Racing hearts / formula 1 💕

Race day part 2 🏎️

The race paddock buzzed with electricity, the sound of engines and chatter blending with the heavy tension that sat squarely on the group's shoulders. It had only been a couple days since they all moved into the villa for the Grand Prix weekend, and yet things already felt fragile.

Lily stood a little apart from the others, tucked beneath a hoodie with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She flinched slightly when the engines roared nearby.

Lando was at her side in an instant. "Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine," she murmured, not looking up.

He crouched slightly to catch her eye. "You're lying. You hate loud noises when you're already overwhelmed. Talk to me."

She gave a small, humorless smile. "Didn't know my boyfriend was a certified therapist."

"Only for you," he said softly, brushing her hair from her face.

Behind them, Max stood with his arms crossed, eyes scanning the area as if he expected Mia to lunge out of nowhere.

"She's in the other garage," Lana muttered from beside him, arms folded. "I saw her flirting with someone from Red Bull. Again."

Max didn't look away from Lily. "Don't make a scene."

"I wasn't going to."

"Yes, you were," Max said calmly. "And honestly? I might join you. But Lily needs peace right now."

"I can be subtle, you know," Lana huffed.

"Since when?" Max snorted.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group was clustered near the Mercedes hospitality unit. Emilia had perched on a bench, sketchbook on her lap, half-doodling as George leaned over her shoulder.

"She said what about your drawings?" George asked.

Emilia shrugged, her pencil pausing. "That they're cute. Like a toddler with crayons."

George stared. "Do you want me to dump juice on her?"

Emilia laughed, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Maybe."

Across the way, Zoe sat beside Pierre, her eyes half-lidded with fatigue. "Tired," she whispered in French. "Can't focus."

"Just sit here with me," Pierre said gently. "No one expects you to do anything today."

Zoe nodded and fidgeted with her earring. It had been bothering her since morning - she'd glued the back on herself - and she leaned forward to show it to Mia, who had just walked over.

"I fix it, see?" Zoe said softly, pointing. "With glue. Little-um-tiny glue."

Mia raised her brows. "I have no idea what you're saying."

Zoe blinked. "Glue. It fix-"

"Yeah, still don't get it. Can someone translate?" Mia looked around, visibly annoyed.

"I understand her just fine," Pierre said coldly, standing straighter. "Maybe listen harder."

Sofia, sitting nearby, gave a sharp look. "She was being polite. You didn't need to be rude."

"Oh, sorry," Mia said with a fake smile. "I guess I'm just not fluent in... glue?"

Zoe's cheeks turned pink. She turned away, fiddling with her hair.

Charles whispered to Sofia, "Add that to the list?"

"Top of it," she whispered back.

Just then, Oscar arrived with Ava, who looked tense.

"What's wrong?" Emilia asked.

Ava rubbed her temple. "Mia was chatting with someone near the garage, talking about how 'juvenile' it is to keep tagging along with drivers like we're accessories."

Emilia let out a sharp laugh. "She does realize she's the accessory, right?"

Oscar gently tugged Ava closer. "Let's just focus on the race."

"Trying," Ava muttered.

Max joined them, still keeping a watchful eye on Lily, who now stood half-leaning into Lando as he whispered softly in her ear.

"Should we ask if she wants to go back?" Max asked.

"She said she wants to stay," Lando replied quietly. "But I'm not leaving her alone."

"She looks pale," Annie murmured, coming over with a water bottle. "Here, give this to her."

Lando took it, whispering, "Thanks."

Lily took a small sip, forcing a smile. "Sorry I'm being weird."

"You're not weird," Lando said. "You're overwhelmed. There's a difference."

Behind them, Lana finally snapped a photo of the group and captioned it: The calm before Mia's next insult. Place your bets.

"Are we all pretending she didn't just say Emilia was too childish to be here?" George asked, not even trying to lower his voice.

"Oh, and the earring thing," Sofia added. "Zoe was so excited."

Zoe, quietly sitting again with Pierre, looked up with a tired nod. "I like my earring," she whispered.

"We all do," Pierre said.

Charles leaned into Sofia. "Should we have a Mia-vention?"

"She'd play victim," Sofia replied.

Daniel arrived, running late as usual, with Mia in tow.

"Everyone ready for the race?" Daniel beamed.

"Almost," Lewis said, eyeing Mia with mild suspicion.

She waved like nothing had happened. "Hi, guys!"

Lily's grip tightened on Lando's hand.

"You sure you wanna stay out here?" he whispered.

She nodded, biting her lip.

Lando leaned down and kissed her temple. "Then we stay. All day."

Max leaned closer to Lando. "I'll keep Lana from slapping someone. You keep Lily breathing. Deal?"

"Deal," Lando whispered.

As the crowd began to surge toward the grid, the group slowly followed.

Emilia flipped to a blank page in her sketchbook. "I'm going to draw this exact moment."

George peered at her. "Happy group?"

"No. Tense group pretending to be chill," she replied. "My favorite genre."

Ava looked around. "This... can't keep going."

Oscar glanced sideways. "It won't. But not yet."

And as the group stood trackside, the engines roaring louder and louder, the race wasn't the only thing about to explode.