Chapter 23

                                    

                                          
Narrator POV
He left her standing there in that changing room, confused about what just happened. 
Valerie decided not to watch the qualifying. 
She didn't plan on staying at all. 
Her stomach felt like it just turned around. She had goose bumps all over her body and a cold shiver went down her spine. 
Her body felt like it there was put a big amount of weight on it. Exhaustions made it's way through her whole being and she had to concentrate not to pass out. 
She went to the office quickly, got her stuff and left the paddock. 
Luckily she didn't passed anyone she knew, especially her brother or Charles. 
What did just happen? Is it all starting again? They used to love each other desperately. Then they hated each other. 
And now? Something in between? 
Valerie couldn't stick with "Something in between"
It was only confusing both of them. 
When she arrived at her house, it was drizzling a bit outside. 
Valerie sat down on the couch, wrapped herself up in a big blanket and stared outside the large window. She followed the small raindrops with her eyes that were running down the glass. 
As long as it is rain, I am fine. 
The longer she sat there, left alone with her own thoughts, something occurred to her. 
Raphael. 
»Shit, shit, shit, shit.«, she cursed while standing up quickly, searching for her phone. 
As Valerie grabbed it out of her bag, she immediately dialed Raphael's number. 
Mailbox. 
Oh great.
As the „beep" sounded, she started to speak. 
»Hey Raphael, it's me, Valerie. You may be already wondering where I am, because I'm not at work anymore. I know we wanted to go out tonight..  but I don't feel so good and left the paddock a while ago. I'm really sorry to cancel it and I hope I can make it up to you as soon as possible. 
I hope you understand, and good night.«
She really hoped Raphael would believe what she just spoke him on his Mailbox. She couldn't explain exactly why she canceled the date she was so optimistic about. It just didn't feel right. And she really didn't feel that well after all. 
I can't go out with Raphael when I just kissed someone else... 
Valerie frightened as the sky began to growl and lightnings crossed the earth. 
Her body was shivering and for a moment, she couldn't move from her spot in front of the window. 
She went to her room, got changed into her pyjama, laid down in her bed and went through her phone with a blanket covering her whole body, including her head. 
After a while, the new Instagram story of Ferrari plopped up on her start feed. 
She clicked on it without hesitating and saw a picture of Charles in front of a red background. 
Valerie had to smile as she saw the word "Pole" filling out the picture. 
The qualifying was over and this story meant Charles would start first the next day. 
A proud feeling warmed up her body as she stared at the picture a while longer. 
But then she flinched as the sky lit up and a lightning stroke down somewhere near. 
Valerie tried to focus on her phone. 
As she slid to the next part of the story, she saw that her brother got P3 for tomorrow. 
She began to smile again.