Hearts on the track

Cap. Twelve

After lunch, Carlos kindly offered me a ride home so that I can change before we head to the party. I take advantage of the journey to calm my thoughts and prepare myself for the exciting afternoon and evening ahead. I can't help but feel a bit nervous about seeing Lando again. Since our last outing, we haven't been together in person, only exchanging occasional brief messages.Arriving at my house, I rush to my apartment to quickly change. I choose a simple white bikini and a light blue elegant dress. I grab a smaller bag and only pack the essentials I might need. I let my hair loose and go to the kitchen, grabbing a new bottle of tequila and putting some cookies I made the day before in a Tupperware container. I didn't want to show up at the party empty-handed.

I leave my apartment and get back in the car. Despite the sun shining and providing a comfortable warmth, it's March and the temperature isn't ideal for going in the sea, but it seems that being a Formula 1 driver requires being a bit crazy.

Upon arriving at the harbour, the sight of the boat leaves me speechless. The ship is imposing and elegant, with a shimmering pearl colour. The lights glow along the deck, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere. The music is already playing and as soon as I step out of the car, it fills my ears.

We board the boat, and I follow Carlos and Charles to the back of the boat, the main deck. We pass through the interior, which is equally impressive. The spaces are tastefully decorated, with touches of beige and black. Outside, there is an elegant bar and several sofas. As soon as we step outside, I hear a voice shouting with excitement, with arms in the air.

"SOPHIAAAAAAA!" He takes a little run towards me and wraps his arms around my shoulders. On the other hand, he already had a drink. "Guys, this is Sophia," he says, leading me to meet the other people. Pierre Gasly, Max Verstappen, and Daniel Ricciardo are there, and they all greet me cheerfully.

"So, you're the one raising the game for Ferrari?" Max says after the introductions are done. I laugh lightly at his words, shrug my shoulders, and reply, "I like to think so!"

"You should stop wasting time with these guys and come directly to the winning team," he says, pointing to the Ferrari drivers who had joined the group.

"Why are you stealing my strategist from me? Can't you handle the potential pressure we might bring?" Carlos taunts with a triumphant look.

"You're all innocent because Sophia here is going to be converted to McLaren," Lando says, squeezing me tighter with his arm that was still around my shoulders. Not knowing what to say, I simply smile, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Stop talking about work, you idiots! Come on, Sophia, I'll introduce you to my girlfriend! She'll be thrilled to finally have another female around," he grabs my wrist and leads me over to one of the sofas where an incredibly beautiful woman is on her phone. When she notices our presence, she hangs up the phone and stands up, smiling.

"Kika, this is Sophia! She works at Ferrari with Charles and Carlos," Pierre says, pointing at me. She gives me two kisses on the cheek and says, "Hello, I'm Francisca, nice to meet you." She was truly a goddess, wearing a white mini-dress that would make anyone jealous. I knew she was a Portuguese model and had been dating Pierre for a few months.

"Tu és tão bonita , até me sinto mal pela minha falta de estilo neste momento" You're beautiful, I'm feeling bad about my lack of style at the moment I said in Portuguese. This was my chance to practice my second language.

"És portuguesa?" Are you Portuguese? she said, surprised.

"50% da parte da minha mãe! Os outros 50% sou britânica mas meus pais fizeram questão de ser fluente nas duas línguas" 50% on my mother's side! The other 50% is British, but my parents made sure I was fluent in both languages I laughed at her surprise. Portuguese was truly a difficult language to learn.