« so american »

𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖

{ riley's version }

_

My alarm goes off and I'm suddenly reminded that I am halfway across the world, starting my internship. I get out of bed and instantly run down the three flights of stairs to start my coffee pot. By the time I get back up the stairs and my clothes for the day out, I am running back down the stairs to grab my coffee.

"I am going to get my steps before I even leave the house."

I chuckled at my joke as I pinned my hair back. I go with a soft green blouse and some black pants, hoping to god that I am not required to wear orange all the time. If there was one thing I knew, it was that I did not look that great in orange. It was the red hair. It made most colors hard to deal with.

After making sure that I was dressed, I checked to make sure I had everything I could need for the day. I was going to be in the building, interacting with the racers I had watched growing up and I was supposed to be professional enough not to act starstruck. It was going to be something. I wished that Logan was here to help me with all of it. I missed my brother.

A knock on my door pulled me back into reality. It had to be Izzy. My watch told me she was running about ten minutes early but it was rude to just leave her sitting outside so I slid across the hall, using my socks like skates. I pulled the door open to a beautiful smile and the sun rising behind her like a halo.

"Morning!"

"Morning." I looked down at my half-dressed mess of an outfit. "I am almost finished."

"Take your time, I just wanted to make sure that I was here if you had any questions."

"Not at the moment, but you can make yourself some tea."

I left her after that, running back up the stairs to my room. Or what would be considered a room. This place still felt like an overly expensive hotel. I didn't think I was going to settle into this for a while to come.

_

I messed with the silver pendant around my neck as I sat in the passenger seat of Izzy's car. We were pulling up to the McLaren building. It was beautiful. The lake out front, the rising sun reflecting it onto the giant glass windows. I thought I was pulling into a modern heaven. I could feel Izzy looking at me, but I couldn't take my eyes off it. If I looked away, it would disappear.

"Pretty enough for you?"

"Oh, pretty doesn't even begin to describe it."

Izzy chuckled. "You'll never get tired of seeing it, I promise you that."

We parked and I got out, still looking at the beauty in front of me. However, my attention was stolen but someone waving at us. Zak Brown. My boss. The head of everything and he was walking towards me.

"Riley! It's amazing to finally meet you."

I took his hand and shook it. "You too, sir."

"Oh, please. Just call me Zak. We're a family around here, no need for all those formalities."

I nodded and he waved Izzy off. I watched her go as she waved to me, mouthing a good luck. When I looked back, Zak had already started to walk towards the front door. He was saying something but I wasn't close enough to hear. I tried to walk fast enough to catch up without him noticing that I had fallen behind.

"And Izzy will be there for anything you need, as well as everyone else. Never be afraid to ask a question."

I nodded. "I do have a question."

"Ask away."

"My badge, to get in the building?"

He smiled as he scanned his, holding the door open for me to walk in. "Already sitting on your desk. If you want, I can take you to your office but I assume you'll be wanting to meet the people you'll work the most with."

"I'm sorry?"

"Yo, Zak. There you are!"

I looked in the direction of the familiar British accent to see Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri walking towards me. I must have looked like a fangirl because all Zak did was chuckle as he waved the boys over. I cleared my throat, hoping I didn't look like an idiot as the two came to stand in front of me.

They were in the familiar papaya orange and their drivers' hats. Lando was rambling on to Zak about something and Oscar just gave me a tight smile as he introduced himself.

"Oscar."

"Riley, it's a pleasure."

He raised an eyebrow. "You're American."

"Is that a problem?"

"Only because he now owes me a tenner."

I looked over to see Lando smiling as he elbowed Oscar. He took a second to look over me and I wanted to rub the invisible wrinkles from my blouse. After a second though, he looked back up at me and held out a hand.

"Lando."

"Riley."

"Pleasure, love." He gave my hand a firm shake and then let it drop. "You're the new media girl, then?"

"I suppose so, though I don't think I want to take Izzy's job."

"Oh, don't worry. Izzy got a promotion."

"You see," Oscar interrupted Lando. "We are the, so-called, trial by fire. And by we, I mean Lando. He's the issue child."

I chuckled as Lando looked more offended with each sentence. It reminded me a lot of Logan and I, or Logan and Alex. Sibling relationships. It was nice to know that their friendship wasn't just PR. It would make my job much easier, or at least I hoped it would.

"Don't worry. He's just trying to scare you. We are quite easy, as long as it's not some stupid Tiktok."

I shrugged. "Tiktok has brought in more fans than anything else in the past two years. As much as you hate them, it does bring in more money."

Both looked shocked and it caused Zak to laugh, earning me a pat on the back. I wondered if I had said something wrong but it was hard to tell. Until both of the drivers started to laugh as well. The tension left my shoulders and I realized that this would be exactly like dealing with Logan and Alex. And the nerves left my body.

"But until said Tiktoks, I do think I would like to have a chance to settle into my office."

"Ah, yes. Of course." Zak looked over to the Lando. "Wanna take her?"

"I would be overjoyed. It gives me the chance to steal her heart before Oscar does."

________________________________________________________________________________

a/n: we are back, baby! woo. hopefully this doesn't read like shit because for me it does. but what author truly likes their work? oh well. as always, love it or don't :p