I am in love with her, have been for a while.
I tell him about what I just saw in the paddock between Jessica and Peter, and how she always seemed hesitant around me when the cameras were rolling. With Peter, she seemed more carefree and not as rigid.
“Well, duh, she’s probably in love with your idiot ass, too, and was worried about how everyone would react if they found out. But didn’t you tell me she was planning on attending the gala with you? That means she was ready to take that risk with you.”
Once again, Sebastian is right, and I ask him when he became arelationship expert. He just shakes his head and mumbles,
“Only when it doesn’t apply to myself.”
???
It’s race day, and I’ve decided that as soon as I cross the finish line, I will hunt down Jessica and tell her how I feel.
Then she can decide for herself if she’ll have me or not.
Selfish or not, I can’t continue like this. I have to be honest with her and tell her my reasoning for breaking up with her.
The least I can do is be honest with her. Part of me is almost hoping someone crashes into me in the first corner, ending my race early so I’ll get to Jessica faster, but the other, more rational part of me knows that I have a job to do.
I have a championship to fight for before I fight for my girl.
I thought about finding her before the race, but figured it would be better to have this talk afterward.
I’m pulling on my helmet just as Andrea walks up to me.
“Hi Luke, all ready for the race?” Andrea asks me.
“As ready as I can be,” I tell her before putting on my helmet. I’m still a little annoyed at her for putting me in this position in the firstplace.
“Great. Good luck out there!” she calls after me.
If she hadn’t gotten involved, I probably wouldn’t have broken up with Jessica.
Still, I try to remind myself she meant well and that I shouldn’t hold it against her.
She raised some valid concerns, and when Jessica thinks them over, she might not even want me back on the same terms I had when I broke things off.
Still, I have to try.
I may have lost some time with her, but hopefully I’ll get her back, and I can still make things right.
I finish gearing up and get in the car, ready to race. The weather forecast is uncertain, and as in qualifying, the rain starts about halfway through, shifting the focus to strategy. I’m called into the pits, and when I return to the track, it’s clear the team made the right call as I quickly catch up to the cars on the slick tires.
They’re slipping around the track, making it hard to control the car.
When the rest of the grid realizes their mistake, they all go into the pits for intermediate tires. I become the new race leader, and when I cross the finish line to another win, I feel ecstatic.
A race win brings more media attention and extra time in the paddock before you’re finally off the hook, but I’m still buzzing with excitement from the win and the fact that I’m going to find Jessica and fight for her.
I haven’t decided on my strategy, and I haven’t really had the time to plan a grand gesture, but hopefully she’ll hear me out and I can show her how sorry I am for many days to come.
Just as I’m finishing up my last interview, I see Jessica together with another driver, wearing yet another breathtaking smile. They’re finishing up a clip for their social media, which I’ve been following like the love-struck puppy that I am.
It’s been the closest I’ve come to seeing her face and feeling like I’ve been connecting with her in some way, and seeing her growth has made me even prouder of her.
As she posts more, it’s clear that she’s becoming more comfortable in front of the camera. The numbers their accounts are pulling are also impressive.
Right now, I’m angry at myself for wasting so much time trying to get my head straight.
