35: Pick me up

Thursday

Lando's point of view

'Goodmorning', Sienna walks in, wearing my shirt.

'Shut up, I need coffee', she looks angry.

'Here you go, sweetheart', I hand her a cup of coffee.

She takes a sip. 'You're so sweet'.

She takes a seat on the kitchen counter.

'What are you making?'

I point to the pancake mix in my hand.

'Pancakes'

'Amazing, you are amazing', she says while still sipping her coffee.

'I know, best boyfriend alert'

She chokes and spits out her coffee

'So I assume we're not using titles yet?', I ask.

'Better not, Carlos could be near'.

'You're wearing my shirt, I think he'd knew already if he was near'.

She laughs. Her amazing laugh.

I place the pancakes on a plate and I hand it to her.

'Thank you'

'Sienna we have to talk', I grab my own plate and we sit down at the dining table together.

'Tell me', she says while taking a bite.

'Carlos he uhm... he asked me something a while ago'.

'What? and when?'

'He uhm, he asked me the night we uhm... we... did it for the first time', I take a bite of the pancake, this shit is amazing.

'That was weeks ago', she smiles at me.

'Yeah it was... he asked me to uhm... to ask you something'.

'You're being mysterious', she laughs.

'He asked me about your bakery'.

Her expression changes and she immediatly pushes her plate away.

'Not hungry anymore, gotta go change'.

'Sienna?', I ask.

'No Lando, not today'.

'Then when? Believe me I don't want to bother you with these things, but your brother is being a pain in my ass', I brush a hand through my hair.

'Not now, not ever, that's history', she yells.

'Don't yell, sweetheart. Why is it history?'.

'I sold it Lando, half an year ago'.

'Then why does nobody know?'

'Because I don't want anybody to know that I failed okay? I was bankrupt, the pastries were horrible', she sighs.

'Now, can I go change?', she asks.

I nod and walk over to pick up her plate.

What do I say to Carlos?

Friday

Maeve's point of view

'Good evening, Mr Ocon', I walk out of my house, it feels amazing to be finally home.

'Maeve, you look stunning', I lock the door and walk off the stairs.

'You're too kind', I smile.

'No you are, you're basically doing charity by dating me'.

'Esteban, don't call yourself charity, I get paid for this stuff you know', I joke.

'Really? Alpine pays you or my mom?', he opens the car door

'Both', we laugh.

I step into the car, my butt immediately pleased with his leather seats.

'I love your car'

'She loves you too', he jokes.

That gave me the ick, to be honest, why would he call his car she?

I smile awkwardly.

We arrive at this amazing restaurant he picked out.

'There it is! The small diner!', he points.

Small? it's huge, it has a five-star recommendation.

I walk over to the restaurant.

'Maeve, where are you going?', he asks.

What? I'm going inside duhu.

'That's the diner', he points to the small, like really small building next to the restaurant I thought we were going to.

The name is literally 'Shakes & fries'.

What the fuck.

I mean, I'm not like... spoiled... but...

'Oh yeah of course yea my brain glitched or something', I laugh.

'Haha phew! I thought you expected me to pay for a thousand euro meal at our second date'.

Okay is it bad that I was?

I feel like a spoiled brat now.

We walk into the diner, it's cute and cozy.

We walk towards the booth.

'Want to share a milkshake? It's like 10 bucks, too expensive for me to get us both one.'

What the fuck, who is this guy and what did he do to Esteban Ocon.

He thinks 10 bucks is expensive... he drives a car costing 15 million.

'Yeah sure, vanilla?', I ask.

'Nah, I like strawberries better'.

'Let's do chocolate then, I hate strawberries', I try to laugh to cut the tension.

'Nope, let's do strawberries'.

OKAY, SERIOUSLY WHERE IS MY OCON?

'I'll pay for my own milkshake then, I really don't want strawberry.'

He nods and orders two milkshakes.

One strawberry and one... strawberry?

THIS DICK.

'Esteban, I just told you I wanted vanilla?'

'Oh I forgot, let me tell her. Missy! Please one vanilla'.

'Missy?', I ask.

'Yeah those waitresses are worth nothing', he smiles.

Huh.

I-

I don't have words for this.

'Esteban are you... are you feeling okay?', I ask.

'Yeah, couldn't feel better, why?'.

'I can't help but notice that you uhm... you are a little... not yourself?'

'How come?', he asks.

'Just forget it, it's uhm... it's nothing really'.

Let's pray he doesn't want to come over later tonight.

After about an hour we are done eating.

'Lets order some dessert', he says.

Does he wants me to share ice cream now?

'I think I've had enough'.

'Come on Maeve, my treat'.

'Wasn't this whole meal going to be your treat?', I mumble under my breath.

'Did you say something?', he smiles.

'Nope'.

I am sitting in his car, he's driving fucking fast.

'Esteban, please slow down', I feel uncomfortable.

'Why? You like racing don't you?'.

'Yeah, on a track, made for racing... with a car... made for racing', I hiss.

'We'll be fine'.

'Esteban, slow down or I will get out of this car while it's still driving'.

He slows down.

'Thank you', I hiss.

'Someone's moody', he smiles.

WHAT THE FUCK OKAY MY BLOOD IS BOILING RIGHT NOW.

'I'm going to be honest with you, I hated this evening. Like a lot'.

'What, why?', he asks.

'You've been weird about money, if you don't have money, let me pay, don't make me share food. Don't order milkshakes I don't like. You were mean to those waitresses, I was a waitress once. You've been weird this evening and I don't like it one bit'.

He starts laughing.

Why the fuck is this man laughing.

'I'm so glad you passed this test', he says.

'Test?'.

'I was just testing you, seeing if you were a bitch or a nice person. You turned out to be a nice person', he smiles.

'I- Okay I hate this even more', I say.

His smile changes into a frown.

'I'm sorry Maeve, really I am. I just had to know you weren't a gold digger or something'.

'A gold digger? For fuck sake Ocon I earn more money than you and I'm a woman'.

'Yeah right, because you are a one time deal, you are Vettel's daughter. They hope one day you'll be good enough like him, if you keep training maybe', he says.

'Esteban, stop the car', I say. 'Stop the fucking car right now'.

He stops the car and I get out.

'Maeve? Maeve come on'.

I shake my head.

'Get out of here, I don't want to speak to you ever again... only professional'.

'Maeve, come don't be such a brat'.

'Drive away, drive away right now or I'll smash your fucking car', I yell.

I slam the door and he drives off.

Who the fuck do I call?

I really don't want this... but he's the only one nearby.

The only one who has a house close to mine.

I don't think he's going to pick me up... but it's worth the try.

I type in his name and hold the phone next to my ear.

I hear a voice greeting me.

'Max, please come pick me up'.