(Lewis' Version)
TODAY IS RACE DAY in beautiful Miami. I'm here at the paddock a little earlier than usual to get some clean morning air before my race. But to also check out more background information on the new knowledge that Nicole kindly told me about Salina the other night.
I made sure to tell Angela this morning to take her time to get ready today so I can secretly do some digging on Salina's Instagram page. Look for any posts and understand her past better with her ex-fiancé, Raphael.
I've only liked her recent post ever since I started following her not too long ago. But I haven't gotten the chance to—I don't mean to say the word—but stalk. Yes, I stalk people. It's nothing new. I'm sure Salina did the same with my profile.
My thumb does a little scrolling and nothing much has popped up yet. Most of her posts that I'm viewing right now are of her either on vacation, with friends, or her dog named Bambi. She didn't mention she has a dog. I can set up a play date with Roscoe and Bambi. They would get along.
*Salina's old post feed*
Then a post catches my eye. It shines to my eyes out of the others on her profile. I click it to get a closer look.
Wagner. That's Raphael's last name. This was posted about six years ago. Just like Nicole had mentioned. Salina and Raphael were engaged six years ago. That would make Salina just eighteen years of age. Fresh out of high school. I wonder what Toto and Susie must've thought when Raphael came to them about their hand in marriage.
Nicole did say they met during intermediate school. Making the two of them create a relationship all the way down high school, it would mean they were together around five years.
My thumb brushes over her face. She looks so young and innocent in this photograph. How can a man ever do something like that to her. Salina is a woman filled with big dreams and they were crushed so quickly because of him. Because of that jackass of a cheater.
I click out and look through some more pictures. There's another one with her engagement ring.
I shake my head with the thought of how heart broken Salina was when she found out about what Raphael did behind her back. The ring looks like it costed a fortune, but it probably costed nothing to Raphael. Due to how him, including Salina and Nicole, grew up back in the day.
I wonder to myself if the guy ever kept her old engagement ring till this day. Or maybe he returned it back and forgot he ever was with an amazing woman like her. There's so many questions I want to ask him. Why he cheated, what made him get with another woman when he was in a long-term committed relationship, how he felt after realizing what he had done, and if he ever forgave himself for what he did.
This caption tears me into pieces. Salina never deserved his love if in the end he was just going to ruin it all for her. After everything they've been through, all the things she has probably done or said to him, it just went to waste. In one snap, he ruined it.
Looking at all of these posts rages me inside. My lips purse tight together as I glare at his face on my phone screen. Tightness on my forehead starts to grow—either because I'm furious right now or it cause of the three glasses of beer I had last night.
"You messed up bad, Wagner." I whisper to myself as my jaw clenches hard.
After the last post, this is the next one that Salina has posted preciously from the picture of her and Raphael. I'm pretty sure this was meant for him to see. But in a professional and not obvious way.
Smart way to share your emotions to the world.
This gives me a thought. If Raphael outgrew his feelings and his relationship with Salina, then why did he go out his way to be with another woman when he could've just talked it out with Salina in a healthy and trusting way? Maybe he was afraid since he'd already asked her to marry him.
She looks happier in this next post after. The hashtag makes me chuckle out a small laugh. Ironic how she states healthy, but is eating fast food in the photograph. Even during time of healing and hurting, she always tries to break out some laughter.
For how long I've known Salina for, she thinks she can hide her true emotions from others. And it does work, even her own father and mother sometimes can't see through her. But it hasn't worked on me ever. I can always tell whether she's truly in a jolly mood or upset about something.
This picture. Gosh, she looks absolutely stunning in her natural state. And her hair, her straight, but somewhat wavy dirty blonde hair. She's glowing and happy in this. Real happiness. See, I really can tell the truth between her emotions.
She's most beautiful when she's happy. I absolutely love it when Salina's happy. Because then I'm happy. That would mean we're both happy. Together. But not in a we're-together-in-a-relationship-together. Just a pair. A pair with a truce.
I smile, parting my lips from each other. She's just so perfect. How could anyone hate her? I don't hate her, I never did. When I first met Salina, when my eyes met hers, when my ears first heart that soothing voice of hers, I knew she was perfect. But I couldn't let her get to me.
I had a race to lean all my focus on. But she made it easy for me to get distracted by her beauty—and smartness.
That night at Nicole's birthday party. When I saw her in that red dress, it was over for me. She'd taken everything in my will without her even knowing. But I couldn't let myself to give into her just like that. No, I've set a disciplined rule for myself to focus on racing and racing only.
But how the hell can I focus on that when she's around? I needed the two of us to stay in our truce and our new founded friendship. Nothing more than that. I don't want to break her even more than she already came when she walked through that paddock door in the Italy Grand Prix.
And then that's it. Shit. I told myself not to make this one mistake. And I just did. And I strangely don't regret it at all.
I've fallen in love with her.
I've fallen in love with Salina.
"Dad—no! Put me down!" I hear her precious laughter from a distance.
I throw my head in the same direction and catch Toto playfully spinning her around in his arms as if she's a little kid. She laughs so innocently, holding on for her dear life. My lips curl up into a big smile as I watch.
"Dad, please." She struggles to say through her unstoppable laughs. "Ah! Don't—don't tickle me, Dad! Dad!"
Toto let's out some evil laugh, putting her back down on the ground. Salina then catches her breath, pulling off her black headset from her head to fix herself up. That's my cue to walk back to the paddock and start my day. Angela should be arriving soon.
"Lewis, you're here early." She finally sees me as I enter inside.
"Yeah, just wanted to go on a little jog this morning around the track before anyone else gets here." I make up a fake excuse when I meet up with her next to my car.
"How are you feeling? All good from last night? I know you had a couple of drinks." She asks me.
"I feel pumped and ready to go!" I flex my muscle in a sarcastic way and this makes her roll her eyes. "Not impressed by my gains, doll?"
"Not since I call you Hampty Dumpty from now one." She smiles.
"I thought you'd forgotten that by now." I act overly sad, placing my hand to cover my face.
"How could I ever forget such an amazing creation of my own? Oh, you poor thing. Go get ready, we've got a busy day ahead of us." She claps her hands together which wakes me up a little.
"Yes, ma'am." I salute to her.
If only she knew how crazy I am for her right now.