Respect and Memories

7 - F1 W03

  
        "You're going to do great. Don't let anything distract you," Lewis said as him and Emrys walked to the garage.

She just nodded, unable to keep her mind set on one thing.

"Also, your au—"

"Speedy!" Emrys furrows her brows at the nickname only Toto and her aunt use.

That's when she locks eyes with her aunt who was standing near the TVs with her headset around her neck.

"Aunt Lev!" Emrys breaks out into a big smile and runs to give her aunt a big hug.

"I thought you couldn't come?" She shoves her head into her 5'3 petite aunts' shoulder.

Aunt Lev pulls the driver away by her shoulders and keeps her arms length away.

"I wouldn't miss my speedy's debut for anything in the galaxy," she says with a smile.

Aunt Lev was always there for Emrys. After the accident, she was the one to take care of the 11 year-old girl.

The older woman was always supportive of her dreams and passions. She knew Emrys had a gift when she was still able to fix old cars and beat everyone on the track while still healing.

Aunt Lev grabs Emrys' hands and leans into her ear. "Don't stop for anyone. Give them hell, Speedy."

Emrys meets her aunts eyes and nodded with a small twinkle in her eyes.

She heads to her car and puts everything on. The satisfying click allows Emrys to close her eyes.

Everything muffled into background noise and Emrys is in her own world.

Her slow inhales and exhales.

Both feet on a separate pedal.

The weight of her equipment.

The grip on the steering wheel.

The rumble of the car underneath her.

Emrys Pierce was in her natural environment.

"Radio check, pipsqueak."

Her eyes open slowly. "Loud and clear."

She drives into the track at the light and the formation lap goes smoothly.

As they line up on the grid, her radio clicks again.

"I just swiped a car," Emrys says before the person on the other side got a chance to speak.

There were laughs and a response followed. "Make your epic getaway, Speedy."

Emrys smiled as the lights go out.

Immediately, her and her brother were neck and neck, almost colliding on the first turn.

She doesn't back off and follows him tightly through the eighth turn when she sees Max hugging her rear.

A small bump of their tires jams her flow as he races in front of her.

She groans. "This Red Bull duo is pissing me off!"

"Stay calm, pipsqueak."

Emrys twitches her lip but focuses on the track.

The next few laps go smoothly when she hears the radio click.

"Get ready to pit next lap."

"Copy."

She pulls into the pit lane and taps her fingers impatiently as the 1.5 seconds take forever.

The rookie drivers pit crew signals her out and she speeds off but not before seeing number five from Red Bull pull into the pit.

"Leclerc eight seconds ahead. Strategy 2, Pierce."

She hits the gas and turns corners at high speeds, avoiding having to switch gears.

Leclerc was now only half a second ahead as they go down the straight.

DRS immediately lights up and she manages to get in front before they reach turn 1.

"Great overtake. Now Max is five seconds ahead, push push."

Lewis repeats push multiple times, pissing Emrys off.

"Lewis! If I push anymore, my foot will go through the floor and hit the track!"

"Sorry—" There's silence. "Push."

She rolls her eyes and turns to where Max is in her sights.

The Merc takes the outside line and smoothly passes him. "You just passed Max Verstappen! Hold position!"

Emrys ignored him and raced toward her brother.

They continue their fight but the little sister was too far behind by the end of the Grand Prix.

Passing the finish line, all Emrys could hear was ringing in her ears.

"P2, pipsqueak! You fucking did it!"

Her arm shoots up in victory as she pulls into the pit lane and parks behind the p2 sign.

Emrys gets out of her car and is instantly bombarded with cameras and people from the pit crew hugging and patting her helmet.

"You did it, speedy! I'm so proud of you," her aunt says in the midst of tears while giving her niece a big hug.

Emrys pulls off her helmet and looks at her aunt lovingly.

"Well, at least we know I'll be able to get away from the cops if the times call for it."

The duo laugh and is interrupted by a hand on her shoulder.

"At first I had my doubts, but you have some spark in you girl," Toto says, giving her a hug.

"Thank you, Toto."

He nods and lets Emrys go back to her celebrations.

She hugs her helmet to her side and stands on the nose of her car.

Cameras flash wildly as she holds up two fingers for p2.

Emrys' head spins as she tries to calm herself, also overhearing a conversation next to her.

"I can't sit here and do nothing, Luis!"

She can't make out who it was but continued to listen anyway.

"Look, that is Mercedes' problem. Not ours. So don't get involved."

"Well, it'll become Red Bulls problem when I beat that piece of shit interviewer to a pulp for insulting my sister."

"Milo!"

At the sound of his name, Emrys whips her head around.

Only being able to catch a glimpse of her brother walking angrily to the interview room with his pr manager in tow.

She slowly turns her head back around to look beside her, his car parked slightly behind her and only his helmet on the nose of the car.