The Team // A Formula One AU

Checo

"Disneyland. Disneyland? Are we, are we, seriously going to Disneyland?" Max is incredulous. Tom has had some strange ideas in our time together but this is right up there.

"Yup," he says. "Some local company bought us the tickets so we need to go, take a few pictures for them and hope they'll sponsor your future careers."

"You mean our next season?" I ask.

Tom purses his lips. "There is no next season. Now go, don't pretend you don't want to see the princesses."

Sebastian splutters in the row behind me and nudges Nando who punches his arm in reply. I look out of the steamy bus window and can maybe see the pointy roof of the pink castle, looming over us like a dark palace of deception. It may seem great but my family came here last summer and it's not really enchanting unless you're a seven year old girl. Couple of good rides I guess.

"Come on, go!" Tom shoves the door open and we trip over each other for some fresh air, excitement seeping into a couple of our minds. We usually just spend weekday evenings in the hostel or wandering the streets of our latest city looking for something mildly entertaining. This will certainly be that.

Max pats the bus, sounding more like a punch after being trapped in the heat for over an hour, but we take it as our queue to start trooping over to the grand entrance. Peter hands out tickets and Weird Old Phil yells at us to get into our so called 'safety pairs', much to the horror of literally everyone. Nando and I reluctantly speed up to walk a few paces behind our assigned partners, Esteban and Valtteri, until Tom overrules, saying it's unnecessary. Good old Tom, always overruling when it counts.

We make it through the gate, take mental notes to be back by nine and are set free. Daniel and Max head straight for the candyfloss and Lando is about a half a kilometre towards the castle before George and Carlos realise and reluctantly jog after him. I pick up a map and follow Sebastian and Nico into the crowds.

"Don't worry Checo, we'll be back at the gym soon." Sebastian pats me on the back reassuringly.

"Shut up and look at Tinkerbell."

I retort and see where we're heading before we turn the corner. I remember it as a black shadow on my wonderful childhood.

The tea cups.

"Hey, where's princess dreamer?" I ask to distract myself.

"Hey yeah, where is Nando? He's missing all the excitement."

We look around slightly worriedly until we see him walking towards us with his camera in his hand.

"I got the photo," he grins.

"What photo?" Sebastian asks and Nando looks at each of us in turn.

"The one I told you I was gonna take. Of the castle."

"Oh, right... Totally was listening to that."

We join the queue and bicker for a while over the usual things, hand-egg, running, painting, until we find ourselves jammed into an oversized mug. Memories galore.

"You look sick and we haven't even moved yet," Nando laughs.

"He's scaaaared..." Nico chides as I relive taking my two younger cousins on this thing almost a year ago. We start moving and I remember the exact blurred view I had when the first one vomited his lunch all over the seat. I remember it running round the whole circumference before the other cousin followed suit and the ride had to be stopped for health and safety reasons. I feel nauseous.

"Checo, seriously, are you okay?"

I look over at my friend and can barely keep my own food down. I clamp my hand over my mouth to show him what I mean and Nando looks at me disgustedly but still quizzically, it's not like we're even really spinning.

"Sorry," I say as we soon walk out into the sunshine again.

"It's okay, at least you didn't puke."

"Yeah..." I groan. I feel like such a baby.

"Hey, I know what'll make you feel better," Nando says and I turn to look at him and the enormous stuffed animal in his hands. "A unicorn."

"Where the heck did you get that?!" Sebastian yells and I choke on laughter. Nando thrusts the huge horse into my arms and I stagger under its unexpected weight, how do I begin to carry this thing?

"I won it," he says simply and I marvel at his ability to do these things unnoticed. He shrugs, a little breathless. "I get bored of squabbling over rugby."

"It's. Freaking. Football. American football!"

"Foot, ball." I take over so Nando can get his breath back. "There are no feet or balls in that stupid game. There are however hands, and a weird egg shaped-"

"Ball! It's a ball and you run with your-"

"Legs. It should be called leg egg."

"Shut up."

"See. You can't dispute it," I conclude victoriously.

"Unicorn boy."

"Curly face," Nando defends me.

"You stay out of this, Princess."