Racing Hearts | F1 Romance|

Chapter 10 - Louis

There is a reason I don't find myself to be a very likable person.

Don't get me wrong, I am nice a lot more than people give credit. But it seems my reputation caught up to me, chiefly in Araceli's eyes. When I saw her running to the bathroom I got extremely worried, especially after the way she looked getting off the plane. She traveled a lot, so I don't think it to be motion sickness.

I kept a watchful eye on her while we were at the airport for the layover. The whole terminal was separated for private flights, so it wasn't hard to keep watch on her movement. Even if she spent the whole time in the same chair next to her friend while doing work on her computer or chatting.

"You good, dude?" Landen asks me as I flop back into my seat. My whole body felt rigid after twenty consecutive hours in an airplane. I kept looking at the coffee place they went to, seeing she had a small cup of iced black coffee in her hand.

I nod. "Fine, just tired." We would immediately go to practice once we got off the plane in Melbourne, and Landen was more excited for his home GP than I was. It was also Elijah's home race, and I expected the two to be talking more. But they sat far from each other, even though I'd seen them talking multiple times.

They had some history, used to race karts together, moved to Europe around the same time, and raced in F3 and F2. "You are the world champ, Louis. I'd expect you to be excited to win again. Unless I beat you this year," he said the last part with an annoyingly cocky grin.

"I've won enough, it's just boring now," I mutter, more to myself than Landen. Landen had the hotshot mindset, thinking that he can win anything. He was driving an excellent car, has a renowned strategist, and yeah, he is a reasonably good driver. But he has a James Hunt philosophy. He can race fast, risk a lot of things, but he doesn't have the mental stamina.

"Maybe you should stop trying and let the little guy take a shot for once," he snickered, scrolling through social media on his phone. I didn't enjoy people who talked but weren't looking at the person. The only time that was sociable was if they were driving. But I didn't inform Landen of my distaste for his rudeness, instead, I turned to the book in my hand---immersing myself in the world of Oliver Twist. This book was one of my favorites, I'm not sure why, all I remember my father forced me to read it as a way to 'rid my mind' of all the negativity I had for his power and money. He said if I read about a poor orphan boy I will be more grateful. One of his many manipulation tricks.

~~

The book was enough to keep my mind off Araceli for a stretch. Every once in a while I'd look up to find her either on her computer or talking to Ollie and Duchie. At one point, she had glanced at me at the same time I was peeking at her. Her face turned crimson before hiding behind her computer again. I loved the way she blushed, and sometimes her red-stained skin would keep a permanent pink stain, which made her caramel skin look incredible.

Araceli was downright stunning, undeniably. But she was the most off-limits girl. I knew everything about her 'no driver' rule. She wouldn't even have a hookup with one. Simply, all drivers were prohibited to date or talking to her, because she would refuse them immediately.

When I first saw her in the bathroom all those years ago, I'd never found another person to match the beauty of that girl. I've been with many models, actresses, and simply pretty people, but no one can make a man stop and stare as Araceli can.

"Who you looking at?" Landen cocked a brow, whispering in my ear. I didn't appreciate the way he practically spat inside my ear. I immediately looked away, not wanting him to look at Araceli the way I was. She may have been forbidden to most, but all the guys had eyes and could see how gorgeous she is. "Ahh, the new girl." Apparently, I didn't look away quick enough, because Landen was eyeing her like crazy.