Style // 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙇𝙚𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙘

29.

Practice 1 Results:
P1 FERNANDO ALONSO
1:42.248

P2 CARLOS SAINZ
1:42.563

P3 CHARLES LECLERC
1:42.634

Practice 2 Results:
P1 GEORGE RUSSEL
1:41.935

P2 LEWIS HAMILTON
1:42.170

P3 MAX VERSTAPPEN
1:42.786

You'd think I've got doppelgängers out on the hunt for Charles today. Any chance I could get in his eyesight, I was there. All of the paddock club tours, walking down the pit lane, attending both practices. If there was a chance, I'd take it with both hands. Charles' favourite fans must've thought I was an obsessed stalker, wondering why I'm around him at all times even though I'm 'not with him'.

I still haven't grasped what my purpose is being here with Charles. My only idea is that he knows he's got so much power over me when we start our cycle, and he uses it until the cycle breaks. He was probably testing the waters after disappearing in Singapore. But why would he bring me all the way to Japan just to prove a point? Unless he wanted me away from Stella for the weekend? Who knows.

Back in my apartment- in the fan's hotel- I start to wind down after a long day. I had tunnel vision on completing my mission today, I didn't realise how long I had been wandering and haunting each corner of the track. It's so tiring! It's only Friday as well, race day on Sunday is going to knock me out cold! I hope the weather for Sunday is better than what it was today. The umbrella was sort of killing the outfit, and the vibe.

I stare at my phone propped up beside me, deep in thought. Me and Stella have hardly text this weekend; we've apologised to one another, but we haven't had a running conversation. I've been wanting to call her all day long, and gossip about what's happened since I got here. The FaceTime button glows right in my face, the bright green colour feeling like a 'go ahead' light on a set of traffic lights.

"Fuck it." I mutter to myself, jabbing the button. "Worst that can happen is she ignores it."

My camera focuses on me, the quality making my skin look like sanding paper. As always. It also reminds me that I still have half a face of make up on! Not that I'm bothered by Stella seeing that. I whip the cloth from the side, carelessly wiping off my make up. When it gets as late as it is today, following my proper skin care routine becomes-

"Look who it is!" Stella picks up the phone, her voice sounds like music to my ears.

My stomach almost felt butterflies. Knowing how much Stella cares about me, that she'll drop our drama over a shitty apology text. Platonic relationships should be the way to my heart, not on-off relationships.

"Mate, you were all over the TV today!" Stella gasps, slapping a hand over her face. "That paddock walk outfit was fire!"

"I was on TV?" I repeat with a frown, surprised anyone thought to aim a camera at me. "Just, in the background, right?"

"And a couple crowd shots." Stella corrects herself, looking up in thought. "Hey- I didn't see your paddock walk, how was it?"

Here comes the mic drop. "I didn't do it."

"Why?!"