I walked dejectedly back into my hotel room. I’ve never had a bad interview before. Everyone always loves me and opens up to me no problem. I threw my bag onto my bed and then fell backwards onto the plush hotel bed. As soon as I did, my phone started ringing. I quickly jumped up and dug it out of my purse. I looked the caller ID. It was the last person I wanted to talk to… well other than Kimi. It was my boss. I cringed as I answered the phone.
“Hello?” I answered trying to sound as if nothing was wrong.
“Kennedy.” my boss barked, already sounding unhappy. Maybe he has special senses to know when his reporters don’t get the job done. He probably already knows about my failure.
“Yes sir?” I responded.
“Why did Kimi’s PR person just email me with a time to finish the interview?” he was fuming. I could almost picture the gray haired mans face turning red and smoke coming out of his ears.
“Um, well there is a good reason for that…” I stalled.
“And that would be?” the Austrian prodded.
“Kimi wouldn’t finish the interview. He wasn’t telling me anything, he is dreadfully difficult to handle.” I explained “But! On the Brightside! I got him to agree to finish the interview at a later time! So I haven’t really failed.” I tried to put a positive spin on it.
“This is not acceptable Miss Blake.” Franz was not buying my excuse.
“Yes sir. I promise I will get you your story.” I said sadly.
“You better, or your career writing on Formula 1 wont be long. I can assure you of that.” he said threateningly and the line went dead. I fell backwards bag on the bed, discouraged. My phone beeped and I looked a the screen, seeing an email from Franz telling me that I was set to meet Kimi this evening to finish the interview. I sighed in frustration. How was I going to get enough out of him to write a good article.
Instead of scheming on ways to get a good interview out of Kimi, I ended up taking a nap. I looked at the clock when I woke up. 6:00pm. Panic set in and my heart began it race, my interview with Kimi is at 6:30 and haven’t gotten anything done. I sighed defeated, I knew I was going to lose my job over this. Maybe they will still take me back at my old job. They liked me there and I was actually good at that. American drivers are so much more friendly. Why can’t Kimi just make my job easy and co-operate? Does he not realize what’s on the line? My job, my life, everything. I frowned and went into the bathroom to make sure I didn’t look like I just got up from a nap. My brown hair hung in big loose curls around my shoulders. I pulled it back into a professional looking bun. I touched up my make-up and checked for any remnants of drool around my mouth. Once I was sure I looked good enough to leave my room, I grabbed my hand bags and my press badge and headed to meet Kimi.
My boss had sent me the room number to his suite, so I could interview him there. Maybe he would be more comfortable there, or the more likely scenario, maybe he wont even open the door for me. I stepped into the elevator. I looked at my phone for the floor number. Floor 11, the top floor. Of course Kimi would be staying in the penthouse suite. I stepped out of the elevator and onto his floor. I could see his room at the end of the hall. As I walked towards his door I saw it begin to open. I saw a woman, and I quickly ducked into ducked into another hall to avoid being seen. I slowly peeked around the corner. Watching Kimi say goodbye to this woman, she was a tall brunette wearing a very short dress and she had her back to me. I pulled out my camera, making sure the flash was off, I snapped a few pictures. They were saying something, but I was too far away to hear and my lip reading has never been good. She placed a kiss on Kimi’s cheek, but his face stayed stony and uncaring. I quickly got hid behind the wall as she turned and walked down the hall to the elevator. I watched she walk past the hall that I was hiding in, I prayed she wouldn’t look this way and thankfully she didn’t. She was rail thin with straight brown hair parted in the middle. Her dress was incredibly short, almost so short to reveal her more intimate parts. I surely didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but if I had to guess I would say she was a hooker. I snapped one more picture of her getting into the lift. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. And then it hit me. I had the potential to write the best article ever written on Kimi Raikkonen. I was going about it the wrong way. I don’t even have to talk to him. If I can follow him around and find out the things he does that he doesn’t want anyone else to know. It would be such a scandalous article, revealing Kimi and his high end escorts. This may be my only chance for keeping my job.
I smiled and composed myself. I stepped out of my hiding place and walked down the hall to knock on Kimi’s door. I had to get through this interview, then I could call my boss and run my plan by him. Although I already knew it was brilliant. Kimi opened the door, I could see the frustration on his face as soon as he saw me. He invited me in regardless though. I’m sure someone on his team had informed him that he had to do this interview. Kimi sat down on the couch and I sat across from him. He picked up a glass full of an unknown clear liquid off the table and took a sip. I’d love to say it was water, but I had the strong feeling that it wasn’t.
“So Kimi, what are you most looking forward to this season?” I said with renewed energy and happiness.
“Driving the car.” he mumbled.
“Great, and were all looking forward to watching you. So what do you think your chances are at the championship this year?” I asked him.
“How are you so happy?” he asked furrowing his brow.
“I’m a happy person Kimi.” I smiled.
“You know I hate this interviews.” I crossed his arms.
“Yes, I’ve heard.” I nodded.
“So, I have a question for you. Miss interviewer lady.” he wasn’t happy.
“Its Kennedy.” I reminded him.
“Whatever.” he rolled his eyes “You all know I don’t like media, yet the media wont just leave me alone. Why is that? Why are you set out on making my life hard. I just want to drive car, that is all.”
“I’m not trying to make your life hard Mr Raikkonen. I’m just doing my job. You’re a formula 1 driver, with many fans and they all want to read interviews about you. They all want to know more about you, and its my job to find that out. Its just something you have to deal with when you’re famous.” I explained.
“If they are my fans they should respect my wishes, to keep my private life private.” he said. A bit of guilt hit me, because I knew my plan to expose all the dark details of Kimi’s life.
“I don’t think they are trying to disrespect you. Its just how life is.” I shrugged.
“Whatever, lets just get this over with.” he muttered.
“Absolutely” I smiled. “I’ll ask you again, do you consider yourself a contender for the championship this year?”
“Its too early to say.” he responded.
“Would you like to win this year?” I raised an eyebrow.
“It would be nice.” he replied.
“How do you feel about your team mate, mister Alonso?” I asked.
“Who my team mate is does not matter.” he shrugged.
“At teams you’ve been criticized for your drinking.” I eyed the glass in his hand. “What is your response to that?”
“I’m Finnish, what do that expect?” he shrugged taking another sip from the glass.
“Right, of course.” I smiled.
“Do you think the divorce with your wife has caused you to make different choices?” I asked. I saw his face twitch momentarily. I had struck a sore spot.
“I make my own choices.” he replied gruffly.
“Well, that’s enough for my interview I suppose. Thank you for your time Mr Raikkonen.” I put on a big fake smile. He only grunted in response. “I can let myself out.”
I exited the room, my heart was still. It was a full thirty seconds before I took a breath. Thoughts raced through my mind. The woman from earlier and what other private details Kimi hid from the media. If he thought just me asking questions made his life hard, what would he think when I printed an article airing all his deepest secrets. I frowned, guilt creeping in. Then I remembered that my job was on the line, and the interview Kimi had just given me was not good enough for me to keep my job. I pushed the guilt down and walked down the hall, dialing my editors number.
“I hope you have good news for me miss Blake.” my editor said very pointedly. I sucked a deep breath in as I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for my floor.
“As a matter of fact I do.” I forced myself to smile and forced myself to pretend what I was doing wasn’t wrong and wasn’t going to hurt someone. Deep down I knew this was going to hurt Kimi, in fact it will probably crush him. That’s life though, right? You have to fight for your place and unfortunately some people may get hurt along the way. It was nothing personal. I don’t even know Kimi, I don’t know why I am even having second thoughts. Probably because my parents raised me better. They raised me Christian, and to be a good person, to everyone no matter what. What I was about to do goes against every belief I’ve ever held. In my interviews I’ve always gotten what I wanted by being sweet and kind, approachable and honest. This is the exact opposite of who I am. This is cold, calculating and heartless. I know its what I have to do if I don’t want to end up back in Montana sleeping on my parents couch.
“Well, spit it out. I don’t have all day.” I could see him tapping his foot impatiently and running his fingers along his moustache.
“I want to do an article on Kimi’s life.” I announced stepping out of the elevator and heading towards my room.
“You got that much out of him?” the man sounded surprised. “You really are a miracle worker.”
“Well, not exactly…” I paused. I could feel the tension growing and pictured him preparing the papers to have me let go “Tonight on my way to the interview I observed a woman leaving Kimi’s room.”
“So? There are many woman on the Ferrari team that work with him.” my editor said questioningly.
“No, this was a woman… how do I put it? Of… questionable morals.” I put it delicately.
“Ohhh….” I could hear his voice go up as he realized what I was getting at. “Go on.” he prodded, now clearly interested.
“I want to follow Kimi, secretly of course, and do an article on the parts of his life that aren’t seen by the world. Who is the Iceman really? That sort of thing.” I said proud of my idea.
“Brilliant work Miss Blake. I look forward to reading what you find.” I smiled knowing my job was secure, for now. If I can just get past this I will never have to do an interview with Kimi again and I will be set. The other drivers will be cake to work with and my job is saved. I thought as I hung up and flopped down on my bed.