"After sitting and waiting and anticipating. The energy through the walls reverberating. It's so captivating, the buzz generated. It's invigorating, I feel elevated".
When The Lights Come On // Asking Alexandria
Giulia vaguely woke up when Pierre kissed her cheek and combed his fingers through her curly hair. "I have to leave, princesse". His gravely voice muttered into her ear and she sleepily wrapped her arms around his neck. The Frenchman chuckled and kissed her lips a couple times. "We'll keep in touch, yes? I'll call you when I land in Japan". Pierre said and Giulia nodded. He had to leave in the middle of the night to catch his flight to the Super Formula racing weekend, leaving Giulia with the Red Bull team at Silverstone. She held onto his hand till he was out of reach and snuggled into his side of the bed, sleeping a couple hours more before her alarm rung.
It was her time to shine today, the Friday practice at the English circuit totally hers to drive. The brunette felt fit and awake, ready to drive the car around the track. Giulia took a shower at first, getting dressed in a pair of sport leggings and a sweater, god it could be cold in London. The clouds didn't look too promissing on letting the sun through and if the rain came, she didn't want to be cold at all. She was way too used to the Italian sun. Another thing Daniel and her had in common. They hated cold weather and loved to be out in the sun. She already giggled at the thought of him cursing on this weather of today.
Giulia gathered her stuff and swung her bag over her shoulder. Her trainer, Pyry, was waiting outside for her, greeting her with a short wave. "Morning, Giulia. Did you sleep well?". He asked while he took her bag from her. "Grazie, and yes, I slept great. I do have to admit I feel some healthy nerves inside of me now". Pyry let out a breathy laugh. "I haven't met a driver before who wasn't nervous. You'll be fine". He ensured her. "Or not, but...". "Pyry!". Giulia sighed and pushed her trainer's shoulder as he laughed louder, he was just messing with her. He threw her the keys of the Aston Martin of the company, which she caught easily.
They both got into the car and Giulia adjusted the navigation system before locking her seatbelt and settling the mirrors too. She drove away from the hotel and got onto the roads of London to get to Silverstone. "Pierre already left?". Pyry asked with a yawn, making Giulia throw him a playfully stern look. "Yeah, a bit after two I guess, I was half awake". She giggled and turned onto the highway. "He's doing great as well. Maybe he can get his spot at Red Bull too". Pyry replied and the Italian nodded. "I hope so for him it's his dream for a long time, especially after his great season in Formula 2".
It was a bit silent after that, but not an uncomfortable silence. Pyry made some calls underway and they reached the circuit without any delay. Giulia was busy with finding her parking spot when she heard the honking of a car behind her. She was about to shift into some road rage when she noticed it was Daniel and Sam behind them, which made her laugh and slam on the brakes, which made him have to brake all in sudden too. Giulia smoothly steered the car to park it in reverse. "You were driving so slow, how are you going to do that on the track, Gules?". The Australian asked as soon as he got out of his car.
"No comment". She dramatically sighed and flipped her hair, making him laugh now. Daniel wrapped his petite friend into a hug and made her squeal as he lifted her off the ground. "I'd appreciate if you couldn't kidnap my driver, Dan". Pyry said now, playful sparkles in his eyes as he handed Giulia her bag. "I'm not doing anything". Daniel lifted his hands in defeat and followed them with Sam to the Red Bull Racing hospitality. The whole crew had breakfast together and Giulia let Pyry get her plate, else she would only pick the things she liked and not the things which were actually good for her.
She greeted some mechanics she had seen earlier and sat down next to Daniel. "Jemma didn't want to come?". Giulia asked and he shook his head. "She's going to visit her parents in Australia for a bit, she'll be back in a week or so". Daniel shrugged and the Italian nodded in response. "What about Pierre?". He asked and his brown eyes shifted over to hers. He had always liked her brown eyes better than his own. Hers were some kind of hazelnut alike colour, like melted caramel mixed with the tiniest bit of chocolate, while his was just a bar of pure chocolate slammed onto the ground, at least he felt like that.
"At Suzuka for Super Formula, he's flying out to Japan almost every week". Giulia sighed as she missed him a lot sometimes, especially now. She was going to have her first day working for Red Bull and he had to miss it. Daniel didn't reply anything to it as he didn't want to say something stupid. "You have at least someone familiar around". He decided to say as he padded her shoulder. It caused a smile to break onto her face and she nodded. "Wouldn't want it to be anyone else". Giulia replied and held her hand out for his. "Dynamic duo back at it again". He joked and grabbed onto her hand briefly.
"Almost forgot, I brought you a present". Daniel reached down to fish something out of his bag, throwing the thing in her lap. "What's that?". She laughed and he shrugged, she could find out herself. Giulia threw her head back with a squeal and a clap of her hands as it was a beanie with Daniel's racing number and the Australian flag on it. "Italian flag was above the budget?". Giulia playfully nudged her elbow in his side and he clasped his hand over his heart. "You can't even appreciate a small gift anymore? Fame has really changed you, Gules". The two burst into laughter again and some lifted their to look at them, indicating it was too early for that much fun.
Giulia and Daniel parted ways after breakfast as Daniel had some interviews to do and Pyry took Giulia to her official driver's cabin for the last preparations before the training. "You and Daniel are quite close, aren't you?". He asked during some stretched. "Yes, we are". The Italian replied. She was getting quite tired of those questions by now. Yes, they are close, yes, they are good friends. Get over it, please. "Didn't mean to shove my nose in your business, by the way". Pyry muttured as he heard the underlying tone in her voice. "It's fine, it's just that everyone suddenly has attention for the friendship between me and Daniel".
Giulia bend down to tie the laces of her shoes. "We know each other since high school, he moved out of Australia to race, I followed since this year". She gave a short summary of the whole story. "I want to be friends with him without people all over us, we're both in a relationship". She said with a gentle smile. "You and Pierre are quite the couple though". Her trainer wiggled his eyebrows and Giulia rolled her brown ones with a chuckle. "You're in a F1 car, he's racing too. Such a power couple". Pyry gave her shoulder a playful bump and she lifted her arm to punch him too, which made him squeal and turn away.
They both laughed and Giulia shook her head. "Anyways, I think you're ready". Pyry said and took her helmet and gloved with him as they walked through the hallway to get to the pit box. "You do?". The brunette asked as she eyed the dark, matte bolide in front of her. "No". Giulia turned to Pyry with a shocked look and he laughed again. "Relax now, you'll be fine". He kneaded her shoulders and dumped her stuff in her arms. Giulia looked at him with a displeased glance as she saw Jake holding Max's stuff till he went into the car. Max spotted her on the other side of the pit box and waved at her.
Giulia greeted him with a smile as she had her hands full anyway. She put her gloves down on the counter and took her helmet, clenching it between her legs while covering her face with the fireproof balaclava. She stuffed her hair under it before pushing the helmet over her head and locking the straps beneath her chin. She hopped into the car in a swift move and made sure everything was alright. The mechanics strapped her into the seat and she had to admit her heart started to beat faster with every second that passed.
Daniel crossed his arms over his chest as he stood in the back of the pit box, he looked at the way she wrapped her fingers around the steering wheel, tight yet delicate. He knew from how she became more quiet throughout the breakfast that she felt some nerves and god it was more than normal. He was incredibly nervous the first time he sat in a F1 car too and hell he was nervous nowadays too. Seeing Giulia sitting in his car, now revving the engine and waiting for her cue to drive out of the pit box, it made him feel... feelings.
He couldn't really put his finger on it, although he surely knew that he was more than proud. A chuckle fell over his lips at his own thoughts and he looked back at the Red Bull bolide when Giulia drove onto the pit-lane. Daniel's heart skipped a beat as he watched her drive on the track as the screens showed her racing trough the curves. She was an excellent driver, she always has been and he had ushered her way back then to go an race too, but her totally not confident self didn't think she could do it. Yet there she was.
The Australian felt a shiver run up spine as he actually felt a warm rush through his bloodstream. He had thought about it more often, but now he truly felt it too. The feeling of happiness as he seemed to relive the happy memories of his past, his youth and that with Giulia. "She's doing pretty good, isn't she?". Daniel almost jumped out of his skin as Pyry patted his shoulder. "Yes". He breathed out and tried to ignore the grin on the trainer's face as he noticed he had scared the Formula 1 driver. "Media stuff that needs to be done?". Pyry asked and Daniel blinked at first.
Oh, of course. Daniel didn't have to drive the first practice today, so Pyry had no idea why Daniel was needed at the track this early. "Nah, already finished yesterday. Wanted to see the little one in my car". He teasingly bumped his shoulder against Giulia's trainer. "Ah, I get it". Pyry replied. "I'll see you around". He smiled and walked away. Daniel looked back in front of him and discovered that Giulia came back inside. She neatly drove the car in a position for the mechanics to push her back into the pit box.
Giulia still felt the euphoric sparkles cruise through her veins as the mechanics unbuckled her from her seatbelts, her legs a bit shaky as she hopped out of the cockpit. Her fingers pried the strap of her helmet loose and she threw her gloves on the counter next to her. "Wasn't that a stunning drive?". Daniel mentioned and she looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "It felt hella good". He laughed at the way she said it, her thick accent clearly shining through. She pulled the balaclava off her head and shook her hair loose.
"I think you need to buy me a beer this weekend, Dan". Giulia told him with a smile. "Because of your debut? Sure". Daniel rolled his eyes and couldn't force back her smile. "And because she drove a faster fastest lap than your previous practice in Austria". Simon smiled and came between both. Daniel's jaw almost dropped at the news and Giulia's cheeks heated up at the rush of excitement. "Don't worry, you have enough time to catch up". Her right eye dropped in a wink and Daniel shoved her shoulder.
"I'll get back right at you, Spinelli!".
The day was satisfying, yet very tiring for Giulia. She had learned a lot and was definitely ready to drive more free practices. She had signed for 6 practices and Christian had mentioned she'd get the after season tests eventually as well, if her results added up to the expectations of the Red Bull team boss. "Where are your thoughts?". Daniel suddenly hung above her as he bended over the fence she was seated under. "You need to stop scaring me". She muttered and he laughed briefly, climbing over the fence to sit against the wall like she did.
Giulia looked at the sun that was sinking slowly down, the weather had finally turned better towards the end of the day, even some sunlight shining through the thick clouds. Some wind was blowing over the track as her eyes were focused on the start-finish asphalt of Silverstone. "My thoughts aren't anywhere specific". She finally answered his question and turned her head to him. "Just how crazy this is, jumping into this life". Daniel's brown eyes were kind as he answered. "So you do think of something". Giulia scoffed and slipped out a giggle.
"You barely changed". She mentioned and they looked at each other again. "I only got more handsome?". Daniel guessed. "You're more cocky than I remember". His laughter echoed over the track. "Yesterday's ain't got nothing for me". He replied and teasingly and she laughed now. "From Parkway Drive to Guns 'N Roses, maybe you did change". Giulia pried some fluff off his jacket. "Maybe we should have a Netflix night, some awful horror movies and some snacks to get to know each other again". He suggested with a shrug.
"That seems great". Giulia smiled and he swung his arm around her, his knuckles moving over her hair and making it a complete mess.
"Daniel!".