I'm Tired

chapter 1

July 3, 2022

After a short 2 hour flight to Austria, my plane finally lands in Graza. Even though I have had this job for a few weeks now, this is my first time meeting the actual drivers, since I have been working from the factory. As I walk towards the exit I see a guy about my age standing next to the other taxi drivers holding a sign with my name on. As I start to walk towards him, it finally hits me that I am actually about to start my dream job.

In April of 2022, my friends found a job opening with Prema racing for the exact job I had been looking for while living in Washington. Let's just say that my life at that point wasn't the greatest and I just wanted to leave it all behind and start fresh.

"Come on Andrea! You have to apply!" my friend Sam said.

" I don't know Sam." I say as I pass his laptop back to him to be able to continue with my math work.

"They would never hire me, I mean, I'm just some lame high school yearbook photographer. Besides, it's not like they would hire some high school senior who has no experience in marketing, and not to mention is nowhere near having a college degree anytime soon."

"Come on Andreauuhh... I already showed this to Mr. Sharps, and even he said I need to convince you to apply. So if you won't do it for me...... do it for him, who has always believed in you....... And not to mention it's on the other side of the globe and as far away as you could get from your parents and Row-...." I cover his mouth before he can continue.

"Look Sam, you know I love you, and I would do anything for you. But... I can't do this. My parents would flip if they ever found out and not to mention, I don't have the kind of money to get me all the way to the other side of the globe and even less to be able to afford to live there." At this point all the motivation I had to finish my math assignment is out the window.

What motivation Andrea, you have been staring at the same problem for the last 10 minutes before Sam came along.

Oh fuck off you.

"Look, you told me that when you started to say stuff like this I needed to give you a big old slap in the face so you can come back.... And the only reason I won't is because Ms. B over there already doesn't like me and she will send me to the principal's office. So we are going to do it this way... You apply for this job and tell Mr. Sharps that you did, and I will buy you lunch. Besides we don't have to worry about it for another 2 months since that's when the decisions come back, and at that point if you don't get the job we can forget any of this ever happened, and live our little happy life's together in college. But if that email says otherwise, which I'm 100% convinced it will, I will be over here saying I told you so and helping you earn money to be able to move." He says in basically one breath, which scared me.

"So do we have a deal, Andrea Sofia Xiomar?" I look at Sam with bugged out eyes and hesitate to take his hand in agreement.

"If I do this, do you promise and I mean cross your heart and hope to die kind of promise that we will not speak of this to my parents, unless that email says I did get it."

"Deal" He says as we shake hands.

"Now, get back to work, we still have to graduate high school. And I'm pretty sure Mrs. B is looking at us to stop talking."

Once I get to the guy I notice that this is actually one of the Prema drivers, Arthur Leclerc.

What? You expected me to start a job with a racing team and not google the people who drive for them. I basically studied them more than I ever did for my exams.

"Hi... You must be Andrea? I'm Arthur." He says with an outstretched hand.

"Yes! It's very nice to meet you. If you don't mind me asking why exactly does Prema have one of their race drivers coming to pick me up?" I say while shaking his hand, and we start to walk towards the car.

"Well my boss, or should I say our boss wanted someone from the team to pick you up so that you would feel comfortable."

"Ahh.. makes sense I guess." I say as I help Arthur load my luggage into the back of the car.

"Yes, well... I say we get going, the Red Bull ring is only about 50 minutes from here, and the guys are very excited to meet you." Arthur says as we get into the car and start it up.

"Alrighty, sounds good to me." I say.

During the ride to the ring, Arthur and I get to know each other. I feel like we immediately clicked and have been joking around for basically the whole ride there.

We finally make it to the ring and we hop out of the car, with Arthur leading the way.

I stop at the entrance of the ring and take in my surroundings, I can't believe I actually get to do this as a job. I quickly catch up to Arthur as we make it to the entrance of the Prema garage.

"You ready?" Arthur says while I stare up at the building in front of me.

"As ready as I can be." I respond as we start to walk into the building.