Buzz!
I glance at my phone, which is vibrating into my mattress. It’s another unknown number, but when I tap it open and see the message is from Catherine, it’s another confirmation that yes, today really did happen.
Hi, Isla, Catherine Collings here. Once again, it was a pleasure meeting you this morning, and I deeply apologise for Arthur’s behaviour. Charles Birmingham, our HR director back in Surrey, will be contacting you to discuss the incident.
I have issued you a credential for our garage and got you a VIP pass for the weekend per Caleb’s request. Can you be there around nine? That would be best for shooting.
Oh, and Caleb said you might need someone to film for you. I’d be happy to do that if you need assistance. Text me after you pick up your VIP pass and I’ll meet you and take you to the garage. I’ll introduce you tosome people, including Mason. And we’ll make sure you get to sit in Caleb’s car, too. You must be special. He NEVER offers to let people sit in his car, but he said you could.
My mental red flag is tossed aside for the image of the starting lights lit up in red for the race, and then they suddenly go dark, signaling the race has started.
“AND AWAY WE GO” runs through my head.
Caleb never lets anyone sit in his car.Except for me.
I swear I almost feel dizzy with this realization.
Suddenly my phone rings. I glance down and see it’s Ian, my assignment editor from The Downforce Network. I quickly answer it. “Hello, this is Isla.”
“Isla. How did you getCaleb Collingsto talk to you?” he blurts out, his voice thick with astonishment. “This feature you did is gold!”
I bite my lip, thinking for a moment. Do I want to tell him about the Arthur incident? I mean, women in sports face that kind of crap all the time. But do I want Ian to possibly hear it from someone else, like Chip?
No, I need to tell him about the incident.
“Caleb heard the Collings Motors communications director making some shitty comments about the feature and my capability to do it. I assured him these pieces are important to building that fan connection and that I was more than qualified to do the story. Caleb leaped to my defense, and so did Mason Clark.”
I hear an exhale on the other end of the line. “Shit. Go on.”
“They didn’t like it, and neither did Catherine Collings, who reported it to HR. I’m going to talk to their rep at some point, and I won’t make a big deal out of it, but Caleb liked my style and decided to talk with me.”
“Unbelievable. Wow. I wish I were surprised by what you faced, but we still have a way to go with sexism in sports.”
“Agreed.”
“But back to your feature. You got him to open up, and he looked like he was enjoying himself. You did an outstanding job with it. So much so, we’re going to air it on the pre-practice show tomorrow in addition to posting it on social media.”
OH MY GOD! Now I’m buzzing again, but I need to be professional about this.
“That’s amazing. I’m so pleased you liked it so much,” I say calmly.
“We do,” Ian says.
“Well, I’ll be sure to cross-promote it on my social media,” I assure him.
We chat a bit more, with Ian thanking me for my work, and then we hang up. I sink back into the excessive number of pillows propped against my headboard, taking in everything that happened today. The Downforce Network loved my feature. This could lead to more if it does well on their social media channels. It’s the kind of content that bridges fans with the sport.
And I’m shooting more of it tomorrow with Caleb and Mason for my own platforms.
Tomorrow’s content—even if it’s not for The Downforce Network—will be critical. If I rack up the views on it, that will prove to the network I know what audiences want and I can deliver it in a way that moves the needle. Because even if I am hired to do more work for them at other F1 races, I’ll still be creating content for my channels. I see my career trajectory as having both, if I can make it happen.
And it’s all thanks to Caleb Collings.
I stare down at my phone. I know he’s doing sponsor things right now, and then he will go straight into the drivers’ press conference. I smile as I picture the scene. Caleb—who alwayslooks like he’s being held against his will at these—will be sitting with Laurent Paradis, the French driver who races for Vipera, a team at the bottom of the standings, and American bad boy Xavier Williams, the ace driver for Hoffman who is always fighting Caleb and Mason for pole position and spots on the podium.
Hmm. I wonder what Caleb’s relationship with Xavier truly is. They are bitter rivals on the track—with Xavier loving to push boundaries—but they seem to be close friends off of it. They are called Calvier on social media, and people are always speculating when they have a spat on the track, if that will be the end of their friendship, whether they are best friends, etc.
All the kinds of things I never talk about for social media content. How can anyone ever know things like that? It’s crazy to me how people analyze footage and photos and declare something as fact. Like, “Ooh, look at the way Caleb is looking at Xavier! The bromance is over!”