More, lewis hamilton

Chapter 12

It was the qualification day.

Lewis and Alma sat opposite of each other, their eyes occasionally meeting but quickly darting away.

Toto wanted to have a meeting with those two. Heknew that something was wrong, more than the usual wrongness because they didn't even try to argue. "What happened?" he asked with a sudden move to sit on the table. His direct approach caught both Lewis and Alma off guard, momentarily breaking the awkward silence that had settled over the room.

Lewis glanced at Alma, a fleeting look of apprehension crossing his features before he turned his attention back to Toto. "It's nothing, Toto," he replied, his voice lacking its usual confidence. Alma remained silent; her eyes fixed on the floor as if unwilling to meet Toto's gaze but Lewis' response truly made her want to laugh.

"That was what you told me in 2016 and 2019 , Lewis and it was definitely something." Alma couldn't help but snort, "Seems like  a usual occasion happening with Lewis, in each three years." She felt his eyes on her  body, burning her skin but she didn't care.

"Whatever it is, I expect both of you to set it aside and focus on qualifying, Alma you can go and have some rest before the quali. Lewis ,please stay for a minute."

Alma nodded silently, rising from her seat, "Good luck Mr. Mercedes," she whispered to his ear and made her way out of the room without another word. As the door closed behind her, Toto turned his attention back to Lewis, his expression serious.

"Alright, Lewis," Toto began, his tone firm but not unkind. "I need you to promise me that, this won't be like  what happened with Nico. I don't want to relive 2016. I need her, Mercedes needs her. She left once, this time we can't recover." Toto knew that history couldn't repeat itself, not if Mercedes wanted to maintain its dominance in the sport.

Lewis nodded, what else there to be said? "Don't worry, she is neither Nico nor her 2019 self," and he wasn't the same Lewis. He wasn't.

Especially after 2021 he changed in a way he couldn't imagine.

"I want to believe you, Lewis," Toto replied, his gaze searching Lewis's face for any sign of doubt or hesitation. "But I need more than just words." Toto studied Lewis for a moment longer before letting him go, "I will let this one slip. For now. Now, go and kill it in the qualification."

Lewis nodded, stood up and went to his driver room to get ready.

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Alma pressed the radio button after her second lap, "This is the best I can do for today," and she drove to the pitlane. Her time was 1:28.265  for Q3.  She waited for everyone's timing, couldn't take her eyes off from the screen. When she was Lewis' name under hers, she couldn't help but smile. 1:28.320.

Close, very close.

Then she saw Charles' name,  1:28.730. Then, the photo of the podium taken by the photographers, it was even worse than Bahrain. Alma was basically standing on the left side of her podium; her hand was on the back of Charles. Lewis was standing on the far-right spot.

That photo caused the PR team to work harder that night.

˚✧˖°

Lando threw his arm around Alma's shoulders as they were heading towards the parade. Charles, Albon and George were in front, yapping at each other. Carlos was hanging out with Lando and Alma. They got in the car, talking with other drivers.

She couldn't help but notice Lewis and Bottas off to the side, engaged in conversation. Probably, Lewis missed Bottas since he was his favourite teammate, because, well, because of the elephant in the room. When someone was threat to him, ciao ciao to that person, like herself and Nico. He was the diamond boy of Mercedes.