Unwritten Endings [Daniel Ricciardo]

When the frustration takes over

"So you're telling me that this man here, was out for dinner with me, groaning over how tired he was, and then comes at 3am to pick you up and help you with your friend?" Michael laughed as Blake made me tell the story of my Saturday happenings from last weekend, "How the fuck did you even manage to fit two women in that McLaren, mate?!"

Daniel shook his head before looking over at me with a grin on his lips. The dinner that probably was planned to be way shorter, ended up with us three chatting away as I got to hear some rather funny and personal stories from the friend group, hearing things I surely would tease Daniel about in the future whenever he would be fooling around with me.

But they looked tired, every single one of them, and I noticed some people from their team disappearing from the restaurant, one by one, some of them being replaced by others as they probably came straight from the track to grab a late dinner. As I finished my glass with coke, I watched the three men around the table before I smacked my hand onto the table, making them jump.

"So, I think it's a great time to call it a night before I start yawning like crazy here!" I smiled, getting the feeling that none of the guys wanted to end the dinner before I did as I was their guest for the weekend. But I couldn't bare being the one who kept them up later than supposed and giving the results of Daniel not being enough prepared for the qualification tomorrow.

And I was right, because the others were quick to agree as I noticed Daniel trying to hide a yawn escaping his lips as he sat on the opposite of me. I tried really hard to not get smitten by it, but soon enough I felt a yawn coming my way, making Daniel grin. "A hard work week for you?"

"If you only knew, we lost a partner today for my project so I'm rather happy to get something else to think about this weekend..." I sighed as the four of us walked out from the restaurant, reaching the elevator. While waiting for it to arrive, Daniel laid an arm around my shoulders as he told me that I would surely work it out once I was back in the office next week.

While I couldn't stop thinking of the bed in my hotel room during the whole dinner, I looked forward to drawl underneath the covers that looked fluffier than clouds, knowing very well that I would sleep like a baby tonight. Plus, all the nervousness I had felt about being here this weekend quickly disappeared when I opened up my door earlier to be greeted by Daniel's happy face.

Michael and Blake were two men I quickly understood why Daniel had chosen to have in his working team, they all seemed to fit together like the hand in a glove. And from what I witnessed this evening, they had a really great friendship as well, letting me get comfortable in their company.

Plus, the people who wore the McLaren team wear, who came over quickly to say hi or just tell Daniel something, seemed very welcoming as well when they noticed my presence around the table. But I was still having a few uncertain feelings about tomorrow, being at the track.

Daniel had warned me about how things were at the track, with the media standing in every possible corner, both journalists as well as photographers. So I knew that I had to be prepared on having cameras snapping around me, also to remind myself that if someone managed to grab a photo of me that could look like something else, rumours could be created in seconds. That was also the reason to why Daniel would go to the track earlier tomorrow together with Michael, and me and Blake to arrive a bit before the practice session. Not because we didn't want to be seen together, but as I was a new face to this world, people would quickly notice me accompanying Daniel and his small team around the paddock.

Plus, I enjoyed the idea of going to the track just in time to watch Daniel in the car during the practice session he had tomorrow. Mostly because I wouldn't know what to do in the meanwhile as he was at meetings or occupied with either media duties or preparing himself together with Michael for driving. I did know that I had Blake who would take great care of me, and I wasn't really uncomfortable with the idea of being there, but it was a new territory for me and I had no idea on what to expect, who I was allowed to talk to or how I would even act around that place.