Racing hearts / formula 1 💕

Chef pierre and pool time

Brunch was sweet. The tension? Not so much.

The villa's dining table was a chaotic mix of mimosas, coffee cups, plates of pancakes, and someone's half-eaten avocado toast. The morning sun spilled in through the open windows, golden and warm, but the vibe was... not entirely matching the weather.

"Okay," Pierre said dramatically, placing a perfect omelette in front of Zoè. "Chef Pierre has spoken. Who's next?"

"You're a menace," Max muttered, reaching for the coffee pot.

"No, I'm a culinary visionary," Pierre corrected. "George, hand me the chives."

"Why do you even know where the chives are?" George asked.

"Because I unpacked the fridge. You all would've let the arugula die."

"RIP the arugula," Lando mumbled through a bite of croissant.

Sofia, still half-asleep, rested her head on Charles's shoulder, smiling. "This is so much nicer than waking up for a flight."

"It's the most domestic I've ever seen this many F1 drivers," Lily teased, stirring her tea.

"I like this," Ava said, tucked into Oscar's side. "No cameras. No chaos. Just us."

"Speak for yourself," Luna said, nodding toward the other end of the table. "Daniel's trying to convince Emilia that orange juice belongs in coffee."

"It was a concept," Daniel said, deeply offended.

Mia, sitting beside him, laughed. "You guys are adorable. So quirky."

Her tone was light, but something about it didn't land.

Emilia raised a brow. "We are quirky. In the best way."

"Totally," Mia said, sipping her mimosa. "I guess everyone in this group kind of has their... niche. Like you and the drawings. And Ava and the whole girl-next-door-in-love-with-the-golden-boy vibe."

Oscar stiffened.

Ava blinked. "Sorry-what?"

Mia smiled sweetly. "I meant that in a nice way. Like, you're very... on-brand."

George gave a half-cough, half-laugh, looking down at his eggs.

Sofia and Lily exchanged a sharp look.

Luna just sighed and took a long sip of her iced latte.

Pierre broke the silence. "Okay, time for pool prep. Chef Pierre's brunch is officially closed."

"God help us," Max muttered, standing up.

-

By noon, the group had migrated to the pool. Suncream was flying, towels were everywhere, and someone had connected a speaker to blast a chaotic mix of Taylor Swift, Post Malone, and ABBA.

Zoè floated in a unicorn inflatable, yelling new English curse words Daniel had taught her the day before.

"I'm proud of her," Daniel said, sunglasses on. "She's come so far."

"She just called Lando a mini-salami," Emilia said, cracking up.

"I mean, I've been called worse," Lando shrugged.

Luna sat near the edge of the pool, dipping her toes in, while Charles and Max hovered nearby-unofficial guardians after the whole arm situation.

"You sure you're okay out here?" Max asked gently.

"I'm good," Lily said. "Finally feels like summer."

Across the pool, Ava laid out on a chair, sunglasses perched on her head, texting Nicole.

"She says we look like we're in a reality show," she told Oscar with a grin.

"Hope it's the wholesome kind," Oscar muttered, still replaying Mia's brunch comment in his head.

Meanwhile, Mia sat beside Daniel on a lounge chair, sipping from a pink tumbler.

"You okay?" Daniel asked, sensing her mood.

"Yeah, just..." she glanced toward the others. "I think they're a bit sensitive, honestly."

"Mia."

"What? I didn't even say anything bad. Just... real."

Daniel didn't answer, but his silence said a lot.

-

Later, after a few rounds of pool volleyball, the group sprawled back across the deck, exhausted and sun-warmed.

Emilia and Zoè were doing temporary tattoos with glitter pens.

Luna painted Sofia's nails with a concentration usually reserved for surgery.

George and Pierre were comparing tan lines.

And Mia?

Mia leaned back in her chair, watching it all with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"So this is it, huh?" she said. "Everyone playing house."

Lando, walking by with a towel, paused.

"Sorry?" he asked.

"Just saying-it's very... curated."

He narrowed his eyes slightly, not angry-yet. "It's just us. Being friends."

Mia smiled again. "Right."

She went back to sipping her drink.

Lando watched her for a moment longer before walking over to Lily and Max.

"She's definitely weird," he muttered.

"Fifth time someone's said that today," Max replied.

Charles joined them. "We keeping score again?"

"Yes," Max said. "And we're almost at ten."

Lily, quiet but firm, nodded. "She's not just awkward. She's watching everyone. Like she's waiting for something."

Charles looked toward Ava and Oscar, who were laughing with Emilia now-still warm, still trying to push past it.

"Then we wait too," he said. "But not forever."