The driver, The Girlfriend and Me

Trouble

"Keep an eye on Sophie". The first thing I heard that morning "Also, keep an eye on Nico. I've got a feeling he's playing with her.

"Ok Matty. Count on me. I've got the exact same feeling although Sophie told me something"

"Hello, tell me?"

"I can't. It doesn't seem right to tell anyone. Not that she would want people to know"

"Just tell me, I think we would all like to know"

"And that is the exact reason why I won't tell you!"

"What?!"

"Because you'll tell everyone! Now go! Get down to the garage! Otmar and Vijay will wonder where you are!"

I'd had enough of them talking about me. They thought I was still asleep.

"Really? Talking about me? And don't even try the whole sorry act, I heard everything you both said. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off down to the track"

I sasheyed out of the room, lightly flicked my hair and strutted off down the hallway.

"Did she just?"

"I think she did"

"She just sassed us out"

"Not that!"

"Then what?"

"She heard everything. From what I know about her personality type, she won't talk to me for a while"

"And? No big loss right?"

"We have to work with each other"

"Shit...Care for me to walk you to the track, Elisha?"

"I still have some other stuff to do, I'll see you down there"

***

"Wow! Sophie's early and as a bonus she found her way! It's amazing!" Nico smirked.

Otmar came out from behind him.

"You must be Sophie!" He smiled "I'm Otmar, lovely to meet you!"

"A pleasure to meet you Otmar" I smiled back. He went over to the pitwall.

"Sophie! Where's Elisha?" Vijay said, walking over with Sergio following. They didn't look happy.

"Last I know she was in our hotel room, well, outside it with Matty having a bitch about me"

"Right, can you get her down here?"

"Right now? Why?"

Nico came and stood by Checo.

"Has she screwed up on something?" I asked again.

They all looked at each other before Vijay decided to speak.

"Checo was meant to be in the media area this morning for a few interviews. She didn't turn up to get him there"

"Were they big?"

"No but the first rule of being a PR is?"

"Be punctual"

"Good! Now the boys have FP3 then qualifying. I believe that you don't need to be here for FP3"

"Correct"

"Go up to the hotel and get her then. Checo and I have a few words for her"

Nico smiled at me as I turned to walk off.

"We need her here now! Run if you have too"

Nico smiled more as I tied my hair back and ran through the garage and out the back.

***

"ELISHA!" I yelled through the door as it was locked.

"Oh, I see you're talking to me"

"Not off of my own back. I was sent to collect you"

"Collect me? What time...Oh no! I've missed Checos interviews! Vijay is going to kill me!"

I was sniggering outside the door. She couldn't hear me, thankfully. Suddenly, the door flung open and she ran down the corridoor, throwing the key at me.

"Thanks" I muttered.

***

Nico was out of the car at this point. There was only one minute to go and he couldn't get another timed lap in.

"What did she say when you collected her?" The team PR said.

"Oh my Lex! You'd have laughed so much! She started having a go at me, then turned around and ran out the door and to the track!"

"She'll have gone all sorry and sad on Vijyay! Thats exactly what she did last year!"

"Oh god!"

"Yeah, I know! Anyway I better get back to the pitwall! Enjoy your first qualifying!"

"Thanks Lex!"

***

"What did Vijay say?" I asked Elisha as she came and sat next to me. Nico gave me a hug and went to get in the car.

"That I'm not to do it again yada yada yada"

"Ah right"

Nico just managed to scrape himself into Q2. As both Manor cars weren't going to run in any sessions or the race we lost 4 people from Q1 and 4 from Q2. The car wasn't quite showing the pace that we had hoped for.

***

We couldn't get anywhere near the front of the Q2 pack. Nico was eliminated in P14. Not what we had wanted at all. To add salt to injury we had lost Checo in Q1 P15. Not a decent day at all for us.

***

"Boys, I'll be straight with you, that was an appauling first qualifying session. The car isn't up to pace at all. You will need to do extra well in tomorrows race and push harder than usual to build up the lost places. We need the points and as you know, the money. If any team is going to go down the bankrupt route, it's going to be us"

"I'll try my hardest but come on, we couldn't even out do Verstappen and he's a seventeen year old rookie!" Nico said.

"Nico has a point, we need to get a good start without jumping it" Checo added.

"Well, you both gave it a go today so I'm proud of you. Go! Have a rest tonight"

We all said goodbye and walked back to the hotel.

***

Great try today, the car isn't as good as we expected I guess x

I guess. I can't say that I'm happy but we'll see what tomorrow brings xx

Ok! Good luck anyway! Of course I will say it tomorrow! xx

Do I get a hug as well? xx

Of course you do ;) xx

Goodnight Soph xxx

Goodnight Nico xxx

"Put your phone down and go to sleep" Elisha moaned "You won't be up in time for the race"

"I will be. Make sure you aren't late to take Checo to his post-race interviews"

"Moody" She said.

She had a point. I wasn't feeling happy at all. I had no idea why, but I wanted to cry, scream, punch something and kick off at someone.

A sensation that I had never had. I hated it. She glared at me until I put my phone on the table to charge and went to sleep.