"Hi guys, sorry we are late. Lando over here took too long in the bathroom because 'his hair'." I apologetically smile at the gigantic group in front of me. Pretty much all of the drivers are here, some even bringing their girlfriends. The few drivers missing are Sergio, Kmag, Nico and Valterri, as they either prefer a quiet night in, or are joining us later tonight.
"Hello Pierre.." I mess up his hair before moving on to Kika, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek like I did everyone else around the table. I finish my tour by Charles and Lily, Alex' girlfriend, who are sitting across from Seb. "Lily my love! I haven't seen you in forever!" I hug the golfer tightly. "Hello my love! We really do need to catch up, don't we?" The girl hugs me back with a big smile on her face. "We do, my lord I can't believe it's been this long.." I sit down in the seat Charles pulled out while continuing chatting with Lily.
It's only when Sebastian chuckles that I look back, noticing I completely ignored Charles next to me. "Oops.. Hi Charlie!" I quickly wave before continuing my earlier conversation with Lily. "Bo love, I think someone's a bit jealous .." Alex, who's sitting next to his girlfriend points at the boy behind me. "Oh no it's nothing.. It's just that I'm her best friend and I don't even get a kiss or a hug. Even Pierre got a hello hug! Pierre, who's known her for two less years than I do!"
The man has a flare for dramatics, did you know that? Well now you do. "Oh come here you big baby." I take the brunette's face in my hands and squeeze it before giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Happy now?" I roll my eyes at the childish behavior of the twenty-five year old next to me. "Not entirely.." Before I can even process what is happening, I'm almost pulled off my seat into a hug by the Monegasque. "Charles you're going to drop me you idiot! Lily! Save me!" As much as she would want to help me, she can't. "Alexander Albon. Let your girlfriend go so she can save me!" I look the Thai driver straight in the eye, trying to change his mind but he smilingly shakes his head. Indicating I'm going to have to save myself.
I officially give up. I tried everything. Wriggling, blackmailing (which didn't work thanks to Seb.) Even bribing failed somehow. So now here I am, in a restaurant, laying with my head against Charles' torso with my upper body between his thighs and my legs supported by my own chair. "This is so bad for my back.. I'm sending you the bill of my physio Leclerc." The Monegasque chuckles in return, making his whole chest vibrate and my body in extent of his chest. "Sure thing. Go for it babe. I don't need the money anyway."
Whoever told you F1 drivers were humble, was lying to your face. "You formula 1 drivers are so humble wow." I smile sarcastically at Charles, who just shakes his head smiling before locking me in between his arms and chest. "Never claimed to be." I turn my head up to the monegasque, since I'm still laying on his chest somehow. "With that ego you better win the race tomorrow Leclerc." I challenge him a bit. "I was already planning to do so ma belle." I roll my eyes at the cockiness before deciding to ignore it altogether, starting a conversation with Hanna, Seb's wife.
"How are Naomi and Jack doing? Still as cute as ever?" The blonde asks while being pulled closer by her husband. "Oh those two are having the time of their lives. It does scare me how fast they grow up though. Like.. last time I checked you were two, what do you mean you're turning five already? You know?" I slightly smile at the thought of my baby sister and brother. My mum and dad decided I was not enough of a child to them (just kidding they love me don't worry) a few years ago and got pregnant back in 2016. Then in April of 2017 Naomi and Jack, my favourite twins in the whole world were born.
"No I completely get what you mean, I mean, Emilie turns eight this year. Time flies." My mouth almost falls open at the realization. "She's turning eight already?? But she was just born yesterday?" "That's what I'm saying right, my baby is growing up so fast!" Hanna exclaims in agreement. "God she'll be off to high school before you know it.." I half mumble. "Alright that's enough, I don't want to think about my little girl in high school just yet thank you very much." Seb interrupts our conversation like the dad he is. "Oh but Seb imagine how many boyfriends Emilie is gonna have, as the pretty girl she is, I think you'll have a lot of candidates for the position of son in law to consider." I tease the dad sitting across from me. "I don't think so. They're not allowed to have any boyfriend until they are at least thirty." Hanna chuckles at the statement. "Well that's a bit dramatic, don't you think?" She laughs at the defensive look on her husband's face.
"No, I wouldn't let her date either, can you imagine Naomi with a boyfriend.. over my dead body." Charles joins our conversation too. "She's not even your sister? Let alone your daughter.." I chuckle at the statement of the Monegasque. "Those are details belle. If a boy wants to date Naomi, they'll have to get past me first." He slightly tightens his grip on me, probably without even realizing it himself. "And me." Seb decides to stand by Charles. "And me." Lando apparently joined in too. What are we talking about?" Lewis, who's sitting a few seats further.
"Naomi having a potential boyfriend." Charles states before I even get a chance to open my mouth. "Oh absolutely not. Over my dead body." The Brit scrunches his nose at the idea of his goddaughter having a boyfriend. "Alright alright you drama queens. If Naomi one day decides she wants a boyfriend, I seriously doubt the lot of you are going to have any choice other than accepting it." I smile at the protectiveness they all have, before turning back to Hanna.
"I remember having this exact conversation about you, a few years back. I'm still convinced Kimi or Seb here would be the first to go after any boy who tries to hurt you." She smiles softly at me. "Awh Seb, that's so cute!" I half tear up at how loved I feel right now. "Oh are you tearing up love? Please don't cry?" Seb smiles at me from the other side of the table. "Char please let go of me for a second?" I sniff before walking towards Seb and hugging him tightly. "You are literally one of my favourite people in this whole world red." He smiles at the childhood nickname I gave him, yes it was because he was driving a Ferrari leave me alone. "I love you too thunder."
He kisses my head before sending me back to the other side of the table, where charles already pulled out my chair for me, before noticing a few tears slipping down my face. "Seb she's actually crying." "Of course I am, leave me be charles." Of course, instead of leaving me be, I'm being pulled closer into Charles' side. "Where did your nickname come from?" "I look up at the monegasque. "Thunder?" He nods in return. "Well, if the rumours are true? I would always say 'kachow' when a Ferrari or Mercedes drove by during the races, and I think Michael once heard me say it in 2008? When Kimi drove by during free practice?" I look at Seb for confirmation, which I get. "And their fist nickname was lightning, from cars, but seven year old me liked thunder better and it kinda stuck, so now I'm thunder instead." I finish my story, recalling some memories of Jules and Michael. "That's such a cute story what the hell?" Lily lightly shoves my shoulder. "So that's how you know mick since such a young age?" She asks. I nod smilingly. " I low-key grew up with that kid, ever since he never really left my side." I look over at mick, who's talking to Pierre but smiles back once he notices me looking. After smiling back, I turn to Lily again. "Anyway, enough about me. I wanna hear all about you two lovebirds."
"Alright, who is winning tomorrow? Carla you go first." Kika asks in front of a table filled with seven drivers, Carla and I. We are a few hours in the dinner and we moved onto the topic of every evening before a race; predictions on the winners. Some of the others left earlier to go to their room, so the group did shrink a bit.
"Well I'm not going to say Charles, because of his ego. I think Carlos has a quite good shot in the F1 race at least. Well that is if red bull doesn't rocket ship their cars again." She smiles widely at her boyfriends brother, who playfully glares at her. "Nice to know my family supports me..." I pat his arm in support, ha you thought. "Oh you poor poor baby." The older Monegasque rolls his eyes at me before sending a smile my way. "Anyway Bo, any predictions?" Carla directs her question at me. "Okay so I'm probably supposed to say Lewis or George going to win, but let's be fair. Those Red Bulls are rocket ships so unless someone sabotages those cars, I'm betting on Max." Lewis acts fake offended at my prediction but laughs it off a few seconds later. "What do you guys think? After all you are the experts." I move the question over to the drivers, who, of course, all say their own name. No surprise there..
"Alright you know what? Lan, if you manage to end up on the podium tomorrow I'll wear McLaren merch for the next race I'll attend." Now, based on the grin on Lando's face, I may be making a mistake, but oh well who cares? "Alright bet."
I should've kept my mouth shut.
So here I am, standing in front of the podium, about to witness Lando, Max and Daniel taking their trophies. It's a Redbull 1-3 with Lan in P2. When they get their champagne bottles, all hell breaks loose. Danny is doing a shoeey, Max and Lando are attacking each other with champagne and if I'm not mistaken, Lan just accidentally broke Max' trophy. Safe to say it's a chaos everywhere. The Redbull family is having the time of their lives, the papaya army is louder than ever aaaand Danny just almost fell of the podium. Amazing.
As usual, the Dutch national anthem sounds through the boxes. At this point I'm honestly quite sure I know Max' anthem better than my own. That's how bad it is. Anyways, at this point the drivers are spraying champagne on the crowd in front of the podium, hence why I'm hiding after a McLaren team member. Well, at least until Lando spotted me and ended my hiding. The bottle champagne may have been empty, but that didn't stop the muppet from fucking me over. No on the contrary even. The absolute idiot walked off the podium, towards me. Forcing me to sprint towards the garages of course, because what else is a girl supposed to do when an evilly smirking man comes walking her way? Exactly. The only thing I didn't include in my otherwise perfect escape plan, was security thinking I'm a fanatic fan trying to get to the garages of the other drivers.
So this is how it went down; I ran, security blocks me, Lando was running behind me and catches up, picks me up and spins me around while squishing me against his sweaty, stinking suit. The end.
"Put me down Norris." Fans are screaming, flashes are flashing, team members are laughing and Max and Daniel are cheering. "I am so sorry for your PR manager you have no idea. Also aren't you all supposed to do some interview after the podium?" The Brit tsks me before putting me with my two feet back on earth. "Will you stop ruining the moment Wolff? Thank you dearly." "Will you get your ass back on that podium and celebrate Norris? Thank you dearly." I counter him. "Alright alright I'm going!" I shake my head while making my way to the garages, this time without being stopped by security, when I hear the muppet yell something else. "And remember Ju, next race I expect you in full McLaren merch!" I roll my eyes smilingly and show him my favourite finger before walking away.