Battle Scars // Esteban Ocon

13

Flash forward 6 weeks and it was officially time for the season decider in Abu Dhabi. This year's driver's championship had gone down to the wire with both Lewis and Max going into the last race on equal points.

But further down the field Fernando Alonso had been having a good few races before stepping aside for the finale to allow Abi back in to her car and her seat.

The Brit was both nervous and excited to be back in an F1 car on a race that would go down in Formula One history.

She was glad Alpine had given her her seat back as she really thought with Fernando performing well they would be reluctant to let her back in but they welcomed her with opened arms.

To make things even more exciting for the weekend that was in it, the team didn't announce her return allowing the world to think she was in the paddock as a spectator like she had been for the last few races.

The surprise came as Free Practice One arrived and the initials WIL were on the timing screen instead of ALO.

It was a surprise for not only the audience and broadcasters but also the other teams up and down the paddock.

And Abi had performed like she never left. She had finished the session in 6th place ahead of Esteban in 11th.

Abi felt amazing as she got out of the car before removing her helmet and balaclava. She handed them to Sarah who was waiting on her with a smile.

The Brit discussed a few things with her race engineer before going to the man who was waiting at the back of the garage for her.

She threw her arms around him as he smiled back at her doing the same in return.

"You were great." David told her as the pair pulled away from their hug.

"Thanks." Abi smiled in reply before moving to talk to her family.

The pair were nothing official but they had grown closer very quickly during Abi's physio therapy sessions so Abi thought it was only right to reward him with a pass for the weekend seeing as he was the reason she was back so quick.

What she didn't bank on was the cameras from the pit lane zooming in on the girl as she did hug the physiotherapist sparking instant rumours not just in the paddock but across the garage too.

"Well done." Alice, Abi's press officer, said to the British driver as the pair left the garage together.

"Thanks. It felt good to be back in the car." Abi spoke as she took her braids out of her hair as they had already started to fall out with being done since yesterday morning.

"Yeh that too. But I was referring to the media mess you jsit put yourself in." Alice explained

"What mess?" Abi questioned as they walked across the paddock to the Alpine motorhome.

"The end of session coverage was you hugging David and the photographers in the pit lane managed to snap their fair share of pictures." The Red head girl said as she showed Abi the coverage of the end of the FP1 session on her iPad.

"But nothing is going on between us. I just invited him as a thank you for why he did for me." Abi replied.

"I know that. And you know that but the media don't and because they don't and no one else knows they'll spin this to make it look like there is." Alice spoke as they arrived outside the motorhome with Abi holding the door open for the pair.

"Great. This is exactly what I need on my return weekend." Abi sighed before walking off towards her drivers room.

—————

"So, who's the guy?" Lance wondered as he, Esteban and Mick walked through the paddock at the end of the day.

"What guy?" Esteban asked in reply.

"The guy in the back of Abi's half of the garage earlier. It's all over social media." Lance replied showing Mick and Esteban the photos.

"Yeh I seen them. And I know who he is. He was Abi's physiotherapist during her recovery. She only invited him here as a thank you for what he did." Esteban explained to his two best friends in the paddock as they walked towards the swipe gates on their way to the drivers hotel.

"You don't sound too sure there." Mick told him and Lance nodded in agreement.

"I am. They're just friends." The French driver spoke as he swiped his pass over the reader to leave the paddock.

"If you say so." Lance shrugged his shoulders before the three boys watched as Abi and David got into a black alpine along with Sarah, Abi's performance coach.

—————

"So you kept that hidden." Claire told her daughter as Abi lay in her Abu Dhabi hotel room.

"Mum for the last time there is nothing going on with David." Abi sighed in reply.

"What?" Her dad's voice called out from another room in their home back in Liverpool.

"Not you dad." Abi replied knowing her dad and her former physiotherapist shared the same name.

"What happened with Esteban then?" Her mum asked.

"That was three months ago mum." Abi spoke referring to the kiss and exchange of feeling they shared in Monza but since then there has been nothing more.

"Well maybe you need to remind him how you feel. I'd say the poor boy thinks you don't care about him anymore." Claire told her daughter and Abi sighed once again.

She knew how Esteban felt back in Monza because he told her but now she wasn't too sure as neither of them spoke about it again.

"I was to focus on my race first. I'll deal with my personal life Sunday night or Monday morning." Abi explained as she rolled over in her bed.

"Good idea. When are you coming home anyway?" Claire questioned her only daughter.

"Well I've our end of year team dinner Monday night and then post season testing so probably end of next week." Abi replied before the mother and daughter bid farewell to each other.

Abi rolled over and stuck her phone on charge before cuddling up in her bed and going to sleep.

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It's been 6 months since I updated this book🙈 slowly but surely ha. Not really sure if I wanna keep writing it or not I've no real path I want it to get too so I'll see.

Let me know what you think x