When it Rains | Daniel Ricciardo

Chapter 5 - Wondering Eyes

We chatted for a while about what I had planned for them over the weekend. He spoke about his family and the barbeques that had when he was at home these last few days. I was going to ask if we could call it a night so that I could get to that shower, but my phone started ringing. Who on earth would be calling me now, its somewhere between 4 and 5 am in England?

"Ryan" I sigh. Daniel notices the change in my mood and starts to clear the mugs from earlier. I go to the bedroom to take the call, hoping it won't be too lengthy. I don't want to make Daniel wait awkwardly.

"Hey babe, what are you doing up?"

"What is wrong with you Alexia?" He sounds frantic. Drunk

"Ryan, what's going on? What's wrong. I was just about to go to bed"

"Are you with Nico? Don't lie to me, are you with Nico?"

"No, I'm in my hotel room. What is going on!?" I try to be as quiet as I can with Daniel in the other room. No need to drag him into this mess.

"I can't do this with you, Alexia, you can't take no for an answer, can you? I cant Al. I just can't anymore"

My heart sinks. He's really drunk and he's going down a dark road. Now is not the time, I can't have this fight with him again, what the hell happened? "Ryan. Babe. What can't you do? How can I help?", trying to reason with him.

"This is your fault, you did this to us. I'm going to a friend. I'll call you later"

Before I get the chance to say anything, the line goes dead. I'm sat on my bed utterly bewildered. After 5 mins of just sitting there, I see Dan standing in the doorway. He's looking at me with furrowed brows.

"I'm fine Dan, really," I say as assuringly as I can manage." I just need to have a shower and get into bed. Thanks for the chat though. It was a good one." Sensing my reluctance to open up he agreed and hugged me goodnight.

At the beginning of the winter holidays, Ryan and I had gone out for dinner, it was an amazing evening. The skies were clear and the stars were out. Absolutely freezing outside but he had me bundled in a blanket and his jacket as we listened to soft music being played in the background. A perfect night, until we got home...

How could I be so inconsiderate to his feelings by picking that restaurant to eat at. I should have known it was above his pay grade, then I have the audacity to order the most expensive thing for myself while he sat there like an idiot eating his small meal only to find out that I was paying. How does that make him look? How could I be so selfish?

That was the first night he hit me. Both of us were so shocked at his actions that we didn't speak about it again until he sore the mark it left on my upper cheek. He apologised but said that I shouldn't work him up so badly next time. That he was bound to snap at some point and tonight just went too far over his limit.

I had to cancel plans with Jen that weekend and didn't bother to make any more with anyone until Jamie called to say that he was coming.

-

I haven't really slept these last two nights, been wrestling back and forth between work and trying to get hold of Ryan. I can't believe he's put me in this situation. Again. I need to be better, more alert and in the moment.

Its Friday night, free practice went exceptionally well. Daniel seems to be really getting a hang of the car. The team left him on track as long as possible to get as many laps in as he could. Later this afternoon Nico came around. He said Daniel had mentioned that I looked stressed or something so he decided we needed to get away from the hotel and have a coffee - see the city.