Formula 1 imagines and preferences

Lance Stroll. How you guys met. Part 4

After a while of talking there, you call out to the crowd.

"Shots on me! Everyone to the bar!" The bartender tells me that all the drinks were paid for in the booking of the bar for the whole night. It was all inclusive.

"Make that multiple rounds of shots." I call out, correcting myself.

They all come over. We line the bar. Lance comes and stands beside me. We all have our shots of Vodka in front of us. Kimis request.

"On 3. 123" I count quickly, wanting the vodka in me before I talk to Lance.

"Another one in 5" someone calls.

"Y/N" Lance said.

"Lance." I reply, looking at my feet.

"Y/N, you were right.  Look at me. I'm here. F1. Rich, and my dad made sure I had a good seat." He said.

Wow.
He remembered exactly what  we said that night. I do too. Not a day goes by where I wonder how things would have gone if I danced with him.

"I missed you. Why dont I go introduce you to everyone?" Lance said. He takes me back to the right people group and introduces me as his childhood best friend. He tells them about my mechanic obsession, and how I moved to Toronto for 9th grade.

"We know shes a genius. She sounds like she knows more than our mechanics do." Valtteri said.

"She probably does." Lance said.

"How many smart Y/Ns were there in your middle school? You told us about the one who turned down your offer to dance, and now theres her!" Daniel said, clearly drunk.

"Uh, Daniel, there was only one Y/N. Me." I say. Awkward silence for a moment.

Lance continued to take me to all the groups of people.

We leave that group and go talk with the crappy team drivers. That conversation was short. Kimi mentioned my vodka shot in the Martini. Of course he did.

I move on to the other group, with Robert and Fernando. That conversation was basically just hellos. Lance brought me over to the group he was originally in. Pierre, Lando, George and Alex. Lance introduces me. Alex shakes my hand formally, Pierre kisses me once on each cheek, George shakes my hand aswell and Lando nods at me.  We talk with them for a while. 

Its later in the evening now. Most of the guys are drunk. They're all standing on the dance floor, still talking. Eventually, I am almost drunk.  Again, high alcohol tolerance, so I am never completely drunk. I just have learned to act like it at parties for the fun of it. I am feeling a bit tipsy so tonight may actually be fun.

I end up messing around with a couple of guys. Bumping into them, grinding the occasional racer and whatnot. Playful flirting. Normal things any girl would do when shes drunken and surrounded by hot rich guys who are also drunk.

After more drinks and group shots, Lance comes over to me and we talk by the bar.

"So Lance. How was high school and the 4 years after that?" I ask. I missed him sooo much. It was awful not having your best friend in high school. I never really had friends since.

"Rough. It was hard worhout you. I never got another best friend and never dated anyone " he said.

"Haha no way. Same here. No other friends and no boyfriends" I say. I realize how stupid this sounds.

We sit in silence for a moment or two.

'Stolen Dance' comes on.

Lance looks me in the eye again. Just like 8 years ago.

"Y/N, it's been 8 years. I said it then, I'll say it again now. Y/N, I know you hate these dances and I do too. But Y/N, I need to tell you this. Y/N, you're amazing and I have enjoyed our friendship for the past years more than you can imagine. I thought 8th grade would be our last Christmas dance together, but I think this one may truly be the last. Y/N, I really want to dance with you. Just this once. Y/N, I like you. As more than just a friend" he says. Same words he used in 8th grade.

"Lance, " I start. Feeling the same guilt I did back then.

" Y/N, no. You said you couldn't dance with me all those years ago. You said we couldnt dance because I was your best friend. Well this is the first time I've seen you in 8 years. Y/N, you're still the smart, kind, sweet and beautiful person. Y/N, I am now an F1 driver and I still want this. I still want you. I havent dated any one. Ever. I knew I'd find you eventually and when I did, I'd love you like I did back then. Y/N, you're nothing like any of the other wives and girlfriends of the F1 drivers. You wouldnt embarrass me. You would give me such pride, knowing I can say 'shes my girlfriend. She loves me." He said.

"Lance, I wanted nothing more than to dance with you that night. But I couldn't. I would have been an embarrassment. I am still an embarrassment." I say.

"No you're not. But I know better than to argue with you. You're not an embarrassment, but if you think you are, I want you to be my embarrassment. Y/N, please." He says,pleading. He extends his hand for me to take. "Please." He whispers.

I take his hand. He pulls me closer to him. He places his strong hand on my dainty waist. Pulls me even closer. I'm right beside him. You place your arms on his shoulders and around his neck. You feel his other hand find a spot on the back of your waist, beside the other.  He leaned his head close to yours. He had the biggest smile on his face and whispered "thank you".

We danced for the remainder of the song. Nothing too fancy.  Just enjoying the moment. Lance hadn't stopped smiling since the begining of the dance. Our foreheads pressed together, I could feel his happiness radiating through his smile. A smile so big it made Daniel's smile look sad.

The song comes to and end and Lance pulls you through the most elegant dip you had ever seen. As he pulls you back up and your foreheads and the tips of your noses touch, he whisperd "thank you."

"No, thank you." I whisper back.

"They're all staring." I whisper. Oh no. I'm embarrassing him. They're all staring and judging.

"Let them stare. Let them know you're my "embarrassment"" he said with extreme sarcasm on the last word. You both giggle a little. He let's go of your waist.

"Another drink, madame?"he said as he extends his bent elbow for you to hold as he guides you to the bar. You grabbed your drinks and walked around. All the drivers started trying to make moves on you. Winking, bumping into you, smirking, placing their hands on your shoulders neck and jaw.

You let them play around, and Lance would always grab you and pull you close to him when they took it too far. He would let you tease them by letting them hit on you, but remind them you're his by pulling you to his side.

The night ended after several more hours. A lot of the drivers were crazy drunk. None of them knew the way around, and a lot of them didnt even remember what hotel room they were staying in. I took all the drivers with me on the subway. It was the best option.

Alex, Antonio, Daniil, Fernando, and a hand full of other drivers seemed to be relatively sober. They obviously had drinks, but they seemed normal. You left them in the hotel lobby to go to their rooms. Daniel was completely drunk. Charles, Pierre, Lando and George seemed to have had only a glass or two too many, but you didnt want to leave them alone. You took the other drivers like Max up to their hotel rooms. They were drunk, but have also been drunk before. They're slightly older, and I feel fine leaving them. I take Daniel, Charles, Pierre, Lando and George to the subway. We ride it all the way east and walk a few blocks to my place. Lance helps me keep track of everyone. I set them all up. I have a spare room with two double beds. I have my queen bed. There are 3 couches in the living room. I pit Pierre and George in the double beds. Charles, Lando and Daniel are put on the couches. I pull my mattress from my room down the hall. I lay it by the couches. I want to make sure they don't wake up and freak out not remembering the night before or how they got here. I grabbed an air mattress. I gave Lance my mattress and I slept in a sleeping bag on the air mattress.

I couldnt sleep. I went into mom- more and didnt want anyone to wake up and not be okay. Lance sat me beside him on the mattress. He put his arm around me and rubbed my shoulder, trying to get me to relax and sleep. I eventually fell asleep in his arms.