Until my last breath

20

It's the 52nd lap now. Charles is in second place, trailing behind Max. My breath hitches as I hold on tightly to the edges of my seat, my heart pounding in rhythm with the engines roaring around the circuit. "Come on, Charles. You can do this," I whisper under my breath, my eyes glued to the screen, my thoughts a mix of hope and anxiety.

Then, just like that, he does it. By the 55th lap, he strips the lead from the Red Bull driver. "Allez Charles!" I shout, adrenaline surging through me as I jump up from my seat, unable to contain my excitement momentarily . I glance at Alex and Pascale, their faces lighting up with joy, mirroring the elation that's bubbling inside me.

Finally, we reach the last lap. My heart races, and the air feels electric as Charles holds the lead. We're all standing now, caught up in the moment, watching as Max pushes harder, trying to close the gap. I take off my headphones, my heart pounding in my ears as I run to the front of the garage, desperate to see him cross that finish line.

As Charles crosses the finish line, I scream in joy, the sound echoing around the garage as the reality of the moment crashes down on me. He did it. He won. I wait for his cooldown lap, my heart swelling with pride, wanting to be the first one to congratulate him.

When he finally pulls into the garage, his eyes find me instantly. "REE!" he shouts, and in the next heartbeat, he's rushing towards me, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. "You won!" we both exclaim, the realization hitting us at the same time.

"We did win, Leclerc, we did!" I chuckle, my heart soaring as I hug him tighter, feeling the warmth of his victory wrap around us both. I release him so he can greet the rest of the team, but I stay close, still buzzing from the adrenaline of the race.

We all head to the podium ceremony, my heart swelling with pride as I watch Charles receive his trophy. It never gets old, witnessing the sheer joy on his face whenever he wins. The cheers of the crowd ring in my ears, but my thoughts still linger on the earlier confrontation with Darwin, the feeling of vulnerability and violation washing over me again.

After the celebrations, we all head back to the garage, the paddock alive with excitement and camaraderie. I have to retrieve my things from the Prema garage, so I linger a little longer, soaking in the atmosphere of victory. Charles catches my eye just before he leaves. "Ree, dinner at 10 at Le Grill. Don't be late," he says, the excitement in his voice a stark contrast to the heaviness that sits in my chest.

"Sure. I'll be there" I call after him, watching as he disappears into a car. As the moment of celebration starts to fade, I walk back to the garage, needing a moment alone, hoping to shake off the anxiety that's threatening to swallow me whole.

As I approach the garage, I spot Gavi, and my heart skips a beat. "Pablo?" I call out, catching him off guard. He turns, a look of surprise crossing his face.

"Oh, hi. I was just looking for my keys, but I found them," he explains, holding up his keys as if that will somehow ease the tension between us.

"Oh, well, uhm, that's good," I reply, nodding awkwardly. "Are you about to leave?"

"Yes, I'm heading back to the hotel," he says, and I can feel my heart sink a little. I need him, more than I realized, but I can't just say it out loud.

"Well, we're having dinner in two hours, if you'd like to come," I offer, my voice tinged with hope. I can't help but plead silently for him to accept. What happened two hours ago is still haunting me, the memories playing on repeat in my mind. I've faced countless instances of sexism and harassment throughout my career, but what I witnessed today was far worse than anything I had ever encountered. Gavi was there, he saw it all, and he helped me when he could have just walked away. Right now, he's the only one who understands, the only one who makes me feel safe.