Right On Track

Chapter 52

"Kiara?!"Ivy grinned.
"Hi."Kiara smiled.
Ivy ran into her arms,laughing."My god,we should have met up during the break."
"Wow,you're in a good mood."Kiara said,glancing around the paddock as Ivy hugged her.
"I mean,yeah."She said with a shrug."I was missing my car and now I get to drive it again."
"I just want to have some stroopwafels."Kiara winked,starting to walk with Ivy through the paddock.
The summer break was now over,the next race weekend already starting.
Zanvoort was a big one for Max and the team.And Kiara felt that she had to start off really well.She was determined to keep up her points,as much as Max was still ahead now.Alora was still trying to beat her.
"Speaking of stroopwafels,"Ivy said,pointing a finger to the cart nearby.
"Want one?"Kiara asked.
"Oh,absolutely."She chuckled as they both moved over to the cart.But just as they were approaching it,Daniel stepped in front of them as he came out of the Alpha Tauri garage.
"Okay...?"Kiara arched a brow,looking at the apron he wore over his shirt.He was holding a tray of stroopwafels too.
"Ten bucks for one."Daniel said,holding out his tray.
"Excuse me?"Ivy frowned."Ten?!"
He laughed,picking up one of the waffles and handing it to her."Just kidding.Take if you want."
Kiara shrugged,taking one."And why are you wearing an apron and handing these out?"
"Just some fun for the Dutch vibe."He nodded with a grin."You,know.Since it's also my third race back."
"Third already?"Ivy arched a brow.
Daniel nodded with a smile.He seemed glad at how things have been going.
Before the summer break,at the Hungarian grand prix,Alpha Tauri had replaced Nyck with Daniel due to performances on track.It was what a lot of people actually wanted.Even Kiara was looking forward to having Daniel back on track.But at the same time,she felt a little sorry for Nyck.
"And what's going on here?"Lando asked as he walked over to them.
"Stroopwafels."Daniel nodded,pleased with himself.
Lando came up beside Ivy and took one from the tray."Chef Daniel?"
"Reporting for duty."Daniel chuckled.
Kiara heard a fimilar voice say something from nearby.
She glanced over her shoulder,seeing a journalist approach Carlos as he walked into the paddock.
Kiara quickly looked away,feeling embarrassed as she thought about what had happened the last time she had seen him.
"Kiara."Santiago called from nearby.
"Coming."She said.
She turned back to Ivy,Lando and Daniel."I'll see you guys later."

"And that's P3,Kiara."Santiago said on the radio as practice two came to an end.
"Alright."Kiara said,bringing her car back to the garage.
She loosed a sigh of relief now that she was back in the garage.The weather conditions weren't the best.It drizzled a little,making the track a little wet.But just when all teams thought that it would start raining properly,everything dried up.It was a confusing situation.
"What's the weather report for tomorrow?"Kiara asked once she got out of her car.
"Cloudy skies."Santiago said."But rain expectations are low."
She nodded,going over to her drivers room soon after.
Setting her helmet and balaclava aside,she fetched her phone from where she had left it in the room.
She checked all the messages she had gotten while out on track,mostly reports from teams and all.She checked an email from Lydia,then closed the app and moved on to Instagram.
She scrolled for a bit,then there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."Kiara said.
Lydia walked in a moment later,smiling a little.
"What's gotten you so happy?"Kiara arched a brow.
"Well..."Lydia said with a shrug."When I tell you,you're probably going to see why."
"Go on."Kiara said,putting her phone aside and ready to hear it.
"The FIA dropped the investigation."Lydia said."You and Carlos aren't under inspection anymore."
"Wait,really?"Kiara smiled.
"Yeah."Lydia nodded."They listened to our points proven and just dropped it by the second meeting."
"Yes!"Kiara grinned,moving over to hug Lydia."Oh my god,thank you so much."
Lydia hugged her back,saying."Whoever tipped them off in the first place must be going mad."
"I hope they are."Kiara said as she and Lydia pulled back from the hug.
The next few minutes were spent going over normal media duties,Lydia seeming the most relieved that the main issue was sorted.
After that,Kiara left her drivers room to go on with an interview.
On her way,stopped for a few pictures,signing items and all.Surprisingly,things were actually going well so far.And she was grateful for it.
However,as she walked through the paddock,something caught her attention.
She glanced over to the side of the media pen,seeing Carlos there.He seemed to be waiting for something.Or someone.
Kiara wanted to just sprint off in the other direction.But she couldn't exactly do that,since she needed to be there at the media pen.
She felt embarrassed just thinking about what she had done that night in Italy.It was crazy and she would never had done so if she was in her correct mind.And even though most parts of the memory was a blur,she still remembered what exactly she had done.
Kiara took a deep breath,then started to walk over to the media pen.
She walked straight past Carlos,keeping her head lowered and going past even though she could have sworn that he called for her to hold on a second.
She went over to the journalist,just wanting to get the interview done with so she could go back to the garage.And even as that interview carried on,she could still see Carlos standing nearby,as if still waiting.While she was asked questions,she answered them.But her gaze kept drifting to him each time.Even as Caco went up to him and motioned for him to come along back to the garage,he shook his head and still waited.As if there were more important things than literally the race.
After her interview was over,she started to walk out of the media pen.Lydia was supposed to arrive any second with a schedule.But she didn't.She seemed to be running late.
So,Kiara just left the media pen alone,walking away and trying not to look back.
But as she walked away,he finally came up to her.
"Kiara,hold on."He said,almost putting a hand on her arm.
"What,Carlos?"She asked,not looking his way and still walking.
He came up beside her."Can we please just-"
"I'm busy,Carlos."She said.
"I know you're not."He told her."Just...Please?Can we just talk for a second."
She stopped,loosing a sigh."Fine."
"Thanks."He exhaled in relief."But can we-"
"Time is up."She shrugged,walking away again."A second's over."
"Kiara,wait."He said,following her again."Please,just wait."
"Why?"She still felt a little embarrassed,which was mostly why she didn't want to stop.
Then,he eventually grabbed her by the arm."Wait."
She immediately turned around and batted his hand away."What?I wasn't thinking straight,I started something I shouldn't have and I slapped your girlfriend.There it is.Happy?"
"No,I'm not happy."He frowned."Just come on,Kiara..."
She looked at him for a long moment,unsure of what to do.But when his gaze softened again and he looked down at her with an almost pleading look,she gave in.
She sighed,nodding."Fine."
He gave a weak smile."Thank you."
"But can we not do it here?"She glanced around where they stood in the middle of the paddock.
Carlos nodded and then they soon walked away from where they had been standing.They didn't know where else to go,though...So,Kiara Just suggested that they go behind the Red Bull motorhome.It was private enough for them to speak this out.
Once they stopped,they looked at each other,not knowing who was going to say something first.
But when she didn't say anything,Carlos started."What happened at the villa that day...Please,don't ignore me just because of it."
"Carlos,I thought that you'd maybe realise that I was trying to ignore you from the moment I saw you with Amber."Kiara said."What happened at the villa doesn't change what happened before that."
Carlos sighed."Okay...You're right.But,there's something I need to ask you first.Just to be clear."
"What?"She shrugged.
"Are you sure that you and Esteban...never did anything before that too?Like...That weekend in Monaco?"
"For the last time,Carlos.I did not."She shook her head,looking up at him in disbelief."You keep asking me that like someone told you that I cheated or something."
"Amber did."He said.
Kiara paused at that.
She what?!
"She told you that I cheated?"Kiara asked,surprise written all over her face.
He pursed his lips and nodded."And I...I kind of believed her."
"But why?"She demanded,shaking her head."Why would you just believe that,Carlos?"
He sighed,going quiet for a second.When he spoke again,she could hear the hurt in his tone as he said."Because you and Esteban had already gotten so close even before that.Even when you told him off,I still wasn't completely convinced that I could trust him."
"You couldn't trust him or you couldn't trust me?"Kiara said.If Amber had told him so and he really trusted Kiara,he wouldn't have believed in the first place.
Carlos frowned."Him.I don't trust him."
"Then,why did you believe Amber if you trust me so much?"
"I...I couldn't think straight in that moment,Kiara."He shook his head."Please,you have to believe me."
Kiara looked at him for a long moment.The expression on his face seemed genuine.And so did his words.
But she didn't know what to do...
"What about that kiss?"Kiara asked."The one in Monaco after the race?"
"I didn't even expect it myself,Kiara."He said."I wasn't even concentrating in that moment."
"Oh,so you were just in shock and she took the opportunity to kiss you?" Kiara rolled her eyes.
"Yes,actually."Carlos quickly nodded."It's the truth,Kiara."
"Why did you still get together with her after that?"Kiara asked,finding another question to figure out the truth.Words that could add on to belief...
"We weren't exactly in a relationship."He said,trying to make himself clear."I was...really upset about it all.Because I thought that you and Esteban had even gotten together after you left me.And I just needed to forget it all...I couldn't even focus properly.And Amber offered to help by..."
"I didn't take you for one with the whole 'friends with benefits' thing."Kiara said,catching on slowly.
"It was just temporary."He said.
Kiara slowly nodded,though still finding it hard to meet his gaze."But in Italy...It all just seemed like you two were actually together."
"That's what Amber wanted everyone to think."Carlos said."Listen,I heard her on a phone call.And that's when I found out that it was all a lie.All a lie to get me away from you."
Kiara let the words sink in.Everything...Amber had just done it all like that?She had manipulated him into thinking such?
But then Kiara remembered something else.
"You kissed her back on the boat the other day,too."
Carlos sighed."By then I had just figured out about her lies.And I...wanted to see your reaction to make sure that it was true.That you didn't actually do anything with Esteban.Because I had a lot of hope just thinking about it."
Kiara sighed,listening to it all.Everything that happened...It was all just a lie?But then she started to think about why he even bothered admitting all to her.She could now see what he was trying to do again.
So,she swallowed,saying."You're telling me all this,Carlos...But why?After everything that happened,you think we can just go back to normal again?"
He actually nodded,stepping closer."Yes.I know we can,Kiara."
She shook her head,not knowing how she felt about this all of a sudden."I...I don't know if we can just go back,Carlos."
"We can."He said,putting a hand on her arm."Please,Kiara."
She looked up at his face,feeling a pain in her chest.She didn't know what to say or how to react.Could they just go back to each other after everything that happened?
"Please,Kiara."He said,now standing really close.
She didn't moved,rather going still as he had both hands on her arms,leaning his forehead against hers.
"I need you."He loosed a breath."Come back."
She felt her eyes water a little at his plea.
It was hard to even think about what to say...What to even reply to his words with.
She knew what she wanted.But she was too hesitant to let it happen.
"I don't know."She shook her head,putting a hand on Carlos' chest to get him to back up a little.
He shook his head,disbelief coming to his face."Kiara-"
"I need time to think about that."She said,backing away.
He looked at her for a long moment,his gaze clearly asking her to just stay.
Then,she walked away.

"Okay,that's P4,Kiara."Santiago said as the race ended.
"Okay..."Kiara said.
The race hadn't started off too well either.Kiara was too distracted.She had nearly slipped up even at turn one.
And later on in the race,she had lost third to Pierre.She had lost third to an Alpine.
Pulling her car into parc fermé,Kiara got out and shook her head.She felt as though that was all on her,because of her distractions and emotions.
And Daniel had also crashed during the race.The poor Australian had broken his hand.And as much as Kiara wanted to go check up on him,she knew that he was already leaving to get it checked out.
When she was back at the garage,she sighed and took off her helmet,muttering."Overtaken so easily by an Alpine."
"It's fine,Ki."Santiago said."You tried.And fourth isn't too bad."
She shook her head,running a hand through her hair."I fucked up."
With that,she left for her drivers room.