Run the world

nervous?

*Lia

"Ready?", Sebastian looked at me from the side.

"How many times are you going to ask me that? You're the one coming back out of retirement.", I laughed and bumped him with my shoulder against his.

"Wouldn't have dreamed it would happen so soon either." he ran his hand through the back of his neck "But I just couldn't say no." he laughed.

"Sure, with your two little puppies begging you.", I grinned even wider than he did.

"Don't call them that."

"Would you prefer me saying two of the three Powerpuff Girls?", I smirked.

"Don't. They like you too much as it is." my big brother put his arm over my shoulder "But Mick, after last year, I'm sure it will do him good to have someone he likes and who likes him by his side."

"You're his team manager. Even if I didn't like him, you'd just kick me out," I laughed.

"You're my sister!" protested Sebastian.

"Yes, and yet you like Mick better than me. You don't have to lie, I know that."

"Lia!" said Seb, almost offended.

"That's all right, Seb. I love you and I know you love me too, but Mick is already your little darling.", I just couldn't help teasing my big brother a little.

But somehow that was also my job as his sister. I respected him, deeply. He was my big role model. And I hoped to be just a little bit like him and earn my respect here, like he had.

He was the youngest Formula One world champion, I would be the youngest race engineer.

I had earned my spurs in Indycar and had been pretty successful there with my team. When Aston Martin asked me to join the team as race engineer for Mick Schumacher, I immediately agreed. At the time of the phone call, I hadn't known that Seb had joined the team as co-team principal just half an hour before.

But I knew that I hadn't gotten the job because of him, but because I was good at what I did.

I had already been able to show that in the preparation. Mick and I harmonized well and it was my specialty to set up a car so that it merged with my driver. I had already been able to do that in Indycar. And no less a person than Mick's teammate from last year, Kevin Magnussen, had felt that.

I had gotten on incredibly well with him and the car had fit so well with him. He had given Mick the recommendation that if he could pick anyone, he should just see that he got me.

He had taken this recommendation to heart.

And Kevin had been right so far.

I was incredibly grateful to the Dane for his recommendation. Without him, I certainly wouldn't have made it into Formula 1 so soon.

"I'm sure he'll soon be your little darling, too," Sebastian smirked.

I had the same smirk as he did "He already is. How could you not love this little golden retriever?".

We entered the Aston Martin garage and my pulse shot up.

Ever since my brother raced in Formula 1, I had known exactly where I wanted to end up. No matter how hard, no matter how strenuous. I had never made it very far as a driver, but I was quite clever and had used that to my advantage.

I had put a lot of time into school and later into my studies. I was ambitious and had never lost sight of my goal, even though I hadn't always had it easy as a woman in motorsport.