I KNOW PLACES | George Russell

21. we know she isnt your girlfriend

Imola
Thursday

Ariella's pov

"My god, took you long enough." I groan from next to George as Max finally arrives.

We decided we would wait for Max to get here until we would order. My problem with this was that I was starving and he was taking far too long.

He looks down at the watch wrapped around his wrist. "I'm only late by 15 minutes." He shrugs like it's not a big deal and I narrow my eyes at him as he picks up his menu.

I have a huge problem with people who aren't punctual. I feel like if someone makes plans at a certain time that person should arrive near that time. I feel like people who show up late have no respect for the planners time.

I don't know, maybe I'm just dramatic.

Thankfully, the waiter doesn't take long to get back to our table and we can finally order.

A wave hits me and suddenly I'm about to piss myself. "I'll be back I've had one too many drinks." Max raises his eyebrows, speculative of my use of the word 'drinks'.

I scoff, holding up my drink. "It's a sprite you idiot." I hit him on the back of the head as I walk by him on my way to the restrooms.

I fix myself up in the mirror after I clear myself of any liquids. A few strands of hair were out of place and my lipstick was slightly smudged, probably from the little scene in the car. Thankfully, the shade wasn't too dark and was more of a natural color, which made it less obvious.

I wonder if any of it got on George.

Approaching the table, I see a red faced George with his head in his hands and a very hysterical Max and Charles. The latter two are practically falling over each other from their laughter.

"Am I intruding on something?" George lifts his head up quickly at the sound of my voice and looks to me as if I'm an Angel sent from the heavens. "No. Please sit back down." His eyes are wide and he speaks almost like he's begging me.

This only makes Max and Charles laugh harder, and a few surrounding tables turn to inspect the scene. I'm suddenly thankful George didn't choose a quiet place.

I rehabilitate my earlier seat. The two idiots are still laughing their heads off, falling all over each other as they do so.

"What the hell happened while I was gone?" I ask the Brit next to me. He shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're back so they'll stop." He seems genuinely relieved, so I don't make an effort to pry about it.

Then I notice the slight smudge of my lipstick above his lip. "George," I gesture to the spot on my own face. His attempt to rid the color fails. "Here I'll just..." I wet my thumb with my own saliva and wipe the mistake off his upper lip.

The other two drivers present at the table stop their fit of laughter for a moment, and Charles speaks up. "Mate, you just got Mom'ed by your girlfriend!" He points an accusing finger at George as the two continue their laughing fit.

I shake my head at them. George goes to open his mouth but Max stops him before he can speak. "Yes, we know she isn't your girlfriend." The blonde mimics a fake British accent to say the second part. It was a terrible impersonation might I add.

I point at Max, the two have stopped laughing now. "Mate," I start and he raises his eyebrows to show his attention. "If you're going to imitate George you've gotta do it right. Get the wide eyes and the swooped up hair." I gesture to mimic the features as I say them. The opposite end of the table has once again become a mess of limbs falling over each other from laughing too hard.

George tries to glare at me, but the wide smile on his face makes it impossible. "You're mean, you know that." He crosses his arms and pretends to be hurt, the smile dropping from his face to further try and push the narrative.

"To be fair, I never said I was nice." I shrug. He very obviously holds back a smile, which ultimately fails.

A voice from the other side of the table pretends to gag. "Quit flirting in public!" Max shields his eyes and Charles copies his moves. "Get a room!" Charles eyes are still shielded as he speaks.

"Maybe we will." My eyes go wide at the Mercedes driver's words. His eyes meet my wide ones and he mouths out a 'kidding' and I chuckle a little. The two across the table uncover their eyes, jaws now dropped instead.

Max's nose scrunches in disgust as he leans as far back in his chair as possible. "I did not need to know that." He shakes his head and Charles joins in on the motion.

Max leans forward again. "Actually just don't do it in Ariella's room. I don't need to hear that." Max points a finger between the two of us.

I scoff out a laugh. "Don't worry mate, we aren't doing anything. George is just an ass." Charles laughs loudly at the second part.

"Mate she's grilling you hard tonight, you're just going to take that?" Charles looks to George in pure bewilderment. George just shrugs and takes a sip of his drink.

"He's whipped." Max points accusingly at George. I bring a hand up to run over my face. "I'm never going to dinner with any of you again." I say before looking down at my hands and picking at the cuticles on my nails.

"Awe not even with your boyfriend?" Max frowns, faking an expression of sadness. "Can you stop? Seriously. We aren't together and it's not even that funny." I don't know where the words come from but they spill out of my mouth faster than I thought was possible.

Max puts his hands up in defense and mutters an apology. The atmosphere turns tense and I instantly apologize too. Now I feel like a bitch.

I apologize about 10 more times before Max thoroughly assured me that it's fine, that I shouldn't worry about it, that he was the one who went to far with it.

Thankfully the tension doesn't last the entire meal and we are back to joking by the time food comes out.

We had finished eating and were just chatting, my head resting in my hands as we do so. "Ellie are you okay?" George asks me lowly, his hand on my lower back. The nickname takes me by surprise and my head snaps to his a little too quickly.

I sit up and face him fully. Max and Charles are too immersed in their own conversation to pay attention to us. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be okay?" My eyebrows are furrowed, not fully understanding why he asked.

He shakes his head, his hand running up and down my back. "You just looked upset is all." I shake my head, shaking off his concerns. "No I'm fine, promise." I give him a smile and my head goes to rest on his shoulder now instead of my hands.

(1220 words)
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A/N - Girl had ENOUGH LMAO

Anyways I wrote this in like an hour somehow so 🙏 updates may also slow down bc I'm camping until Tuesday so the only time I have to write is at like one in the morning but it's okay I'll thrive through it.