Where life leads us

Chapter 11

Laughing, Lando and I made their way back into the box. We hadn't noticed that his team had watched us eating. The atmosphere was therefore still relaxed and good. But when we were in the box and all eyes were on us, the mood was gone. I tried to hide easily behind the Englishman, which of course doesn't work.

"What is?" the brown-haired man tried to make ignorant. In response, he received only a stupid grin and conspiratorial glances from Carlos. Unpleasantly touched, I tried to make myself as small as possible. I had stupidly taken the British man's hand, because he was supposed to give me. Of course, this gesture had been noticed by the others, so I hurriedly broke away from Lando. What he was a little disappointed to see, even if he had tried to avoid the disappointment.

Seidl looked at us with a grin: "Do we have to worry now that our secrets will be revealed to Williams?" He had clearly said it was fun, so I had to laugh a little. Especially since everyone knew that even if I wanted to, I couldn't, because I had no idea about all this.

"Williams doesn't need it anymore, because I work there now," Andreas just laughed and raised his hands. All other people present had laughed, too. This made me proud because I wasn't usually so quick in front of so many people. With family and friends, of course, it was something else.

Acknowledging, the team leader patted me on the shoulder: "One thing you have to leave to yourself, even if you're going to work for the wrong team, you're ready. And that's what you're going to have to do in the car industry as a woman. No matter what, you are always welcome here." Admittedly, I was already a little moved by Seidl's words. So about him being there for me. Lando had proudly put a hand on my shoulder during this time.

"Even if you both look just too sweet. Should you slowly get ready and move," said a man next to Andreas. I had already seen him eating with Dad, but I didn't know the name. I should probably start to find out names of seemingly important people, for what else Google was available.

Since I didn't know what to say to the statement, I stayed silent, Lando just nodded and walked back towards the exit of the box. Behind the boxes were containers further back with containers that functioned as a kind of changing room for the drivers.

I was undecided between the McLaren team until I apologized and headed to Vic. I could have gone to my mum, but I just needed a girlfriend, not a mum. Even though my mother likes to claim we are friends, for me, she was a mum and that was enough. Don't get me wrong, moms are the best really, but just a friend was the better choice to talk.

There was more activity in the Red Bull pits than at McLaren, which was also due to the fact that qualifying would start in less than half an hour. In short, I wished Max and Alex good luck as I walked past them. Vic had made himself comfortable in a corner on a table. So, I really had to pass everyone to come to her. Elegantly with one hand I tried to sit next to her, which I actually succeeded in doing on the first attempt. At that moment, I was just really proud of it.

"What was the date like?" unlike Carlos, Vic could wobble with his eyes. It still looked stupid, definitely, but better than the Spaniard. In response, I shrugged my shoulders. I hadn't really gone on dates with any of my friends. When then you went to party or Netflix and chill. The chill. Usually took more time than Netflix.

I watched Alex put on his layers of protective gear: "We ate and entertained, nothing more." A sigh next to me I just took so on the edge. My thoughts were so loud that everything else could only be heard through a fog. Vic had probably noticed this, too, because she jumped down and stood in front of me. She had put her head a little slanted and was now shaking her hands in front of my eyes.

"There was more, just as you were in your thoughts," I quickly shook my head and drank a sip of my Coke. With one sentence I had emptied the bottle and put it next to me again. The Dutchwoman had raised her eyebrows and looked at me forcefully.

I looked at her a little annoyed: "There was nothing else, maybe we just like each other as friends." With one sentence I had jumped down from that table or whatever it was. For the blonde, however, the subject was not finished, so she did not move away from me.

"Before you're just friends, it's snowing in the desert," she said. But I became more and more annoyed, which was probably also due to the tiredness. This made it easier for me to irritate me, which I think Vic felt. I'd probably be sorry later, but at that moment she annoyed me with her questions and assertions.

Angry, I forced myself past her to the exit: "Think what you want, leave me alone! You know me 24 hours and think you can recognize when I have something with someone? Take care of your life first! » So, I left the box and stomped across the terrain. Qualifying had just begun, so few people were still behind the pits.

Angry, I kicked a stone in front of me when I was pulled out of my mind. On a screen a little further away you could see that a car had crashed into the barrier. Frightened, I stopped and stared at the monitor. Even if it wasn't a McLaren car, I just had to think about Lando. What if he drives into a barrier and something happens to him? Every other weekend I wanted to worry about my friend, that he would probably go on it.

My heart was pulling together, and a lump formed in my neck at this thought. I should probably put a distance between myself and Lando before it was too late. I wanted to spare both of us tears and pain. Even if it wasn't easy for me, it would be unbearable for me if I lost my heart to him. The fear for him almost caught my mind now, because I realized how dangerous his profession was.

The driver got out of the car unharmed and was probably angry with himself. So, I was able to take my look off the screen, but I had made a decision for myself. At least for now, maybe I would see it differently after a long sleep, but I just didn't want to imagine a life full of fear for my friend.

I had gone to Williams unintentionally; I had stopped in the back of the garage. I didn't want to get in anyone's way because they were all in a hurry. Since the time for the first qualifying was almost over and it didn't look good for the drivers of this team. So at least That's how I accepted it, because their names were at the bottom of the list on the screen.

Frustrated, everyone stood up when time expired and Williams was probably eliminated. Vic had at least explained to me in the city how this would happen today. I at least believed that there were three rounds, so to speak, and that the slowest five flew out in each of them.

I briefly searched the list for Lando and found him at number 8, which was not too bad for my knowledge. But I wasn't a great connoisseur of the sport either. Perhaps 8 was not good for McLaren's circumstances at all.

Luca came past me a little frustrated, but quickly pressed a kiss on my head. Neither he nor I had said anything that was probably better in the mood of Team Williams. Mum, on the other hand, took me in the arm and pushed me a little bit.

"All good my princess? You look tired," mothers probably always knew what their children were missing. But I didn't want to worry them, So I just nodded. If my mother knew what had happened the night, she would probably send me to a monastery, where there was also alcohol. Then she would probably send me alone to some island, simply to a place where there was no more alcohol. She would probably blame Dad for that, even though I was old enough.

Mum pressed another kiss on my head, then broke free. She stepped next to Claire and engaged The Williams team leader in a conversation. I, on the other hand, sat on one of the now empty chairs in front of the monitor and watched on.

The second round would stare straight away, and I had made myself comfortable on the plastic chairs alone. The mechanics were employed at the cars by the drivers and where the rest was, I did not know. I just didn't care, because I was staring at the screen. Lando had just been seen getting into his car. He had been talking to his mechanic or whatever.

My eyes were burning, but I didn't want to close them. I struggled against complete exhaustion, but I wanted to see Lando. Now that he was doing well and that he had no accident. Even if I wanted to distance myself from him, I had to watch. Otherwise, I wouldn't get any rest.

The second round was almost over and Lando was just struggling to make progress. When the time was over, he had regained his 8th place and was one lap further.

Tension a lot in me, because I had probably been more with the Brit than that I liked it. It was all the more difficult for me to fight against my fatigue, which had only grown. I felt my limbs getting heavier and quieter around me, even though it was really loud in Williams' garage.

At the end of my powers I closed my eyes, actually I wanted to open them again immediately. But my body had something else in front of it and kept it. I had sunk with my torso to another chair. One of the mechanics had noticed this and pushed even more chairs together. A second one had helped him make a way for me. So, I lay somewhat comfortably on the chairs. But I hadn't heard of it there yet.

Lando stood in front of me and smiled at me, his hand stretched out after me. Without hesitation, I wanted to grab them, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn't. The laughter on the Briton's face went out, and he looked at me disappointed before he disappeared.

I was standing at a curve by the track when an orange car came towards me. As much as I tried to run away, I coundn't. I was like stuck on the ground. So, I just closed my eyes, but I didn't feel any impact. That's why I felt so hard for that, which is why I opened my eyes. I was underwater, so I didn't get any air. Vic was a little further away from me still to be seen. We were beating wildly in the water and wanted to get to the surface, but I wasn't moving. Panicked, I just hit the wilder around me and started inhaling water, but this time there was no one to help me. My lungs filled with water and I screamed like wild, which no one could hear underwater. My eyes got heavier, and it was all black around me.

I was terrified and almost fell off the chairs. Tears ran down my cheeks, so I couldn't see my mother or anyone else. My dreams had felt so real that I couldn't stop sobbing and shaking. Even when Mum pulled me over, things didn't get any better, I sobbed incessantly into my mother's shirt. She held me tightly in her arms and whispered reassuring words to me. No matter how old you were, there was nothing better than a mom when you were in a bad way. Even though mine had often not been there for me, it had been At that moment and that was all that mattered to me.