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First times

Lucy woke up at 6 am and walked to the track as soon as possible.

- Oh hey, - Marshall seemed surprised, - usually, the drivers come every other day, but this is a very pleasant surprise. I thought about some things we need to do, so let's not waste time.

- Yeah, sure. - Lucy smiled.

Marshall brought two tennis balls:

- Put your hands on my hands. I'm gonna drop one of the balls and you're gonna catch it as fast as possible. We're gonna see how good your reaction time is.

The first ball dropped on the ground. After about fifty drops Lucy started getting better.

- Let's do fifty more, after that you're going to the gym and after the workout, maybe I'll allow you to ride on the track.

- Yup, sure. - Lucy was tired of the reaction game.

After fifty more Marshall showed Lucy the gym and left her alone with the instructions on the wall.

- How's the new girl? - The lead mechanic was talking with Marshall.

- She absolutely sucks, but I like a challenge.

- You think she has potential?

- Howard, if I didn't think that, she wouldn't be here. Is the car ready?

- Always is.

Lucy was walking back from the gym looking for Marshall.

- Scotty, do you think the tires need a change yet? - People were talking behind the wall.

- No, they're fine. - Lucy recognized Marshall's voice.

Lucy walked into the room to prepare to go on the track. As she was putting on the given race suit, Marshall walked in to check on her.

- Ready?

- Almost. So, I heard they called you Scotty, what is that all about?

- To them, I'm Scotty, to you I'm Marshall and it should stay that way. 

Lucy walked outside to see the car for the first time. She freaked out and got excited.

- You're driving a Lamborghini huracan GT, meaning it's modified and made for the racetrack.

Lucy put on a helmet and got in the car. Marshall was talking through the radio to get Lucy used to it.

- I'm sure you know everything, but you shift gears behind the wheel, there is no clutch, there is no e-brake. There's a button on the wheel to talk to us, to wipe your windows, change ABS, all that. Don't overwork the car, don't make her suffer, don't go slow, and don't crash it.

- Got it. - Lucy was sweating inside the car. 

The starting horn blew and Lucy flew off with the car. She hadn't experienced a car of that power ever before. Her body was heating up, but her fingertips were getting cold. She did one lap after another before a voice told her to pit.

- Honesty is the best policy, and that was pathetic.

- Well it wasn't bad for the first time. - Lucy shrugged.

- It was, but it's okay. You'll learn, I already found your flaws. We're gonna do more laps, do you have anything to say?

- The suits a bit big.

- Yeah, it's a male fit, we'll get a new one.

The crew quickly changed the tires and Lucy was told to go.

- Ok, now do what I say and see how that improves your performance, - Marshall was talking to the radio, - ok, turn it in, hold the line. Full power, drive it out. Upper gear, flat through here, stay close to the right-hand side. Into the left, on the brakes, pound two, off the brakes, turn it in...Power. Upper gear, stay to the right, upper gear, turn into the left, power down three, turn it in, and full power...That was great, now do all that without me telling you.

After about ten laps Lucy stopped in the pits and got out.

- Change and then come to my office. - Marshall walked off.

- Is he mean to everyone? - Lucy asked the team of mechanics.

- No, not really. He has his reasons to be mean to you, even though they aren't good. Maybe one day someone will tell you the story, but it won't be me. Anyway, you were pretty good. - Howard smiled.

Lucy changed and walked into the office. Marshall wasn't inside, so Lucy decided to walk around and look at the pictures. There were pictures of teams, pictures on podiums, black and white pictures of teenage Marshall, and cut-outs from newspapers.

- Hey, sit down. - Marshall walked in.

- Those pictures are nice. - Lucy said.

- Thanks. Lucy, you made a record today, you got the slowest lap on this racetrack yet. You got better with each lap, but I think I know the problem.

- Let's hear it.

- You don't trust the Huracan. You don't trust it, therefore you're not controlling it correctly and you're not getting good results. The other thing is, I can tell you've driven a car before because you keep wanting to drift it for some reason. It's an all-wheel-drive with no e-brake, it can't drift so don't try, just brake around the corners.

- Yeah, I guess I'm a little intimidated by it. Also, yeah, I've driven a car before.

- What car was it?

- It was a 1995 Nissan 240sx.

- Okay, where is it now?

- It umm...It got impounded.

- Okay, understood. Well, we're gonna work on your performance, can you come back tomorrow?

- I always can.