𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 - 𝐋𝐍𝟒

2.0

Bahrain, Thursday

Gwen

I WALKED UP TO THE PADDOCK early on Thursday morning, It was a very familiar feeling, walking into the track, but today felt different. I was so used to watching F1 drivers do interviews and film videos that it was hard to believe that I was going to be there doing that. Of course I did media things in W Series, but everything was much smaller, now I was at the top, the biggest form of motorsport in the world. Almost nothing would have ripped the smile off of my face at that moment. Except, something did, and his name started with an L, because on my first day at the circuit in my F1 career, Lando Norris was walking towards me before I even entered the paddock. 

"What in the world do you want now, you ruined my perfect mood" I sighed.

"I lost my track ID." He said bluntly. How could he have lost his F1 ID on the first day. As soon as I got mine in the mail 2 days prior, I had been guarding it like it was my child.

"What do you want me to do, go inside and ask them to get your spare one" I said sarcastically.

"That's exactly what I want you to do" He replied with a sly smile.

"I was being sarcastic. I need to get in the paddock, were filming a YouTube video" I said. 

"Yeah, exactly, but you can't film the video without me" He shot back, a smirk on his face. In the corner of my eye, I saw someone from the media approaching in the distance with a large camera.

"Can't you ask someone else to do it" I said through gritted teeth.

"Don't you think it's embarrassing to loose it on the first day, I wasn't going to ask some random stranger. I was waiting for Carlos to come, but he texted me he driver was stuck in traffic." Lando said. 

"Ugh, why the freak are they everywhere, this shiz is not of their business! Fine. I'll get you the stupid pass." I told him and started walking towards the gate.

"That's kind of the point of the media, they follow you around!" Lando called out to me as I walked away, then he turned to the camera, and waved.

I was now angrily marching into the paddock, the smile I previous wore was nowhere in sight. Where was his spare track ID, and how in the world was I going to get it. My mind filled with Ideas as I walked through the paddock towards my garage. The first person I decided to text was Emma, my pr manager, she probably had some sort of contact with Lando's pr manager. While I was waiting for a response, Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren walked past me.

"Zak!" I called out causing him to turn around "Gwen, good morning" He said with a warm smile

"uhm, Lando is currently waiting outside the paddock, he lost his track ID and sent me to go get a spare, but I honestly have zero clue where a spare might be" I told him.

"ah, Classic Lando, thank you so much for letting me know, I can take care of this as I'm sure you have somewhere to be." He replied.  I smiled "Thank you!" I called out as I started walking to the door that lead out to a nice green space behind our team garages. That was where we would be filming the YouTube video.

2 people where already there setting up camera's while another 2 got out a hose and 2 buckets, they were also setting up a table and chairs, forming a small set. They thanked me for being on time and handed me a bathing suit to go change into. 

I took it from them with a confused look and headed to the bathroom to change. As soon as I put the bikini on I looked in the mirror to reveal one of the most flattering and also revealing bikini's I've ever worn. But then my mind started to think properly, and I started to get worried. Half the people would be busy criticizing my body why the other half would be doubting my skill. Those same people, would then be complementing Lando and wishing him luck on the next race. Even though we had yet to film videos together, I could see it when I scrolled through comments on my Instagram, then looked at comments on Lando's.

I walked out of the bathroom and my eyes locked with Lando's. He was wearing orange swim shorts that were the exact same shade as mine. The first thought that crossed my mind was damn, he is fit. But, that thought was quickly erased when they called me over to start filming. 

The thing I hate the most about the team is that they never tell us what the videos we film are about, they did it in W Series and they are doing it again in F1. 

"Alrighty, Lando, Gwen, you guys can sit in those chairs and we will get started." The main camera man told us. The lady beside him got out a clapperboard and snapped it closed signaling we could start. Then, the reserve driver for McLaren, who I didn't even see was there, walked up in front of the camera and started explaining the rules. 

"Hello everyone, My name is Oscar Piastri, and I'm the reserve driver at McLaren F1. Today we are going to be putting Emma and Lando's knowledge of each other to the test with a 'how well do you know me game' each driver will have to answer questions about the other one, and if they get it wrong, an entire bucket of water will be dumped on their head! Enjoy guys," Oscar said to the fans. Both mine and Lando's eyes widen when he said we would be getting dumped with water, but it makes sense that we would be getting wet because why else would we wear a bathing suit. I was lost in thought when Lando started talking to the camera. 

"This is going to be an easy challenge, if any of you didn't know, we went to the same elementary school-" He started "Yeah, and we were sworn enemies, so I'm pretty sure we don't really know THAT much about each other" I added. What everyone else didn't know was that we were still not using the term 'friend' it was still closer to enemies. 

I picked up the first card on the table and read it aloud for Lando to guess. "What is something people do that make me angry" I asked him

"I don't know, talk, you literally get mad at everything I say" He said

"Yeah, because everything you say is dumb, keep quiet if you know it's stupid." I replied "But no, that's not the answer. The correct response was 'losing their track ID on the first day at the track, then being late to film this video" I said with a forced smile. 

"wow, how original" He rolled his eyes. "yes! I get to dump water on you" I laughed and picked up a grey bucket of water sitting beside him. I lingered the bucket above his head for a moment, before dumping the entire thing on him. He squealed like a little kid as the water hit him, making my laugh so hard.

As he was shivering, he picked up the next card and read it "who are my best friends?" he asked me. I didn't know, it was just like how he didn't know my friends, I didn't know his. So, I decided to say 4 names of the boys he used to hang out with when we were 12.

"I have no clue, James, Chris, Lucas and Simon" I questioned, knowing I was about to get water on my head. "Nope, I haven't talked to any of them since the first years of highschool. They started acting different around me when I got into F3, I guess they just wanted to be friends the the 'famous kid'" he said with air quotations. 

"I know exactly what you mean." I said not to Lando, but to the camera "That's one of the hard parts of becoming popular in the sport" I added. Lando picked up the bucket of water and lifted it above my head, I started screaming and waving my arms above my head. 

Then, our pinky's touched, It was only for a quick second, but butterflies erupted in my stomach, It wasn't supposed to be like this, I hated him. But, every though in my mind was gone, when a wave of cold water splashed on me. Why did they have to put cold water in those buckets. 

The game continued on for a few more questions, before they finally ended it and let us go our sperate ways. I walked to my drivers room, it was exactly like something from W Series, but bigger. There was a couch, a table, extra McLaren gear and a bin full of stuff I could use to freshen up: deodorant, gum, a hair dryer, extra makeup, and so on. I dried my hair, touched up my makeup and changed into a McLaren t-shirt and the black ripped jeans I was previously wearing. I was ready for interviews. 

I walked out of the McLaren garage, and my eyes met with the one and only Max Verstappen. Butterflies erupted in my stomach all over again, but these were different to what happened with Lando, these were better. 

a/n: sorry to leave you guys at a cliffhanger, how is everyone enjoying the book so far? I am going to try and update once a week, but at the end of July, I'm going to England for a month, so updates might become more inconsistant when I'm there, but hopefully it will give me lots of inspo for this book!! :)

-late.night.reader.-