all three of us walk down to the breakfast room and get our food. i get a yoghurt bowl with fruit whilst kimi and ollie get toast, eggs and fruit.
"do you know what group you guys are in for media today?" i ask
"first i think." ollie replies.
"im on second. you? " kimi asks
"i'm with ollie." i say. i was glad that i would have to do it alone, but i probably would have been more comfortable with kimi.
"thank god we are up together." ollie says, smiling.
"yeah, i mean im always gonna know people on there. i know the whole grid really." i say
"except zane." kimi says, laughing a little. he finds it so funny that me and zane don't get along.
"do you know how many times people talk about the 'boy from barbados' though?" i say. he had been in the press group with me and kimi at bahrain, thankfully before any of our conflicts.
"it's still cool, like the first driver from barbados." ollie says.
"and im not cool?" i say as a joke.
"im way cooler than you lina." kimi replies for ollie.
"no your not kimi, stop lying." i reply, gently hitting him on the arm.
"sorry kimi, angel is better than you." ollie says, laughing at me and kimi.
"she doesn't even drive for prema!" kimi argues
"that's what makes me better." i say, messing his hair.
"okay, now im agreeing with kimi." ollie says.
30 minutes later, we all split up to go into our hotel rooms and finish getting ready to head to track. we were driving to the track together in another 30 minutes.
i was already ready for the day, so i take the time to go on social media or anything on my phone. i decide to call florence (my long distance best friend) and she picks up almost immediately.
(her speech in italics)
"flo! ive missed you so much."
"not more then i've missed you lee (her nickname for me)"
"easily more then i've missed you."
"that's impossible. are you at the track?"
"not yet, i'm going in 20 minutes i think."
"ohhh, well good luck for later anyway. it's practice right?"
"yeah, and media."
"well i'm sure you will be amazing. how's it going with that driver?"
"oh god, i was so glad to not see him these past days."
"well, try not to fight him this weekend okay?"
"i can't promise anything flo, you know that."
"i know, i know. but please try okay? you don't want to end up doing something that will ruin your whole career."
"yeah... i know."
"and how's nick?"
"we're good, but i'll tell you everything when i next see you."
"that's gonna be ages away, i can't really leave school."
"i know, im coming to england straight after australia."
"really! thank you lee, so much."
"no problem, ill be there a week on tuesday."
"i can't wait!"
i talk with florence until kimi tells me it was time to go. i quickly say goodbye before grabbing my bag and following kimi out of the door where ollie was waiting.
"hey guys, ready to go?" ollie asks, me and kimi nod in return.
we all walk down to the lobby, chatting about the race weekend and get into the taxi. i was the smallest, so i had to sit in between ollie and kimi. unlucky, i know.
i put my headphones in and press play on my music.
playing "snap out of it" by arctic monkeys
whilst listening to the music, i was alone in my thoughts. and i remembered.
i was meant to be distant with ollie
it just hadn't really been happening. it felt wrong? like me and ollie were destined to be together.
no,no,no. that's wrong.
i love nick. not ollie.
or do i? love is so complicated, why couldn't i just be in love with one person. of course i love nick, but there was something about ollie.
no.
no.
no.
this is it, i can't be around ollie this much. i'll invite nick to the next race. no, i can't do that. i'll just get distracted and have a bad race weekend.
okay, so. two rules
- i have to distance myself from ollie. spend more time with other drivers, like franco. and zac.
- and spend more time with nick.
maybe a third
- try to not hate zane maloney as much. if that's even possible.
time skip...
i had just changed into my race suit and i was now heading for the pre-practice meeting with the team.
finally, once that was over me and jules head over to a more private spot and do some stretches to prepare me for the race. whilst doing this, i put my music on again.
playing "hold back the river" by james bay
after my stretches, i head back to the main garage to get into the car. a few minutes later, i get told to drive out onto the track and start my outlap.
i wasn't trying to see the fastest i could go until the last 10-15 minutes. the team wanted me to try something out, so that was my plan.
immediately after entering the track, i could tell something was wrong with the car.
(english)
"the car feels different." i say into the team radio after finishing a lap.
"that will be the front wing issues we spoke about before."
"great." i reply, anger in my voice.
"bring the car back to the pits angel." jules says.
"can we fix this in time for qualifying?" i ask after stopping in the pit lane.
"hopefully angel, no promises." jules says before i get out of the car.
i walk over to a table and take my gloves off, but keep my helmet on to hide my emotions. i don't know why i was so emotional about this, it was only practice.
"tell jules im going to change." i say to a mechanic who i knew to be called joseph before leaving the garage.
i get changed straight away before sorting out my hair and makeup. i leave the f2 paddock whilst on the phone to oscar.
"what's up?" oscar asks as soon as he answers.
"how do you already know?" i ask
"because you never call me when your at the track, you just come find me."
"yeah i guess so. there's just something wrong with my car and..."
"they will be able to fix it by tonight though."
"jules said no promises, and they were doing something to the front wing yesterday as well."
"angie, don't worry. no-one can blame you for a faulty car."
"but they will."
"can you come meet me in the paddock?"
"not like i can go onto the track is it?"
"okay, i'll meet you outside mclaren."
i say goodbye to oscar before ending the call and heading towards mclaren. as i enter the paddock, i see cameras turning my way and people start to come up to asking for photos and signatures.
i take a few photos and sign a few hats before i finally see oscar who was stood with lando. as i start walking towards them, i hear a girl mutter something and start laughing behind me.
|| authors more ~ hope you enjoy 🫶🏼