𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗, carlos sainz jr.

𝐱𝐢𝐢𝐢.

song of the chapter
crybaby by the neighbourhood

❝  i got this anxious feeling, but it goes away
for a minute when I'm with you breathing  ❞

―

Camila was still coming off the high of her Oscar win. She had been absolutely giddy for weeks, practically bouncing every time she moved. She had even fallen asleep hugging the trophy at one point, which Lewis had promptly taken a photo of and sent to everybody they knew. It was definitely Camila's new messages profile picture for at least five people. Right after she had won, Camila flew straight to London. She wanted to celebrate with her family, most specifically her mother. Camila loved her mother, she was her mother. When she was a little girl, all she wanted to be was just like her mom, and she likes to think she had succeeded. Also, Camila wasn't stupid. As much as Camila's mother pretended she was getting better, Camila could hear her getting more and more tired every time they called. Camila needed to spend as much time with her as possible. Before it was too late.

But now, she once again had somewhere else to be. The first F1 race of the season was fast approaching, and Camila had flown to Bahrain with Lewis two days ago. Two practice sessions had been yesterday and one had been earlier this morning. Lewis had done a good job, coming P4, P3, and P2. Qualifying was later today, and Camila was restless with her excitement. She had also been watching Carlos closely, closer than she'd like to admit, the Spaniard coming P8, P4, and P6. It was a good result for a the first practices at a new team. Camila had found herself watching Carlos much more than she watched any other car. Her eyes were following his red Ferrari more than they followed even Lewis's Mercedes.

A buzz was filling Camila at the prospect of a new season, she truly adored F1. She had grown up with it after all. From the first day she met had Lewis as a little five year old girl who didn't speak any English, he dragged her with him to as many races as he possibly could. He had even once snuck her out of pre-school and onto a flight across the world with him and Nico Rosberg just so she could see them race. Her mom had gone into an absolute tizzy. Camila used to stay in Lewis and Nico's shared hotel rooms, always somehow ending up in the middle of their wresting matches. They would gang up on her, Lewis grabbing her by the waist and Nico tickling her until she couldn't breathe from her laughter. That was until Camila met Charles and she began dragging him along to races with them as well. She finally had a racing friend her own age, she didn't have to hang out with old men anymore. Camila would go to as many of Charles's karting races as she could, sometimes bringing Lewis and Nico just to make all the F1 wannabes go crazy.

Camila dearly missed the 'brocedes' days if she was being honest, she still thought about them all the time. Nico had been just as much a part of her growing up as Lewis had been, the three of them had been so inseparable. Lewis and Nico would take Camila out to the roller rink every year on her birthday, they would pick her up from school at least once a month, they would come to her school plays with at least five bouquets of flowers, just for her. Nico had been like Camila's second brother for such a long time, he was part of her family. But of course, things happen. Circumstances came in the way. Nico still reached out to her sometimes though, a few times a year. He had sent her a congratulations after her Oscar win, telling her how proud he was. But things weren't the same. They never would be.

Camila shook herself back to the present, she had a Qualifying to get to. If she sat here any longer she would be late. There was no time to be reminiscing when she was sitting with her new friend. She had grabbed lunch with Lily while they waited for Quali to begin. Camila really liked Lily, she was funny and sweet, and not to mention, beautiful. Camila was excited to be able to spend more time with her since she would be at so many races this year.