her. As Lila stood in the pit lane, she tightened her grip on the railing, her eyes focusing on the chaos below. Ethan had just rolled into his pit stall, and the atmosphere shifted. The once smug expression on his face softened as he greeted his pit crew. "Great job out there, guys! Let’s make this quick,” he said, clapping one of the mechanics on the back with a genuine smile.
Lila's brow furrowed as she watched the team spring into action, working seamlessly to refuel and change tires under the pressure of the clock. Ethan's actions were in stark contrast to the way he treated her; he often dismissed her with snide remarks and condescension.
"Come on, you can do better than that!" he'd taunted during their last encounter, but here he was, mixing kindness with urgency, encouraging his crew with words of affirmation. It was a side of him she hadn’t seen before—a glimpse of what lay beneath the bravado.
The pit crew responded with enthusiasm, shouting back banter and laughter, the camaraderie evident in their swift movements. Lila felt a swell of confusion rise within her. How could Ethan be so arrogant towards her, yet so supportive of his team? It was frustrating to witness the stark dichotomy of his character. She shook her head, trying to dispel the nagging thoughts.
“This is a race, not a popularity contest,” she muttered under her breath, determined to push the episode aside and focus on her own preparations. Still, as she moved away, that nagging impression lingered, making her question the walls she had built around her perception of him.