Harlow Flores was used to it by now, the old gear, the shadows, the disgusted looks. But she never gave up.
While her brother was always in the spotlights, Harlow was kept in the shadows.
But what happens when the, at the time, 15 year old, gets to...
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harlowflores18: yes 3rd today! Proud of my brother's 5th podium <3 Liked by vivo.antic and 319 others
vivo.antic: proud of you bebz, come over later? x ⤷harlowflores18: of course! I'll be on my way in a few x matt.flores39: proud of YOU, we'll celebrate ⤷harlowflores18: luv u bro ;( hxlowfanx: amazing! I luv u! ⤷harlowflores18: awh, i love u too! ⤷hxlowfanx: OMG you responded! :O
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'HARLOW! Dinner is ready! Get down!' her mother yelled. She sighed while she put her phone on the charger beside her. She didn't even reach the stairs, before she heard her mother already: 'You did so good today Matt! I'm so proud of YOU'.
Harlow just rolled her eyes while she joined her family in their kitchen.
The Flores family was well known. Their father used to race back in the day, and now they are like royals or something too the people around the paddock.
What was shocking, was that the Flores family did not only have a son, they had also had a daughter of 15. But since she was kept in the shadows, this wasn't a surprise.
As said, their father was a Formula 1 driver back in the day. Their parents always wanted two children, a son and a daughter. A son, to follow his father to become a great racer. And a daughter, to become just like her mother; the 'perfect' house wife, always cleaning, making dinner, girly.
Harlow was none of that... At all.
It was clear at a young age, she didn't even want to come NEAR a dress, or all that girly stuff. She vomited just by thinking about it. Their mother, Meline, thought this was just a phase, she wanted to be like her brother.
Well, none of that.
The sounds, the tyres, the chassis. The people, the cheering, the waving. The track, the car, the engines. The braking, the corners, the hight difference. She wanted it all, and would do anything to achieve that.
That's why she always got the older gear, the older kart, the lesser equipment. But she didn't mind, she was happy her parents even let her kart in the first place.
All her thinking however, was interrupted by their father: 'In two weeks there will be a karting event. There will be scouts there'. Their mother instantly looked at Matt with hope, but Matt looked at Harlow who just stared at her food.
'That's fine, but only if Harlow can come' he said. At this Harlow's dark brown eyes looked up with disbelieve what. Their mother looked at Matt: 'Of course she can COME', saying the last part louder, saying she could come but not race. Matt shook his head: 'Racing mom, racing. I'm only going if she also can race'.
'No, not in my life time!', she yelled back 'she'll embarrass us all', she said, while glaring at the girl in question. 'Well, then I'll embarrass you by not coming', Matt shot back, while shoving his chair away and standing up.
All kinds of situations ran through their mothers head, before she screamed: 'OKAY! Okay, she can come, but if you'll embarrass me- us, I'll actually dump you at your.. friends.. house, that Vivienne girl!', she yelled.
The children looked at each other. First happy, but then terrified. Harlow needed to uphold their wishes, or everyone will think the Flores family only had a son, and the Antic family had two daughters instead of one.
'You don't have to do this Har', Matt said softly after their mother had left. Her dark brown eyes instantly shot up to his brown ones: 'Yes in fact I do. I rather be disowned while giving it everything I can, then sit here and do nothing'. And at this, Harlow left. Trying to keep up with her own thoughts.
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Two weeks later they were at the track. It was raining softly. Matt qualified 4th, while Harlow qualified 9th. Good way to go Har, she thought.
Both her parents were inside, because they didn't want to be wet. But Harlow stood next to her brother, while he prepared himself for his race. 'Okay, 4th is fine, just brake a little later, because the driver in front of you will brake way too early. Try to stay away from the person behind you, he karts like he wants to kill', she said to him.
He just looked up at her: 'I got this Har', and closed his visor. She punched the top of his helmet lightly, and walked away.
Her brother drove amazing! At one point he was even in race for first place. But the entire line up changed, when the rain and wind started to pick up. Matt still drove insane, but the driver in third place spun, and took Matt with him. His kart instantly shut off.
'No!' Harlow breathed out, while she saw her brother looking at his kart in confusion. Their eyes locked, and when he was close enough, she jumped into his arms: 'I'm so so sorry Matt, this wasn't your fault AT ALL! He drove insane! I told you, right?' she said.
He just sighed 'I know', and then released her, while he walked towards their parents. She knew he would be in a bad mood for the rest of the day, and would accept all the kind words their mother had to say, just to make himself feel better.
She sighed, and walked towards her kart.
After that race was done, Harlow's race was next. She already sat in her kart, while all the others were still talking to their parents. She didn't want to do that, and even if she wanted, her family was no where to be seen.
She didn't have a ritual, she just tried to clear her head. Racing was her letting go, be free, and be wild. It was her release, her shutting off. The track was her real home.
She looked around one last time, before closing her own visor, to focus on the track in front of her. Everything around her shut of, and it felt like you could hear a pin fall if you would listen closely.
And then, pure chaos when they started.
It was still raining, and the track was slippery. But her overtakes and late braking were like never before. She was so focused on her race, she didn't even realise she was in first place.
But when she saw the chequered flag, she realised: No one was in front of her, she won!
She wasn't even out of her kart, when she was engulfed into a bone crushing hug by her brother. 'You-You drove INSANE Harlow! Oh my!', he said. 'C-Can't bre-breath', she tried to say, before he released her.
Her father had a goofy smile on his face, one they hadn't seen in a very very long time, while their mother joined them. She said nothing.
While Matt and Harlow were talking, a man approached them. Harlow instantly shuffled back slightly, knowing this was for Matt. But the man had other intentions.
'No no, I'm here for you....?' he started, while Harlow politely answered: 'Harlow Flores sir'. He breathed out: 'I'm here for you Harlow Flores'.
And realisation dawned upon the Flores family. They wanted their son to follow in their father's footsteps, but they were very very very wrong. It was their daughter.
I mean, it isn't everyday you are contracted for the Red Bull Junior Team, right?
