The anatomy of a champion • I •

36.

Time passes terribly quickly, especially when it is spent with your loved ones. Alex was going to leave directly from his love escapade to the airport where he was supposed to meet me.
I said goodbye to my parents, whom I will see again when they will came to Austria for the race.
I got into my car and headed to the airport with music turned up at maximum and singing the lyrics of Lana del Rey's songs.

After the short flight of almost two hours, we arrived in Italy. Quickly checked in our rooms and started preparing for the dinner with Alex and Peter. Italy was practically the country where the Ferrari team had to excel, both at Imola and at Monza, and even Alex felt this responsibility on his shoulders. It didn't take long until Charles and Carlos appeared at the hotel reception. They were accompanied by their trainers. Charles, although in a hurry, stopped for a few minutes to greet us and then left for his physical training.

At Imola, things will be a little different, being in addition a sprint race on saturday and the qualifications will take place on friday which will determine the starting grid for the sprint race. The result from the sprint race on saturday will determinate the grid for the main race on sunday.  Alex explained this during our flight. I barely got used with the normal schedule and now more things to remember. Maybe until the end of the season i will understand all the aspects of Formula1.

On thursday evening together with Alex and Peter we went for a light walk through the small town from the metropolitan city of Bologna.

Text message from max

Max: I think we are not staying at the same hotel
           Irina:and you're upset about it?

Max: very. share your location?

           Irina: I'm not at the hotel now

Max didn't reply back.
Maybe i should have just say the name of the hotel.
I didn t give too much importance because i was having a really good time in the company of Alex and Peter among the streets of the Italian city. We arrived back at the hotel quite late at night and we went to our rooms to sleep.

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On Friday's practice day and quali, I arrived earlier than usual in the paddocks, thus making the decision to stay with Alex in the Ferrari garage. In the meantime he was talking about some mechanical things that of course i did not understand a single word, but I smiled as if I did. Hopefully we won't quiz me at the end of the day.
It will be a rainy weekend, something that worried me. This motorsport is dangerous enough on dry conditions, even more on wet. 

A familiar voice with a French accent took us by surprise "I think you're boring the lady doctor, Alex" Charles dressed in an oversized Ferrari jacket with that gorgeous smile of his. While Alex begin to explain some other mechanical issues and Charles nodded as if he was hearing but his eyes where only towards me. "Yes yes Alex" he stopped Alex's long ya-da, ya-da "I still have some time until the first practice, will you join me at the hospitality area for a tea to warm up a little?" he asked me
"Sure"

We sat down at a free table near the alley crossing the paddocks, which fortunately was in an area sheltered from the rain. I was still shivering due to the cold and could not regulate my body temperature. But it was my decision to stay outside so I could smoke. My addiction will bring a nice cold "Here, take my jacket" he removed his jacket and remained only in a t-shirt. Of course i refused initially, but it was in vain. Like in that evening in Bahrain, always attentive with the needs of a woman. Why is everything so perfect with him? I was contemplating while he was talking to the waiter of the Ferrari Hospitality.

"thank you for the flowers" I told him when it was just the two of us and he smiled in his own characteristic, absolutely fucking wonderful way "how were the days back home?" Charles asked while looking directly into my eyes. I don't think i ve notice before, the blue-greenish shade of his eyes. Captivating, drawing you into a mesmerizing blend of sapphire and emerald.
"calm and I charged myself with good energy from my parents" i hope he didn t catch my stupid starring because it took me a couple of seconds to answear his question. Now, Irina. It was just the right moment to ask him "by the way, my father is a big Ferrari fan and he kept asking me to bring him a cap signed by you" charles nodded, telling me to wait a little and returned with a Ferrari cap "let's do it better, take out your phone and facetime your father so i can proper introduce myself " oh God, I was shocked, once again, by how open and what lovely initiatives he has. I picked up the phone and called my father.

"Hey dad, I'm here with someone and he wants to say hello" and I switched the phone towards Charles. "hello mister Stan, i have the cap here with me and i'll sign it now" I can not explain in words my father's happiness. My dad couldn't stop complimenting Charles on his evolution in motorsport. Also, telling Charles that all the real ferrari fans believed he will be the one to put Ferrari on the first place, where they belong.

After hanging up the phone, I jumped over Charles and hugged him as a sign of gratitude for his gesture. He wasn t obliged to make this gesture, but of course he had to make it 100 times better.
How things don't always go according to plan, and after rain doesn't come the sun, but more rain, at that moment, Max was just passing by the alley, seeing me hovering over Charles. And of course when it rains, it pours and thunderstorm are in too, Max was not alone. Again, accompanied by the woman with whom I had seen him in that night in Australia. Charles greeted Max who, just like that night, wasn't showing any fucking emotion.

"I think Max got back together with his ex-girlfriend" said Charles as he took a sip of his tea. Talking about thunderstorms, that one hit me straight into my soft spot. I watched Max as he went by the Redbull motorhome, feeling how I was breaking piece by piece inside, taking in the words that Charles just said. I hope that those emotions are not visible on the outside too, and I turned my gaze slowly to Charles, who seemed unaware of me inner struggles. We've spent another half an hour together, i was more absent than present, until he was called to get dressed in his racesuit for the first free practice. He kissed me on the cheek and said I could keep the jacket.