Heart Race (Carlos Sainz/F1 fanfic)

II - Ready

"How did it go?" I heard Nick asking as soon as I got back home.

"It was going well until he said they are looking for people with many more years of experience" I answered.

"Typical"

"I know. I told him I needed someone to give me an opportunity otherwise I wouldn't have any real experience"

"And you said the truth. There is nothing wrong with it"

"I don't know. Maybe it sounded like I was begging for the job"

"You were fighting for it and showing him what you're capable of. That is impressive"

"I really can't see it that way now"

"Be positive! If you don't get the job, at least you had the chance to go to the Formula One headquarters"

"Maybe it's for the best if I don't get it"

"Oh, shut up Hayley"

"He said I would have to give up on my dream to becoming a racing driver"

"Let's be realistic, you will probably have to keep it as a hobby with any other job"

"Why do you always know what to say?"

"I'm your best cousin for a reason"

"I never said you were" I joked and we both laughed.

  Later on that day, I got a call from Tom, the man who interviewed me.

"Listen, I am taking into consideration what John told me about you, your portfolio has some impressive work... and because we really need someone urgently- Well, you are the only person who doesn't have to give any leave notice period to a company at the moment, which is great. Would you be available to travel in two days?"

"Yes! Absolutely. I have my passport and everything ready to travel" I was so excited with the news.

"Good. I am giving you a chance to show us your worth, Miss Scott. Don't disappoint me"

"You have my word"

"Welcome to the F1 Media team"

  Those were the words I never thought I would hear in my life. I could not express how happy I was. I ran up to Nick's room immediately to tell him the news. He was a huge Formula One fan. Then I called my parents and my aunt who was still at work by that time.

Everyone was so happy for me and I could not feel any prouder. I had to feel proud. My aunt gave me a hand, but it was thanks to my work and persistence that I got the job.

  We went to an Italian restaurant to celebrate that night and I started packing my bags as soon as I got back home. I had enough time to pack, but my anxiety and excitement were too huge not to start packing earlier. I was going to spend four days in Monaco! One of the most important races of the year.

Tom told me this week was going to be more pacific than usual. They were going to show me what I had to do first, get to know some of my colleagues, but I still had work to do. I wanted to impress, so I was not planning on keeping things in a pacific way.

I met one of my new colleagues at the airport. A pretty, tall, blonde woman with blue eyes. Her name is Ashley. She was very nice to me from the very first minute we met.

"Are you excited?" she asked me.

"I am more than excited to start" I answered with a big smile as if it was not 8am.

"I know it may look like a fairytale, but we're going to have a lot of work to do. Some people of our team are already there preparing stuff"

"Of course, I am here to work and I'm ready for anything"

"It can be extremely exhausting most of the time. We have to work with journalists, photographers, team principals, drivers-"

"The drivers too?" I got even more excited.

  Being able to be close and speak to the drivers could be an amazing opportunity for me to see the real action happening and learning more about becoming one too. It would make this job even better.

"Yes. It is important for us to be around when they're giving interviews, press conferences, all that boring stuff" she said.

"You find it boring?"

"Oh, honey. You will too, eventually"

  I started thinking that maybe she was in the wrong job. This could not be any better to me. Being a fan definitely helps.

  Monaco was not that far away and I used that flight time to take a look at the list of drivers and read a little bit about each one of them. It was extremely important to know every detail, so I could make a better job. I was not as updated as I used to be. Teams are constantly changing their drivers.

"Are you a Formula One fan?" I asked Ashley during the flight while I was reading some files.

"I am not that into sports, but I still like my job. What about you?" she answered.

"I've always watched it with my dad, but then I started focusing on life, studies and work... I didn't have much time to follow it regularly. I'm surprised to find out Fernando Alonso is not at Ferrari anymore"

"I only know that because it's part of the job, so don't blame yourself for that"

"Almost 10 years ago! Time flies. I can't believe I spent all this time not paying enough attention"

"You'll have time to get to know them and everything about F1, F2, F3..."

  There was definitely a lot of work ahead, the company Formula One is huge, but I am not one to give up easily.

"We're leaving our stuff at the hotel, you'll have an hour to get ready and then we head to the circuit. I want to show you where we're going to work and how it's gonna be" Ashley said once we left the airport in Monaco.

  That is exactly what happened. We got to the hotel, I took a shower and got ready for my first day at work. I could feel butterflies in my stomach. We saw the circuit, met other colleagues, had a meeting to show me what I'd have to do and tried to get me prepared. Overall, it could have been an extremely boring day if I was not so happy to be there.

  A big crowd was outside our hotel when we got back there after work. Apparently, some of the drivers were staying there too and I had to keep it cool. I didn't even know some of their names or faces yet. Some of them were new to me.

For that reason, I was only hoping not to be asked anything from a fan. I tried to hide my lanyard that I had around my neck. It had my name and Formula One written all over it. That way nobody could make any questions.

I hid it with a jacket I had brought in case of being cold. The UK does those things to you. Luckily or not, the temperature in Monaco was great that night, which made me look a bit weird for being the only person wearing a jacket.

I took the jacket off as soon as I got inside the hotel. My lanyard was stuck in one of the buttons of the jacket. No matter how much I wanted to be discreet, the world was not cooperating. I tried to pull the lanyard off my neck making it fall on the hotel floor.

A brunette tall man almost bumped into me "Oh! I am so sorry" and helped me pick the lanyard up from the floor. "You're in the F1, nice. There you go" he said giving it back to me while smiling.

"Yeah, thanks a lot" I accepted it and tried not to talk that much since he could be a fan.

"No problem. I-"

"I gotta go, sorry" I interrupted and ran away from him quickly, towards the elevator.

I felt really bad right after that. In my defence, I was only protecting myself and the company. I am still learning. It was a shame though. That guy was actually very handsome.

Back in my room, I had to update my family on how the trip and work went. My aunt got mad, not in a serious way, because I was not partying at that time. She made me feel old, but I had to wake up early in the next morning for F1's practice day. I would finally get to see the cars and all the action.