fast?"She scoffed."What happens to your new girlfriend?Amber?"
"She's not my girlfriend."He snapped,anger clearly rising at the comment.
Kiara arched a brow."Wow,so she played you for a day?"
"Kiara."He warned.
"I guess she's the one who moves on fast."Kiara shrugged."I almost considered feeling sorry for you."
"Kiara,just stop."He said,clenching one hand."You don't know what happened and you don't even want to hear me out.So,why do you keep assuming things?"
"Because it all just makes sense."She said."You know,an old friend pitches up again,you two go out one night,you lie to me that she isn't the woman I was thinking about,she gets invited to the paddock,hired by Ferrari.And then you two kissed."
Saying it all in one go,Kiara loosed a long sigh afterwards,shaking her head.
"My intention wasn't to kiss her,Kiara."He said.
"Stupid excuse."She muttered."All you do is make stupid excuses."
"I swear,I if-"
"Kiara?"Someone called.
Kiara turned around and saw Elijah nearby.
Carlos went quiet and Kiara turned away from him to look at her little cousin as he started to run up to her.
She forced a smile,slightly leaning down with her arms a little out as she expected him to probably give her a hug.
As he hurried over,Kiara said."Hey,what-"
He ran right past her,his smile bigger than before.
Kiara paused,standing there for a second as he ignored her being there.
She heard him giggle.Then,she slowly turned around to see that he had run to Carlos instead.
"I saw you overtake Lando."Elijah said,as he pulled back from his hug with Carlos.
Carlos,smiling genuinely,picked him up and carried him,saying."Really?What did you think?"
"It was risky."Elijah said."But also cool."
Kiara watched them joke and laugh,Elijah really excited to see Carlos again.
She clenched a fist,then asked."Elijah,where is Aunty Lina?"
He shrugged."She was talking to Alora nearby and then I saw you two here.So,I came to you guys."
"You ran away from her?!"Kiara frowned."Elijah-"
"No,I told her I was going to Carlos and she said okay."He quickly said,making himself clear.
Kiara narrowed her eyes at him,then nodded.
"I think you can get a podium tomorrow."Elijah said to Carlos.
Carlos,still carrying the little boy,said."I'll try to."
"Hey,"Elijah smiled,glancing between Carlos and Kiara."You should get the podium together.That would be so cool."
"I don't know."Kiara said,forcing a smile."Can Carlos really catch up to P3?"
Carlos arched a brow,seeing the indirect insult.
"Maybe he can."He said."But maybe Kiara won't be able to hold P1 either."
"I don't know..."Elijah sighed."Maybe Max could win."
"Hey."Carlos frowned,tickling him.
Elijah laughed,lightly hitting away Carlos' hand.
Carlos just softly smiled at the little boy.
Kiara watched that.It had been some time since she saw that genuine smile coming from him when around her.
She quickly diverted her gaze as his own drifted to hers.
"Come on."Kiara told Elijah."I'll take you back to Aunty Lina."
Elijah sighed,not wanting to leave Carlos' side.
Carlos saw it and whispered something into his ear,making the little boy smile again.
Kiara didn't know what he told him.But Elijah just nodded at her as Carlos put him down.
"Adios,niño."Carlos said,giving Elijah a pat on the shoulder.
Kiara met his gaze once again.Though,it lingered.And this time his gaze was softer,seeming to ask something.It made her feel a little guilty...Maybe she should have heard him out after all.
But she was still sceptical about it.
She looked away,motioning for Elijah to come with already.
Elijah moved to her side,holding her hand as she led him away from Carlos.