golden | d.ricciardo

twenty-one

XXI. It's my Job

MONACO: May 2023

Max Verstappen was a menace when he can be. Clara felt like she was close to pull off her hair at the frustration that her best friend had caused. She knew something was fishy when he would tell her all about this reporter that he had been avoiding.

Max had baggage, and she knew that. That baggage led to how he was treating that reporter and she tried to talk to him about it but it didn't help. So, she was there, sitting at the hospitality listening to Max rant about his reporter woman.

Clara stared at him blankly, she couldn't even process what he was saying at how fast he was speaking. He had turned to speaking in Dutch. She felt like he would never stop until Clara felt a presence behind her.

She knew who it was already by the way Max stopped and his mood changed. She sat up and gulped, rubbing her palms on her jeans. "Nice of you to show up Daniel."

The familiar and warm laughter was heard from behind her. Her heart betraying her as she listened to his voice. "Well apologies, I didn't know we were expected to get in earlier than we have been."

Max glanced at Clara, "Well Clara said-" "There is no official time. I just wanted to wake you up early Max." The Dutch driver scoffed and pouted at his best friend. "That's so rude."

"Not if you think about it." she said as she stood up. Nodding at the two drivers, she excused herself. She was walking away, but she felt the same presence as she was feeling when she was sitting down.

Weaving herself through the crowd, she tried her best to lose Daniel but it was unsuccessful and that saddened her. She didn't need to see him right now.

"Lara-" "It's Clara. Please Daniel, we're at work." she cut him off as she turned to him. Daniel stopped and frowned, he didn't like where this was going. He shook his head, "Clara..." the way he said felt and sounded so foreign. The two visibly cringed at the word.

"Can I please get an answer?"

"About what?" Clara asked as she put up a clueless expression. Daniel scoffed and shook his head, "Tell me why you agreed to this?"

The PR Manager frowned, "You know the answer to that-" "Don't lie to me. I want to know the truth." Daniel cut her off, his voice showing how frustrated he is.

Clara frowned and fully faced him, "Listen to me Daniel." Ouch. "I agreed to this deal because I know the team needs it. It's good for your reputation. And it's part of my job."

Daniel's heart broke. He knew those were the answers but he did not realize how he was unready to hear it.

"Oh. Okay."