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You really can’t blame them. Winter break is boring. There is no race to look forward to, no content to watch. No wonder ones mind goes a little crazy at times. Especially when you are drunk on New Year’s Eve.
It was a tradition that they started the first year the three girls, back then at least, moved in together. 5 years ago, two of them, Catherine and Sophie met in University. They joined a chat for people, who just started the college course of Marketing and PR. While everyone in the group wanted to go to a club and party, the two girls preferred to go to the cinema and watch the new Dune movie. Who would have thought that they’d bond so quickly? So they went to the cinema and got along really well, had a lot of things in common. During their first semester they did not hang out together much. Sophie lived a little outside of Vienna while Catherine lived in Vienna but in a 20m2 apartment, with a single bed and no place on the floor for somebody to sleep. It was because of their long way to class that they wanted to live together and started searching for a place in the city close to the building where they had to go to every day. Quickly they realized how expensive living in an apartment is and they had to put the search on hold.
As Catheirne and Sophie walked through the park during their break from class, Catherine sighed, “What are we gonna do? I don’t wanna live alone anymore, I hate my little apartement. Not to start with the tram in summer that I have to sit in for 45 minutes. It’s like a sauna in there.” The blonde haired woman complained.
Sophie sideyed her worriedly, trying to reassure her friend,“ We’ll figure it out. Maybe it’s not the right time to look for a place now. We can’t move until September anyways and now it’s February. You heard what the last guy told us.” With a fake French accent she added: “Eet's too early to look for an apartement right now. You need to be closer to ze time you want to move een,” while bringing her fingers together and shaking her hand up and down.
Catherine burst into laughter at her friends antics.
“I am glad I could make you laugh, but it wasn’t that funny,” she said.
“You did the italian hand gesture.” Catherina said while giggling.
“Oh, well, I see no difference. Either way, we got this.”
Catherine started to calm down as they continued their stroll, glad for having her as a friend. The further they walked, the calmer she got about the situation.
They returned to class just a few minutes late, bursting into the classroom out of breath. Quietly they walked to their seats, but found someone with reddish hair sitting in one of their seats. Sophie paused in front of Catherine, who collided with her back. “Ow, keep moving,” she whispered. “Someone is in my seat.” Catherina followed Sophie’s eyeline. Her things where under the girls table, which she must have missed. They exchanged worried glances, unsure of how to handle the situation. Both of them are too anxious to say anything. Catherine pushed Sophie to the left side of the girl and then walked over to the right side where she herself out her things. They made eye contact over the stranger’s seat, having a conversation without words, when suddenly someone clears their throat loudly, causing them to look up.
“So you don’t only come late to class without an apology, but you two also decide to not take notes but instead look at each other?” He asked, eyebrow raised.
“Sorry, it’s just uuuh,” Sophie hesitates, trying to explain the situation,”doesn’t matter. Sorry to disturb class.” She lowered her head into her hands. Hiding from the looks of her classmates.
The unknown women looked at her concerned and said,” He can be a real ass sometimes.”
The brown haired girl looked up, shocked at the words, but trying to hide her amusement at the girls directness shorly afterwards. “Well, he has a point, I am not taking notes.”
“You need a paper and pen?”
“I… no” She reached down to the girl’s side, grabbing her backpack. “I got it all in here.”
“Oh my god, I am so sorry I stole your seat, didn’t I?”
“You totally did.” Catherine chimed in with a grin at the girl’s embarrassment.
“It’s okay really, it happens.”
“I am Hailey by the way.”
And that’s how they met their third roommate. After getting to know each other for a while they found out that she was looking for a new place to stay. Her other roommate having moved out, she couldn’t afford it anymore.
By June 2022 they had a signed rental agreement, all moving in a month early to spend the summer together.
In December for the first time they invited their friends, on New Year’s Eve. The party was such a success that they all invited themselves the following year.
So how do three friends suddenly come up with this incredible, fool proof idea?
Well, in the year 2023 Sophie went to the cinema watching a movie called Gran Turismo. What does that have to do with anything? Everything. She loved it so much that she recommended it to their roommates, who watched it separately, because they were visiting their families in other parts of Austria.
Catherine loved the vibe of it so much, that the friend she went with recommended for her to watch a TV Show called Drive to Survive. Which she did. A week later she watched her first race. Telling her roommates to join her, how fun it was and that they will love it. And so they did. They all became obsessed with the sport industry, finally finding their right niche to work in the Media Industry.
It was the end of the New Year’s Eve party when they, as usual, where talking about the Formula 1 Drivers.
“It must be hard being raised to only be a race car driver.” Hailey said.
“Yeah, horrible, rich family affording their kid a stable career with a huuuuge income.” Catherine countered. “I wish I had that growing up, you know? It took me forever to find what I wanted to do in life. Even now I feel like I should to more but I don’t know what.”
“That got deep really fast.” Sophie took a sip from her drink, pointing the bottle to Catherine. “How about not talking about this on this fine evening and enjoying the night?” she suggested.
Catherine looked up from where was lying down on the couch,” I cannot turn of my drunk brain, or my sober brain at that, so no. I am willing to delay the conversation for a few hours. I am after all nice like that.”
“Can you imagine growing up driving Go Karts, and Racecars before having a license?” Hailey interrupted, gazing into the wall.
“She is in a world of her own it seems.” Catherine stated, while Sophie nodded agreeingly, adding,” “To be fair, it would be a cool childhood, but like you can’t be an actual kid. Look at Max. His dad was a F1 driver, raised his son to be one. IT worked out perfectly fine but at what cost?”
“At the cost of 3 championships, and on the way to becoming one of the best drivers in history.” Catherina said dryly.
“And no time for friends, for being a kid, for doing something else.”
“Do you really think they had none of that? Aren’t they all friends with each other?” Catherine asked Sophie.
“I guess, but it’s work friends. They are forced to hang out, it’s not the same as having friends outside of racing.” she said.
“Max must be traumatized. I mean who knows if it’s actually his dream? Was he ever given a choice or was he forced to this, and because he is so good he keeps at it?” Hailey added.
“You’ll never know. I think he likes what he does, looks forward to the next chapter that he chooses tho.”
“And to think that there are kids out there that actually want this career and can’t have it.” Hailey keeps talking, not listening to anyone answering her theoretical questions.
“This sounds like a not my problem situation.” Catherine laid back on the couch again. “What I am thinking about tho is the flex of having THE Max Verstappen as your son. Knowing you are single handedly responsible for getting him to this point, where he can make a career of it.”
“We could do better than that. There is no need for leaving someone at a gas station or driving until your fingers freeze off.”
“What are you talking about? You know nothing about raising a kid or getting them into the sport.” Catherine laughed at the ridiculous idea.
“We know more about parenting than our parents, so yes, and you as far as I remember have connections in Motorsports and insights on how everything works.” Sophie said as a matter of fact.
“Let’s just adopt a baby when we are such experts and create our own Verstappen.” Catherine shook her head at this crazy conversation.
But it seems that 1 of the girls did not see this the same way. Hailey took out her phone and started googling. After a while she said,” Okay, it’s done.”
Sophie and Catherine both turned their head to the red head and looked at her questioningly. “What is done?” They asked simultaneously.
“I filled out the application for us to adopt a baby.” She wiggled her phone in their faces, smiling happily.
“WHAT?” The two girls screamed.
What a way to start the New Year.