Chapter XXIX - By the pool

                                    

                                          
With the upcoming race week at Miami, the new upgrades in our team came. We had new specially designed uniforms, looking like baseball jerseys. This wasn't exactly in my style but when I tried the shirt, I was surprised how good it was on me. Charles and Carlos had a new design for their helmets, and they were awesome. I liked Charles' one – white with pink palms and his logo. But the outfit wasn't the most important thing. We had an upgraded floor and single pylon rear wing. The main Idea was to reduce the losses and to improve overall aerodynamic performance of the cars. It wasn't impossible. In my opinion we were moving in the right direction, just at a slow pace. But something that was filling my heart with hope were the results from the previous weekend and I was ready to repeat them. If things don't go wrong, because we all know - everything could happen in Scuderia Ferrari. 
Things in my life went well again. Carlos and I were warming our connection. He even offered me the chance to travel with him to Florida, but I had to refuse, because Charles insisted on me being part of his plane company. To be honest, I was about to accept the offer of Carlos, but Joris and brothers Leclerc won my presence, only because a whole week at Miami was too much for me and I was afraid that the jet lag was going to hit me again. 
Charles went back Monaco exactly only for one day. I didn't want to be like a letter stamp for him, so on the airport of Baku, I had to say goodbye to him and his company and take the plane to Switzerland. It was a hard parting, Arthur even cried a bit that we wouldn't see each other for two weeks, but he was looking forward to the race in Imola to meet again and that too in my country.  He had already planned even where I would take him to show him Italy from a native point of view. He was the sweet young brother everybody wanted to have and the best male friend, who could cheer you up every time. 
I spent a night in Zürich at a hotel next to the airport. But couldn't fall asleep till the late hours. Thoughts were constantly floating in my mind about what a good time we had in Baku, how fulfilling our experience there was, and somehow this silence in my room was driving me crazy.  I was used to the fact that at any moment there could be a knock on my door, one of the boys would arrive and keep me company. Or Kika and Isa would call with an offer of drink in the lobby bar, which I would decline, but still would have an invitation from a friend.
 I was playing with the ruby ​​I found in the fire temple, thinking about Charles. What was he doing now? Where was he? Did he think of me as I thought of him? I was afraid that I was walking on the thin ice of feelings and could soon fall into the deep waters from which it was difficult to get out.  Either you drown, or you get out, but with damages. In any case, I was most afraid of falling in love. I didn't want to ruin the friendship we had, and during the period when I wasn't on good terms with Carlos, I saw how it affected the work.  At least I was able to smooth things over with him, never mind that I still felt that slight pain in my soul.
Shortly before I went to bed, Artur texted me that they had already gone home and sent me a picture of him. In the background I could see Charles sitting on the couch again, staring at his phone. What he was doing there I would never know, but I could have gotten a message from him, not his brother. If he has the time to scroll over, then he has the time to text me. I quickly opened my chat with Charles with the intention of asking him, why he doesn't texted me going back home, but something deep inside me stopped me. Here - I was already starting to keep an eye on him, why he doesn't fulfill certain of my requirements.  Friends and colleagues, Lisa. Only that!  Remember it!
I replied to Arthur with a photo of me leaning my head against the bed frame, then closed my eyes and tried to sleep.  But I failed.
#
The next morning, I packed my things and vacated the room early on sunrising. I hadn't slept, but the excitement of seeing the company again and traveling together kept me more energized than a strong espresso. I was in a hurry to get to the airport, never mind that the flight wasn't until noon.  I wanted to be there first so that when the boys came, I could meet them near the gate and have more time together. We had about a 10-hour journey from Zürich to Miami and I couldn't wait to find out what the people I now boldly called friends had in store for me.