Chapter 6: Podium

                                    

                                          
"So how was your dinner date with Seb tonight?" Evan taunted as he flicked and prodded at his iPad on the sofa bed. Casey stood in the doorway brushing her teeth.
                          
She rolled her eyes and spoke through her brushing, "To'ally ro'man'ic. I 'hink he's the one," she drawled sarcastically. She padded back into the bathroom to finish up and came back out a few moments later, jumping on the sofa and upsetting Evan's balance.
                          
"Good. He can take you off my hands finally and give me some peace," he barked.
                          
She jutted her chin and leaned forward to slap him lightly. "Yes, because I force you to spend all your time in my room and leave your wet towels on my side of the sofa."
                          
He nodded in agreement and pointed to her, "Exactly."
                          
She rolled her eyes again and reached for the television remote before flicking through the channel guide.
                          
"But seriously though, how was it?" he continued, not looking up from the iPad. She shrugged, "He's a funny guy, it was alright."
                          
He nodded slowly, still not looking up but also not pressing the subject any further. They didn't stay up for much longer after that. Casey didn't find anything to watch and ended up laying down, flicking through social media on her phone briefly, before quickly growing tired of it and closing her eyes. Evan glanced over and followed suit, closing his iPad and turning off the lamp he was next to. They both slept soundly after their very hot and exhausting day.
                          
The next day the third practice session, followed by Qualifying, both went reasonably okay. At least, as okay as it could seemingly get at that moment in time anyway. Sebastian qualified in 6th place, behind Daniel in 5th. Rain was predicted for the race on Sunday, but that could always change. It wasn't the result they wanted, but it would have to do. Sebastian would have some work to do during the race to make up the places.
                          
Casey worked hard throughout both sessions. Everything was more intense on Saturdays. While every session was frantic, Saturdays and Sundays were always particularly intense for everyone.
                          
She'd exchanged a friendly smile with Sebastian as he arrived in the garage in the morning, but otherwise only spoke to her pit crew team for the duration of the day. There were no further ice incidents with Heikki either.
                          
After they got back from the track that day, they followed pretty much the same routine as the night before but without the communal dinner. Everyone went to their rooms and got to sleep early. They would need it for the hectic race day to come and the traditional party afterwards.
                          
---
                          
Casey subconsciously gripped Brand's knee, effectively giving him quite a powerful horse bite.
                          
"Do hell's sake, Case!" he bellowed, swatting her hand away.
                          
"Sorry!" she gasped, though he barely heard her over the noise as the final lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix began.
                          
They were sat among the other crew members in the garage, watching the screens like their lives depended on it. Sebastian was in a fierce battle with Fernando Alonso for second place. Lewis Hamilton, who had been in the lead, had retired from the race due to front wing damage after clashing with some rogue debris. For the last twenty laps, Sebastian and Fernando had been swapping places between second and third behind Nico Rosberg who was well ahead in first place. The team were willing Sebastian to come second, but as they entered the final lap, Alonso was still in front of him, pushing Seb back to third.
                          
As the two drivers began the final lap, the signal was given to the team to run to the fence to cheer for their driver. Casey's body was overloaded with adrenalin as she pelted across the pit lane and scrambled up towards the track fence along with all of her colleagues.