Until she wins

4- qualifying

"And we're back in Mexico City for qualifying! Q1 will be starting in just under an hour now but first let's hand over to Natalie and she can talk us through her predictions for today." David Croft's voice echoed through the stands. I was sat in the red bull garage watching Max talk to Christian. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up. It was Checo.

"You alright kid?" he asked. I nodded. "You look bored out of your mind, why don't you go and find someone to talk to?"

"Max told me to stay here." I sighed.

"Don't worry about that, I'll talk to him. Now go and enjoy yourself before your frown becomes contagious."

I didn't need telling twice, I was looking for an excuse to go for a walk. I walked out of the garage down the rest of the pit lane. I saw Charles in the Ferrari garage, he didn't look busy so I went over to him.

"Abi!" he said giving me a warm smile. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing I'm just bored and wanted something to do." 

"I don't have anywhere I need to be for another half an hour, so what do you say we go and get some ice cream?" he said.

I didn't really want any food even though my stomach had been rumbling all day, but I didn't have anything else to do so I agreed.

 We walked together through the paddock, occasionally stopping to say hi to a few people. It was the middle of the day and the sun was blazing down on us. I could already feel my face starting to burn a bit because I didn't have any sunscreen on.

"Are you not hot in that?" Charles asked referring to my hoodie. 

"Nope!" I lied. I was in fact nearly sweating but I didn't want to take it off for... reasons. 

Finally we reached the ice cream stand and joined the queue.

"What do you want?" he said looking at the menu.

"Are you not getting one?" I asked.

"I can't, I've got to be in the car soon."

I could use this as an excuse to get out of eating. "Well if you're not getting one then I won't get one. We can just sit and talk somewhere instead." 

Charles hesitated before agreeing and we kept walking. 

"So how's school going?" He asked.

"Shit." I said bluntly.

"Oh why?"

"I'm failing all my classes and my dad thinks I'm a disappointment. Everyone in my year hates me because of Jessica making up lies about me again and she never stops bothering me! She even texts me when I'm not at school just so she can call me a fucking slag!" I explained.

Charles started talking but I wasn't really listening.The sun felt hotter than ever now and I was starting to feel dizzy. It didn't help that I'd not eaten anything yesterday or today. I shut my eyes tightly for a second to try to focus myself more but it didn't work. My legs were starting to feel like jelly and I was starting to see colours.

"Charles can we sit down for a second." I said grabbing hold of his arm trying to stable myself.

He looked down at me with eyes full of concern. "Are you ok? You've gone really pale?"

"Yeah I just need to sit..." my voice trailed off. My body gave in and I collapsed. Everything went black and I didn't even remember hitting the floor. 

--

One of the engineers came running into the red bull garage calling for Max. 

"What is it?" Max asked after he'd finally been located.

"It's Abi! She's passed out in the paddock."

"FUCK! WHERE?"

"Outside the McLaren trailer!"

Max dropped what he was doing immediately and ran to go and find his sister. He saw Charles and a few other people who he recognised from the medical team surrounding her.

"What happened?" he shouted.

"We were just walking and she came over all funny and then passed out." Charles said.

A medic looked up from taking Abi's pulse and spoke. "Do you know if she's had anything to eat today?"

The look of panic increased in Max's face. "I don't think so! ...What if she's not eating on purpose?"

"Let's not jump to conclusions but it would be wise not to rule out the possibility. Listen, she should wake up soon and I promise she'll be absolutely fine, and you boys need to get ready for qualifying." the medic replied.

"You go, I'm gonna stay here with her." Max said to Charles.

"Are you sure?"

"Mate she's my sister, I'd rather start at the back of the grid tomorrow than something else happen to her!"