Bahrain
Wednesday
Ariella's Pov
Lunch lasted about an hour and a half. George and I talked together most of the time.
George drives me back to the hotel and walks me all the way to my door, even though his room is on the other side of the hotel.
"I'll see you tomorrow." I tell him before I go into my hotel room.
"Sooooooooo." A familiar voice coos from inside the hotel room.
"My God Parks you almost gave me a heart attack." I exaggerate while dramatically holding a hand over my heart.
She's lying down on the hotel room bed, stomach down, her head in her hands propped up with he elbows, all while kicking her feet. The exact same position she was in every time we would gossip as teenagers.
"He walked you to your door. There's definitely something there." Straight to the point.
"Right to the interrogation, no hello? I think it's the least you can do, considering you broke in." I pull out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from my suitcase before I head to the bathroom and turn the shower on.
Parker shouts from farther in the room. "It's not breaking in if I have a key. Now tell me what happened."Judging by her voice saying the second part, she is probing lying in the same position with a huge smile on her face, anxious to hear the gossip that doesn't exist.
I poke my head out the doorway of the bathroom so I can see her.
"Parker, you were there." I remind her.
"Not for the drive back! Now spill!"
"Nothing happened we just talked." I shrug
"Talked?" She raises an eyebrow.
"Yes we talked like friends do, like how you and I are right now."
"Boring" She drags the word out to exaggerate it. I laugh and shake my head at her.
"So what's going on with you and Lando? He drove you there and back too didn't he?"
"I don't like this game. Go take your shower." She shoos me with her hand and I do just that, once again shaking my head at her while laughing.
I think I took all of the hotels hot water. I wasn't even in there for that long but it started getting cold.
Parker was still on my bed when I got out of the shower. Only this time she was sitting up against the backboard and watching television.
I'm about to sit down next to her when someone knocks on the door.
Opening it, I'm faced with the Mercedes driver.
"I forgot to give this back to you." He holds out my white jacket in front of him. He offered to hold it on the way to my room and I forgot to grab it back after.
"Oh my god I totally forgot, thank you." I take the jacket from his hands.
He looks to be contemplating something then just says, "Yeah, uh I'll see you tomorrow." I smile and nod before shutting the door on him.
Parker gives me a look.
"Don't even start." I point an accusing finger at her. She throws her hands up in defense.
-☆-
Bahrain
Media day (Thursday)
The ringing of my alarm fills my head. I shut it off and get up slowly. It's too early for this.
My trainer told me last night he wanted me up at 5am so we can get extra training in for this weekend's race.
And my god was that training the worst I've ever done. It could have been the lack of sleep I got, or the terrible hotel lobby coffee I had this morning, but I don't think I've ever hated a training that much.
We did what we usually did, some work on a few of the machines, weights, and a few things to work on reaction time, but for some reason it was absolutely dreadful.
I just wish I could sleep but media is soon and I cannot be late.
I chose to wear a pair of brown jeans and a green sweater. It's not really cold today, just a light breeze.
My pr manager, Gemma, steps into line next to me as soon as I reach the track.
"Your conference is in 30 minutes" She informs me.
"Thank you, and who will be there with me?"
"George, Parker, Esteban, and Carlos."
"Right, and then after?"
"Interviews."
I nod in understanding before breaking off to greet my team, exchanging a few words with a couple of my engineers before I make my way to my teammates.
"Oooooh looking good Ariella." Daniel calls from farther inside the garage, making me laugh.
"Hey Danny. I guess you're looking okay too." I joke, shrugging my shoulders.
"I'm hurt. Truly." I laugh at him again.
"How are you feeling about this weekend?" He changes to a more serious topic.
I shrug. "I don't know. Nervous, obviously, just hoping I can score some point and show everyone that I actually deserve this seat."
I've seen many things on social media about how I don't belong here and how I only got this seat because "F1 is trying to be 'woke'". A few of my comments have also been of people saying I don't deserve the spot and how Daniel should be racing in my seat instead. I try and ignore those comments because there's so many positive ones that cancel them out, but at the same time I can't help but question if they're right. Do I really deserve to be here? I mean there's plenty of other talented drivers out there and they chose me. Maybe Red Bull is actually using me to get a message out. Either way I know I have to try my hardest every single second I am out on that track. I have to show all those people I do belong here, and more importantly I have to show all the little girls who also aspire to be here one day that it is possible. I have to show everyone that I am the man.
"Yeah I get that, but I've seen you race in F2, you're crazy out there. You've got it."
"Thank you, really, you have absolutely no clue how much that means to me." I wasn't lying to him. It does mean a lot to know at least one other person believes in me. Daniel smiles in response to my words.
I find my way to my drivers room so I can change before conference.
After changing, I quickly find Parker so neither of us will look lonely walking into our press conference.
Parker and I were the last ones to arrive, it's not like we were late everyone else was just really early. There's two seats in the middle of the couch for us. I sit next to Carlos and she sits next to Esteban, George is on the other side of Carlos.
The start of the conference mainly had questions aimed at the other drivers, then finally after what was probably 15 minutes, Parker and I get our first question.
The interviewer looks down at the car, reading the question off it.
Interviewer: "so, Parker, Ariella, you girls have such long hair. What do you plan to do with it while racing?" You've got to be kidding me.
"Well just what I've been doing with it my entire life. Leave it down or throw it in some braids or something. It's not really my biggest concern." I laugh but it's awkward. I don't know why that question got to me as much as it did. I didn't mean to, but I was definitely giving the interviewer some attitude. Shit.
Parker: "Yeah, I'll be putting my hair back into braids like I have every other race." Parker handled the question much better. No attitude could be detected in her voice, and she had a sweet smile on her face the entire time.
I nod and mirror her smile, trying to fix my fuck-up.
I don't get another question for a hot minute. But the next one I get is actually an interesting one.
"So Ariella, being Max's teammate must be something. Can you talk about how that's been for you so far?" This is definitely a better question.
I correct my posture before speaking. "Yeah, so obviously Max is a great driver. We did some pre-season testing stuff together along with some sim stuff together, and during those times he taught me a few things he does that have helped me improve, even just minorly, but minor things can be so crucial. So, really having Max as a teammate is great and I appreciate his advice." I smile genuinely at the interviewer and she reflects my action.
After this question, I was asked about ten more, none of them really all that memorable.
My PR manager comes up to me as soon as I'm out of the conference. You have to go apologize to that interviewer. I don't know what you were thinking but that was completely unacceptable.
I don't respond I just do what Gemma says. "Hey, it's Allison isn't it?" She nods, confirming that's her name. "Look, I'm really sorry about that first question. I know you're just doing your job." I actually do feel really bad about it.
"No I completely get it. I didn't want to ask you the question, I thought it was a pretty stupid question, but as you said, it's my job."
"Even so, I am so sorry."
"It's totally fine, really." She gives me a smile that looks about as genuine as a smile can get.
I give her a final smile before returning Gemma, who is still standing where I left her.
"Thank you."
I smile in response as she walks me to more interviews. Many of the interviewers had forgettable questions.
"So Ariella there's many eligible bachelor's on the gird. Do you have your eyes on any of them?"
This question was a memorable one, probably because it made me want to roll my eyes. I keep my cool this time, careful to avoid another incident.
"While many of them do have the looks, I don't really see myself with a colleague. It's kind of an area I don't mess with." I smile and nod to close out my response.
More questions file in after this one, but again nothing memorable.
Gemma walks with me back to my driver's room.
"What even happened with that first question?" Her voice is almost concerning.
"I don't know. I think it was just the way the other drivers were being asked about actual important things and I get asked about my hair of all things. It just got to me I don't know why."
"Well you handled that other one very well. You had me scared for a moment."
I gather what I need from my driver's room before I head back to the hotel. Exhausted from the day, I collapse on the bed and crash before I know it.
(1840 words)
☆————————————☆
A/N - I wrote half of this while watching the Golden Knights game and the other half while watching the Dodgers game so I was very distracted so if this is actual garbage that's why. (Both of them lost).