🏁 𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐂 | formula one

#003

MY FIRST FULL DAY OF A RACE weekend had come to an end, all three free practices ending in smiles from the team.

i was currently walking down the hallway of the team building, having just had a shower in my driver room. which i must say, is amazing to be able to say i have.

kaylea was waiting for me in the main room of the building, checking something on her phone before she noticed i was ready to go.

she shut her phone off and pocketed it, following me out of the front doors and around the paddock to where my rental car was parked.

it was rather late in the evening, so the walk to the parking lot was mostly quiet. the only small talk came when kaylea asked if she could drive to the hotel, saying i'll be "doing enough driving this weekend anyway".

i tossed her the keys and took my spot on the passenger's seat as she took the driver's, starting the engine when she had buckled herself in.

i buckled myself and rested my head against the seat. all my eyes could see were the flickering lights in the city of melbourne as she sun slowly moved under the horizon.

it was a beautiful city.

"i can already see you fighting off sleep so when we get to the hotel i better not see you turning the tv on or going on your phone"

i turned to face kaylea, watching as she briefly took her eyes off the road to give me a stern look.

"yeah, yeah, i don't think i'll even be able to stay awake before we get to the hotel. good luck trying to wake me!" i laughed as my eyes started feeling heavy.

they drifted shut, and the sound of the radio became fainter.

"come on, len! it's your first qualifying day!" my body was being violently shaken awake, the motion only haunting when i raised my hands to push kaylea off of me.

i only pulled my hands away from her when i knew she wasn't going to continue again, reaching them to my eyes to rub the sleepiness out of them.

i watched as she sat up from her spot in front of me and began walking over to the table in the corner where i had put my suitcase last night, only to see she had tucked it away and there was a set of clothes lying on the table.

"what time is it?" i pulled the sheets off my legs and sat up on the edge of them bed, allowing my brain to wake up a bit more before i started the day.

"7, but the hotel breakfast closes at 8 and i know how much you love the waffles here so..."

she had been walking around the room, gathering things like chargers and pens into her bag.

"but 7? you had to wake me up at 7?"

she turned to me, "if you really think you can get ready in less than a half hour i'd like to see you try"

i didn't know what to say to this, my rational mind knowing she was right.

it's not that i took long to get ready, it just took me long to start getting ready.

i huffed heavily, trying to show my displeasure with having to be up so early without verbally speaking the words, and walked over to the bathroom.

i had showered the night before, so all i needed to do was brush my hair, brush my teeth, go to the bathroom, and get changed. theoretically those tasks should take no longer than 10 minutes, but in reality they can be stretched out to 30 much easier than you think.

i looked at my reflection in the mirror, glad i wasn't going to have to tackle a lions mane like usual. kaylea had suggested braiding my hair before going to bed to make the morning a bit easier for me, and i gladly took her advice.

i picked at the small rubber band that was holding the braid from falling out, tossing it to the side of the counter as i started debraiding my hair.

i started the other side and quickly brushed my hair before parting it down the middle and beginning to dutch braid on my head.

it was moments like these where i found myself having the more "meaningful" pep talks with myself. when i would take out my pent up stress and emotions on my hair while i tightly wove each strand together, only to realize it's too tight and redo it after.

it's all apart of the process.

and you know what they say, consistency is key.

so yeah, my hair may not be the healthiest because of these pre-race precautions, but that's okay.

i finished braiding my hair, it being just tight enough to stay out of my face but not too tight to where it's causing me more stress than the actual race.

i quickly brushed my teeth and headed back out to the main room of the hotel, picking up the cadillac shirt and blue mom jeans kaylea had chose from the clothes i brought.

i pulled off my shirt and pajama pants, throwing them on the back of the chair that was at the table.

i heard a whistle from behind me, turning to see kaylea standing by the bathroom door with a toothbrush in hand, "girl, i will not be surprised if one of those drivers picks you up this season!"

she disappeared back into the bathroom, not being able to see my dead expression.

"really?" i whined, "first of all, i'm 17—"

she cut me off, "yes, and? lando is only 19—"

it was my turn to cut her off, "second of all, i'm a rookie so that would make things so complicated! and third—"

she had finished in the bathroom so i could finally face her, "— now that you've brought it up that's all i'm going to be able to think about and it's just going to be awkward now"

i turned back to what i was doing, trying to get the idea kaylea had implanted in my mind away.

i zipped up my jeans and found a pair of socks, putting them on before grabbing my shoes from the door. i was thankful for it to be warm in melbourne so i didn't need a jacket.

i waited by the door for kaylea, slightly rubbing it in her face when i realized i had gotten ready before her. she rolled her eyes at me, jokingly ignoring me as she grabbed her room key from the table and opened the door, beginning to walk down the hall to the elevator.