When it Rains | Daniel Ricciardo

Chapter 8 - Smiling Through It

"So tell me everything, I was in another world on Saturday so I need every detail," excited to hear how the night went but also kind of bummed I didn't get to experience it first hand.

"Well you are right about one thing, he's an amazing guy and we had such good banter going.." she had a big smile through out that sentence, but then her face dropped. She looked kind of hurt.

"What? What happened?"

"Well he was kind of distracted and distant after the whole jacket situation, Lex he might have seen the marks." Shit, I didn't even think of that.

"I doubt it, he would have said something,'' I assure her.

"You're that close?" she asks with quite a sour tone. I ignore it and carry on.

"We have an understanding", giving away enough but not too much.

"Oh um, well then later, when we went outside?" I nodded in understanding. "He said that I'm a beautiful girl, that he's flattered, but that things are complicated for him at the moment."

"Oh, I'm so sorry Jen. I didn't know. I wouldn't have pushed you to do anything if I did", I feel terrible she's taking this very hard I can see. Another thing I can blame myself for.

"It's not a train smash, things are crazy for him at the moment. I understand completely. Now you're going to tell me what's going on with you."

She reaches for my left hand across the table and I scream out in pain. Shit that hurt, I haven't moved my shoulder that much since Saturday.

"What? What's wrong?" all sadness gone, worry replacing it.

"Oh, I tripped while carrying the laundry basket downstairs and I hit my shoulder into the wall, it's just a bit stiff."

"Oh my goodness, you need to be more careful. You're always in the wars with some or other stationary object" she joked.

I just lied through my teeth to my best friend with a straight face. I'm a terrible person. Worst part is that she believed me.

"And my wrists are fine, see no marks", I move my jacket to show her. Most of the redness was gone, now only slightly yellow. The bruises were hard to see if you looked quickly.

We decided it was time to get back to work and prepare for the race weekend ahead. Not looking forward to being around people at a time like this. I wonder if taking this job was still a good idea, maybe it is my fault this relationship has gotten so out of control.

Let's go see what those men / 5 year olds.. Sorry 6. I find myself smiling at those words and the moments behind them. Dan always finds a way to make me smile and maybe that's why Im so taken by his presence. I just need a smile every now and then. Ryan's not even talking to me nevermind smiling at me...

I grab my camera off my desk and decide to to a 'through the halls' kind of build up scene to the simulator room, where I hear some commotion going on. The scene before me could not be funnier if you tried. Nico has got his hands hanging off his ears sticking his tongue out like a baboon, Daniel is in the simulator with one fluffy pink slipper in his hand. He's about to throw - "Ow!" scratch that, he throws it hitting me perfectly in my right eye.

He's out of that chair in a flash and is fumbling all over my face I can barely breathe, hugging my head in the crook of his arm "Lex, oh my god! I'm so so so sorry! That was meant for that German dickhead in the corner! Not for you I'm sorry!"

"Daniel, it's okay seriously, but as your friend I've got to advise that you firstly practice your aiming and secondly never put yourself into a situation where throwing a woman's fluffy pink slipper is your only line of defense." I laugh and give him a proper hug hello.

"You okay Lex? This little-badger rodent hurt you?" he says buffing his chest trying to tower over Daniel.

"No, Nic. I'm fine. What the hell is going on here?" looking around at the two of them and referring to the scene I just walked in on, "Don't you two have actual work to be doing? I came here to film some stuff for the vlog this weekend, but that footage is not going to be usable now."

"Well, Nico thought it would be a good idea to set ALL the freaking high scores on the new sim, then just to rub salt into the wound he put out some girl's slippers on the floor and said that those were a better fit for me since I couldn't beat him, so I threw them at him.. well you I'm so sorry again." He laughed. We all laughed. Shaking my head I looked down at the slipper that hit me and something looked awfully familiar about it.

"Well you guys are ridiculous. Hey! These are mine!" I slap them both with the back of the foot. "I'm not even going to ask how you got them." Shaking my head I go to collect the second one out of the seat. This just made them laugh ,even the techies behind their screens joined in at this stage. "Well when you're done comparing dick sizes can I please get some footage of the two of you in the sim please?"

"Oh she's feisty!" Nico clicks his fingers back and forth with attitude.

"Oh, shut it!"