Right On Track

Chapter 65

"That's P4."Santiago said as qualifying came to an end."Good job."
Kiara sighed,pinching the bridge of her nose.Qualifying had just come to an end at the Mexican Grand Prix,Kiara still managing to remain in the top five.
Though,she found it a little harder.She was distracted and also wasn't feeling very well.
Yesterday,she had woken up with a slight flu.Actually,she had sneezed so loud that Carlos had woken up in a shock and had nearly fallen off the bed.
But that wasn't the only thing interrupting her mood.
Her contract was coming to an end with Red Bull.And she needed to find ways to negotiate with the team about extending it.
If there was one thing that stressed her out,it was negotiating contracts with teams.
And as one of the three female drivers on the grid she assumed it to be more difficult,as it had been for Alora.According to her,it a little harder than the F2 contracts.But that would just be the opposite of an exaggeration.Kiara knew that it would actually be way more tough.After all,this was her first time having to negotiate for a longer contract in F1.When she had first gotten to F1,Red Bull had approached her first.And now she was the one who needed to it.
"You okay?"Max asked when he saw her in the garage.
"I want to go home."She grumbled,causing him to chuckle and send her off to get some rest.
She went straight to her drivers room and flopped down on the couch,restlessly groaning into a pillow.
First,she was worrying about Elijah.Second,she caught this stupid cold.
There was a knock on her drivers room and Lydia soon walked in,a small bag in hand.
"I'm not going."Kiara muttered,referring her interviews.
"That's fine."Lydia said,reassuringly giving her a pat on the shoulder."I already canceled them for you,Ki."
"Really?"
"Yes,"She said,mostly because you looked like a literal zombie walking around."
"Ugh,thanks.I love you."Kiara sighed,Lydia handing her the lunch she had gotten for her.
Lydia gave a smile,then said."See you later,Ki."
"Danke,"Kiara thanked her in German,then greeted her as she left.
She mumbled a curse as she sat up and almost sneezed again while reaching for the tacos Lydia had gotten her.

"Feeling okay?"Santiago asked as Kiara came in for her pit stop.
"I'm fine."Kiara said,like always.She moved out of the pit lane as soon as her new tyres were fitted,not giving up so easily.She felt much better than yesterday,actually.Not completely,but better.
By the time she left the pits,she was driving at fifth.But Ivy,who was just ahead,seemed to be dropping in speed.
Kiara set her sights on the McLaren ahead,ready to snatch fourth.As the next few laps passed by,she managed to do it.
She passed Ivy and was soon in fourth.
Though,there wasn't enough time to go ahead for a podium.Alora was too far ahead to catch up to in just four laps.
Eventually,Kiara finished the race with P4.She didn't care,though.She thought that it wasn't bad at all,since she was the one who was literally sick in bed the previous night.
When getting back to the garage after leaving her car in parc ferme,she recieved a nod of acknowledgment from Christian,which made her smile a little.Christian usually expected the best performances.She and Max would literally happily rant on to each other if he so much as complimented their races.
Kiara was on her way to the post-race interviews some time later.In fact,when she got to the media pen,she noticed that Nathan was the one who would be interviewing her.She didn't object this time,since they were now on good terms.Believe it or not,he made the interview easier for her since everyone knew that she wasn't really feeling well this past weekend.
When it finally came to an end,Kiara started to go back to her drivers room.When she got there,she just relaxed for a little while.She was actually starting to feel a little better.
But,of course,there was always something that fell on the negative side.
Kiara picked up her phone as soon as it rang,answering her mother's call.
"Everything okay?"Kiara asked.
"No,"Her mother replied."I don't know what to do,Ki.He fought again today."
"Oh,god."Kiara leaned back,holding the phone to her ear.
"He has a black eye,Ki."
"What?!"Kiara's eyes widened."Mom,why aren't you bringing it up with the parents or even the-"
"First of all,the parents came to me first blaming Elijah for their son's broken nose-"
"Broken nose?!What the-"
"Yes,the other kid somehow broke his nose."Her mother snapped."And second of all,I actually did go to the stewards after they fought at the race.They left me off and "accidentally" called me Karen."
"They called you a Karen?"
"A what?"
"Nevermind."Kiara sighed."How is Elijah."
"Gone."
"Excuse me?!"
"That's what I called for."She seemed to panic."He ran off after telling me about...how the other boy mentioned his parents.And now I can't find him."
"No,no..."Kiara started to panic as well,standing up from the couch."Please,mom...Please-"
"I'm trying,Ki.I really am."She said."And I'm sorry for calling you like this when you literally have another race week coming up from tomorrow,but I didn't know what else to do."
"Did you call the police?"Kiara quickly asked,pacing her drivers room as a few memories came back to her.
"I was about to."She said.
"Did you check the garage?He likes to hide there."Kiara asked,swallowing.
"Yes,twice already."
"The basement and attic?"She asked."Hell,even go to the playground,Mom."
"Kiara,I'm-"
Her mother paused for a long moment,causing Kiara to stop her pacing around the room.
"Mom?"Kiara frowned,checking to see that the call didn't end.
"Nevermind,he's back."She came back on the call."I'll call back in a minute."
Kiara sighed as the call ended,shaking her head as she shut her eyes for a few moments.At least he was home.
She dropped down on the couch and buried her face in her hands.All those problems at home...And she could do nothing about it since she was literally on the other side of the world.
And the mentions of Elijah's parents just made Kiara more emotional.Her aunt and uncle and were really close,actually.It was one of the reasons Kiara tried to block out the memories that would make her miss them.It really got to her when thinking about Elijah along with it.
Karting was,no doubt,a tough sport.Elijah was going to go through his ups and downs throughout it.But the recent events were just absurd.
And throughout it all...If there was one thing that Kiara remembered,it would be her memories of experiencing the exact same thing as Elijah while karting.

Later that evening,Kiara sat on the floor with her legs crossed and anxiously toyed with her phone and a strand of her wet hair.
Sitting on the floor too,behind her and brushing her hair for her,Carlos paused as he sensed the tension.He paused for a second,then set the hairbrush aside.
He put a hand on her shoulder,shifting closer and leaning forward."Are you okay?"
She nodded reluctantly,not wanting to make him worry.
"Hey,be honest with me."He poked her shoulder.
She shifted back,more into his arms."There's a lot going on."
"Racing related?"
"Yes,"She nodded."But not our racing."
"Oh?"He arched a brow in confusion.
She sighed and leaned back against him,her head against his bare chest.
The bedroom was silent for a few moments,the only sound being the dripping drops from the shower,since the bathroom door was still open.
When she started to go quiet again as some memories came back to her,he rested his chin on her shoulder."Talk to me,mi amor."
Kiara pursed her lips,then sighed.Carlos took her hand in his,giving it a reassuring squeeze and pressing a kiss to the back of it.
Then,finally and eventually,she told Carlos everything.From the moment where it first started with Elijah.
Carlos nodded,understanding her.He listened as she explained what happened today,stating his own thoughts on it as well.
"I don't know..."Kiara pursed her lips."I shouldn't be getting so worried about it."
"It's understandable."Carlos said."I mean,even I would want to get home as soon as possible if something like that happened."
"I'm scared."Kiara said.
"Why?"
"Because I know..."She mumbled."I went through..."
"The same thing?"Carlos finished the sentence for her.
She nodded.
Another wave of silence passed by,then she said."I had some fights with this other kid during a few of my races.Alora and I got picked on a lot since there were barely any other girls racing."
She shifted,turning a little to look properly at Carlos as she added."Then,this one time,that kid brought in my family."Kiara glanced at Carlos once more."I got into trouble for hitting him that day...And then I ran away from home."
"Woah,"Carlos said."For how long?"
"Two days."Kiara nodded."I was staying at the track.Literally in one of the empty garages."
"Wait,what?!"
Kiara shrugged."I don't want to talk about what happened after I finally got home again."She pursed her lips."But I don't want Elijah to go through the same thing."
Carlos studied her now dull expression,silence falling on the room again.
Kiara sighed,looking down."And also...My contract with Red Bull is expiring.Christian is onboard with extending.But Adrian...Well,you know how he is."
"Oh."Carlos nodded,understanding the struggle with the whole contract situations.
It may have looked like something small to others,but to her and the team,it was stressful...
Then,a second later,Carlos took her hand again and pulled her up onto her feet.
"Carlos,what-"
"Let's go get you a drink."He said,kissing her on the cheek as he helped her stand up.
"Okay?"She arched a brow.