Shifting Gears || cl16/ln4

Gear Eleven

Friday, Free Practice Sessions

After the argument me and Charles had, he hadn't returned back to the mansion. Magazines and news were full of him, seen in bars with different women. He always had a bad reputation regarding to that matter. His public image wasn't the best and he didn't seem to care. He also didn't show up for the Press conferences yesterday, which only fuelled the speculations.

I was in my drivers room changing into my race suit and decided to call Scarlet who was back in Madrid this week. I pulled out my phone and dialed her number, the familiar sound of ringing filling the room. After a few moments, Scarlet's warm voice greeted me, "Willow, how's everything going there?"

I sighed, a mix of frustration and uncertainty coloring my response, "Well, it's good except for me and Charles. We had an argument."

Scarlet, having witnessed our clashes before, offered a nonchalant response, "Well, don't you have those every time?"

I shook my head, even though she couldn't see me over the phone, "No, this was different. It wasn't like any other argument we ever had."

She sighed in understanding, "Don't let this make you feel bad. He's an asshole."

As if navigating the complexities of our disagreement wasn't enough, I hesitated before revealing the additional layer of complexity, "Well, there's something else I didn't tell you yet..."

Scarlet, curious and eager for details, urged me to spill the beans, "What? Tell me!"

"We had to share a bed," I blurted out, preparing for the impending reaction.

There was a moment of stunned silence before Scarlet's voice exploded through the phone, "YOU WHAT?!"

I sighed heavily, bracing myself for her response, "Long story short, he was actually nice to me, and I felt strangely comfortable in that moment... but now..."

Another pause ensued, and then Scarlet's exclamations echoed in my ears, "WILLOW DEVILLE, HOLY SHIT!... Things like these, of course, happen when I am not around. What else happened?!"

Just as the conversation reached its peak, a knock echoed on my door. "Willow, the session is about to start. We're waiting for you," came the urgent reminder.

"Be there in two!... Sorry, Scarlet, I need to go," I responded hastily.

"Okay, we'll talk later. Good luck!" Scarlet wished me well, and with that, I hung up, leaving behind the chaotic conversation to make my way to the garage, where the roar of engines awaited and the challenges of the racetrack beckoned.

———

After Free Practice 1&2

I was waiting for the others in the paddock, so we could collectively go back to the mansion. Just as I was waiting, my attention was unexpectedly captivated by a male figure across from me, leaning against a wall, fixated on his phone. Strangely, he looked very familiar. He seemed to be around my age, his dirty blonde hair slightly fell in front of his forehead and as he looked up, I could see his face properly. He had the same blue eyes.

Lost in the maze of memory, I couldn't pinpoint the exact person he reminded me of. The seconds stretched as I wrestled to connect the dots when suddenly, his gaze shifted toward me. A gentle smile played on his lips and, caught off guard, I quickly returned it with a smile of my own. My cheeks warmed with a flush of embarrassment;
He must think I'm a weirdo for staring at him. Shit.

Before I could unravel the mystery of his resemblance, someone approached him, disrupting our brief connection. They exchanged words, and together they strolled away, leaving me with a lingering sense of curiosity about the familiar face that had momentarily surfaced in the midst of the bustling paddock.