Lights Out - F1 Life

⭑Chapter 6 - Christmas Blues⭑

A/N hey guys I am writing this like two days before it will come out so I am ahead and you guys get updates. This will be a sorter chapter just mainly about Grace's Christmas day to add something in a get an update in.

Massa, Italy - 25th December 2022 - Grace's Apartment

Grace Jones POV

Christmas day has now rolled around. today is a day that should be spent surrounded by family and friends, enjoying life, eating food, opening presents and just living and being present in your own and other lives. But I am at home in my one-bedroom apartment in Italy, and this place to me doesn't really feel like home, but then again I don't think anywhere really has. The closest I have gotten is maybe during uni. When all of the international kids who weren't going home or just couldn't go home all spent the day with each other just having fun and not giving ourselves enough time to miss our families. We partied and played games, ate and did Secret Santa and just overall had fun. Maybe also last year. Going home and seeing my mum without the overarching presence of my dad and more so the fear of him, Mum was obviously sad about his death but there was this new sparkle in her eye. That day will remain a great memory and a core one at that just how it was Mum and I against the world, I also think it healed something inside of me to see my mum happy but also to be happy in my own life, like truly happy. 

Christmas morning is now here and I have just rolled out of bed bright and early because no matter the situation today stands to be in I am still deep inside just a little kid excited for Christmas. Honestly it is sort of nice though to not have to worry about having family over, keeping the place clean, and especially the lunch time convos. Having to listen to all the aunties and uncles stories and then when you get older people change their focus to you and your life. Everyone wants to know how school is and if you have a boyfriend, which is so draining. I mean I am a people person, but some times I find myself being introverted, I am fine with talking to people and making conversation but it is also something that drains me. But this year it is just me so no socialising but sometimes that isn't a great thing, in a few hours I will call my mum, maybe, but that might be the limit of my socialisation for the day.

Even though no one is going to step foot in my apartment today that I am planning on I have still decorated because it is fun and why not, in my correct opinion we can all use a bit of Christmas cheer every now and again no matter how cliche that sounds. I have put up my freshly brought Christmas tree and decorated it with little dollar store decorations, that I have just brought or still had from uni. Moving so far away from home I don't have near as many Christmas decorations to work with as I would in New Zealand. But still I have made do, buying tinsel, friends have also given me stuff that they don't use. I do live in a very small place so there really isn't much space that needs to be decorated which makes my life quite easy, just a few rooms and a hallway really. It does pain me that no one will see it but it still wouldn't feel like Christmas if I didn't decorate.

Last night I didn't sleep in my nice warm and cosy Christmas pajamas but have now changed into them to not feel gross wearing what I slept in but also because it is freezing in Europe. Honeslty I am missing summer Christmases in New Zealand where it is 26 degrees or warmer at home and we are able to sit outside or play backyard cricket. But there will be none of that this year. I wander through to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee. The other day I found this cool tiktok on how to make a mint mocha which I shall attempt because I am a sucker for mint-flavoured things especially on Christmas. 

The last few days I haven't had work because we do get a break over Christmas, and I can't imagine we would have much work to do because the number of people we get through the door seriously decreases the closer it gets to Christmas. I have spent these free day baking and cooking in preparation for today making kiwi classics like pavlova, amborsia, a ham, lolly cake, and other things like cheesecake which I shall devour. My plan of attack for today is to open the stuff I have been sent my family members over the last few weeks, eat my food and have a Christmas movie marathon.

I grab my coffee and sit down on the couch with my phone to answer messages and wish people a happy birthday, but also to see if maybe my mum wants to call me, which I doubt she will. I answer all my texts from friends and relatives wishing them a merry Christmas when I get to an Instagram message.

Lewis Hamillton - Direct Message

Hey Grace, Merry Christmas hope you have a good day.

Oh, Lewis messaged me that's nice, I need to message back. Honestly though I wasn't really expecting a message from him. Talking with him the other day was great but I thought he might not have enough time for me that's all but it is nice to get the message anyway.

Thanks, Lewis, merry Christmas to you too. Hope you have a great day with your family as I will with my epic Christmas movie marathon :)

I message him back. I don't know it puts my mind to ease a bit with every message I get. I am known to be a bit of an overthinker, and I tend to worry about what people think of me so it is always nice on birthdays or christmases especially after I have moved away from home to know people do think to message me on these days. 

I really do hope that everything goes great in Brackley which is literally 10 days away. It seems like such a long time but it isn't at the same time. To get this job would be a literal dream I mean it has been my dream since I was 15, to work as a physio and performance coach in Formula 1. I mean it is a bit of a mind easer that I have the driver I would be working for messaging me on Instagram just talking and wishing me a merry Christmas. If I do get this job I seriously think that Lewis and I will be good friends and I hope that is able to happen. I mean it is not everyday that this sort of opportunity comes someones way so come the start of January I need to make sure I grab this job with two hands and make sure it is mine.

AUTHORS NOTE

Hey guys, just a short chapter for this one, just wanted to do something for Christmas in this book and also look a little deeper into Grace's thoughts and flaws. I also thought I would just clarify that in this book Lewis is NOT the love interest but instead a mentor, father figure and great friend of Grace.

-xoxo Me