Crash

Press

As soon as Penelope and Charles pulled up to the grid, cameras were flashing.

Charles didn't let go of her hand for the entire journey, his sunglasses already on and his hair styled. Despite his outward composure, his leg bounced against hers with a nervous energy.

Penelope herself was excited. This was the first time she was seeing her boyfriend in action doing what he loved, and seeing that side to him was important to her. He'd spent so long listening to her and conversing about her own career that it was nice to finally be able to be a part of his.

"You ready?" she asked, checking her own reflection in the window just to be sure.

When he smiled, she could still sense the nerves behind it. "I'm always ready, Miss Jonas. And by the way, you look beautiful. Stop fixing your hair."

Penelope flicked his arm, the voices outside the car growing louder. "I'm just checking! It's a lot of pressure, meeting your friends. I don't want to look like a mess."

"They're gonna love you," he promised. "And you never look like a mess to me."

If she was in a cartoon, her eyes would have been heart shaped. She reached out a hand and squeezed his cheeks. "You're sweet, you know that? I'll let you lead the way, Romeo."

"Brace yourself," he said with a smile. Penelope grinned at him, lowering her sunglasses as the door opened and a sliver of blinding light creeped in. Charles climbed out first, opening the door for her as fans cried their names. Despite the paparazzi and onlookers lining the path, Penelope held his hand with pride, waving as the cameras snapped away. 

"Charles, Charles!" a man on the right called. "How are you feeling about the weekend?"

Penelope stood by as Charles regarded the question. "It's a new season," Charles said with a flawless composure. "So I'm feeling good. Practice and testing went well, so I'm excited to start racing."

The man turned his microphone to Penelope. "How about you, Penelope? This your first F1 race?"

"It is," she said with a bright smile, laughing along like she'd known the interviewer for years. She was no stranger to press tours and conferences, and she knew all too well how to win over the public. "I'm looking forward to watching sport for once instead of participating!"

The interviewer laughed. "I bet! Disappointing loss for you of course at the Los Angeles Showcase this week, but you did place second in the solo category. How are you feeling about that now that there's been time to reflect?"

Penelope's grip on Charles's hand tightened slightly. "I'm proud of the effort that Jasper and I put in, regardless of the result. It was one mistake, and we'll use the feedback we were given to make sure we perform even better at Nationals."

"Of course. Speaking of the fall, how are you feeling? Word on the street is you're out for two weeks, any injuries that are worrying you?"

"Just a few bruises," she retorted. "But right now, I'm here to watch the race, not talk about dance."

Beside her, Charles she could feel Charles smirking. The interviewer didn't seem too offended, instead taking the comment in his stride. "Sure. Just one last question before you go, though. Are you going to be cheering Charles on today?"

"Of course! I can't wait to watch."

"Excellent! And Charles, one last one for you - you think having Penelope here is going to bring you a touch of luck?"

"Ah," he chuckled, winking at the camera. "We'll have to wait and see."

**********************

Walking through the paddock, Penelope spotted a few familiar faces. The street strip was busier than she thought possible, endless mechanics and workers dressed in identifying colours. Penelope quickly learned who was who, as well as who had the most money and the most influence. The whole thing was a massive display of wealth, which didn't surprise her. She'd always known that Charles was paid well by the sport, but that was just the tip of the iceberg.