Chasing You

Chapter 20

ADDIE

I think I might be shaking as I enter Toni De Luca's office. I remember last time I entered a team principal's office and it did not end well. No, it ended with me getting kicked out of the program and almost being sent home. So one can imagine that right now, just a few race weekends later from the near career-ending event, I am a bundle of nerves.

I mentally go through the last few days to realise what I might have done. I can't think of anything I might have done during the last two GP. Has he found out about my date with Chris? Is he furious about it? Chris hasn't asked me out ever since and I also haven't mentioned a potential second date. Is he mad at him for having taken me out? Is it forbidden?

My head is only filled with questions as Toni looks up from the paper he was staring at, acknowledging my arrival with a nod and says: "Do take a seat, Ms. Clarke."

Okay, I am definitely in trouble.

"Did I do something wrong, Mr. De Luca?", I blurt out, not taking enough time to think my words through. "Is this about Chris? I swear, I never meant to..."

"Wait, what?!", he lets out surprised.

Uh-oh

He didn't know.

And I just dropped the bomb.

"You and Chris?", he continues, yet fairly, the surprise disappeared from his eyes. What is left is some sort of amusement and a look that resembles a fatherly one. Toni puts away the paper and takes his coffee, the one in the 'World's Best Team Principal' mug, with a photoshopped picture of Fabio and Chris showing a thumbs up. I can't help but wonder who gave him that as a present. He seems rather fond of it. "He finally asked you out?"

"Wait, what?!", it's my turn to gasp. "You did not call me here because we went out?"

"No", he assures me, a little mouth twitch on the side. "You see, Chris has been lonely for far too long. Every night, I'd catch him on the rooftop terrace, looking at the stars, as if searching for an answer to end his misery." I don't get the time for that sentence to fully sink in, before Toni shakes his head and muses: "Very sad indeed. That boy has a heart of gold, and I knew it must have already belonged to someone. I figured out it must have been you, for the way he couldn't help but look at you every time you were in our garage. I had to hit his head with a folder once to pull him out of his trance."

He must have seen the way my jaw dropped as he said he hit his head with a folder, since he shrugs: "A light one. Didn't even have any papers. Fabio hit him with a confetti tube once."

Okay, what the actual heck?!

Toni realises he's drifting away, for he starts again. "Anyway, I'm glad the two of you are finally together. I might get my rooftop terrace back."

"We're not... we only went one once... I don't know if you..."

Toni gives me a look that seems to mean an awful lot like cut the bullshit, before he clears his throat and his posture changes into a more serious one. "Leaving our little personal chat aside, I did have a reason for calling you here today. You see, like at every Grand Prix, they are hosting a media conference with all drivers. Afterwards, Aivilo Report, a famous sports newspaper, I'm certain you must know them, has invited Apollo, Espen and us for a private interview. They made a big deal out of it. Booked the whole Paddock Club for some privacy, their CEO has also travelled to be present. Really big deal. I'm taking you with us."

My jaw drops. Of course I know Aivilo. It has sort of been my source of inspiration during my studies. The guideline, setting the bar. Being able to meet them... It would be a dream come true. "That's very kind of you", I say. Yet I can't help but wonder: "Why me?"