Racing Hearts: A Love Story at the Speed of Formula 1

1

Being in the industry that I am gives you a lot of freedom, which is a perk, especially when you are a big Formula 1 fan. Marie, my best friend, and I try to go to as many Formula 1 weekends as we can, but sometimes it is too much traveling for us. We have been best friends since college, plus we work in the same industry, which just makes our friendship easier.

It was two days after New Year's Eve when Marie came screaming home after her morning jogging.
- "What's up?" I asked, laughing.
- "Alpha Tauri just emailed me; they want to collaborate for their website."
- "That's amazing," I said, hugging her.
- "Yeah, maybe I can get us some VIP tickets." We both laughed at Marie's response, which two months later actually became true when we were invited to the Bahrain GP.
- "This is amazing."
- "It really is. Do we have access to the Alpha Tauri garage, or?" I asked my best friend, curious.
- "They told me they would introduce the drivers as well since they want to make a separate page for them, get to know them so we can figure out the style of it," she said, putting the rest of the clothes inside the suitcase.
- "That's dope, but I actually have to finish another project before. Did they give us a deadline for it?"
- "Actually, no. I mean, of course, as soon as possible, but no pressure." I nodded, finishing packing and looking across the room to see if I had forgotten anything.

Twenty minutes later, we were downstairs, waiting for an Uber outside of our apartment building.
- "My mom is calling me. Look for the Uber until I finish, please. Hey, mom."
- "Alexis, have you left your apartment yet?"
- "Yes, mom, we are waiting for the Uber."
- "Good trip, honey. I love you."
- "Thanks, mom. Love you too. I will text you and dad updates." I ended the call with my mom and saw Marie struggling to put the two big suitcases in the trunk. I laughed at the view but went to help her.

Twenty hours later, we landed in Bahrain, and I was exhausted. I had slept a little on the plane, but my legs and my butt were numb, stretching the whole way from the plane to the exit of the airport.
- "I just want to go to the hotel, take a shower, and then we can go to the circuit. We still have four hours until the first practice," I told my best friend, looking at my watch.
- "Sure."

Three hours later...

- "Is this too casual for the practice?"
- "Definitely not."

I am a Ferrari girl, while Marie is a Red Bull fan.

We got to the circuit before it began, so we had time to actually chat with the drivers.
- "Hello? We are here," Marie was talking on the phone with one of Alpha Tauri's employees.
- "Do they have time to talk with us today?"
- "Yes, someone will come and meet with us to take us to the garage."
- "Great."
- "Hello, you must be Marie, and you must be Alexis."
- "Nice to meet you," I said, shaking the hand of a man. Marie did the same, and we started walking to the garage.
- "The boys are here. Would you like to talk with them separately?"
- "No, I think we can just meet together. We don't have a lot of questions," I said, taking the lead. Although I was not the one they contacted, in our company,

I was the one in charge, being better at my job, and Marie loved to do the talking more.

We were about to enter the garage, so I took my phone out to pull out the list of questions I had prepared when someone bumped into me, almost smashing my phone to the ground. But he had quick reflexes and caught it.
- "Thanks," I said, looking at my phone.
- "I am really sorry," he said, making me look at him as he did the same with me.
- "I am more sorry now that I see you are also a Ferrari fan. Please don't change teams after this," he said, laughing, and I laughed too.
- "That's okay. I could never change teams. Also, if you don't win the Championship, I might reconsider." I was actually talking with Charles Leclerc, having the nerve to say to his face my opinions about him.
- "For you, I definitely will," he said, winking at me and then leaving.
- "That was interesting," Marie said, looking at me with a smile.
- "Shut up," I said, and I felt my cheeks blushing.