The Shakedown (Lewis Hamilton x Reader)

Saturday

Good morning qualifying day! Today is the day where all the racers take to the track and try to have the quickest time within a 20 minute frame. The ones that take the least time to complete it move on to Q2 and finally Q3. Depending on the results they get, it determines where each driver starts in a grid. As you can tell, today is quite important.

So important in fact, that Brad got up and left to the circuit without me. Only leaving behind a note that read:

Sorry babe, I got a rare opportunity to interview Hamilton after the race, so I had to go brainstorm questions with the team. I trust that you can get to the circuit alone. Have fun.

- Brad :)

"Who's Hamilton?" I thought to myself, "and since when does he use a smiley face?"

I immediately texted Kelly to know if I could leave with her to the circuit, thankfully she said yes.

So I got ready. I wore an elegant jumpsuit with sneakers and accessories to match. I then had breakfast in my room, answered a few emails from my agency, and before I knew it, it was time to go.

I met Kelly downstairs, and she was alone because Max had already left that morning. When we were going out to the car, we were immediately greeted by a mob of paparazzi. Who I thought were for Kelly, until I heard them yell my name.

When we made it to the car, Kelly started to speak, "I knew you were famous, but not like this."

"Hey, I'm not the only famous person here," I said, and we laughed.

I don't know if it's the fact that we came in a Escalade and not in a Sky Sports car, but more people seemed to recognize me more, and so the paparazzi frenzy began.

We finally got to the garage, and there the photographers were only focused on taking pictures of the drivers, so we were saved. Kelly spoke to Max, and we made our way to our seats.

"Did you see Lew?" she asked me.

"No, I didn't," I confessed, "guess he must work somewhere secluded."

"Maybe," she said, "are you ready to see this?"

"For sure!"

In the time that followed, Kelly and I were laser-focused on the session. As each round went by, we watched Max go quick but there was always these two drives doing better than him.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"Mercedes team members," she said, "Bottas and Hamilton."

No wonder Brad was excited to get an interview with him. He was very fast. Eventually, the qualifying ended, and Max was starting 3rd. So after they did a few interviews, we went down to see Max, who was a bit bummed about starting 3rd but reassured me he still had a chance to win tomorrow.

While we talking to the guys, I spot from a distance Brad with a mic on one hand and a phone on the other, classic. But, as a girlfriend does I excused myself from the group and rushed to him.

"Babe!" I shouted.

"Y/N!" he said looking shocked, "what are you doing here?"

"Ahm," I paused, "watching a race?"

"Yeah, I know," he responded, "but how are you here? Your tickets don't give access to this area."

"Well, I have been trying to tell," I started to explain, " I made friends, they're over there," I pointed.

"That's Max and Pierre!" he said shocked, "I knew your model status would be useful someday."

I paused in hopes that he might correct himself, but nothing and so I asked, "what does that mean?"

"They recognised you from your work right?"

"No, I met Kelly on our first night here."

"Oh, but either way, this is awesome!" he said with enthusiasm, I don't even remember the last time he spoke to me like this. "Can you introduce us?"

"Are you serious?!"

"Come on, babe," he said, and held my hand, "I know I have been distant this trip but..."

"These months," I interrupted.

"Yeah, whatever," he waved it off, "but this can really help my career."

At that moment, I zoned out into my thoughts and could only see his lips move as he came up with every excuse that this was the right thing to do. My mom was right, he is a prick, took me a long time to see it but I do now.

"Do you even care about me?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

Before I could speak his teammate, Samantha, yells, "Hamilton is ready for you!"

"I have to go, babe, talk later!" he said and just like that left me.

"Oh, I didn't know you were here," Sam told me.

I held back the tears and walked back to Kelly. I told her what happened and told her I'd be going back to my room, she understood and walked me to the car.

When I arrived at the hotel I decided to get a room for myself so I could think and be alone, not that he would notice I wasn't there. I got my things and moved there for a while and then decide to go down to have dinner at the restaurant.

In my table for one, I order dinner and a drink. While I was there I was answering emails on my computer.

"Back again aren't we?" A voice said, "may I?"

I looked up to see Lew, gesturing to the chair in front of me.

"Yes, I am, it's the only place I can think, and enjoy myself," I explained, "and yes you may."

"Well that's different," he said taking his seat, "even with so many people around?"

"Yeah, I don't know, I just like the ambiance."

"Me too."

"But anyways, you're a hard man to find Lew," I started to say, "I've been all around the garages and didn't see you."

"Yeah," he said with a smile, "I tend to in the back of the garage a lot."

"Alright, if you say so," I said, "but tomorrow I'm coming to check out your working space if you don't me."

"You are more then welcome," he replied, " just come to the Mercedes garage, and I'll be there."

We then proceeded to have a conversation about the qualifiers and about my career, to my surprise he knew my work. He was very nice and funny. We ended up the night making a deal for the next day.

"Okay but tomorrow you have to support Mercedes," he spoke, " you've been on Red Bull all weekend."

"That's cause you disappeared," I mentioned.

"Alright, fair," he confessed, "but come on you'll be in my garage."

"Okay, deal," I said, " but one of your drivers better win."

"I'll make sure of it." He responded.

I actually can't wait for tomorrow.