Lilly & Leclerc ~ [CL 16]

14. Red

1st July 2022 - Silverstone

The rhyme of 'happy birthday' rings out through the Mclaren garage as Daniel Ricciardo enters. He jokingly conducts the song with the smile Amber has shown me so many times on her pictures of him blowing out the candles on the cake. Applause echos through the garage as he does so, posing for pictures with the cake alongside other staff. When the shutters stop flashing pictures he begins slapping engineers on the back and shaking their hands. He even engulfs a few people in tight hugs, who based on the resemblance to him (tanned skin, bright smiles and tight curled hair) I think are his parents, or at very least family members.

"Lilly?" An Australian voice asks cautiously. I turn a little in my spot, away from the cars I've been in a slight daze staring at to see Daniel, this time looking to me. I nod instantly, smiling at the man who for the last few months has had my best friends heart doing somersaults. "Great to meet you!" He beams, his smile is wide and bright just like amber said. My hand is taken in his in a soft shake before he pulls me in for a soft welcoming hug.

"I've heard a lot about you." Daniel continues, his eyebrow slanting at me teasingly in a way which has my cheeks burning without anything incriminating being said.

"All good I hope." I offer awkwardly. Daniel fake winces at my words, humming in thought.

"Depends who's speaking." Daniel returns, a humoured glint in his eye which tells me all I need to know. My connections around the paddock clearly haven't been kept a secret. I'm not sure who would've spilled, Amber Carlos or even Charles himself - at this point Lando knowing wouldn't surprise me. I hardly know who's friends around here, and it hardly matters who has said what anyway - saying I know Charles is the truth.

Daniel's expression drops to one a little flatter as I reign in my thoughts, his brown eyes scanning the room everyone is crowded in, particularly the space around me. It makes sense I suppose, if Amber was here we'd usually be glued together.

"Your girl is sick Ricciardo." I explain with a sad smile. His expression hardens with the information. "She's at home." I continue, not wanting to give the details that Amber had turned into a sweating green blob of vomit somewhere between the hours of eleven last night and six this morning. I don't think Amber would appreciate the information being shared with her...whatever Daniel is. He visibly deflates with the information, disappointment washing over him like a tidal wave before he pulls his phone out of his pocket. He looks decisively disappointed by Amber's absence, just as was I this morning.

Daniel pulls his phone from the back pocket of his black jeans and glancing at the screen. When the screen lights up he lets out a long frustrated sigh and shake of his head. He looks like he could just kick himself, his expression tightening as he grasps at the device in his hands. "I've been so fucking busy I haven't seen." It's with these words that I instantly decide that I like Daniel Ricciardo a lot. He's shaking his head at himself, disappointed for doing his job instead of looking after my friend from 50 miles away. Then his eyes light up with something and his phone is suddenly being typed away on. The whole time his eyes flick between the skin and me.

I don't know if I should be staying and conversing with him or taking myself elsewhere. Maybe I can find Max, or Ollie somewhere? I could even look after Mila for an hour maybe? Everyone around here seems to have a role or an idea of what's going on, I feel swept up with it all. I don't fully know what all the different sessions occurring this weekend mean. I seem to be frequently walking around wide eyed and aimless as hundreds of people who march with determination and purpose to every inch of the paddock. That's the right word, right? It's what Lando had called it this morning, and his dad.

"Hey, Lilly?" Daniel asks my name softly, nodding and shooting a thumbs up when someone in a Mclaren uniform asks him a question quickly. The action is pretty mindless, I'm not sure if Daniel even acknowledged the words the guy whispered to him. The unfamiliar pronunciation of my name catches my attention though, my eyes just stuck on Daniel waiting eagerly for more. "Do you want to explore the paddock with me real quick?" Paddock is the right word.