1. New season
LARA'S POV
"Lara, it's time for you to wake up or we'll miss the plane." Said my sister on the other side of the door. I put the pillow over my head to see if I would hear her less, but it didn't take long for her to walk into my room and pull the covers off.
"Just because I'm in bed doesn't mean I'm asleep. Could you leave me alone?" I asked, but it wasn't worth covering up again. Bianca was the pushiest person in the world, and she wouldn't stop pestering me until she got what she wanted. "Well great, get up, because I assure you, I don't want to miss the plane." She said crossing her arms and waiting for me to get out of bed.
"Did we ever lose it?" I said getting up at once and going to the bathroom to shower and wake up completely. "No." Clearly that would be the answer, we had never been late, at least because of me, it couldn't be said of her. "Well, that's it."
I heard how she cursed under her breath and pushed away from the table. "It seems you're not in the mood today." She said with the intention of whispering, but if there was something my sister wasn't capable of doing, it's whispering. "Bianca, seriously, I ask you not to start in the morning."
I could hear how my best friend and sister left the room laughing and causing a small smile to appear on my face as well.
Today was the day we were leaving for Bahrain, and even though I was excited to start the season, I also know it wouldn't be an easy year, not after winning the world title last year. There were many people who said I had won it simply because I was the only woman to get into F1 and not because I simply had the talent to won it.
I don't know if it was luck or misfortune, this year a girl would join the grill, so I'm no longer the only one in it, but I also know it would be difficult for her, more than anything because people said this was a sport for men.
After about half an hour, I met in the dining room of my house with Bianca who had her head in the bowl of cereal. "Your ways of eating continue to amaze me despite all these years." I said picking up an apple "Don't talk, because we are the same. The difference is you have to stay in shape, while I don't have to." She said, and maybe I liked to eat, but that didn't mean I ate as fast as she did.
"Then why are you coming to the gym with me?" I asked crossing my arms. "Because I like to be in shape. Also, I have the best views of the most perfect ass you could ever see." She said and I knew she was referring to the boys or girls who got in front of her since she was crazy about sex.
"Please, I ask you not to change." I laughed and raised one of her eyebrows. "Of course, I won't, how are you going to have any fun if I'm not here?" That was true, even though we practically spent all our time together since we worked together, being the head mechanic. I didn't trust anyone like I trusted her. As she finished breakfast, we talked about this season, and how I expected her to kick some ass like last year, which I expect to do, my mind was on getting my second world title and helping Amelia in any way I could.
At eleven in the morning, we were getting on the plane, and Bianca takes us to our place to sit. "Well, well, well, look who we have here, the world champion lady." Eric said walking up to me and giving me a hug. "Hello Eric, I missed you too."
"As if not, this will be the ass you will see in front of you all season long." I couldn't help but laugh because even if that was true, I know he would be a tough opponent. When I entered the world of Formula One world, I wasn't the best received, especially not by my teammate, but after a couple of years, they gave me the opportunity to change teams and that's where I got to know Eric better. He was the one who basically taught me everything.
"Oh wow, what will Hector think of me looking at your ass?" I said with a smile and crossing my arms. "You know he won't mind, especially if it's sharing it with you." I denied while Bianca laughed, these two were one for the other.
"Sometimes I don't understand how he's with you, seriously." That man was a saint for putting up with Eric's humour. They had been together for years and from what Héctor told me, sometimes he could be insufferable, but even so, he loved him more than anything, that's how lucky Eric is.
"My beautiful face, of course. Now tell me about the holidays." He asked starting to go to his seat. "Normal." I said shrugging my shoulders, but of course, Bianca had to stick her nose where no one told her to.
"No, not normal. Can you believe there was no boy in her bed all summer? How long have you been like this? Months?" she said and I rolled my eyes, because it might have been almost a year since I slept with anyone, but right now it's not what I needed, not when the last time I had a guy in my bed he shrank from my nightmares, so for now I would focus on myself and not on the men my sister was determined to put in my bed.
"That can't be, and I thought having a world title was more linked." Said Eric denying. "The title has nothing to do with it." I said, because since I won the title, you could tell more guys wanted to sleep with me.
"Of course not, because here the lady didn't want to take anyone home." Eric's surprised face was soon present, which would make me laugh at another time "I can't believe it. What's wrong with you Lara? Are you still a virgin?"
I rolled my eyes for I don't know how many times today, because wasn't. It was stupid for me to ask, and my sister had the same face as Eric, as if she was sorry for my practically non-existent sex life "No, but that has nothing to do with it, I can't lose focus so I can kick that beautiful ass of yours throughout the season. Besides, I prefer to focus on myself at this precise moment."
"You won't, but I'm sure if you kick me, you won't be able to kick Amelia's ass." He said looking in the direction of the plane's entrance, I suppose he was waiting for what would be his teammate to arrive. "I'm glad she didn't get with any jerk on the team."
Both my sister and Eric nodded "Yes, thank goodness. She has a handsome teammate who's talented and makes his teammates surpass the teacher." Ever since I met him, he was always so conceited, but it was all true. I'm sure if he wasn't gay, my sister would have fucked him.
"This year Héctor won't be there for the whole season?" I asked since last year we all had a good time at the end of the race. "No, unfortunately not, but he's happy teaching the kids, so that makes me happy." He said with a shrug.
"Will he come to any of the races?" I asked out of curiosity. "Probably the one in Australia and the one in Japan," he said with a shrug as if it were nothing, but I knew he appreciated Héctor going to the Japanese Grand Prix more than anything. "Well, at least you'll have it with you for a couple of races."
Eric and his boyfriend are currently living in Australia, since Héctor was from there, and he wanted to be there for his parents, while Eric preferred to stay with him, because his parents didn't support the relationship he had with Hector, and if something didn't allow Eric, was that they didn't accept Héctor because he was gay.
"Oh wow, she's already here." He said looking back and I didn't take long to do the same "Who?" At that moment, a girl came up with a boy behind her and her smile widened as she looked in our direction.
"Amelia, come over here and I'll introduce you to her." Eric said. The girl stopped and stared at me like she couldn't believe it. I can hear Bianca giggling and Eric just snapped Amelia out of her surprise.
"Amelia, this is Lara, and Lara, this is Amelia, your biggest fan after your grandmother and your mother." I could see the girl was more nervous than anything, so I walked over to her and stretched out my hand in her direction "Hello Amelia, nice to meet you." I said and she stared at my hand for a couple of seconds until she took it.
"I'm glad to meet you, I have been following your career since you entered Formula 3. I have all your shirts. Congratulations on your title." she said practically at the speed of light, to which I couldn't help but laugh, "Thanks, and I watched a couple of your races last year, too."
"Oh really?" she asked as if she was surprised "Of course, you're good and you couldn't have ended up in a better team. Eric will teach you everything he knows, and I will help him." I said looking at my best friend "That would be great. By the way, this is my brother, Charles." She said pointing to the guy behind her. "Pleased to meet you." he said shaking his hand in my direction "Same."
"Hey Lara, did you hear who is coming back to the championship?" Eric asked with a big smile on his face. "No, I wasn't too aware of what was happened outside the team. Who comes back? I asked curiously, "Cameron Edwards."
This could not be true. It couldn't be Cameron returned to F1 after all this time. It's not I didn't like the man or anything, but he had a habit of messing with me and although it wasn't something that bothered me too much, at least with anyone else. With him most of the time it drove me crazy "No..." I said denying and trying to remember why he had left in the first place.
"Yes, dear friend." he said with a big smile "Shit." I whispered, but my sister heard me "Lara, he could have changed during these two years of rest." she assured, but I'm pretty sure he hadn't. "I don't trust it." I said, heading to my seat and waiting for take-off.
"That means more competition for you." Eric said behind me, and I nodded, because that was true, but it also wasn't what mattered to me the most "I don't care about that, what I do care about is the rest."
"What is the rest?" Amelia asked curiously. "Let's say dear pupil, Cameron and Lara have history." he said, and my sister nodded. These two weren't going to drop the theory we had hooked up at some point. "It's not how they are telling it."
"Come on, when the two of you were in a room together, we could tell the sexual tension there." my supposed best friend said, frowning next to my sister. "There was never any sexual tension between us, Eric."
"I'm with Eric, there was, and whenever he messed with you, you wouldn't stop talking about him for days." Bianca replied as if it is the most important thing "It just bothers me he doesn't leave me alone, that's all."
"The moment you both decide to play those games and stop being so stubborn, something can still be given. Something probably already happen with time" she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world "Nothing will happen between us." I assured them, because if there was one thing clear to me, it wasn't going to have a relationship with anyone on the grid, and even less had the intention of having it with Cameron Edwards.
"We'll see about that." said my sister. Now that Cameron was back in the competition, I'm completely sure these two will not shut up about the non-existent sexual tension between the two of them, of that I'm completely sure, but I also know they won't leave it like they did two years ago.
CAMERON'S POV
Today was the day I had been waiting for two years. Today the F1 season began and I would be in it after two years. No one knows the reason I took two years, everyone thinks it was a break, but really it was to find out who had murdered my sister, and we had finally figured it out, so now I would go back to the competition, to my sister I would have liked.
"Cameron, are you sure you want to go back?" Eli asked next to me worried, but if there was one thing, I was more than sure it was I wanted to return to the competition "Eli, seriously, I do want to return. You know I missed him."
"I know, but I just want to make sure you won't be worried about your mother all the time." She said worried and I denied, because my mother was in the right place so they could help her "Nah, mom is always in the centre and with protection. Nothing will happen to her" I assured, walking towards the car.
"If you stay calm that way, fine, but I want you to know I'll be there for whatever you need." He said with a hand on my arm to which I agreed, because that was more than clear to me, it had been for the last few years "I know, better tell me what I've missed in these two years."
"You're lucky I kept an eye out, because if I didn't, we'd both be lost." he said, getting upset "I know, I know, now tell me, come on." I asked her "Okay. Since you left, not much has changed, there's only one new rider, well, new and from the tests he's been doing, he's good."
"What about Gallego?" I asked curiously, because ever since that girl had entered the competition, she had been my biggest rival. "Lara?" she asked even though she knew I was referring to her "Is there another Gallego on the grill?" I asked ironically, because there was no other Gallego on the grid "Well, she's the current champion."
"Did she win the title?" I asked surprised, but at the same time happy she won it, it was something she deserved more than anyone else on that grid "Yes, and I have to say as a woman I'm proud of her. It means a lot to us."
"Wow, I wasn't expecting that." I said, but it wasn't entirely true, because I knew she would win a championship at some point. I guess changing teams had helped her a lot "Yeah, she was close to winning it the year before, but Gallagher kicked her off the track, thus winning the title for himself."
"Do he still give her trouble?" I asked, because Gallagher had been the only stupid one who didn't want Lara to be in the competition, and even though I'm completely sure many more drivers were with him, he was the only stupid one who had done everything possible for Lara to be out the competition.
"You know Gallagher doesn't like women competing in a competition that's for 'men'." Eli said with a snort. "I thought he would have retired by now." I mused, but Eli denied "I would be happy about it, but it's rumoured in the garages he will do it this year."
"I hope it's true. What else do you know about Gallego?" I asked curiously "Since I know you're interested in her, I know she spent the holidays at home with her mother, and the other part training and with Bianca. Those two are still not separated. And Eric, he doesn't separate from her either. I guess now the girl is on Eric's team, Lara will help her."
"What do you mean I'm interested in her?" I asked confused "Come on, we both know what you're into, otherwise you wouldn't be playing the teasing game whenever you can." she said with a mischievous smile on her face "What does she have to…?"
"Everything Cam, must see everything. What I asked is when will you ask the girl on a date." she said with a big smile on her face, but I was more lost than anything "Why am I supposed to ask her out on a date?"
"Because whenever you're in the same room you can sense the sexual tension between the two of you, and before you tell me there's nothing, you know what I say is true, the only thing interested you in F1 was Lara. Why don't you try changing your attitude a bit and see where it takes you?" Eli asked crossing her arms, but I know no matter what she said, I'm not going to be able to change the idea Lara had in her mind.
"Come on, we both know she can't stand me." I said without stopping and waiting for her "That's because you do nothing but tease her, if you stop doing it she will." My best friend assured, and even though I would probably love that, I knew Lara wouldn't want to. "How come you're so sure of that?" I asked, "Wasn't it that you were interested?" she inquired with a smile on her face.
"Come on Eli, please, not now." I pleaded and she laughed. "Well, let's just say Bianca isn't the quietest girl around garages and you can pick up on everything. And the same could be said of Eric."
"So, you think there might be something?" I asked with something that sounded like hope in my voice, which I'm pretty sure Elisabeth had picked up. "There might be if you stop doing what you were doing."
"Is not easy." I assured "I'm just telling you if you want to have something with her, you have to stop acting and be yourself." She said standing next to me. "And if she doesn't like the way I really am?" I asked "Then she's not the girl you deserve." she assured, giving me a little squeeze on my forearm and we both got into my car to go to the airport.