Saudi Arabia
Thursday, March 16
Ariella's pov
I don't like media day. I'm always asked the most irrelevant questions. Questions that don't even relate to my racing. The few times I actually get related questions, I feel like I've been blessed. Those interviewers instantly become my favorites.
"What if I call in sick?" I ask Parker while I'm trying to find something to wear.
"Ariella come on it's only a few hours you'll be fine. You're acting so childish right now you're practically pouting on the floor." She gestures to my state and laughs.
"You're mean." I cross my arms over my chest and turn away from her.
"That really didn't help your case." She manages to speak through her laughs. "Here, put this on before you make us both late." She throws an outfit at me, which I do put on because I know her fashion sense is 100x better than mine.
She drives us both to the paddock.
I'll spare the details because the day was dreadful, as I suspected. Nothing eventful, the same boring questions restated in different words. There was one question worth noting though.
"Fans took pictures of you and George eating out together alone after qualifying in Bahrain. But you two seem to avoid each other now, why is that?"
Shit. I don't have a lie for this prepared. Time to improvise. "Uh, no George and I have never gone out to eat together alone. I mean we have with friends, maybe that is what you're talking about, but other than that George and I haven't done anything alone together." I shake my head and shrug my shoulders, trying to play off the blatant lie as a truth.
The guy doesn't look convinced.
"But it was very obvious the table was just a table for two." He raises an eyebrow in question.
I shake my head and pretend to look confused. "Do you have this picture? Maybe it was edited because I wouldn't go to dinner with George." Technically, I have never actually had dinner with George. We have had dessert and that is definitely what he's talking about.
The guy nods, looking more convinced now. "Thank you."
"Yeah, thank you." Gemma then takes me away to the next interviewer.
That interaction was really the only one all day that I can actually remember word for word. Probably because my heart was beating a million times a second due to my frantic state trying to come up with a lie to keep everyone happy.
"You lied to me. I was not fine. That was miserable." I cross my arms over my chest and stare out the window. Parker offered to drive me to and from the track today, obviously I accepted. I don't drive unless I have to because why would I do something in my free time if I do it for work? Doesn't make sense to me.
"It wasn't that bad. I think you're just dramatic."
"I want to go and sleep now." I don't move my eyes from the window, and my arms stay crossed. I can see Parker glance at me through my peripherals. She laughs quietly.
"I don't think your mind has aged since you were 4 years old."
I turn to her in usual dramatic fashion. "Hey! I'm dramatic, not a toddler. Calling me a toddler is just plain rude." I can see that she's holding back a laugh as she pulls the car into the hotel's car park.
"Okay, I think it's time for your nap now." I glare at her and she just laughs.
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George
George
-Movie night tonight?
Ariella
Oh my gosh yes! What are we watching?-
George
-That's a surprise. Just come to my room.
Ariella
Why cant I know?☹️-
George
-Because that ruins the whole surprise factor. I have snacks though.
Ariella
You're forgiven.-
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George and I have been hanging out in each other's rooms often because we can't do it out in public.
"What are you smiling about?" Parker asks me as we walk in through the hotel doors.
"Uh, just a funny post I saw." I feel bad lying to her, but it's not like I had a choice.
"Can I see?" She asks, I can tell she's skeptical.
I shake me head. "You wouldn't get it."
"Mhm." She nods, not convinced at all but doesn't push it.
"Any progress with Lando?" I change the topic.
She shakes her head sadly. "Nope. I'm sending him signals he's just either not noticing or doesn't care to act on it."
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked." I was hoping for something good, not this sad news.
"No, it's fine. It's not your fault." She shakes her head again. Then asks, "so, you find anyone yet?" She smirks and bumps my shoulder with hers.
"No. I told you I won't date a colleague." I remind her for what must be the 100th time.
"But you'll date your brothers friend?" It's less of a question and more of a jab at me.
That reminds me of what she said in the car last week, about Luke and I's break up.
"What did you mean when you said Luke didn't think we were better as friends?" To her, the question probably seems to appear out of nowhere.
Parker looked unsure. Then after a moment, seems to give in.
"For awhile after you two broke up, Luke was still hooked on you. I'm sure he's gotten over it by now. It was years ago. But don't tell him I told you he would actually kill me." She adds the last sentence on quickly.
In perfect timing, we arrive at my hotel room. I thank her for driving me and go to change into a pair of pajamas for movie night.
I put on a pair of black pajama shorts and a light blue, almost turquoise, sweatshirt.
I check that the hallway is mostly clear before I quickly make my way to George's room down the hall. I give three fast knocks on the door and he opens it almost instantly.
I push past him and examine the snacks on the table. A box of crackers, a selection of chips, some candies, three types of popcorn, and five different options for drinks.
"Good work." I complement his shopping job and turn back around to find him staring at me, smiling.
I furrow my brows in confusion.
"What?"
"You look great in that color." His smile turns to a smirk.
I stand confused for another couple of seconds, then I realize. The color sweatshirt I chose to wear is dangerously close to turquoise. A Mercedes color.
I pick up the closest pillow to me and throw it at him as hard as I can, which is pointless because he easily deflects it.
"That was just a coincidence."
"Oh yeah, definitely." He nods with a smirk still on his face.
"So what are we watching?" I ask him, throwing myself onto the bed.
"We are watching my favorite movie." He picks up the remote, the tv comes out of sleep mode to display the movie 'La La Land'.
I laugh. "Your favorite movie is La La Land?"
He smiles at me. "Nope. But it's your favorite so we are watching it."
I can't help but smile. Then it hits me, how did he know La La Land was my favorite? So I ask him.
"Before, you know, I asked Parker about it."
"Jesus how much did you ask Parker?" And why did she never tell me anything?
"I asked her enough. Now shhh movie is on."
I started to cry halfway through the movie during one of the sad scenes between Mia and Sebastian.
"Are you crying?" George sounds both concerned and amused when he asks this.
"Yes! It's a sad movie don't judge!" He laughs, then moves to catch the tears falling from my eyes. I freeze.
He seems to realize what he did because he turns red and pulls away, "Sorry. Force of habit." His eyes go back to being trained on the screen.
"No, it's fine don't worry about it." I get up to get more snacks in order to distract myself and also in an attempt to make the air less tense. "You want anything?" I turn to ask him.
"No thank you." He shakes his head, but doesn't remove his eyes from the screen.
I nod and waste time at the table by acting like I'm making a decision about what I want.
The entire time after that was just incredibly awkward, for no reason too. It's not like he did anything wrong. I left as soon as the movie ended, just wanting to remove myself from the uncomfortable atmosphere.
"Where were you?" Parker questions as I open my hotel room's door, causing me to jump.
"I just went for a drive is all." Another lie.
"In that? And you hate driving when you can't go fast!" She gives me a questioning look.
"What's wrong with this?" I ignore her other point. I look down at my outfit. I'm still in the sweatshirt and shorts.
"It's like 4 degrees outside! No way you went out in shorts!" She looks at me like I'm insane.
"Like I said, I was in my car most the time. And what are you even doing here?" There's no logical reason for her to be here. I told her I was going to sleep when I left.
"I did have a question but I forgot it cause you made me wait ages."
"You could've texted me it."
"But you said you were going to sleep and I needed the question to be answered urgently but now I forgot it so that's kind of pointless now."
"Okay well now I am actually going to sleep so goodnight."
(1616 words)
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A/N - uhh I don't really like this chapter anyways THANK YOU SO MUCH for 400 reads and Rocky's casting was added to the cast chapter idk if I said that already.
Lmk what you think so far and leave any suggestions you have.🫶