David used to dream about going to the Moon. The sheets of his small bed always had a different, space-themed print. Astronauts, planets, stars. Back when he was eight, he couldn't fathom the idea of other people not aching to kiss the Moon like he did. He was sure that, if he spoke enough of it, everyone around him would realize nothing else in life would be as thrilling as exiting the Earth's atmosphere and opening a rocket's door into the Moon's rocky surface.
But for Olivia, a Formula 1 car would always be her rocket ship, even since she was six years of age. The track had always been her very own way of exiting this planet's atmosphere while still being held to its gravity. Back when her siblings used to enter any supermarket and run to the toys section, Olivia would run to the sports area and put on a baseball helmet before closing her eyes and imagining it being a racing car helmet.
She used to spend endless hours daydreaming about what it would feel like to jump into a Formula 1 car. There had been a time when she hadn't even dared to dream of that car being hers. Any Formula 1 car would do for her 6-year-old singing heart.
In the blink of a sixteen-year-old night, Olivia was suddenly in factories getting a customized seat made for testing what would later be her Formula 3 car; and then her Formula 2 car.
Olivia had always read how it was perfectly healthy and normal for people to grow up and feel their dreams changing. David had a dozen different dreams —and themed-print bedsheets— until he discovered the one thing that made his heart "burn bright red" as their father said. Olivia knew how lucky David was —for most people go through their lives without ever finding that one thing—, but she also knew how insanely lucky she was for her dream to have never changed until it became a reality.
Year after year, her dreams began seeming less like dreams and more like boxes she ached to tick.
Plans. They'd always been plans and not dreams, she realized.
And so, winning a Formula 1 Grand Prix had been the plan she would always feel her heart beating faster whenever she thought about it. The plan that made her soul sing and her bones shake. Even through the hell of making a name for herself, and through the hell of having that name go through the mud of her Formula 2 years.
That was the one thing they would never —could never— take away from her.
She would claim it in due time.
The deafening roar of the crowd echoed through the air as Olivia crossed the finish line. Tears soaked her balaclava. The checkered flag waved triumphantly in the breeze. The whole team stood at the fence, holding it tightly as they screamed their throats out and threw their fists in the air. A hundred obscenities filled the radio team as the feeling sunk in.
She'd done it.
Olivia Reyes was now a Formula 1 Grand Prix winner.
Olivia got out of the car and stood on top of the halo, basking in the feeling before racing her fist and punching the air with strength. She quickly took her helmet and balaclava off, and as soon as Charles got out of his car, she jumped into his arms.
Charles held Olivia like she might disappear if he didn't hold her tightly enough. Their faces were soaking wet as tears streamed down their faces.
"You're bigger than life, Liv," his voice broke as he whispered into her ear. "You've always been."
The two then ran to their team, jumping over the fence that separated them as they hugged the drivers, celebrating the most historic 1-2 for Ferrari in their entire history. Olivia was the first female Formula 1 driver to win a Grand Prix. Not only that, but she'd won with a spectacular gap from Charles, who had been fighting Daniel for second place during the last five laps of the race. She'd been absolutely dominant this weekend. It would be written in all of the history books.
She lets herself be hugged by everyone who loves her and not think about the embrace she's missing. She savors the sweet victory and tries not to think about looking for the gaze of the man who had told her the sweetest words she'd ever read in a secret message. She smiles and smiles and her eyes squint because of how wide her smile is. Her heart sings as the roaring crowd turns into a warm, chanting choir that will forever stay in her bones.
She's happy.
Olivia's happy as the crowd screams her name while she raises the trophy, standing on the top step of the podium like she'd dreamed of ever since she was a kid. Her eyes glistened with a mix of disbelief and pure elation. She raised the trophy high above her head, feeling she might begin flying at any moment.
She closed her eyes as the Mexican anthem pierced the air and gripped her bones at the same time. Her eyes were full of tears while her gaze swept across the sea of faces, from the waving flags in the stands to the gleaming chassis of her victorious race car.
In a swift second, the champagne mayhem had begun. Olivia popped open her champagne bottle and sprayed her team from the podium's height, holding on to the railing as they threw their fists in the air and chanted her name. Charles and Daniel were quick to shower her with their champagne, making her throw back her head with the widest smile on her face as the cold liquid soaked her race suit.
The champagne-soaked victory was not just a win on the racetrack; it marked the beginning of a legacy, a testament to the countless hours of hard work, passion, and the indomitable spirit of a racing driver who had, at last, tasted the sweet nectar of success.
She's happy.
She's happy as she bursts into the after-party with her hair still smelling of champagne, locking arms with Charles and Lena at her sides. She's happy as she dances her heart out and downs a couple of shots. Her body vibrates with laughter as Daniel spontaneously locks her arms behind her and Max pours a stream of tequila in her mouth.
The celebration was held at a penthouse club in the best hotel in Paris. The walls were made of glass and the strobing lights were so bright they bounced off the nearby buildings, painting them for brief seconds. Beneath the glimmering lights of a chandelier-adorned ceiling, the entire place throbbed with the pulse of a thousand beats. The dance floor, bathed in a kaleidoscope of neon lights, seemed to come alive with the smiles of everyone jumping to the rhythm of the music.
Olivia's happy as she steps off to the balcony of the party to catch a breath of fresh air before facetiming her family again. Her heart sizzles with joy as she stares leans into the railing and stares at the skyline and the Eiffel Tower, relishing the beautiful night lights and taking a moment to breathe it all in before she calls.
She's happy.
The sweet scent of her victory still lingered in the air, but her mind was intermingling with a distant feeling she'd been putting to bed for the last week. Her thoughts drifted to the chapter she was closing. Olivia's heart carried the weight of hidden kisses, secret messages, wide smiles, and the silent whisper of a connection that refused to fade.
She's happy and she knows a year might pass slowly or quickly, and she knows there's no way to guarantee or bet on how either Lando or her will feel about each other in a year. But she knows something.
She can't hold on to it.
If Olivia wants her life to stop getting tangled between the strings, she can't wait for him. She can't expect to heal the scars and bruises of her previously chained limbs while holding onto someone still chained.
The Parisian skyline stretched before her like an open canvas. She let the breeze carry away the weight of unspoken words, releasing them to the vast expanse of the night.
She took a deep breath and wiped a single tear rolling down her cheek.
Olivia's happy.
* * *
last chapter in 3 days
much love,
julia <3
ESTÀS LLEGINT
Faking it || Lando Norris LN
Fanfiction"The only thing i want from you is to see your name under mine when the race is over." "Pretty sure you want me under you more than you want that." ✼ When the ground starts crumbling for F1's promising young talent, Olivia Reyes, and last season's r...
