The Team // A Formula One AU

Nico

"C'mon guys we're not going to have any time to do anything!" I yell into the grey sunlit room. Checo's pillow falls into Nando's pile of junk as he groans and turns over to face me.

"What time is it?" he croaks.

"Six o'clock! C'mon it's going to be so–"

"Will you be quiet!?" Seb hisses angrily. I hear Lando tittering outside the door.

"Well fine, Baz. If you aren't coming with me I'm going on my own." I pause to see if anyone moves. No one does, except Seb whose middle finger emerges from beneath his blanket. "Fine, if that's how you feel... Fine."

I leave the room and stand out on the landing. No bunk beds this week, but still sadly no room to ourselves. It isn't so bad sharing with my three best friends but I do wish they'd get out of bed. So what if it's two hours earlier than in LA?

I look down to see Max dragging his suitcase up the stairs. Part of his punishment is to be separated from his friends which means he shared a bed with Esteban last night, so I'm not surprised he's on the run at sunrise. He gives me a pleading smile and I nod back at him.

I've completely lost Lando. It's cold out on the steps. Hot breakfasts haven't even started up yet.

"Alright fine," I say, bursting back through the door of the dorm and going over to sit on my end of the bed. "You can sleep a bit longer while I get dressed. But it's not my fault if you miss out on all the fun."

Checo grunts in reply and I sigh. I wish I could go exploring on my own. I pull on my socks and stand up. The swimming pool will be deserted at this time of day. No one will ever know if I go and play in it. I grab my trunks from my suitcase and hurtle down the stairs towards the outside world.

The pool isn't as deserted as I thought it would be. When I walk out of the changing rooms into the thin sunlight I hear screaming before I see half the water on the side of the pool instead of in it.

"Hey Sparkplug," I grin.

"Hi Nico!" He bounces on a flimsy plastic slide when he sees me and jumps off the top into what's left of the water. He comes up screeching and I jump in after him.

"You're up early," I laugh. He shakes his head like a dog and mildly chlorinated water flies off his hair at high speed.

"It's six o'clock," he replies, "If I didn't come now then everyone else would be in here already."

"Lando," I put on a sternly patronising voice, "do you not like the other children?"

"No!" he yells with an impish grin and splashes me before diving underwater and splashing me again with his legs. I follow him but by the time the bubbles clear I only see his feet climbing the ladder back to his slide. I follow him out and corner him at the top of the steps.

"There's no escape now, Norris," I say and he looks behind himself at the pool below.

"There's always a way!" he says as I lunge forward and he drops into the water. I look down after him in time to be sprayed by his splash.

"Curse you, urchin!" I shout.

"Urchins don't have flippers like me," Lando replies. "I'll race you."

"Okay, just let me get down first." I inspect the sun-bleached plastic of the slide and decide a Lando-esque jump is probably safer. I take a deep breath and launch myself into the cold water. I dimly hear him shout go before I break the surface and see him push himself off for the race. I follow as fast as I can.

He's far quicker than me so I grab his leg and pull him backwards. He kicks violently and I pull myself past him.

"You're cheating!" he screams as I make the final stroke to the other end to win.

"You started before I was ready," I reply.

"So this is where you guys are..." I turn to see Tom standing on the edge of the pool. "You're going to miss your breakfasts if you don't get in there now. We're leaving in half an hour."

Lando's eyes widen and he pulls himself out of the pool and runs into the changing rooms. I follow him. I bet the others are still lying in bed.