Redline | L.Norris

five

Waking up the next morning seemed like Isla's own personal hell. Her body protested every single movement and the headache that was forming from the few hours of sleep she got was wreaking havoc in her skull. As she slowly opened her eyes, sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her cluttered hotel room like a spotlight on her disarray. Empty coffee cups and clothes scattered across the floor reminded her of the whirlwind of the previous day.

Isla groaned, burying her face in her pillow, wishing for just a few more minutes of blissful ignorance. But the world wasn't going to wait for her. She rolled over, wincing as she pushed herself up to a seated position, the room spinning slightly.

"Okay, Isla, you can do this," she muttered to herself, rubbing her temples in a futile attempt to ease the pounding ache. She shuffled to the bathroom, each step feeling like a trek through molasses. Splashing cold water on her face helped a little, but as she glanced in the mirror, the reflection staring back was not one she recognized—puffy eyes, disheveled hair, and a shadow of uncertainty etched on her features.

After a quick shower, she dressed in her favorite oversized sweatshirt and leggings, opting for comfort over style. The familiar fabric enveloped her like a warm hug, and for a moment, she felt a glimmer of normalcy return.

Before she could get too far into her morning, a knock on the door cut through the silence. Isla opened the door to Lando's smiling face. "Morning sleepy head. I brought coffee." He held up two cups, stepped around you to walk inside your hotel room.

You closed the door and made your way to the small kitchen table in the room where Lando had sat down. He slid your cup over to you and you thanked him with a small smile.

"I went to find you last night, but Danny said you left early." It wasn't a question, but Isla felt the need to explain herself. "I was a good few minutes from falling asleep at a table and giving poor headlines against myself."

Lando chuckled and asked what her plans were for the short time they had off this week. Isla sat back in her chair and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess go home for a few days and then head out to Australia."

"And home is where nowadays?" Lando questioned.

"Dad moved to Italy for Robin and his karting career this last year, so home is there, I guess. I haven't exactly moved out yet, not knowing where I was going to end up." Speaking about her dad, Isla got up from the table to grab her phone off the bed. She needed to call him to figure out logistics of her traveling back home.

"You know Monaco is where majority of us live. Ever thought about making a move out there now that things have settled down?" Lando watched as Isla thought about his question.

"I'm not sure where I want to live yet. But I am thinking about moving out of Europe. It would be far from a lot of the races, but it might be nice to have a place to get away from it all." Isla got a text from Max asking if she was flying back with him. She really needed to figure out her life a bit more.

"Talk to Danny about Australia. He would have the best input on it." All Lando got in return was a "hmm", noticing she was distracted with her phone.

"Everything okay?" Isla looked up, sheepishly. "I promise I'm not ignoring you. I just didn't put together my travel plans before this morning like an idiot."

Lando chuckled, "How about this? You fly back to Monaco with a few of us, take the short break there, and fly to the next race with me? What is really waiting for you in Italy?"

Isla took in his words, thinking over everything he just said. While seeing her dad and brother would be nice, she knew he would be focused on karting and not have much free time. Her dad was never one for genuine quality time. And ever since she made it into formula one, his focus has now been shifted to Robin and his early career.