Formula One - One-Shots Collection - Complete

Emily's Heart - Daniel Ricciardo

The phone in my hotel room was ringing, they were calling to give me a wake-up call, not that I needed it, it was just regulation from the company. I picked up the reciever before acknowledging I was awake to the receptionist then hanging back up, the phone call meant everyone had 30 mins until we left to go down to the track. Well it meant my team had 30 mins, most of the other teams were already there, I was on the very small team that needed to make sure Daniel got to the track safely. I was his press assistant, this meant I went every where with him before and after the race until it was the close of the F1 day. Today was the Sunday which meant it was race day, it was also my last race day, I would be handing in my notice at the end of the race today as to not get any bad vibes. 

The problem with spending so much time together is that at some point we had forged a relationship. It was crazy, intense, desperate. Being with him was everything, it was like there was no one else in the world, every moment was spent together, working, home, on the plane, in the car, in the hotel room, it was so deep that when we had an argument and ended our relationship it felt like I had been dropped in the ocean. He'd wanted me to move in with him after the formula 1 season broke for the summer, I knew I needed to go home, my mother had informed me two weeks before the end of the season that my father was ill, I had to return home to help. Daniel was sure a long-distance relationship wouldn't work out between us, therefore that had to be the end of us. 

This was our last race of the season, I had managed to keep it together for so long but each moment I spent in his presence was hard. It was a bitter pill to swallow, going from such passion and heat with him to nothing, if we spoke it was flat and quick. I knew I couldn't do it anymore, I couldn't turn up and pretend that nothing ever happened. 

I left my hotel room with my bag in hand, in there it had everything I needed to make sure things were under control, my mobile, my purse, my dictaphone and my work mobile phone, I headed down to the breakfast room where I sat with a cup of coffee as I waited for the message on my phone to say the car was here. Watching the world go by I leaned back in my chair as I thought about things. 

I didn't have a new job lined up, I had been putting off finding a new job as I had been putting off handing my notice in not wanting to upset the status quo. I knew that if another company needed an assistant such as myself I would have no problems getting a new job, but the truth was no one as looking. Leaving this job meant I would have to return back to my home town and probably work in retail or even worse not find a job.

Maybe I could find a job, maybe my future could be normal but I knew deep down it wasn't what I wanted. I wanted more than what everyone else had, I wanted this hectic life I had now, I liked travelling around the world, I loved spending time with all these people I called my friends. 

My phone bleeped alerting me the car was here, I got to my feet taking my phone and bag with me, I headed to the reception area where I met with Daniel and two security guards, Mike and Ben. "Morning," I mumbled as I got out my dictaphone seeing the press outside the doors.

"I won't be talking," Daniel told me before he started to walk away. 

I followed closely Mike and Ben at Daniel's sides leading us to our waiting car. Every morning was like this at the hotel, I sat in the back opposite Ben and next to Mike, Daniel sat next to Ben opposite Mike. Everyone had their place in the vehicle, it was protocol. 

This was different though, instead of snaeaking cheeky glances at eah other we both looked in the opposite direction , out the window avoiding any small talk. I didn't want to make everyone else feel awkward but I relaly didn't want to talk to anyone this morning. 

It just seemed like the letter in my bag was weighing it down, it made a bag heavy, it made my heart heavy. I just needed today to be over already.

I spent the morning walking alongside Daniel, he stopped to give a few interviews to several different stations, I hung behind him recording his words making sure he was not giving too much away not that he needed me, I just needed to make sure I was recording everything. We headed to the garage, there he left me to get ready before returning.

"I have an interview with Martin Brundle," he informed me. "You don't need to come along."

Pushing myself up from the leather sofa I looked down at my phone checking the time, "I do need to come along." I looked up at him just to see him staring at me, his dark brown eyes burning into me. I found when I made eye contact with him it was difficult to look away. I would like to tell you that I was strong, that if at this moment in time he said lets give it another go I would say no, but I am a liar, I am weak and even after all this time I knew I was still so in love with him, this is why I had to quit today. 

He looked away first, leading the way to his interview, my lips tightly pursed as I followed. 

XOXOX

I watched from the garage as the race comenced, it was a pretty average race and there was not too much to report, all I knew Daniel was certianly gong to have a few things to say considering he finished in third place up on the podium. 

Standing in the crowd I looked up at him as he celebrated like he didn't have a care in the world. I knew I was being selfish by doing this now but seeing him up there with eeveryone watching him, all the hype was about him, his name was being chanted by his team, he was the centre of attention, I just couldn't escape him. 

Without a second thought I found our boss, I handed him the envolope, work phone and dicatphone before walking away. Daniel wouldn't be doing interviews in the paddock where I was needed so essentailly my job was over as of now. 

I didn't turn back, I didn't look back because I knew if I did then I wouldn't go. My head was down as I pulled my own phone out and called for a cab, I needed to get to the hotel and get my stuff, I needed to leave before I changed my mind, getting out of here was my first step. 

Getting to the garage I heard my name being shouted, I ignored it and carried on walking. All I had to do was grab my jacket which I had stupidly left behind and walk through to the exit, easy. Just as I grabbed my jacket I heard footsteps coming at me quickly, I didn't look back I just pulle dmy jacket close before I held a hand on my wrist then pulling on it, this did make me look round. 

Daniel stood there, he was the one who was touching me, he was the one who was looking deep into my soul. "What are you doing, Danny?" I asked him as I widened my eyes. 

There was so many people here watching us, he must have just left the podium when he saw me walking away, he might have even saw me hand everything over to our boss. There were camera crews, there were our team and other teams, other drivers but all that I could really see was Danny staring at me. "Don't walk away, don't do this."

I couldn't tear my eyes from his, "Danny," I warned him as I realised he was here, everyone was here instead of where they should have been. They should have all been celebrating the win that Max had got, the second that Lewis had and the lucky third from Danny, instead they were all here watching this drama. "Please, don't make this any harder than it already is."

His hand slipped down my wrist and held my hand, "I love you, Emily."

My body was shaking as I softened hearing those words, "Danny?"

He dropped down on to his knees, one knee to be precise, I panicked as I watched him, it was like I was watching someone else do it, like this wasn't happening to be. "Marry me, Em."

I was flabbergast, I never expected this. "Oh my," my eyes started to water as I looked down at him, he got up and pulled me close to him wrapping his arms around my tiny frame as I cried into his chest as I felt all the pain and stress leaving my body just knowing he was close to me right now. 

"Is that a yes?" He asked in a whisper. 

Nodding my head in his chest I smiled to myself. 

I bloody love Daniel Ricciardo.