Unchasable

Chapter 5

LEVI

Aria enters with me inside the APOLLO garage. We can find Chris and Fabio, both sipping on a Coke lounging on a couch in the main room. With their red racing suits from ASTORIA, they look completely out of the picture in our black and blue empire. Yet, even though they are our rivals, Lewis, Chris, Fabio and I are best friends, and I love the shit out of them.

"Hello hello", I try to sound unfazed, when secretly I'm freaking out because of the upcoming meeting with my team principal.

"Hey", Chris is the first one to notice us. The two stand up, and they come offer me a hug after another. First Chris, while Fabio kisses Aria's cheeks as a greeting, then Fabio pats my back, while Chris hugs Aria.

"Where's Lewis?", Aria asks worried. She asked another girlfriend of a F1 driver and one of her friends, Lia, to watch over Winnie before she returns, knowing the situation in our garage might be a bit tense.

"He's trying to talk some sense into Duncan to save your skin", Chris replies, looking straight at me.

I nod, getting an even worse feeling about this whole thing.

As on command, the door opens and Lewis appears in the doorframe. "Levi, you can come in", my best friend says. I sometimes forget he is somehow my boss. Because although Duncan is our boss on the track, Lewis is the founder and owner of APOLLO. He sold some percentages to Duncan last year as he came back to racing full-time after a long break, but he still owns the majority.

I look at my friends one more time, who all try to hide their worries behind encouraging looks. I smile at them reassuring in return although I think anything but, and follow Lewis in the meeting room, who closes the door behind us. Duncan is sitting at his desk, and shows me to take a sit in front of him. Lewis remains inside, but takes a bit of distance, leaning against the door with his arms crossed at his chest.

Duncan hands me something, a newspaper article with a picture of me drunk at that bar yesterday. "Can you explain this, Levi?", he asks, his voice already showing he is pissed.

"I...", I want to explain, but he cuts me short.

"In my entire career, I have never experienced something like this."

Lewis clears his throat, to show him he should stop overdramatising things. It's then Duncan drops the bombshell, that not even Lewis knew, judging his surprised face as he hears it.

"The President called today. He said that if Miss Vice turns out pregnant, he'll do anything in his power to shut us down."

I press my teeth together. It's my fucking fault. No one did anything wrong but me, why shut down the team as a whole?!

"To which I decided, that this will be your last season driving for APOLLO."

"What?!", I shout, at the same time Lewis does the same.

"The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is where we'll part ways. I respect and acknowledge your talent, Levi. You are one of the best drivers on the grid this season, maybe even in the history of Formula One. We are grateful for all you have done for APOLLO over the years, and..."

"No", Lewis ends it, his voice a cutting blade.

I can't believe this is happening. Racing is my life. Formula One is my life. APOLLO is my life. Without it, I'm nothing.

"No", Lewis repeats, his voice not getting any warmer. "First of all, Levi did a mistake. And he fucking knows it. It's not easy for him either. And instead of pushing him away, we should show him we're here for him and help him get past it." He then takes a deep breath. "And besides, this is a big decision, that you should have first consulted with me."

"You would have said no", Duncan counters.

"Yes", Lewis admits. "I would have said no. I still would."

"You're being personal", our team principal adds.

"I'm being rational. You're being impulsive, taking a decision over one bad night and a phone call."

"Many bad nights and a phone call", Duncan corrects. "Levi has been more drunk than sober these past few months. It's not only affecting our reputation, but our performance as well."

"We won", Lewis still tries to defend me through everything.

"Yes. We won Constructors, but only because you won World Champion and brought us more points during this season than anyone ever could. But ASTORIA came in only twenty points behind us, because Graves and Rossi both provided an admirable performance, while in our case, only one of the drivers was with his head behind the wheel."

"I get it", I shout, fear rising inside me. Fear and anger. At Duncan, at me, at Emily. At being so easily played. At not knowing better when I know that I know better. "I really do. I made a mistake. And I'm sorry. But please don't kick me out. Racing is all I have. This team is the only family I have. Don't do it."

"How can I be sure she won't turn out pregnant?", Duncan asks. "Not only your, but the future of APOLLO is at stake here."

"She won't", I assure him what I have been knowing all along. "We used protection and she is on birth control."

"Okay, let's hypothetically say we get past this. How can we know this won't happen again? You are like this, Levi. You pull something like this, say you'll change, and then don't."

"This time I can assure you it really won't."

"How can you be sure? How can I be sure?"

"Because... because I would never cheat on my girlfriend."

The room stills. I still. Where the heck did that came from? I don't even have a girlfriend.

"You have a girlfriend?", Duncan asks surprised. I am as surprised. Lewis, who knows damn well there is no girlfriend, gives me a short WTF look, then rolls with it.

"Yes", I answer. "I have a girlfriend."

"And why did no one know about her?", he continues.

"I did", Lewis raises his hand, acting unbothered.

"You did?", Duncan asks my best friend.

He only nods. "Yes. For a few months now."

"We wanted to spend the off-season together, then see how it goes."

Duncan still looks at me like he doesn't believe me. "Well, congratulations."

"Thank you", I respond. "Now, can I still drive for this team?" , I ask what matters most.

"Yes", he replies. "I'll offer you one last chance. If the situation with Miss Vice is solved, you can continue your contract at APOLLO. If not, I'm really sorry, Levi."

Fuck

I stand up and want to storm out of the room. It's Duncan's voice that stops me: "Oh, and Levi"

I turn around, "Yes."

"I'd like to meet her one day."

I really storm out of the room.