Lights Out • 1 • Formula One ✔️

Chapter 100

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The days following the dinner were spent avoiding Max at every opportunity. News has gotten out about Max's surprise date and, as a result, he was being shunned by a quite few people, drivers included. Even Christian had approached me and apologised on his behalf. He said that he would be understanding if this had a negative impact of my seat decision, and that he would be having words with his driver. Everyone could agree that he was out of line to bring his ex to a dinner that he knew I was going to attend.

Dilara managed to get ahold of me after the dinner via Instagram. We managed to have a very in-depth conversation about the situation where I explained everything that happened between Max and I. It was so sweet to see her so understanding, and she promised that she wouldn't meet up with him again 'even if he begged', in her words. She seemed to stay true to her word as her feed following the dinner was filled with her just friends, and she even went as far as to unfollow Max on all social media.

I spent my break with Marcus, Damien, and my brother. Since Marcus has been allowed back home (he still needed a nurse to come visit every day to perform tests), we've all been staying at his house. I didn't really go anywhere other than that house and the garage to get some preparation in, before setting off for the US on the Wednesday leading up to the race weekend.

"Knock, knock," Charles appeared in the doorway of my hotel room. I had been keeping it open whilst unpacking since the air-con was down. The temperature exceeded twenty five degrees so I needed some form of air circulation and I didn't care that I had to leave my door open.

I looked up from my opened suitcase and smiled at him. "Saying 'knock, knock' defeats the point of actually knocking, you know?" I chuckled and placed down the shirt that I had been holding.

"I'm just being cute," Charles said with a shrug, a small smirk playing at his lips. "So how're you doing?" I hadn't spoken to him much since Singapore mostly because he's been so preoccupied. Ever since finding out about the second Dilara incident at the dinner, Charles had been checking up on me more than usual. It's nice to know that I have him to lean on.

"I'm alright." I stood up from my position on the floor and went to pull him into a hug. His arms wrapped tightly around my shoulders whilst mine hugged his waist. I rested my head against his chest. "You haven't seen Kudzai, have you?"

"No, I haven't. I'm sure she's just at the paddock. Did you want to go get some lunch? It'll give you a break from all this unpacking."

"I would," I pulled away from the hug, "but I'm meeting Susie in about half an hour for a pep talk before practice starts tomorrow. We can always go afterwards?"

Charles nodded his head. "Yeah, that'd be fine. You'll probably just find me wandering around the paddock. I assume you're meeting her at Mercedes?"

"Yeah, I am. I should probably head over there now, actually." I grabbed my key card off my bed, along with my phone. "You coming?"

"As long as I drive." Charles grinned.

***

Charles left me at the stairs that lead into the Mercedes building before heading off in the direction of Sauber. I subconsciously pulled the hem of my skirt down before entering the building, smoothing it afterwards. I also adjusted my shirt so that I looked most presentable when seeing Susie. I had to show her that the last race hadn't knocked my confidence in any way, and that I'm going to be fighting just as hard this weekend.