The Teammate

36 - Floor Length Gowns

December 2024 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Arabella didn't wear floor length gowns often, and as she looked in the mirror in her hotel room she couldn't help the memories that started to come flooding back.

They're so in love. It's a rare type of love.

They came from the dark, or at least the shadows, which is where she started calling her missing months. For the most part they felt like memories she never lost, they had just been floating in the back of her mind, and it just took something to bring them forward.

It's the type of love that shouldn't be ignored.

This time she'd chosen a floor length white and black gown, with a one-shouldered asymmetrical neckline. Katie had helped her pick it out; it looked like two pieces of pleated fabric wrapped around her body breaking on either side of the slid that ran up her leg.

I want you to kiss me.

Her breath caught, the memory popping up out of nowhere as she brushed a strand of hair out of her face. The rest of it was curled and put up with just a few strands falling around her face.

Lando. Kiss me.

"You ready?" Levi asked, walking into her private room in their suite. His tuxedo was on loan, although you'd never be able to tell the way it fit him. Her brother was tall and slim, more of a runner than a weights guy. "Wow, you clean up nice." Arabella smiled.

"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself." She let out a nervous breath. "I don't envy you having to wear a tux tonight though."

"It's cooling off." He said, although he didn't look too excited about it. "But yeah, it's not exactly my outfit of choice." He straightened his jacket, checking himself in the mirror over her shoulder. "You are ready though? The called up to say the cars here." Arabella nodded, turning away from the mirror, she grabbed her clutch off the dresser and checked to make sure everything was inside it.

"Yeah, let's go." He held his arm out for her, and she took it with a smile. Glad that she had her brother there to calm her nerves.

Not that she had anything to be worried about.

"Katie texted; she said the guys are fighting over cummerbunds." Levi turned to her, his brows furrowed. "Yeah, apparently, Benny forgot his."

"Yeah, that sounds like them." Levi smiled shaking his head. "Remind me again why we're not riding with them?" Arabella shrugged.

"We'd need a team van to get us all there together, plus I..."

"Needed your big brother to calm your nerves before the big event?" He offered and she let out a breath nodding. God, she was nervous.

"I don't understand why I'm so nervous." She admitted, letting out a nervous laugh. "I'm not even speaking."

"I know, I am." He patted his breast pocket where his speech was tucked. She'd been asked if she wanted to speak about the impact of her injury on her life, and when she was talking to her brother about it he offered. It made the most sense, it affected her life, but it had absolutely turned his upside down. "Is this about your dinner with Max?"

"No." She answered really fast. "It's just, I don't know. Something he said is sticking with me." Levi watched her, waiting for her to go on. "He said Lando was blamed for my accident." He swallowed, his face going a little pale. He turned away from his sister, taking a breath. "What was he talking about?"

"I blamed him." Levi admitted, turning back to face her but not looking her in the eye. "After it happened..." he voice broke, and he forced himself to swallow past the lump in his throat, "well I needed an outlet and Lando was that for me."