Starting from the Pit lane - Lewis Hamilton

Fight Club

Melissa had no difficulty entering the paddock, everyone recognized her by now and Bono took care of escorting her inside. Lewis thought he had to wait outside for her to let her in but instead he was informed that she was waiting for him.
He immediately recognized her features, her back was turned but those homemade curls and the curves of her hips were recognizable to him even in the thickest fog.
He hugged her from behind and felt it being reciprocated. He turned her around and saw her smiling. As he also saw a handprint on her neck.
-Melissa, what happened?-
-I fell from the stairs-
-And did you land on an eagle? What happened to you? Wait, bad- he moved her hair – you have a purple eye-
The girl didn't answer and tried to justify herself. She always wore makeup, yes, and she had done so that morning too. But she'd never been a fan of swabs of foundation and thick layers of concealer and powder. Lewis could just see the red mark and a slight bruise around the eye but under the foundation there were much more obvious marks.
Lewis forcibly dragged her where no one could hear them and "forced" her to tell him the truth.
-I made a mistake. There are no excuses for what I did- she took a moment to take a breath and looked at the ground the whole time -Marco had asked me to meet up, I was at my mother's house, and I accepted because he wanted to clarify. A pizza soon became a drink and the drink became a bottle. We found ourselves in bed and...-
-Did he force you to do something?- he asked with terror in his eyes.
-No, he didn't rape me but...- she sighed shakily –I was the one who asked him to go to a more private place. And then I said your name-
Lewis didn't understand, or rather... he understood what had happened but not how it led to the bruises.
-Marco didn't take it well. Not at all. He started asking me questions but I was drunk, I didn't understand. I was calling you thinking you were there but...- she took a breath and a tear slowly rolled down his left cheek –He didn't accept that. He punched me on the back, then blocked me with a hand around my neck and then...- she stopped and, biting her lip, pointed to her right eye just hidden by her hair.
Lewis didn't know what to say. He had no words. He was frozen in front of her with a dry throat. Like a robot, he left her there without saying a word.

He knew he would have to talk to the alpha tauri team about some contract and he knew where to find him. There was a reason why Marco was in Emilia Romagna in those days.
-Hey baby, I missed you- Lewis said, making space between two people.

He landed his right fist on Marco and broke his nose.

Two gigantic men, more like monkeys than humans, immediately pushed them away and Lewis insulted him as he was led away -That's for putting your hands on my woman!-
Everyone present knew perfectly well about the pseudo-relationship he was having. They didn't know who the girl was but they had seen them all so many times together that it was now an open secret. But when they understood what had happened and that that Italian boy had attacked her, they immediately turned towards him and glared at him.
-You can keep that whore!- he shouted with a thick accent but it took them very little to escort him outside the structure. Lewis was soon dropped off and returned to the Mercedes' offices.

The news spread around the racetrack in a few seconds and all the teams were worried about the health conditions of this elusive woman. The gossip had exaggerated the situation a bit, to the point that Vasseur believed that this girl had a broken leg.
Wollf denied the rumors and asked to please respect the privacy of his pilot and the young woman.

Lewis came back to Melissa and bluntly said –Now I have to win a race. I'm not at all happy with what you did but we'll talk about it later, you didn't deserve what was done to you anyway- and so, as he showed up in front of her out of nowhere, he disappeared to go get ready.

The other pilots silently followed him with their eyes, hoping to be able to decipher the gravity of the situation.
Melissa passed George who greeted her warmly. He wanted to respect her sensitivity and didn't ask her anything other than a shy –How are you? I missed you!-
She replied in a feeble voice:-Fine, thanks. You too. Good luck!-
And the entire Mercedes team looked that woman up and down, admitting that they didn't understand anything about her.

[...]

The race ended and Lewis took home second place, George third.
The usual photos, interviews and ritual awards were over, then Lewis took Melissa to a restaurant. She was convinced she was about to be dumped in the worst way possible, actually! She was convinced of it just as she was convinced that she deserved all the evil she deserved.
-I'm disgusted by the fact that you went to bed with him but it disgusts me even more that that creep put his hands on you while you were neither in a position to defend yourself nor in a dignified context for a lady-
Melissa looked at the embroidery on the tablecloth in silence waiting for him to finally send her to hell, they were in a very secluded corner of the restaurant and if Lewis had wanted he could have allowed himself to raise his voice a little more. And she expected it all.
-Actually, I can't imagine you naked while you're having sex with him, just the thought of it repulses me- he put his hands on his face, hiding it completely and then let them slide away -Don't... don't...- he sighed and then finished the glass of wine –I can't- he admitted –But I can't even stay away from you. With this I have no intention of moving to Italy-

Here we are, now I secretly rummage through my bag and look for tissues at least I can cry.

-I want to seriously try it with you. No more parallel relationships on both sides. I also admit that I haven't been 100% faithful to you but I can guarantee you that I haven't had anyone else after Holland but we're adults, let's behave accordingly-
Melissa didn't understand anything anymore.
-I forgive you for what you did and I'm sorry for what happened to you but now keep your head on your shoulders. I don't know what witchcraft you cast on me but I can't think of anything else but you-
Melissa had her jaw on the floor in amazement -Yes– she said. Lewis looked at her and waited for a more elaborate response, but it didn't come because Melissa was too incredulous.
-but do you have feelings for me?-
-Before you took me to the airport I had already bought the ticket for Imola. Honestly it was impossible for me to even think to live without you- she admitted with wet eyes -I hated the way we insulted each other and I'm sorry for what I said to you, please, find in your heart the courage to forgive me for what I said. I'm sorry- she cried -I didn't mean to sleep with him, I felt bad and wanted to someone to make me feel like you do every time we are together. I'm sorry. Lewis, I'm sorry- she sobbed.
Lewis took her cheek and dried it with his thumb.