Lights Out • 1 • Formula One ✔️

Chapter 90

Before I start this chapter, I would like to just point out that we are ten away from the big 100! That's crazy for me to think... Thank you for all your continued support! Let me know if there's anything you would like to see, maybe I'll do a special chapter at 100 so give me some ideas!

"Archer!" Upon hearing my name, I lifted my head quickly off the desk. My tired eyes immediately fell on an unimpressed Emanuel. "Qualifying starts in less then an hour and we still need to go through the strategies again since you clearly weren't listening."

"I was listening," I said through a yawn, blinking away the water forming in my eyes. "The faster I go, the closer I start to the front."

"Then what tyre are we putting you on?" Emanuel raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. He could easily tell that I was lying and that I hadn't been paying the slightest bit of attention for the past half an hour. I wasn't going to let him have it that easily, especially since there were a couple of other team members, including Paula and Calum, looking at me expectantly.

"The fast ones, duh," I played it off as if it were obvious.

Emanuel sighed heavily. "Kid, I get that it's been a hard couple of weeks but know that we'll always be there to-"

"I didn't get much sleep last night - that's all," I interrupted , hating the fact that the whole team were still walking on eggshells around me. They were doing it even more so when the ones who knew about Max and I found out about our argument. Cal in particular looked sympathetic as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't look into more than you need to. I'm fine."

"Alyssa..."

"I'm fine, Emanuel." I stood up abruptly from my seat, picking up the sheets of numbers and figures that I was supposed to be reading as I did so. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be left alone to focus. If you need me, I'll be in my trailer."

After swinging my bag over my shoulder and slipping my helmet onto my head, I headed out the door. My team thankfully knew when to leave me alone and that this was one of those times. There's a lot riding on this race as it could be the last opportunity to make Marcus proud. His condition has yet to change. As the days tick by, it seems as if the sand in his timer was slowly running out. We're waiting for it to tip and for him to improve, but that seems like it needs a miracle.

"Hey, wait for me!" Since Kudzai had been sat in the corner of the room, I had forgotten for a moment that she was even there. I stopped in my tracks and turned around to see her stumbling my way whilst juggling a variety of different documents.

"Need a hand?" I asked through my open visor, hoping that she would hear me. She must've done as Kudzai frantically nodded her head, thrusting a large brown envelope, a pad of paper thicker than my arm, and her laptop bag in my direction. It seemed like a lot, but she was still carrying a lot more. "I would offer to take that camera off of you but my only free hand is still technically broken."

"Did the doctor say it was fine for you to race?" Kudzai questioned.

"Well, I was allowed last week, so it wasn't much of a surprise that I've been given the all clear."

"Gosh, you and Esteban have a real shot at pole position," her voice was laced with excitement as she matched my walking pace beside me. "If you got pole, that'd be amazing! It'll really rub it in the team's face." Kudzai laughed at what I presumed to be the look on the team's face if I out-qualify my teammate yet again. I know that I for sure find the image hilarious.

"I've been fastest in one of the sessions, as has Esteban and Lewis. It's a real tie between Force India and Mercedes this weekend." I had managed to top the time sheet during the second free practice session by quite a margin. The tyre strategy was good and the time was only beaten marginally today by Lewis.