mideojullae | alex albon

two

"I have loved you since we were eighteen, long before we both thought the same thing, to be loved and to be in love."
18 – One Direction

June 28, 2020
Le Castellet, France.

When Nina moved from Washington D.C. to Milton Keynes at 10 years old, she had no friends. And one day, she was walking her dog. Bam, a gigantic German Sheppard, that almost doubled the girl's petite size. The dog saw something that caught his eye and started to run, almost dragging Nina with him. When she felt like her legs couldn't take it anymore and she was about to fall, a tight grip prevented her from that. Alex. At first, of course he clowned her, how could he not, if he was older than her, it was like a duty, an obligation to make fun about her.

He walked Nina and Bam home, and when arrived at the big house owned by her family, it was as if they had known each other forever. Nina's dad welcomed Alex because he just wanted Nina to have a friend, to relate with people, to talk. Sher mum had just died, so she was quiet and shy most of the time, but as time went by, Alex and Nina started to be so comfortable about each other that no one could shut them up.

They would always crash each other's houses without warning, play video games, be fools, until they started to grow up. Growing up together would have been easier had it not been for she saw him grow into a big strong man, determined and intelligent, but still a fool and playful. She couldn't help but fall in love with the person he became, but she also had to hide it away, for she didn't know if he'd feel the same.

And he did, but he tried to keep it even from himself, because she is younger, because he didn't want to be the one to ruin the friendship they created since they were almost kids.

But now, looking at her, how her curious blue eyes look at everything in awe, and then she looks at him with that look of love, he knows it was the right thing to do to confess each other's feelings. Everything came on time, they had their time to be kids, to play, and then they were teenagers together, and when they became adults (or kind of) they would just be smart, and maybe mature enough to have and hold a relationship. Everything on time, just like the flowers that wait until the perfect time in spring to bloom.

"What are you doing?" Alex whispered next to Nina, taking a seat on the same couch as her inside the Red bull hospitality.

"Oh my God, you startled me," she said after giving a small jump. "I was texting my dad," she smiled. "He sent me a message like one hour ago, said that Virginia went out to have a coffee with her friends because well, she didn't see them for one month."

"I still can't believe your dad took one month for his honeymoon," Alex said, still surprised. "That's what people with money does."

"Haha, funny," Nina sarcastically said. "Dad said Bobby went out for a run, and since I woke him up in the morning when I called him, he had nothing else to do, so he texted me. But I just saw the text now, I had my phone in silence."

"You should never have your phone on silence, what if your dad wants to talk with you again?" Alex suggested shaking his head in disapproval.

"He knows I'm busy with you."

"It's not on my plans to take his princess away just because I want her to be mine," he said and placed his lips on her cheek.

"I'm pretty sure he fell asleep again," Nina slightly chuckled. "He usually replies right away and right now he hasn't replied yet. He must be so tired," she said and turned to face Alex, connecting their eyes together. It was that look of love he would always give her the one that made her feel butterflies in her stomach. "How are you feeling about today?" she changed the topic.

"Cool, normal," he nodded. "I think we've been having a good streak in Red Bull."

"Specially Monaco," Nina teased, knowing it was not a nice result.

"Yeah, let's not talk about Monaco," he rolled his eyes and flicked her forehead. Nina laughed and rubbed the place where he gave the small flick. "Let's better talk about Zandvoort, China, Spain or Canada," he proudly said. His best races with more podiums.

"Good choice," she nodded and rested her head on his shoulder, taking his hand on hers and intertwining their fingers.

She never thought this would be them someday, together, holding hands while waiting for Alex to get on the Formula 1 car and go out to the race. She always thought he would made it, he would get in the podium, celebrate with champagne and be in one of the top three teams, but she never thought she would be the one holding his hand when all of that happened.

They are each other dream's, the one they dreamt about when being kids, but now as adults, is so nice to know you had someone to rely on all the time, your best friend, and that same best friend grew to be your love, your support, and your best friend at the same time. That's how much they mean to each other.

For one hour straight they talked and fooled around until the time came for the race to start. They arrived at the garage as Alex was getting ready for it. From time to time he would turn around to meet her blue eyes already staring at him, and she would blush at the thought of being caught looking at him.

They were like teenagers in adults' bodies. Even if they have been dating already for three months, is so new for both. As odd as it seems, they never dated anyone ever since they met, as if they were unconsciously waiting for the other to give the first step.

Nina looked for her phone to take a picture, but realized she forgot it on the hospitality. Nothing new, she doesn't live out of her cellphone, she just has music, and pictures of what she finds beautiful. For example, Alex focusing on his race.

A tap on her shoulder made her come down from the daydream cloud she was on. She blinked a few times and turned to see Alex's press officer standing there with Alex's golden iPhone on his hands.

"Sorry, Nina," he said, as loud as he could to be heard between all the noise in the garage. "Your brother is calling." Nina felt a whole in her stomach. Why would Bobby be calling if he knows the race is about to start? "He says it's urgent, but you are not picking your phone."

"Oh, thanks," Nina smiled to the man and took Alex's phone on her hands, covering it as she made her way out of the garage. Without noticing, her hands started to shake. What could be so urgent? Bobby never calls, he prefers to text. She gulped, feeling something was wrong, and placed the phone on her ear. "Bobby?" she asked, fearfully.

"Nina," he said and sighed, heavily. He was uneasy, Nina could notice that even on the phone. "You need to come back to the UK," he said, almost desperate.

"Why?" was all that Nina could say, already feeling as if everything was going in slow motion.

Bobby took a deep breath before talking again. "I came back home after taking Bam out for a walk, and..." he tried to say but his voice broke. He took a couple of seconds to start talking again. "I found my dad on the floor, unconscious."

Nina felt her heart dropping to the floor. "No, that-" she stammered. "That can't be true, I talked to him in the morning..." she stuttered, feeling her eyes watering.

"I don't know how this happened. He's at the ICU..."

"Bobby what happened?" she almost shouted, feeling a pressure on her chest.

"We don't have a diagnostic yet, Nina. He woke up but they won't let us go see him..."

"Okay, I'm going back now," Nina cut him off and hang up the phone, pressing it against her chest and digesting everything.

How can all this be possible? Her dad was not ill, at least not that they knew. Still in shock, she didn't know what to do. go to the garage and tell Alex? No, of course no, he is getting ready for his race. She turned around and Alex's press officer was there again.

"Do you need something?" he worriedly asked, noticing the storm in Nina's face.

She nodded. "I need to go back to the UK."