Gasoline ~ Daniel Ricciardo

06| Jonah

Jonah caught up to me and my rival, "You've been avoiding me, Ryan." he spoke, his voice flat and void of any sort of emotion. He hadn't been involved in my life since I ventured into Formula 2, and I wanted it to stay that way, especially after the incident he created on the night of my F3 Championship celebrations. It was all so familiar to me, the tome of his voice and the way he stared at me through black eyes.

"And you're supposed to be in an institution," I said back, crossing my arms over to mask the violent thumping of my heart in my chest.

He terrified me, I remember the way he held the knife over my paralysed body during the celebrations, and I just remember how powerless I felt next to him. But that was when I was Fourteen, and now I was twenty four. I took a step closer to him, "You trying to finish what you started?" I asked and shoved past him, not looking back as I began to make my way down the hill and back towards where Daniel had broken in.

Jonah's hand wrapped around my arm like a vice, and he tried to pull me back towards him, "Get back here, you fucking bitch," he screamed and yanked me closer to him, so close that I could smell the expired sweat tainting his clothes, and the weed masking the stench coming from his mouth.

Daniel was quick to react, he shoved himself between Jonah and myself, providing a barrier against my shitty excuse of a brother. "Don't you dare touch her," he said and moved me directly behind him.

Jonah laughed, "Whatever you say, pretty boy," he said.

I was quick to react, forcing myself past my rival and shoving my palms into my brother's chest, forcing him to fall down onto the tarmac, "You're a pathetic, manipulative, little leech, and if I could, I would kill you myself for what you've done to me." I growled and crouched closer down to the level his head was, "Don't think I wouldn't do it either," I finished and spat at his feet.

I turned back to face Daniel, who was keeping a close eye on my brother, whilst also ensuring that I didn't get injured by the vile man sprawled out on the floor. His eyes softened when he looked at me, and he lead me down the hill more and more whilst my brother shouted out behind the pair of us.

When we arrived back at the hotel, I had completely forgotten about the sleeping arrangements, and the dawn of my realisation had become apparent to Daniel, too. He had his suitcase in his hands, and was ready to part ways the very minute we made our way inside the lobby of the Hilton.

"I'll just stay somewhere else, its fine," I offered and pulled my suitcase along behind me towards the bus stop out front.

A hand wrapped around my wrist and then let go, "Just... stay," he said.

It's not that I didn't want to share a room with Daniel Ricciardo, just that I didn't know what this would do for our rivalry, or for publicity. "Fine," I agreed, and made my way over to the revolving door with him directly behind me every step of the way. Once we were inside, I could feel his breath on the back of my neck, causing me to shudder softly.

His hand brushed my hair across my neck and over my shoulder as he uncovered the tattoo on the back of my neck, "Have you got a full back tattoo?" he asked me, his fingers toying with the collar of the hoodie as we walked into the fancy lobby.

"Give it a rest," I groaned and made my way over towards the front desk, leaning against it for support whilst Daniel leant next to me. His forearm brushed mine as I watched the night manager making his way from the back room towards where we were stood.

The thought of sharing a bed with Daniel had only begun to dawn on me the minute he began speaking to the manager. Not only would he see me wearing my 'lucky pyjamas' but I also had to deal with sleeping next to him. This was a lot worse than what I had initially thought. Like, way worse. Absolutely no way would I want to sleep next to him, especially when I was already worked up from earlier on.