"How are you this fine morning, Leah?" Isabella radioed in. Leah sat in her car. She was trying to decide how she wanted to take on the day. Happy or pissed off.
"If you are taking this long, it's because you are deciding whether to be happy or pissed off, I say you should be happy," Cassidy radioed in. "I just want you to know, either way, you will be singing during this race." Leah laughed a little as the lights went out. Leah was penalized during the quali for exceeding track limits. It wasn't anything bad. Just two positions, she was sitting in P4, next to Carlos. She waved at him before the lights went off.
"Okay, I take it we are being nice today," Isabella radioed in. Leah was silent as they went off around turn four and five. On the Australian track, the worst corners to make were the 3,4,7,13, and 14th.
"So did I tell you that Elizabeth, has been listening to Taylor Swift recently?" Cassidy radioed in. Leah thought it was funny how they were trying to put her in a better mood.
"Oh really?" She smiled as she gave Charles room as he almost shoved her off the track. "Someone tell Charles if he doesn't give me room on the next turn I'm letting him run himself off the track. With Love from Leah." She sighed as she used her DRS to overtake Fernando. This season Leah figured Fernando was going to be an issue. Aston Martin was stepping up their game. Their car was faster and Fernando wasn't letting that slide he was going to make sure he got the positions he deserves. "What kind of songs was she listening to?"
"Well it started when I was watching Lando's stream, the day you made the cake, yeah London Boy, she really liked that one and it's just been going since," Cassidy explained. Leah smiled.
"That is my niece, wait til I introduce her to Cardi B or Megan The Stallion," Leah laughed as Cassidy gasped a little.
"This is why you don't get time with Alejandro anymore," Isabella reasoned.
"No, that is because he only likes Lando, but my girl Ellie loves me," Leah laughed as she overtook Fernando finally. Allowing herself to speed up after the last turn. "How far to Max?"
"Gap is 4.019 seconds," Isabella reasoned. Leah pursed her lips and started to accelerate to close the gap. She breaks later into the corners causing her to go farther out. That's why she doesn't normally do that unless she is on her own. Like now.
"So you and Max, are you just lone wolves," Cassidy radioed.
"Well he won the last two races and if I'm going for a second world title I need a few more wins," Leah explained as she started humming to herself. "Wanna hear something funny?"
"As long as it's not a pick-up line, dad joke, or a knock-knock joke, sure," Isabella listed off what she didn't wanna hear. Leah laughed a little.
"When have I ever told you a pickup line or a dad joke?" She asked.
"I don't know, what did you wanna say?" Isabella radioed.
"Shit, I forgot, sorry," Leah held the steering wheel in place as she went around turn eight fast.
"Slow your roll girl, you might lock your breaks if you keep doing that," Isabella warned her.
"Leah Guessey is closing the gap to her teammate, Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc are fighting for third position. Leah is cruising by herself. She and Max have been doing that a lot lately," Magnussen's radio appeared on the screen as John started talking.
"Flag, flag," He sighed.
"Magnussen has crashed into the wall, let's watch the replay of what happened," Ted explained. On the monitor, it was a video of him clipping the wall with his tire and breaking the rubber. He was sitting in the gravel near turn 6.
"Yellow, yellow, safety car is deployed," Isabella radioed to Leah as she slowed down coming up behind Max.
"Someone tell Max I say hi, ask if he wants to play a game?" Leah asked as she swiveled her car back and forth behind him. The safety car was deployed while they got Magnussen off the track.
"I'm not going to ask him that Leah, I will say hi though," Isabella told her. Leah groaned and watched as they swiveled opposite one another.
"This is why I need a radio directly to him, he would do it if I asked," Leah felt something drip from her nose. "Uh oh." She licked her lips and tasted something salty. She hoped it was her sweat at first.
"What was that? Why did you, Uh oh?" Isabella asked. Leah licked her lips again as her whole chin became wet.
"Yeah, okay, so my nose is bleeding," Leah sighed as she tasted the metal from her nose. "I apologize to the mechanics already."
"Well, do we need to stop how bad is it?" Isabella asked. Leah watched as the safety car came off the track. "Leah?"
"Sorry, no I'm good, it's fine," Leah breathed through her mouth so she didn't accidentally splatter blood all over her visor.
"I'm going to ruin this damn helmet now," Leah sighed. "Fuck that ruined my good mood." She came wheel to wheel with Max but backed off around the corner since it was too tight for both of them.
"Okay wait why is your nose bleeding, I thought it didn't do the temperature change thing anymore?" Cassidy radioed in. Leah tried her best to not think about anything too much because she would probably gag. "Leah?"
"I'm gonna stop radioing now, I just gotta finish this race," Leah laughed a little.
"Do you mind if I still radio with you?" Isabella asked. Leah pressed her DRS as she went around Max. "P1. Eight laps to go. Yellow flag. Sainz." Leah sat there trying to calm herself down. She could feel the blood running down the back of her throat. She needed to finish this race. "Safety car will run through the last few laps. Great race Leah."
"Yeah, yeah, sorry," Leah apologized as she sniffed a little, but immediately regretted that as it did nothing, but make the blood clot go down her throat. When they finished up the race Leah pulled her car into her slot and pulled herself out of the car. Cassidy ran up with a towel as Leah peeled her helmer off. Cassidy grimaced when she saw how blood-soaked the balaclava was. Leah took it off and shook her head.
"This is shit," She laughed as she cleaned off her face.
"Well at least it looks like it's stopping now," Cassidy added as she assisted Leah since she couldn't see what her face looked like.
"Leah," Max yanked his helmet off. "Are you alright?" He asked her as he touched her arm. She nodded and wiped under her nose again.
"Yeah, sometimes temperature change aggravates my nose I guess," Leah shrugged. Cassidy wouldn't stop staring at her though.
"I need to talk to you after this," Cassidy muttered to her. Leah nodded unsure of why her mood suddenly got so somber.
"Congratulations," Fernando patted her back. She smiled at him and nodded as she held her bloody helmet still.
"Either of you want this?" She laughed a little as Max shook his head. She walked over to Christian who tilted her head back checking up her nose.
"You alright?" He asked her. She nodded and he patted the back of her head as she walked into the cooldown room. Leah grabbed a water bottle and struggled to open it. She turned around and looked at Max. He was talking with Fernando so she was going to wait to ask him. He nodded and looked over to her reaching for her water bottle.
"Around turn 14, as where the wind got me," Max smiled as he opened it for her and handed it back. Leah just shrugged and gave the cameras a look as she walked to Max's chair and sat in it. He was sitting in Fernando's and Fernando was sitting in Leah's chair. After they went out and got their awards and did the iconic champagne spray. Leah skipped the post-race interview and instead went over to her fans. She was unzipping her fireproof to let some air hit her body.
"Leah!" They shouted her name over and over. She smiled and waved at them as she went down the line signing things.
"I made you a bracelet!" A girl shouted. It was a LeahLan bracelet. Leah smiled at the girl as she put it on.
"Thank you so much," She took a few pictures with people.
"Leah! Leah!" This one girl was screaming at her hysterically. Leah laughed and held her hands up as she tried to calm the girl.
"Calm down, you might over-exert yourself," Leah told her as she put her hand on the girl's shoulder taking in a deep breath. "You having a good day?" She asked the girl. The girl was shaking though s she almost jumped over the barrier to hug Leah. "Oh." Leah laughed and hugged the girl back. "You okay?"
"You saved my life," The girl started crying. Leah didn't know how to react so she smiled at the girl.
"That means so much to me," Leah pressed a hand to her heart as she kissed the girl's forehead. "You keep being you, but remember to stop and breath every once in a while, okay, you worry me." Leah winked at her and she smiled and nodded happily. As Leah moved away from her she started squealing again.
"Leah, I made this for you," She was handed a notebook full of fan notes. Leah opened it a little and read the first one.
'Thank you, thank you," She pulled the girl into a hug. "I really needed something like this."
"Leah, why aren't you at the post-race interview?" A girl asked as she held out a hat. Leah signed it and paused.
"Well they don't deserve my time, you all do," Leah smiled at the girl. She signed several more pieces of clothing.
"Leah, are you okay, we saw the nose bleed?" Another little girl asked. Leah smiled at her.
'Yeah, I'm okay, it was just a little shocking in the helmet," Leah laughed a little. "but I'm all better now." she gave the girl a thumbs up as she squeezed her hand.
"Leah? Leah?! there you are," Cassidy came jogging over. Leah looked shocked as she continued signing people's items.
"Hey, what's up?" Leah asked her as she smiled for a photo.
"Amanda wants an interview since you aren't going to a post-race one, and Lando was asking for you?" Cassidy said breathlessly. Leeah looked at her a little worried.
"Is he okay?" She asked. Cassidy nodded.
"Yeah, he was just worried about you," She took a deep breath. Leah nodded and waved at the others.
"I'm sorry, I gotta go, I might get in trouble if I don't do at least one," Leah waved at her fans. "I love you all so so much! you all mean everything to me!" She announced to the others as they smiled at her. No one seemed unhappy she was leaving so she walked with Cassidy.
"We are going to the doctor after this," Cassidy whispered under her breath. Leah looked at her concerned. "When is the last time you checked in with a doctor?"
"A few weeks ago, back in Monaco," Leah breathed. "You don't think?" Leah couldn't even finish her words. She kind of forgot about her family's cancer. She had stopped going to the annual doctor visits because she was super busy and she didn't want to leave Lando alone.
"Ther you are," Amanda smiled as he embraced a stunned Leah. "woah! You are rigid, everything alright?" She asked as she squeezed Leah's arm. She nodded but didn't say anything at first. Her eyes brows were furrowed and she kept looking at Cassidy as she walked away from her. "Leah?"
"Yeah, sorry," Leah laughed as she moved in front of the mic.
"Well you've won again, but you aren't in the post-race interview, why?" Amanda asked. Leah smiled and pointed at her.
"You aren't either why is that?" Leah redirected the question. Amanda laughed.
"Well played, but since you weren't going there I decided to wait around til you showed up," Amanda smiled. Leah looked around. "You need someone?" Leah smiled again.
"Lando, I need my emotional support person right now," Leah explained as she fiddled with her hands.
"Leah, are you alright?" Amanda asked her once again. "You are worrying me."
"When do I not do that?" Leah offered as she looked around and saw his hair. She whistled and waved at him. He smiled and rushed over to her.
"Congratulations," he kissed her.
"You too, P6 I hear," Leah smiled up at him. He rested a hand on her hip as he smiled at her and then Amanda.
"Well, Leah you go get rest please, we don't need to do this," Amanda explained as she shooed the man with the camera away. Leah let out a long breath.
"Thank you," Leah smiled at her.
"Don't even, I just want you to be better, go rest," Amanda gave her a quick hug before she walked off.
"Are you okay? What was that about?" He asked. She gripped his hand and started walking back to her paddock. "Okay, yeah, no, now I'm freaked out. Leah?" Lando jogged a bit so he could look at her. Once he saw her expression though, his face went pale. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure, but I blame Cassidy, she's got my mind working on overdrive right now," Leah said as she wiped her nose once again.
"Leah," Lando muttered as he gripped her hand pushing his way through people if they didn't move. Leah felt something tickle her nose as it started bleeding once again.
"Oh fuck," She whispered as Lando shoved through the Red Bull paddock. Leah had her head down as she walked blindly behind Lando. He got into her private room and sat her down as he grabbed a towel.
"Leah, what is this?" Lando knelt in front of her as he shook her head. the door opened and Cassidy came in.
"Again, fuck," Cassidy muttered as she paced behind Lando.
"Someone please tell me what's going on before I fucking flip out!" Lando yelled getting both of their attention.
"I'm not a hundred percent sure, it could just be nothing, but," Cassidy chewed on her thumbnail as she looked at Leah. Lando's heart was racing as he waited patiently for someone to fill him in.
"She thinks cancer," Leah whispered as Lando slowly turned to look at her. Lando's heart seized as everything seemed to stop. All he could hear was the rapid beating of his pulse echoing in his head as he looked at Leah's face.
Leah wiped at the blood dripping from her nose and shook her head. She was living in her own fantasy for the last two years. She thought it would just last. After her brothers and parents left her. She thought maybe that was it, but she should have known better. She. Should have known.