Asphyxiate (Lando Norris/AU)

Chapter 2

Chloe

As I walk up the stairs, my eyes catch the view of the big orange sign on the wall to my right. McLaren.

My first job after university was at a small clothing brand my best friend, Violet, started when we were still at school. She was a fashion design major, and I was majoring in psychology and marketing at Regents University in London. The first 6 months after graduation, it was just me and Violet, so everything kind of merged together. Including the jobs we had within the business.

She handled the economics and of course the designing. I was in charge of everything else. Hiring new colleagues, making content and updating our social media platforms, and just looking out for the wellbeing of everyone working there. We lived in the same flat we shared all through university, and loved it. I stayed in the business for 3 years, before I felt the need for a change.

I applied for a job at McLaren as a Junior Human Resource Consultant, and by some dumb luck, I got it. I had been there for 4 years, and loved every minute of it.

"See you at lunch, Chlo" Amy sings in a high-pitched voice, as she walks down the main hallway to her office in the social media department.

I run my hands over my hair to flatten any loose hair strands, suddenly feeling very insecure about my looks. My hair tie snaps. My hair immediately poofs up like a hot air balloon on speed. "Well, shit." Just my fucking luck.

I grind my teeth as I reach the door, which has 'Conference Room 2' written in big black bold letters over it. I run my right hand through my hair, shake it for a brief second but end up dropping my thermos.

A sharp metallic sound screeches through the hallway. I bend down to pick it up but somehow end up opening the door with my other hand already on the door handle. I almost fell through the door. "For fuck's sake." I mutter under my breath.

The black chairs occupied by my coworkers, all turn towards me. The eyes of the people in them, all focus on me making my way around the big white table to my seat next to Hannah, my boss. It feels like I'm going to implode with embarrassment, and I feel my cheeks burning. I'm absolutely sure that everyone will be able to see my heart beating, because it feels like it's about to make its way through my chest wall. I sit down and immediately feel nauseated, like the coffee I just consumed is about to shoot its way back up my oesophagus. Say something, Chlo.

"I'm so sorry I'm late." I whisper, taking my seat next to Hannah, as I place my bag in the chair on my other side.

I quickly find my laptop in my bag and put it on the table in front of me. I ruffle my hair with my left hand, and reach for the glasses in my bag with my right. I put them on, nod to the man by the end of the table to start his welcome-to-this-meeting-speech again, and start listening.

"Now that everyone is here, I want to take this opportunity to welcome you all." He looks at me with a tiny hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth.

"It's going to be an exciting season. The cars are even better than they were last year, so the team and everything and everyone surrounding the team should improve as well." Zac looks at all of us, and is now full on smiling.

I always thought he was a nice person. He was ambitious, and it rippled through the entire organisation. What the hell is he so giddy about?

I scan the room for the first time, to really notice who's present. To my right is Hannah, my boss, and next to her, Amad who is her boss. We're all in HR, handling everything related to hiring, firing, negotiation of salary and cases related to sick- and maternity leave and work environment in general. The three of us are managing the team that's responsible for everything HR-related in the F1 team, from mechanics, to engineers, to drivers.