Redline | L.Norris

three

The post-race interviews held a lot of the same questions as they had before the race. "Was it intimidating being the only female out there?" "Did you dad have any comments after the race?" But the question that Isla's communications liaison, Alice, pulling her away was "Do you think this was beginners' luck?"

There were no correct ways to answer that question without the possibility of a fine being thrown to red bull very early in the season, and Alice knew that. "Sorry everyone. Isla has a team debrief to get to."

Isla turned around before she rolled her eyes. "Such riveting questions from the peanut gallery." Alice sighed, "You know it's to draw headlines. They want you to slip up so they can run that story as long as people will continue to read it." Isla figured that was why her dad was so short with the press.

"Is there really a debrief?" Isla tried not to sound too disappointed with this being a new thing for her, but she was exhausted.

Alice shook her head, "No, but you need to hide in your driver's room for at least twenty minutes, so the press doesn't catch on."

"My God I think I love you." Alice chuckled at the girls admission and left her to go find Max.

Isla smiled at the red bull mechanics as she walked into the driver's room and laid down on the couch. Pulling her phone out of her backpack, she saw a few texts.

Dad

4th place is not bad. Just remember, it's a long season. Don't get too ahead of yourself.

Isla

Thanks. Hope to push more next weekend.

She nearly laughed at the message knowing this was as much as she was going to get out of him.

The other text was from Max asking where she was. A quick reply answering him, and he was knocking on her door a minute later.

"Why are you hiding in here?" he asked, closing the door behind him and hopping onto the desk across the room.

"Alice lied to the press, so I didn't have to answer stupid questions. I'm apparently in a debrief," she replied with a smirk.

Max nodded, his hair still damp from the celebratory champagne. "Makes sense. Are you coming out with us tonight?"

Isla's body groaned at the thought. All she wanted was a hot bath and sleep. "I don't think so," she said.

Max opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "It's not that I don't want to; I just don't think I can physically make it."

He fell silent, studying her for a moment. Racing was grueling on everyone, but this was her first experience of it. "How are you feeling?" he asked gently.

Isla paused, letting the weight of the weekend wash over her. "Honestly? Exhausted," she admitted, her voice a mix of relief and fatigue. "It was such a rush, but I didn't realize how much it would take out of me."

Max tilted his head, considering her words. "That makes sense. Your first race, the adrenaline, all the media hype—it can be overwhelming."

"I had no idea it would be this intense," Isla replied, letting out a small laugh.

Max hopped down from the desk and grabbed a water bottle for her. "Go back to the hotel and take a cold shower. That'll wake you up enough to go out for a few hours."

Isla scoffed, shaking her head. "I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

He smirked, "Now you're getting it. Get changed and meet me in the garage. I'll give you a ride back to the hotel."