𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄 ; charles leclerc

002

April 22, 2022

-IT'S TODAY, Lara. I'm excited and nervous. In a few hours, I'll be racing in Formula 1. —I said as I applied my makeup with all my waterproof makeup. You have no idea how hot it gets inside that car; you sweat like a pig.

-I know, love. You've been telling me all week, and I'm very proud of you for everything you're achieving. But it's early, and I need to sleep. —my friend said, struggling to keep her eyes open.

-Well, love, I'll leave you. My breakfast is here, and I have to go eat in my five-star hotel, all expenses paid, in a suite the size of my entire apartment, but without you. —I pretended to be dramatic as I walked to the door.

-Bitch, when you get your paycheck, you better buy me a ticket to see you.

-I'll think about it. Goodbye, love. I love you.

-I love you more, and good luck, although you don't need it. —she replied. I truly loved that girl; she was the best.

-Hello. —I said with a smile as I opened the door to my room.

-Good morning. I've brought your breakfast, Miss Ravenswood.

-Thank you very much. —I gave him a $20 tip, and he left the food cart near the balcony. Eating with a view from the balcony was on another level.

TODAY IS finally Sunday. Today, we have the race, and I ended up in third place in qualifying. Right now, we were in a press conference with Max, answering normal questions about the race, until I was asked a question that caught me off guard.

-Amara, what do you think of Charles Leclerc saying that a woman would never beat him on the track? —a reporter asked, waiting for an answer to jot it down in her notebook.

-Hmm, I think Leclerc still doesn't know me and doesn't know what I'm capable of.  —I gave a coquettish look, and I swear it came naturally; it wasn't intentional!

-SHOW ME WHAT YOU'VE GOT, RAVENSWOOD! —the Monegasque shouted before getting into his car, one spot ahead of Amara.

I didn't answer, I got into my car while singing a Taylor Swift song. For some reason, that blonde had power over me, and she didn't even know me.

-LAST LAPS. Max was in first place, I was leading in second place, and Leclerc was right behind me, trying to snatch it from me. This guy was going to give me gray hair.

-Come to the pits. We need to change your tires, I heard over the radio.

-I don't know what happened to Leclerc, but he fell behind. I finished the race in second place, and when I crossed the finish line, tears welled up in my eyes. When I could finally get out of the car, I ran to hug Max and my team.

-Amara, someone wants to talk to you. —one of the team members said, handing me some headphones, which I quickly put on because I knew perfectly well who it was.

-Did you see me? —I asked, jumping for joy.

-You did amazing, little one. I'm very proud of you. I knew you could do it. —Sergio replied, just as excited.

-Thank you. They're calling me; I'm going to the podium.

-You deserve it, enjoy it. —I wasn't looking at him, but I'd swear he was crying.

-LECLERC, how does it feel that a woman beat you? —I said mockingly.

-Beginner's luck. Don't get too excited. —he approached me, too close for my taste.

-Personal space, Red. —I put my hand on his chest, pushing him away.

-Amara, come on! —Max shouted in Dutch while already positioned on the podium. They gave us champagne, with which we drenched each other, Max, Lando, and me. I knew I would treasure this moment as one of my happiest, moments I would save for my children and grandchildren.

-You did very well, rookie. —a voice said behind me when I got off the podium. I turned and saw Carlos; I'd known him for a while, but we were never close.

-Gracias, Carlos. —I replied in Spanish.

-Oh, me sorprendes además de ser muy buena corredora también eres muy buena en los idiomas.

-Tengo muchos talentos ocultos, Ferrari. —again, that coquettish look that came naturally.

-Tendré que ir los descubriendo —he winked at me before going to where all the reporters were. Am I imagining it, or did I just have a slight flirtation with Carlos Sainz?

-Sergio is never wrong, a voice spoke behind me.

-What? —I turned around to see who was talking to me.

-He said you're the best pilot he knows, and he wasn't wrong, but you won't beat me. —he said with an air of superiority.

-I'm the best, Max. You'll see. —I replied, smiling. Both of us walked to where the reporters were waiting for us.

-HI. —I greeted with a smile as I stood in front of one of the reporters.

-Amara, how was the race? —asked a man in his thirties or older.

-It went well, with a few challenges... —I didn't finish, as he interrupted me.

-Amara, people want to know if you find any of the Formula 1 drivers handsome. Would you go out with one of them? —He looked at me strangely. I don't want to talk about guys; I want to talk about the race because that's why I'm here. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. As the only woman, I imagined they would ask me questions like that.

-I just got in, and I don't know them. Can we please talk about the race?

-Come on, Amara, you don't like any of them?

-Okay, I'm sorry, but I came here to race and do my job, and I did it. If you're going to ask me about things that have nothing to do with my job, it's better if I leave. —I walked away from that reporter and attended to another one who cared about the race.

-Miss Ravenswood, could you answer my questions, please. —the brunette girl said, very tall and very pretty.

-Of course, and you can call me Amara. —I replied with a smile.

-How did you feel during the race?

-Wonderful. My team is the best, and I'm really proud of what I accomplished today, along with Max, who also did an amazing job.

-Definitely, a P2 is excellent to start your career in F1. You surprised everyone, especially by showing that women can also be racers. It's a fact that you're going to leave a mark. A few days ago, you said you didn't know him. What has it been like spending time with Verstappen?

-He's a really kind and talented guy. I think we make a great team.

-Who would you dedicate this victory to?

-Sure, I can't dedicate this to anyone but Sergio. He got me into the world of cars and was there for me when my mom passed away, supporting me through my toughest moments. He's like an older brother to me, and it's thanks to him that I'm here today, viviendo. —I replied with a smile and teary eyes.

-That's very sweet of you. The last sentence you said, it's in Spanish, right? Carlos just told us you're good with languages. —I glanced at a certain Spaniard who returned my gaze with a smile. I think I blushed a little because the host chuckled softly, which I could hear.

-Yes, I speak many languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Catalan, German, a bit of Galician, and I'm studying Portuguese. The truth is, languages come much easier to me than racing, even though I'm quite good at that.

-OMG, you surprise me so much, Amara. Would you like to study other languages?

-Of course, I have a long list. Arabic, Bulgarian, Korean, Finnish, Greek, and Hawaiian are definitely on my waiting list.

-Well, there you have it, folks. Amara Ravenswood, a girl who's going to become a legend.