Luce di Stella • Kenan Yildiz

Chapter 13: Automobile Heritage

🎶 ROCKSTAR (feat. Roddy Ricch) — DaBaby, Roddy Rich 🎶

Why was I always talking myself always into situations where I couldn't back out again? After a morning spent at the training center, from where I eyed the men's training - especially Kenan - a bit too attentively from my office window, I made my way to the automobile museum where I had said I would meet him and his lot. Punctual as those Germans always were, they were already waiting in the lobby and I hurried up my steps when I saw them.

"Ok, let's go" I told them and clapped my hands to show some excitement.
"Shouldn't we get tickets?" Kenan asked me and I looked back to him, shooting him an Are you kidding me?- look.
"Hello, Agnelli, Beatrice, I'm on the list of donors & friends of the museum" I told the receptionist as I approached the desk. "I have..." I started and turned around to look at our group "... five guests" I told her and the girl nodded, printing our tickets.
"Do you want booklets?" she asked and I nodded quickly.
"Yeah, give us.. everything" I told her and she bent down to pick up a stack of papers and folders about the museum which I took and pushed into one of Kenan's friends' hands.

"Enjoy your visit!" the girl said and smiled as she handed me over our tickets.
"Damn, all those Italian girls are hot" one of the boys said in German, but he did not know that I had studied the language for five years at school.
"Yeah and her..." Kenan whispered back and I tried not to grin, so I engaged in a conversation with his parents about which car they were driving. When they told me it was a Volkswagen, I almost threw up, and tried to convince them that Fiat was so much better, and that I also surely could get them a good deal at their car dealer back at home.

We toured the museum, and I explained a bit about the cars I knew my family had donated. The boys went completely crazy when they saw the Ferrari F1 cars exhibited.
"I could take you to Maranello once, visit the factory and museum and stuff..." I muttered to Kenan, who looked up at me as if I had told him he had won a Ballon d'Or and I immediately cursed myself. Fuck, why did I keep getting myself into situations to spend even more time than the bare minimum with him?!

The museum visit didn't last too long, but I didn't want to say goodbye yet. Something about his family and friends was so... normal, something I never had. My family was all about business and my friends were all about connections, so I actually enjoyed being with them and not caring about these two things for once in my life. However, I wasn't sure if I was maybe pushing their patience with having me here, in the end they were here to spend time with Kenan, not a spoiled brat like me.

"Isn't the car factory you told me once about, close by?" Kenan asked when we walked outside again.
"Which car factory?" one of his friends asked curiously. These boys were all about cars.
"Um... yeah, actually. The Lingotto, it was a Fiat car factory until the 80s, it's just around the corner" I mumbled and nervously tucked my hair behind my ears.
"Can you show us?" Kenan asked excitedly and I froze.

"Kenan, leave the poor girl alone, she has to work and we've exploited her friendliness enough" his father scolded him.
"Oh, no, don't worry. I'm happy about every minute I get outside the office" I admitted. "I can show you, if you're interested but I don't want to take up the little quality time you guys have together" I said shyly.
"Yeah but with him alone we don't get fancy city tours. The most he can do is show us his favourite kebab place" one of his friends scoffed and we all laughed.

And so we walked the short distance to the Lingotto, which had been transformed into a small shopping & congress center a few years ago. I explained the spiral ramps to them, that led to a 1km racetrack on the rooftop on which they would test the cars that had just freshly come out of production. And with one mention of my name to an employee, I was also able to show off the the roof and this track, on which they had now built a helipad and a glass globe.

It had turned darker now and we had a pretty nice view over the city from the roof. I offered to take some photos of them, but when they told me I should also get on one with them, I refused shyly.
"Nah, no way, I have to show everyone back at home the hot Italian chick we hung out with" Ilyas joked and me, Kenan and his parents turned to him weirded out. "Uh... Did I just say that out loud?" he asked, seemingly embarrassed. Kenan looked like he was ready to rip his friend's head off.

"I'll take one of Kenan and you, so that I can tell everyone at home about the charming and friendly young woman that supported your stupid ass" Kenan's mum said and now I was even more embarrassed of having to take a picture with him alone. I smiled awkwardly as I stood there, my hands both on the handles of my handbag - I had been taught to do so early enough in life when pictured with a man that wasn't family, to never start any rumours. He put his hand around my waist and I gulped as I felt the spot he was touching me, so I quickly wiggled and shifted with my torso, hoping he would understand. And somehow he did and awkwardly put his hand around my shoulder instead, which still wasn't enough distance for my taste, but better than before.

"I'll send you the pictures" Kenan told me and grinned as we pulled away again after hearing a few clicks.
"This was such a nice day with you, thank you very much, Beatrice. Can we make it up to you and invite you somewhere tomorrow?" his father asked.
"Oh, don't worry, it was my pleasure. I'd really love to, but I have to leave for Monza tomorrow morning" I replied and was a bit sad about that.

"You're going to the Grand Prix?" Kenan's friend Can asked with a glimmer in his eyes and I nodded shyly. "Sick" he commented and I felt bad. Guys like him would give everything for a ticket like the one I held, but for me it was all about showing up united with my family and business.
"Yeah, my whole family's going. When my uncle calls, everyone answers" I chuckled nervously. "Will be nice to see everyone again though" I added, to not sound too ungrateful.

They were nice enough to accompany me back to my car, all while Kenan looked at me with an indecipherable look on his face since I talked about Monza. After saying goodbye to everyone, I made sure to add a "Good luck on Sunday" to Kenan with an encouraging smile.
"Take care" he said, sounding somewhat concerned, but that was probably just my imagination.