Home. (L.N.)

37. Cultural Bonding

Everything around me is finally for once peaceful and quiet. Away from the actions of the last couple of days I can enjoy the wet around me making my body so light as a feather in the wind. My mind wonders again to the awful amount of things I need to do for my study. Being away for a couple of days and just doing the absolute minimum throws me back miles from where I want to be at this point of the semester. And what bothers me the most is, that I still didn't got any feedback for the idea I presented to my hopefully future mentor. As I feel the pressure raising in my chest I burst through the cold surface of the water gasping for air. The laughter of the girls fills my backyard as Charlotte and Sue getting to know each other. My studypartner and manager came over early in the morning so we could crack on with things. We followed the lectures together and set up our workspace after lunch in the garden to adore the gorgeous weather. When the doorbell rang and Charlotte showed up as a surprise with a basket full of food we postponed the study time and turned the day into a pool day. Both of the ladies wear a bikini of mine and soak in the sun on the side of the water while I dived deep down into the water escaping reality. The water now burns in my eyes while I try to get my wet hair out of my face. With swift movements I swim over to the edge of the pool and look up to the girls. They change their language from French back to English so I could follow the conversation as well. "We were thinking of going out for dinner maybe?" Charlotte covers her eyes from the sun so she could see me. "What's the time then?" "Nearly six" Sue says while sipping onto her straw. I shrug my shoulders "Sounds good" my head finds it's resting place on my arms, which are holding my body out of the water. "Italien?" "Or Mexican? I know one just around the corner" My attention snatches away from the options of food the girls propose and to the bing of my phone. I just got an email. With the strength left in my arms I pull myself out of the beautiful cool watet and Sue throws a towel at me. "Cheers" with now dry hands I grab my phone and read the long awaited reply. "Yess" I cheer with a huge smile. "What is it" the girlfriend of the monagasque driver tries to look on my phone but is actually too lazy to get off her sunlounger to get a real chance. "I got a mentor" I grin and turn around to them. "You do?" Sue's voice cracks in excitement while her eyes are wide open it looks a hinch frightening. "Yes Ma'am. This bitch here did it. " I try to flex my arms but fail horribly since I have basically no muscles. And then the reality hits. "OMG I need to post it asap since the air is still hot from the race" I gasp out and drop my phone to dry down my whole body. "What exactly is going on?" the pretty brunette is more than confused and looks back and forth between me and Sue. The redhead grabs her phone and begins to tip things into it while explaining the case. In the meantime I rub down my whole body as fast as I can. "Some students at our uni get a tutor so they get better insights to different topics and first connections to the work world. They help us students to grow much faster as persons but also as talents, but since they have so much to give us only the most promising ones have the honor for such a mentor. Anna wanted this specific one and she pitched an idea of a project for the first semester and right now she got the feedback, that this professor was convinced by the topic."" So that's good news? "" Amazing news" I grin. "What is your project then?" "Fuck" a sharp pain overcomes my body as I just wanted to dry off my neck. But since the tattoo is so rare underneath all these layers of foil, so no water could touch it, being so careless was clearly a shitty move. I need a moment to recover from that before I can start explaining. "As you might know I am not very popular within the fambase. So with specific content and engaging with people on the track I want to turn my image around. I will proof that emotions are the strongest marketing tool." I throw over a summerdress and grab my phone again to start editing. There is no minute I want to waste any longer. "Sorry I have to ask again. What exactly are you doing now?" I look up and a very confused Charlotte looks back and forth between me and Sue, being very excited and acting like chickens. This poor woman must be so overwhelmed and probably feels so in the way. "Over the weekend I recorded several moments and I will edit with beautiful music and basically dedicate it to Daniel as I think he is everyone's darling. With him in the center it should find good grib in the fan base and since it's original content I hope they will appricate me sharing it. First step in the right direction." I wink and sit down on a chair."I can't.. This is so fucking smart" when I glimpse over her eyes are wide open before she gasps out. "I have two videos of you two as well" "You do?" I look up to her. "Yeah I wanted to show you anyway. Wait I will send them to you"  Now all three of us type on our phones. It's quite around us all there is are the sounds the wind makes when it's rushes through the bushes surrounding us. I uploaded all the videos in the program when I get the notification of the videos. Quickly I close the app and open my chat with Charlotte. It's actually three videos and a picture. I click on the picture first and it brings up pure joy in my heart. It's capturing the moment of Lando pointing at his shoe after the win in suggestion of me trying a shoey rather from his shoe than Dannys. His face wears his best cheeky smile as he looks at me. While Daniel throws his head back in laughter I stare disgusted at Landos foot. This picture is absolutely perfect. Then I tip on the first video. It shows the moment of Daniel and myself jumping up and down in a tight hug after his win. The video is a bit shaky since Charlotte filmed it off the monitor somewhere in the paddock. I am just glad my face is not facing the camera as I probably looked like a maniac. The next one is a surprise to me. Slowly the camera zooms in on me sitting with a banana in my hand at a table behind my laptop while my other hand flys over the keyboard like crazy. I grin. This is the perfect shot of me hustling my ass off. The last one is very short and I actually remember her taking this one of me. I walk with a packed bag out of the McLaren garage, I wave over to her with the winning cap of Daniel on my head that I sneaked of his head just before leaving. Quickly I decide to send Lando the picture. I really adore all of our faces. "Thank you Char. These will give a different perspective." "No worries, I will you girls get to it and grab dinner. I should be back in 45 minutes."she throws her dress over and disappears inside the house. I work nearly an hour till I am satisfied and finally publish it with shiny eyes. It is extremely exciting and also the first step for my project. We have dinner all together before them both head home.