Three Dumb Ideas | Formula 1 fanfiction

93: To Luciana, Maeve, and Sienna

That same day

Maeve's point of view

As we step into the buzzing casino immediately the staff walks up to us. The air is thick with excitement and the distant but loud sounds of the slot machines. The lights are dizzying and the laughter and shouts of other people fill the air. It's easy to get lost in the chaos, but tonight we girls have a mission. Win back the 10.000 euros the guys lost just hours before now.

'Miss Vettel, Miss Sainz!', one of the waitresses walks up to us. 'Miss Vasseur!'.

'Hello there, do you have a private table for us?', I ask the woman.

'Yes of course!', she leads us to the table.

'Alright, ladies', I say with a confident nod, feeling the weight of this challenge on my shoulders. 'We know why we're here. Let's get back what is ours'.

Sienna laughs, flipping her hair over her shoulder. 'Let's make some magic happen. We've got luck on our side tonight'.

Luciana grins, her eyes sparkling with determination. 'And a little strategy never hurt anyone. We'll show them how it's done'.

We exchange 500 euros for chips, and as I hold them in my hand, a flutter of nerves mixes with anticipation. It's not about the money, it is about girl power and controlling our own fate. It is about proving that we can do this, even though the boys never suggested otherwise.

Sienna's point of view

I head straight for the roulette table, a thrill of anticipation running through me. The dealer nods as we approach, and I place my chips on the table with a confident smile.

'What are we choosing?', Luciana asks

'Red 24', I declare, tapping the table. 'I feel that it is the right choice.'.

Maeve raises an eyebrow, smirking. "The guys lost with that one'.

'Exactly', I say. 'It's a bold choice. Let's see how it plays out."

The wheel spins, and as the ball clatters around, time seems to slow. I can feel the tension in the air, the collective breath-holding of everyone around us. Is this how the boys felt? Then, with a final click, the ball lands on my number.

A cheer erupts from us, and I feel a rush of triumph. 'Yes!! Girls we did it!'

Luciana laughs, clutching her chips. 'This is just the beginning. We've got to win more now'.

'But let's do it like the guys', Maeve smiles. 'Give us another round of champagne!'.

The same waitress brings us a platter full of glasses richly filled with the good stuff.

We each grab a glass.

'For our children's college fund?', Luciana asks.

'For a nice dinner with our friend group', Maeve decides.

'Yeah alright, 10k for like... six children? It's not enough I'm afraid', she laughs.

Luciana's point of view

We continue our streak, taking turns placing bets, each win boosting our confidence, maybe a bit too much. The rush is intoxicating, a heady mix of luck and (what we like to think) skill. With every successful spin, we draw more attention, our small crowd of spectators growing.

'I can't believe we're actually doing this', I admit, sharing a look with Maeve as she pushes our winnings to 5,000 euros. 'This is incredible'.

She laughs and throws her arm around me. 'Come on, Luce! This is fun! We're just getting started'.

The wheel spins again, and the anticipation is electric.

'We should quit while we're ahead', Sienna suggests as we reach 8,000 euros. 'We're so close. No need to push our luck too far'.

I nod, though a part of me wants to keep going, to ride the wave of success as long as possible. But I know she's right. We've come so far, it's time to be smart about it.

Ah, who am I kidding?

Maeve's point of view

As we place our final bet, the table feels like the center of the universe. We've become the focus of the room, our success drawing interest from onlookers and other players alike. I glance at Sienna and Luciana, feeling the weight of this last spin.

'Here we go,' I murmur, grabbing our chips. 'This is it'.

'I suggest black 19', Luciana says.

'Yeah, me too. Maeve Vettel 19', she smiles.

My anxiety is real, but these comments make it disappear.

'Really? You want to bet it on my racing number?', I laugh.

'What's the worst that can happen?', Sienna says. 'It's not like we're losing 8.000 euros'.

'Alright', I say and we push the chips together to Black 19.

The wheel spins, and for a moment, everything hangs in the balance. Then, with a satisfying clatter, the ball lands exactly where we need it. A cheer erupts from us, and I feel a rush of triumph.

'We did it!' Sienna exclaims, hugging us both tightly.

Luciana beams, her eyes shining with victory. '10,000 euros! We did it!'

With our winnings secured, we leave the casino, it's no longer 17:56, now it's 19:19, but at least it's Las Vegas, there are still restaurants open. There's a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of having beaten the odds and come out on top.

Back at the hotel, we gather the guys for the news, unable to hide our excitement. The truth quickly comes out, and their reactions are priceless.

'You did what?' Lando asks, eyes wide with disbelief.

Sienna grins, waving the chips triumphantly. 'We won back the money. All 10,000 euros'.

Max shakes his head, a smile tugging at his lips. 'You're unbelievable, Maevey. I can't believe you pulled it off'.

I shrug, trying to be nonchalant. 'It was all teamwork. We're just good at winning'.

Charles laughs, raising his glass. 'To the ladies. You've proven you're more than a match for us'.

Luciana winks at him, her cheeks flushed with victory. 'We're always a match. You just didn't know it yet'.

We found a nice restaurant in the center of Las Vegas. As we settle into our meal, the air is energetic, filled with laughter and teasing. It feels good to have turned the tables, to have taken control of our destiny and come out victorious.

'We should do this more often,' I say, raising my glass one last time.

Sienna nods, her eyes sparkling. 'Absolutely. Here's to more adventures and even better stories'.

'Although next time let's not throw away 10.000 euros', Luciana scolds.

'To Luciana, Maeve, and Sienna', Max starts.

'To losing 10.000 euros', Lando jokes.

'To Ferrari', Charles yells.

'Oh fuck off', Lando and Max say in unison.