Lucky number 4

Runaway Saterday

I wake up in a sweat. It's still dark outside, but I'm instantly awake. He's here. The thought still sends chills down my arms. It's okay. Plan evade and ignore is back on course. Menno and I talked lengthily last night about what we can do to evade my supervisor. The game plan is to be as busy as possible.

Antsy, I jump out of bed and put on my running clothes. Running my lungs out of my body will distract me for a while. I wait for the elevator to reach my floor while I search for a good playlist on my phone. I'm feeling something like hip-hop or African beats.

"You're up early".

I look up to find the elevator and Lando waiting. He's also dressed in activewear. I smile and get in beside him. His body goes completely still for a moment. "Couldn't sleep. What about you?"

Lando's eyes stick to mine before he rakes his gaze down my body. My lungs fail to suck in oxygen. I'm paralyzed in place and look away first to hide the desire that's probably all over my face. I like Lando. His honesty, his kindness and his playfulness completely disarmed my defenses. But he is still work and I can't go there. Not now.  Lando clears his throat and faces towards the doors too. "I usually workout around this time on Saturdays. There isn't much time during the day."

"Dedicated" I mutter, checking the time. It's 6 in the morning! I make a mental note to ask Mike later about the drivers training schedules. It's something I should know, if I want to interpret the data right.

"So, what km's are you running today?"

"Euh" I stammer, not having thought about it. "I have nothing planned yet. I just wanted to start and see where I'll end up."

A heavy silence falls between us. His voice is low, when he whispers close to my ear. "What are you running from?"

The hairs rise up on the back of my neck. No, not going there.

"You." I lie, casually walking out the elevator. Lando greets his Jon, his personal training in the lobby, and I wave to them before making my way outside. I don't look back when I take off.

-

The paddock is packed with people by the time Menno, Ella and I arrive to work.

"Welcome to the Saturday craze" Ella chirps, holding out her arm like a tour guide. "On the left we have the Nepo baby's waiting for their favorite driver to sign their cap, and oh on the right we have, what we like to call 'chronic back pain photographers and film crew'".

"That sounds awful" I remark in remorse, feeling grateful for my job.

"I have to run" Menno steps in, "see you guys for lunch?" Both Ella and I nod, Menno holding my gaze a bit longer than normal. Ella and I head off towards the medical center and start with the shit ton of medical data that's waiting for us. Ella puts on some music, coffee is running and we dig into our work. I spent most of the morning organizing the data into excel sheets before running it through statistics. We have a coffee / karaoke break that Ella records for her insta story and I momentarily forget about my problems for the day.

But life's a bitch. Because exactly 6 minutes later, a knock on the door reveals my nightmare and ACE inhibitor, Davis-Scott, my supervisor.

"Hi Kaya! Good to see you!" Davis's toothy grin makes me want to hurl up my breakfast.

"Hi" I fake a smile. Mike is standing behind him. He must have shown him around already. I shake myself out of my stupor and nod to my right, "This is Ella, my coworker."

Ella waves, but her rigid posture tells me she's not comfortable. That makes two of us.

"Davis came all the way from Germany to support you on your first GP" Mike chirps in excitedly. "Now that's a good supervision!"

I smile through gritted teeth. "It is" I agree, focusing again on my excel sheets.

"Kay, take a break! Why don't you make a round, see which PT's need some help and show Davis what you're up too when you're not on your computer."

Mike means well. He is such a nice guy, but I really don't want to be alone with Davis.

But there is no backing down from an order. I nod and gather my stuff. When we leave Ella and Mike behind, Davis turns to me with a frown. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

I plaster on a smile again, hoping to come across as sincere. "I am! I just had a late night and I'm a bit tired." Lies. But I'm getting so good at them. "How was your trip?" I ask, walking with him to the first motorhome. Williams.

"It was good. The flight got delayed a bit, but I had plenty of time anyway. I tried to look for you yesterday, but I heard you were out."

I nod, making a mental note to thank Lando for his unprompted plans. Inside the Williams motorhome, I make my way to where they train the drivers. Every driver has their own space, usually a small room with a treatment table and a few tools like tennis balls, elastic bands and fit light trainers. I knock on the door to Franco's room and I'm let in by Dennis, Franco's personal trainer.

"Kaya!" he exclaims, "good you're here. Do you mind helping out with some light graded frictions?"

I smile at Franco who waves at me from the table. "Sure!" I say stepping inside the room, "this is my supervisor. Is it okay if he joins us?"

Please say no.

"Of course!"

Fuck me mate.

Davis closes the door and takes a seat on the right. "What's going on?" I ask Franco, stepping closer.

"My lower back has been hurting. What you did on Thursday really helped, but it's back again."

"It's only pain reducing, not a cure." I reflect sadly.

The next 10 minutes I'm helping out alongside Dennis. Davis is oddly quiet, and I decide to enjoy the little moment. The rest of the morning I spent going from motorhome to motorhome, but not all drivers are training with their PT at the moment. I have to closely check their schedules and visit them accordingly. At 13:00u, after I missed lunch with my friends, only Lando, Daniel and Charles are still to be due. My phone is blowing up and I'm not surprised to find 5 missed calls from Menno. After the sixth went to voice mail he decided to text me.

Rodeo

MENNO RHODES

Why aren't you at lunch?

Are you with him?

I'm not paying attention to the busy paddock around me and only look up when Davis exclaims "look there", but I never had a chance to see what he was pointing at because his watch strikes me in the face a second later. I gasp in surprise before the pain kicks in like a bombshell. I'm on the floor a second later, clutching my throbbing eye. 

But that's not what's freaking me out.

He's touching me.

His hands are on me. The sounds around me are muffled. Stop touching me!

I wish I could say those words. Instead, I have to get up, get away.

"I'm fine" I exclaim. "I'm fine, really." I get up and try to move away from him, but he follows, trying to sooth me. A crowd has gathered around us and all wear various expressions of concern.

"I'm okay" I try again.

"Kaya!" my knees almost buckle in relieve. Dylan runs over to us and takes my face in his hands. "What happened?" He inspects my eye, not looking happy with what he is seeing.

"I accidently struck her with my watch." Davis jumps in, never far away.

Dylan frowns at my supervisor, seemingly unsure. "How does something like that happen?"

I ponder over what happened. But to be honest, I was distracted, so it could have been an accident?

"I wasn't paying attention where I was going" I find myself defending Davis. The alternative is worse. "And when he pointed towards something, I was just in the wrong spot."

Dylan weighs my words but then nods and pulls me towards the medical center. "Let me check you out to be sure."