Before I can say anything, the marvelous Troy Bolton answers, “we just finished with her, Mr. Donatello.” I almost groan out in frustration before Mr. Donatello speaks again.
“Perfect. Thank you everyone. I’ll be taking her for a tour around the building.” Standing up, I politely say, “thank you” and “goodbye” to everyone as I slowly and painfully walk towards Mr. Donatello. I step out of the conference room past him. After managing to walk out, he then gives a nod to someone in the conference room and says a brief “thank you, Troy” while shutting the door.
I knew it.
Mr. Donatello slowly catches up to my strides and meets me at my side. There is a silence between us while we make our way around the room. Once we reach an area that looks like a garage, the silence breaks.
Kill me now, oh dear Lord, I beg of you.
“This is where they will be fitting the car to your accommodations such as, your height, weight, and body shape. You will be here most days when you visit. As you know, it’s important to keep in shape and also maintain your weight. You’ll be assigned a nutritionist to help you.”
“You know I have my own nutritionist, right? I have been a driver my whole life. I think I know how to stay in shape.”
He scoffs. “I’ve been informed of that, Miss Castillo. Remember, I’m not incompetent. I know everything and everyone that has been involved in your career so far. That’s my job.”
“I’ve been informed of that as well. It’s common sense that you know how to do your job. Because if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be here, right?” I reaffirm sarcastically.
“Right.”
“Miss Castillo, pay attention.” I roll my eyes replaying that whole sentence in a mocking baby voice to at least give myself some serotonin from this draining experience.
“Oh, Mr. Donatello, I didn’t know you were so needy.” My eyes twinkle in mischief.
“I didn’t know you were so childish.” I just laugh.
“Very funny, old man.”
“I’m only 38. I wouldn’t count that as old yet,ragazza.”
“Well, it’s old. You’re eighteen years older than me. That pretty much means you’reThe Godfatherto myHouse of Gucci.”
“What I got out of that sentence is that I’m a classic and you’re an Italian film that only got press because Lady Gaga plays a murderer.”
“Aw, did I hurt your little Italian ego, Mr. Corleone?”
“No, you didn’t, Ms. Reggani.” He leans close to my ear. So close that I can feel his breath. “You gave it a little boost.” I can feel his pompous egotistical smirk against my ear. It makes me want to gag.
Ale: 1 Luca: 1
ChapterEight
Maria Alejandra
It’s photoshoot time.
We are officially in pre-season. My schedule is full of PR appearances for the F1 social media platforms, as well as pre-season testing. My ass has been measured a few hundred times to get my car fit to me and my body weight.
The car’s unveiling was five days ago. A few hundred people gathered around the HB13 2022 Elektra Formula One Racing Car in awe. The classic black and white colors spread through the exterior as the lines intertwine in the front creating each driver’s number. My numbers nine and my fellow teammate Xavier’s is the famous number three.
The overall lines and cool graphic design inspiration fits perfectly with the team’s investors logo plastered on the sides of the exterior. It’s not a classic, predictable F1 car design, but it’s interesting considering the basic lines and layout. It’s not anything anyone has seen on the track before.
It’s one thing to appreciate being an F1 driver, and another to really appreciate the car you’re driving.
The next day, after attending the unveiling, my team and I hopped onto the next flight to Barcelona where the initial three-day testing will take place.
Before every season, two official pre-season testing dates are held where each team is able to test out their cars for the first time. They’re held a few weeks apart and only three weeks from the first race of the season. Each year, a new grid is chosen for said testing, and this year’s grid will be the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The second pre-season testing site will be held two weeks after at the Bahrain International Circuit where the first race of the year will be held. The thought that I’ll be starting off my inaugural season as an F1 driver is surreal. I’m extremely excited yet nervous. The pressure and the buzz can be nerve wracking, but that’s what F1 is, right? The adrenaline of it all.
Since we’re three weeks out from the first race, we’re finally getting the official F1 promo done. That’s what I’m here for anyway.