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Portugal

Weeks after training the team felt prepared for the race in Portugal. The plane ride was long and boring, but eventually, Lucy felt the warm Portuguese air on her face.

- This is wonderful. - Lucy smiled.

- Sure is. Let's get our car, get to the track, and get ready for tomorrow. - Howard limped out of the plane.

- Sounds like a plan. - Marshall put on some sunglasses.

Lucy was enjoying every second in Portugal - the sun was shining, the weather was incredible and the view was a wonder to look at. After driving to the hotel and then the race track, Lucy wanted to say something to Marshall in his room, but as she opened the door, she was immediately told to leave.

- Not now Lucy, I'll talk to you later, I have some important stuff right now.

Lucy noticed Keith was in the room with him. She wanted to listen in on their conversation but decided not to. Ten minutes later Marshall came to Lucy's room to talk to her:

- Alright, I have something to tell you, - he sat down, - to say simply, from now on you'll be our main driver. You're our face, you're our racer, you're the one and only.

- Why? - Lucy asked.

- Keith will still be driving, but he will be more in the shadows, while you'll be in the spotlight. You see, he got a deal to drive in F1, so he'll drive in Formula and he'll drive for us at the same time.

- Oh, well okay, I guess that's understandable.

- Get ready to be in the spotlight. When someone talks about our team now, they won't mention Keith, they'll mention you.

- That's not scary at all, thank you.

- No pressure. - Marshall laughed and left the room.

Lucy tried to sleep but was too scared...Or just excited about the following day. She drifted to sleep after a couple of hours of attempts and woke up right before her alarm. Lucy turned on some music, got ready, and met everyone outside ready as could be.

- Okay, today is just the placement day, so don't worry too hard.

- It's all perfect, no worries. - Lucy closed the door.

As the short placement race started, Lucy was confident he could get in the front, and for the most part, she was right. Taking over competitors was a lot easier than last time - she finished sixth.

The following day, they got to the track, where music and crowds of people were looking around the cars. Lucy felt confident and ready. She saw the bright lime-colored Porsche from the last race and wanted to meet the racer.

- Hey. - Lucy sneaked up.

- Hi.

- I've met your superior before, but we haven't actually met each other. I'm Lucy Green.

- Yeah, I've talked to Cole about you before. I'm Christian Miles. - Christian shook her hand. - how's the Lamborghini?

- Nelly is a beast and I'm pretty sure I'm starting to tame her.

- Well you better, or else all you're gonna see is my wing. - Christian joked around.

- I see how it is, you're on. - Lucy smiled and walked back to her car.

There were a couple of hours left before the race. Lucy waved to Elliot and locked eyes with Xander a couple of minutes later.

- Worried about anyone? - Connor asked Lucy.

- No, not really. Should I be?

- Of course not, you've got this. - Connor patted Lucy on the back.

Marshall joined the conversation:

- Okay Lucy, it's only an hour-long race, you're driving the entire time. Keep the speed high and the corners clean.

- I'll do my best.

- You know your main competition?

- Xander Buckley and Elliot Morgan I guess. Christian Morales is also a contender.

- Alright, good luck.

Lucy waited for people to start the race and right after the starting shot, she started warming up her tires driving right behind Christian.

After a safety lap, she saw the green flag and went pedal to the metal. Focused, confident, and fast, Lucy was moving up position after position. Her progress wasn't getting better in the last twenty minutes. She was driving fourth, Christian was third, Elliot was second and Xander was leading the race. Lucy was right behind Christian, almost touching bumper to bumper but couldn't pass him no matter how hard she tried.

- COME ON CHRISTIAN, move, I need to win. - Lucy was talking to herself in the car.  - I'm taking you next corner.

As the following corner came, Lucy closed the gap and took over Christian.

- Last lap, let's get this. - Lucy pitted, but so did everyone else. - Come on, let's go, I need to get out of the pits before they do.

Xavier moved out of the pits first and Lucy got out on the track second. No matter how hard Lucy was pushing, she couldn't get close to Xander in first.  Corner after corner she was barely catching up. The last corner and last straight were coming up. She wanted to take Xander in a wide corner but immediately realized that wasn't gonna work.

- Noo, that's too wide. - Marshall had disappointment in his voice.

Lucy accelerated for the last straight, but Elliot passed her while Christian was creeping right behind her.

- Come on, come on, just keep it up for five more seconds Nelly. - Lucy was looking at how Christian was getting closer and closer.

Xander easily took first, Elliot pulled out a second place and it was a photo finish between Lucy and Christian.

Lucy got out of her car to talk to the crew.

- How did I finish? - Lucy asked.

- We don't know yet, they're checking the footage, but wherever you finished, you did great. This race was so much better than the last. - Howard answered.

- The start was good, that last corner was too wide. - Marshall added.

- Yeah, I know, I wanted to take him widely.

- You should've kept it close then get his split stream and catch up.

- I was trying.

Everyone looked at the people looking at the footage. Lucy was disappointed, as she was announced fourth.

- He took me over last second. - Lucy frowned.

- You did great, don't worry too much about it. - Connor patter her back.

- It wasn't bad, - Marshall agreed, - ready to go?

- Go where? - Lucy wondered.