Racing Love

Chapter 8

Vic entered the garage looking at her phone. The Instagram talked about nothing but only about Carlos. With her full attention on the phone, she eventually bumped into someone and it was the man himself.

"Hey! You alright-"

"Watch where you are going" he snapped back at her. It stung Vic to hear those words from him. She wanted to talk to him. Ask him if he was ok. But she decided against it.

"Carlos, we have a meeting" Charles came in and noticed me. "Hey, Vikki! Long night?" Charles said in a teasing tone.

"Stop it, Charles," she said hitting him on his shoulder. "I did see you stumbling out of the bar with someone" he teased again.

"Yeah, well unsee it," she said walking inside. Charles's eyesight followed her and turned around to his teammate who looked at him as if he would kill him.

"Sorry," Charles said straight.

Everybody gathered for the team meeting. Vic explained, "You will have difficulty with the setup at turn 9. Otherwise, we should be on the podium with the right pitstops."

"There is a high level of tire deg. We will need a two-stopper"  the strategist explained and everybody nodded.

"Also, with the risk of a safety car, I say we pit one then the other" he added. "No. We need to pit them together" Vic said straight and everybody shifted to her.

"I don't think-" the strategist started again. "There is a 90 percent chance of a safety car. It's a slow race. We need to do a double stop" she said with confidence.

"I know that. But we are on a pole and we cannot risk-"

"You cannot win without risking it" her voice came out harsh. She knew she had to put her foot on the ground. Otherwise, people will not consider her serious. Also, she was sure about what she was saying.

"How about we leave the strategy to the strategist and we do not poke our noses on other jobs," Carlos said in a very harsh tone towards her. The moment she heard it, especially if it was coming from not anyone else but Carlos shattered her heart.

"Carlos-" Charles tried to stop him. "What? Her work is setting up the car. Let her do only that" he snapped. That's it. Vic knew if she stayed there another minute people would notice the tears pooling in her eyes.

She stood up and walked out. Everybody looked at each other but eventually discussed other stuff and dispersed. Once everybody was out Charles locked eyes with his teammate.

 "What? I just told her to do her work," he said, putting his hands up. "Shut up Carlos. You know she is on our side" he said with a bit angry tone standing up and walking out.

Charles immediately made his way towards the engineer's room.  She was on her seat looking into something on her laptop. She noticed the driver entering.

"I am fine, Charles," she said, looking at the pity face he made her. She hated being looked at like that. "It's not you. I promise," he said.

"I understand," she said nodding. He gave a short nod and walked outside. She calmed herself down. She cannot have people taking pity on her for doing her job.

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Race happened. A safety car happened. They pitted only Carlos. Charles was left out. His tyres wore out and he couldn't catch up to Carlos.

Carlos on the other hand comfortably led the race. However, Mercedes double-stacked and was on the verge of getting him. But he helped Lando with DRS and George crashed on the last lap so it was a comfortable win for Carlos.

He got out of the car and looked at his teammate who looked quite pissed. When Charles noticed Carlos walking towards him, he smiled and congratulated him on the win.

"Sorry mate," he said to which Charles replied "If anyone we have to be sorry about, it's Vic. Once you are done here please go and apologize. I am not ready to lose her from the team," he said. Carlos nodded.

He hated himself. For being that rude to her. But thinking of her with Jay made his blood boil again. And the fact that he was not in a place to question or stop her made him mad.

He finished all his celebrations and interviews and returned to his driver's room. He searched for Vic, but she was nowhere to be found. He asked his trainer where she was, and he replied that she was back in her engineer room.

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He made his way towards her room. Luckily it was open and he could hear her talking to someone. He peeked inside to see her working on her drawing board with her phone on speaker.

"You alright there bud?" he realized it was her father. "Yes, Dad. I am" she replied her attention fully focussed on her drawing.

"How is everything going on? How is everybody treating you?" he asked in a concerned tone. Carlos visibly winced thinking about pre-race. He noticed her taking a long sigh.

"Everything's been perfect, Dad. People are kind. I love it here" she said but her face said otherwise and Carlos knew it even without looking at it.

"Those two drivers are good, yeh?" he said.

"Yeah. They are. Charles loves speed and Carlos..." she stopped as she felt a bit tense. "Carlos I feel is the best out there. When put in the right machinery, he is the guy you want. I love working with them" she said. Carlos's guilt he felt from the morning increased 10 fold.

"What are you doing? Aren't you celebrating with the team?" he asked. "No Dad" she was drawing again. "I have work," she said. The line remained silent. She looked at her phone.

"Dad?" she called out. "Are you again sulking in your room without talking to anyone?" he asked worriedly.

"No Dad. I am not. I talk to people" she said.

"Really? Should I call Lewis or George?" he asked. "No you will not," she said in a strict tone. "You are not calling them and getting them worried. You don't have to be worried. It-" she stopped.

"It is not bad Dad. I am not spiralling down. I promise. It's-" she placed a hand on her temple her face a bit frustrated.

"I am new. It is gonna take some time for me to go out with people" she said in a sad tone. "I understand Bud. I am just worried" he said.

"How about I come and visit you? I miss you" she said. "Yeah. Yeah. I think that would be nice" he said.

"Bye Dad," she said softly. "Take care Vikki" he replied. Carlos stood behind the wall of the entrance still not letting her know his presence. He wanted to make things right with the girl.