FicWad

“What do we do?” Lando asked the other drivers [Alex, Charles, Daniel, George, Max, and Antonio] who were gathered in a circle waiting to shoot a video with F1’s media department.



“I don’t thi—” Daniel started off before the door was pushed open revealing a smiling Alaine.



“Hey you guys! How’s it going?” She asked, greeting the other drivers gleefully for she had not seen them in quite a few weeks.



No one really answered her remark, but Max bold as ever decided to comment.



“Seems like you’ve been having a great week,” he said a bit on the standoffish side.



Taken aback by his statement, a twisted look appeared on her face. Confused as to why he was treating her so coldly. She closed the door, walking over to the table to place her bag.



“Uh… I guess? I mean I’ve been sleeping well but I wouldn’t call my week 100%.”



“Hm, well isn’t that surprising?” Max said sarcastically, brushing off what she said.



She turned her head, looking at Max and the other drivers present. Not one of them said anything to defend her or to get Max off her case.



She scrunched her eyebrows together, and lifted up her arms in a shrugging motion. “Why are all of you giving me the cold shoulder? What did I do wrong?”



She looked at the lot in disbelief, making her way to an empty chair space away from Lando. If they were gonna treat her like this then why sit next to any of them?



“Haven’t you seen the media? Playing coy isn’t helping.” Lando stood up right in front of her before she could even sit down.



“What media?” Alaine looked at him straight in the eyes.



“The ones about you and Lewis!” Max interjected.



“The media can’t stop gushing about how physical you two were the other night at the PR event,” Alex said crossing his arms over his chest.



“You never left each other’s side literally not once, even when I asked you to dance with me” Daniel’s gaze on her was gentle but disappointed.



Daniel, out of all the driver’s there had the most composure. He didn’t want to snap at her or make her feel guilty, but he wanted to express what his feelings were.



“Arriving with him in his Pagani Zonda 760 LH… why?” Antonio gave her a quizzical look.



“With his hand around your waist just like this,” Lando’s arm reached loosely around her waist, pulling her semi-close to him, his words hissed into her ear.



“L-Lando?” She yelped, pressing one hand against his chest trying to wiggle her way out of his grasp.



The warm heat of his hand planted against her waist. His grip tightened ever so slightly feeling his fingertips press into her exposed skin, courtesy to the crop top she was wearing. Her light brown eyes burrowed into his deeper blue ones, she felt the release of his hand that encircled her waist.



“Arm in arm Laina?” Daniel who sat right next to Lando; reached out and enclosed his large hand over her free smaller one, with a gentle squeeze in tow but then letting go.



“Going out to dinner at an exclusive restaurant, seems a bit extravagant?” George raised his eyebrows unconvinced.



Charles stood up and approached her, having not said anything this entire time. The one thing that bothered him most, “what about caressing your cheek?”



He lifted his hand, thumb brushing over her soft cheek. Her eyes were wide, she felt the cool pads of his fingertips pressed near the jugular of her neck. His hand retracted, lingering touches that skimmed across her skin sent shivers down her spine. An evident change of color glowed on the apple of her cheeks, her glossed lips were parted slightly. His eyes watched her juicy lips mouth his name as he backed away.



“Those outfits… Laina why were you matching with him?” Max said, finally without any sarcasm or spite, but with just confusion. “The media saw you getting out of his car to drop you off a few days before.”



“You guys… it’s really not what you think! Please believe me,” she pleaded. She looked at all the drivers she considered her friends. “Even if I was dating someone, you guys are my rock. I would ask advice beforehand, don’t you trust me?”



She watched them nod their heads, but the lack of responses was rather unconvincing.



“I asked Lewis to be my date for the PR event, you know he barely ever drinks alcohol. I needed a designated driver for the new sponsors I was meeting, we shared multiple toasts together for celebration in new partnerships that’s why we arrived together. You guys know I can't handle that much alcohol, I'm a lightweight...” Alaine explained, directing it mostly to Antonio to answer his question.



“That doesn’t explain why you guys stuck together like glue Laina…” Alex truthfully told her.



“Right before he picked me up I was walking to his car and my ankle buckled. I’m not really used to walking with heels, and the spike snapped. I tried to secure it as best as I could. So I asked Lewis to make sure I didn’t fall, so I wouldn’t look like a hot mess on the red carpet or make a fool out of him. That’s what I held on to his arm and him my waist.”



A small relief washed over Alex, but was soon replaced with a bit of guilt and looked at Lando who was frowning. They both had judged her way too prematurely.



Alaine turned around to face Daniel, “that’s why I didn’t want to dance with you Danny… I could feel the heel snapping the more I walked on it. I’m sorry for rejecting your offer.”



Daniel nodded, “don’t worry Laina, I always had faith in your reason.” His big toothy smile peaked out.



“But that doesn’t explain dinner, or him feeling up your cheek!” Max added, wanting to know every bit of detail.



“I told him I was hungry after the PR event to just drop me somewhere and I’ll figure out a way home but he wouldn’t listen. You guys know Lewis is vegan, that was the only restaurant he could eat at. Who wants to go home and cook a full meal? Especially the way he has to eat and prepare for his diet.”



“And your cheek?” Charles piped up.



“Remember the overly friendly lady who had the black feathered scarf and hugged everybody at the PR event? Yeah guess who had a feather stuck in their hair?”



“You did?” Charles questioned, a slip of the tongue and his Monégasque accent came tumbling out.



She nodded, “the angle of the lighting at the event hid the feather in the dark color of my hair. Lewis didn’t notice until I turned my head to check my phone in my clutch at the restaurant, the chandelier reflecting against all the crystal glass made it appear. So he told me not to move and reached out to grab it. Someone must’ve snapped a picture at that uncanny moment.” She explained with zero hesitation, she just recalled each moment as they had asked her.



Charles nodded understanding each word that she had said, it all made sense.



“Last but not least the matching outfits. You guys forget that I am also a global ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger, just like Lewis. We had a photoshoot with Gigi Hadid for a new collection that specifically sponsored F1. Check her instagram, there’s behind the scene pictures of the shoot.”



Max listened without saying anything, he owed her at least that much.



“Tommy Hilfiger will jump at any chance to promote his clothing line, and as a part of our contract with them we are used as walking advertisements. After the shoot I was about to order an uber home, but Lewis offered to drop me back home and I accepted.”



She looked at the drivers present, she could tell they were all regretting their actions. She pursed her lips together, debating whether or not to say what was on her mind. Since they were so brass with her, a simple remark shouldn’t dent their egos too bad.



“I accepted because that’s what friends do, they take care of each other and listen. They don’t ridicule you without knowing the whole story.”



Complete silence passed between her and them. No other remarks or comments.

Echoes of voices were heard in the hall, slowly approaching the room they were in. The door was pushed open again, in popping the rest of the F1 drivers.



Her attention was turned toward the door, seeing all the familiar faces and then finally seeing the man of the hour.



“Lewis!” She called out to him grabbing his attention.



Lewis’ head turned to the gal calling his name, displaying a smile as he approached her.



“Lewis we need to clear a mess up,” she started looking at him seriously.



“What mess?” He looked at her, not knowing what was going on.



The other F1 drivers who just entered also had quizzical looks on their faces, trying to figure out what Alaine was talking about.



“The media thinks we’re dating,” she gave him a dumbfounded look. “We’re not dating right?”



“Not at all, you’re way too young for me,” Lewis replied matter-of-factly.



“And you’re way too old for me!” She added.



“Hey, I’m not that old! I’m only 34” Lewis grumbled from her remark.



“No offense by it I swear!”



“Yeah, yeah, you’re like the little sister I never had” Lewis told her, patting her shoulder making it clear to all the other drivers. “Don’t worry, I’ll take to media later about this.”



“And you’re like the older brother who I want to overtake in racing” she grinned back at him.



She turned back to the drivers who were interrogating her earlier. “See? It was just a misunderstanding, media is media they'll make a story out of anything especially when there isn't a story at all. Why were you guys so jealous? Besides would it really be your problem if we were?”



The drivers who were hounding her earlier gave each other an astounded look.



Daniel spoke up, “you do realize Laina, half the drivers here has a thing for you.”



She held up her hand and parted her lips to speak, her eyes darted around the room. Everybody had eyes on her. Was she truly that dense? She could feel her own cheeks rush with blood. Letting her hand slip back down to her side, still mouth agape.



“W-Wait, what?!”



Multiple groans echoed in the room, some drivers even buried their heads in their hands.



Stunned by their response, she buried her own burning cheeks in her hands.



"You guys!" She whined.