49 First Grand Prix

Yes, Martin definitely has a girlfriend! Martin smiled at her, joked and looked like he was really close to her and was really happy!

Steve was overcome with jealousy and anger. A black mass of disappointment and pain flooded his mind and heart.

Martin was on a date with a woman!

But how Steve wasn't supposed to be angry, he wasn't supposed to be jealous since yesterday…

Exactly, yesterday, even today!

After all, yesterday it was Martin himself who initiated the intimate relation between them. After tender sex, they spent a quiet night together. Back then, there was so much tenderness and warmth in the young mechanic that these emotions flooded Steve, causing his heart to feel a pleasant twitch for the first time in years and for a moment he was lost in Martin's warm love. For a moment, Steve felt like he could indulge in love.

But that was then, because now Paxton had completely different thoughts.

Was Martin cheating on his girlfriend with him? Was Steve the second for Martin? It's not a problem to be bi. It's not a problem to have multiple partners of the same or different sex, but not at the same time. Since Steve started sleeping with Martin, he hasn't had any other partner. It was required by simple decency, meanwhile Martin ...

Meanwhile, Martin what? Paxton gritted his teeth, angry no longer at the boy, but at himself. It was him, Steve, who told Martin that there would be nothing between them and that he should go back to his girlfriend. So when he came back to her, what right did Paxton have to blame Martin? After all, it was he who forced the boy to try the pleasure with a man, not the other way around. It was he who clearly said that there would be no love between them. It was he who pushed him back into the woman's arms.

Steve lowered his head, turned and walked away unnoticed by anyone.

It will be best if he completely forgets Martin and allows the boy to build a normal relationship with the woman.

It will be best for Martin.

Sid was not yet of age so he couldn't drink beer. Feeling a spirit of solidarity towards him, Martin also opted for a non-alcoholic drink, although he really wanted a beer with a thick foam.

The pub was packed to the brim and everyone was focused on the big screen that was broadcasting the first GP2 grand prix of the season. Since the city had its "own" stable, everyone gathered together to cheer on the drivers from the Fergus Stable. The atmosphere was joyful, but also full of tension. Faith in the drivers was mixed with uncertainty about the new season. How will their drivers perform? How will the drivers of competing stables perform? Who is in the best shape right now? Who has the best cars?

Martin felt all these emotions at least twice as intensely. With all his heart he wanted to be there with all his friends, so every time the camera zoomed in on someone in the red and yellow coveralls of the Fergus Stables, Martin's heart jumped in his chest. From this distance, in the same outfits, all the mechanics looked the same, but Martin distinguished each of them. He knew them so well that he recognized them by the small gestures inherent in each of them. He himself was amazed at how much each of them fell into his heart and memory.

The four of them came to the pub. Teddy was not one of the youngest people in age, but no one said that the old ones can't be fans of car racing. Martin knew perfectly well that age had nothing to do with it. The best example was old Fergus.

"It's hard to believe you really worked with these people," Dave admitted. "You really could see it all up close?"

"It seems like a dream to me too, but yes, I was lucky," admitted Martin.

"Which driver is cooler?" Sid asked shyly.

"You mean as a human?"

"Yes. Because you probably know them a little more privately. You know, not like on TV. "

"Sure thing. Maybe I don't know them very privately," he lied and blushed right away, "but I drank beer with both of them. No," he corrected immediately, "with Steve I was drinking something else. They are both very cool. Jack is cheerful and friendly, Steve is more introverted, but they're both really great. "

"And which one was better in training?"

Martin embarrassedly scratched his head. He wasn't sure if he could talk about such topics. It wasn't an economic or technological secret, but the human being and his condition were no less important than the equipment. Of course, the suspicion that any of his new workmates might be doing economic espionage never crossed his mind, but it would still feel strange for Martin to betray the trust of his colleagues from his previous job. Therefore he smiled and announced:

"They're both great! Anyway, they showed it yesterday in qualifying. "

It was an undeniable fact because Steve started in second and Jack started in fourth. If they start well, they will have an almost empty track ahead. Paxton has always had good starts, so he can take the lead from the very first meters and Lambert behind him will have a clean track.

"Paxton is probably a little better," Sid noted thoughtfully.

"Maybe a little, but Lambert is also a real fighter. They were great in training! "

He spoke with such conviction that he would convince the greatest unbeliever and not exaggerate at all. Of course, in his heart, Steve was the best in the world, but he wished Jack with a clear conscience the second place.

In fact, training and qualifications have shown that the Fergus Stable starts this season in a strong position and even last year's champion is not able to fully threaten it. Only the Fergus Stable had both drivers in the first two lines, which made Martin not only happy but also proud. After all, he too was part of that success, although very tiny.

The cameras showed the cars already set up for the start, two red and yellow Fergus ones lined up one after the other, making the hearts of all the audience gathered in the pub dance with excitement. The race is about to start ...

The starters flashed on one after the other and suddenly went out. Steve had a great start and was able to pass the driver in first position just before the first corner. The pub audience went crazy.

Jack wasn't so lucky. Number three expected a lightning attack and blocked him immediately, not letting him pass. But the third-place driver was not a newcomer and it was foreseeable that he would not give up his position without a fierce fight. After all, he had little less years of experience than Lambert.

Martin cursed softly. He really hoped Jack could get out right after Steve, but he got stuck. Well, it looked like there would be two fierce duels for the first and third place at the beginning, because the driver who was overtaken by Paxton did not intend to give up his victory. Besides, why should he do it, since he was last year's champion? With this distribution of forces, almost everything will be played on the pit feet. And then it all depends on the mechanics.

Paxton's rival left for the pit stop early. Steve two laps after him. The Fergus Stables mechanics' time was two hundredths of a second faster. Will Steve manage to leave first?

The whole pub froze because the cars went head to head. They will be ...

The pub boomed into a mad roar of joy. A hair, but Steve left ahead of the competitor! He was probably going to win!

"I thought my heart was going to stop," complained Sid.

Martin was so excited that he had no idea if his heart was still beating. Only some crazy coincidence would take away Steve's victory now!

The race was almost over and Steven even managed to increase the lead over the other driver. Now they started doubling the drivers with a lap loss. Three drivers, as required by the race, gave way to the doubling driver, but the fourth blocked Paxton's track.

"What the hell ?!" voices of dissatisfaction rose. "Pull over, jerk!"

Not only fans gathered in the pub were irritated. Sports commentators also showed their dissatisfaction. Belindez was a debut driver for GP2 but should know the rules and give way to an overlapping driver. The murmur of dissatisfaction was clear, especially as Steve's rival recovered and found himself in the danger zone. Belindez finally realized he was mirrored, but didn't seem to know how to handle it. First it moved to the inside, then suddenly rolled to the outside, almost ramming Paxton's car!

The pub froze in terror as Steve's car went off the track and at great speed began to head towards the safety barrier lined with tires…