the F1 journey begins | Part 2

Chapter 13 : SQ2

(Carlos' POV)

As I parked the car, I got out for a bit to have a quick refill since my water in the car hadn't been full. I hugged Leah as she smiled and helped me removed my helmet. I kissed her as I suddenly felt watched. Afterwards, I noticed that the camera guy had shown the whole world, me kissing her. I wasn't annoyed actually, I felt kind of pleased. I didn't really care about them. I was more pleased at the fact that Leah wasn't scared of the camera or embarrassed. She was more confident. I loved that about her, really.

"I'm worried for Charles. He was so close to getting kicked off from SQ1." Leah told me as I gave her a look. "I'll go to talk to him real quick." I replied as I walked over to the other side of the Ferrari Cabin to find him looking at his car, exhausted. "You good, buddy?" I asked him as he looked up to me. "What do I do?.. I'm supposed to be thinking about only Monique but seeing Alex here.." he said worried. "Monique is right for you, remember what Alexandra did to you and how she broke you? You need Monique." "I literally look like a depressed idiot. Hell with me." "Don't say that." I said angrily. "Where's Monique?" "She went to Leah just now." Charles said smiling. I knew how much he loved Monique. It was killing him more at the fact that he hadn't asked her yet. I knew it wasn't because Alexandra was here. He couldn't find the right time to ask Monique. And it is actually hurting the man!. I've always thought of Charles as a very honest and caring man. Ever since he's found Monique, he's been very different. The good kind of different.

As I watched the man look at her, I told him that the Qualifying would soon start so we both went back to our cars. I told Leah that I was going back inside as she hugged me good luck. I sat back in as I heard the television above me. It was Crofty talking again, showing me that in some more seconds, I could go back onto the track. I went out being the first driver out, with Max and Lando behind me. I did some laps as I got P2.

Time went by, and I got P1 comfortably knowing that I wouldn't be out of SQ2. In the last 5 minutes, I got back inside the pit lane and got out of the car. I went near my engineer to check my stats and then went near Leah to see where Charles was. He was in P13. It was his final flying lap about to start. I started praying as I ran over to his side of the cabin and asked his engineer to give me the headphones. "Charles, can you hear me? It's Carlos."I said as I heard him breathe heavily. "What! Carlos? Bring back my engineer, what are you doing!" "Charles, listen to me, okay? I know you're having a hard time this weekend. But please, do it for Monique and the group?." I said as he had started the lap. "Don't worry, I'll push the car faster." He told me as I gave a big sigh. God I hope that will work. I went back to Leah whilst looking at the television. He did the fastest first sector. He really was pushing the car. Monique came running over as I smiled and told her that he was doing well.

"What? He's doing well? He's not doing well, Carlos! He's mentally unstable right now and you have just told him to push the car faster! Do you even know what that means?! What if he looses control and crashes! For god's sake." Monique told me as she went hugging Leah. Lando had been in the pit lane for about a minute as I saw him and Faith rushing down inside the cabin. "What the hell is Charles doing!" Lando said to me. I felt worried now. What had I done?. What if I get him killed?..

We all stood close to each other as we watched him go through the track. I let a big gasp as he almost lost control at one of the corners. All of a sudden, I watched as he had gotten past the line with the P1 showing that he would be in SQ3. God that was a big relief. We all let out a loud laugh as we hugged each other. Yes, we were acting as if he had won a Grand Prix. But for some reason, he really was affected by Alexandra being here and it had messed his mind up when he saw her. I knew he hated her but I couldn't believe it was affecting him that much. He got back into the pit lane as he parked the car. Once he got out, Monique ran to him crying and hugging him. "Don't you dare do that again! Please! I don't want to loose you! You gave me a mini heart attack." She told him as she hit his chest. "Don't worry, mon amour, I won't." He said as he kissed her with a smile. God, how they were meant for each other.

We all went near him and told him how worried we had gotten. "I'm fine now, don't worry." He said. It was time though, for the last qualifying session.