„He is an idiot."
„You too."
_-_-_-_-_
Haydée and Arthur.
DeeDee and Artie.
You can say it how you want but it still has same meaning. It's always these two, brunette girl and brunette boy.
Since her birth they know each other. They were their first...
"Why do you never want to answer that question I've been asking you for the past few weeks?"
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~•~
The race was over, and the atmosphere in the paddock was charged with joy and excitement. Panis Racing had won, and the entire garage was immersed in celebration. Mechanics, engineers, and team members were shaking hands, laughing, and exchanging congratulations. Haydée stood aside, watching with relief as the team reveled in their success. While others posed with the trophy, she was proud to have been part of something like this, even though her role was merely symbolic. In moments like these, she always forgot that it was a trophy for someone driving a car faster than someone else. The only thing she felt at that moment was the happiness of the people around her. Still, she felt immensely tired.
Arthur, still in his suit, approached her and hugged her with a grin. "Oh no, DeeDee, you said you didn't want to do this anymore, but it looks like you bring the team luck!" he joked, still euphoric from the win. Haydée was so happy about their victory that she chose to ignore the fact that he called her DeeDee.
Haydée rolled her eyes, though she gave him a slight smile. "You're never going to stop, are you?" She was referring to his constant teasing about her dislike for fast driving.
"Not a chance," Arthur replied with a wide smile. "So, are you planning to join us for dinner?"
"Of course," she nodded, "I just need to change." She wasn't going to miss a meal paid for by her father—she never turned down free food. Plus, her father never skimped on team dinners, so she knew the food would be amazing and she would think about it for days.
"Alright, me too," Arthur said. Unexpectedly, he would be at the team dinner, even though he was one of the three drivers who led Panis Racing to today's triumph. "Interesting detail—I found out we have rooms on the same floor."
"That's great," she replied with a hint of irony, not even noticing that Arthur's smile now looked a bit calmer and more serious.
Shortly after, they headed to the hotel right next to the track. When they entered the elevator, there was a moment of silence between them. They were both tired and full of impressions from the day. Arthur leaned against the wall for a moment and took a deep breath.
"It's been a day, hasn't it?" he said.
"Yeah," Haydée replied, "but I still feel a bit off." It had been overwhelming. She had spent so much time around cars today that she felt she didn't want to see another one for at least two weeks. Formula One races were at least quick—over in less than two hours. But this race lasted a good four hours, so she had to endure watching someone she knew trapped in that box, with one wrong move meaning she might never see him breathe again.
The elevator started moving, but after only a few floors, it stopped with a quiet click, and the light went out. The only thing illuminating them now was the red emergency light running along the elevator ceiling, installed for just these kinds of situations.
