somewhere || George Russell

nineteen

November 29, 2019
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

"Tastes to its price," Emilio teased, leaning the mug with 24-karats gold coffee to his lips. "I don't understand why people put gold to the food."

Laurel pressed her lips, thinking, and stared at her ice cream. "The roots of this unique ingredient refer to ancient Egypt and some biblical passages, although it also had its peak at Renaissance banquets and Medici dinners," she explained naturally.

"We weren't expecting an explanation," Iray funnily rolled her eyes and took a sip of the coffee with 24-karats of gold.

It's even a miracle they found flight to Abu Dhabi one week prior to travelling. Had she known earlier, Laurel would have avoided doing the circus they did in Miami when she and Emilio fought to join Rafael on his trip. She could have bought a ticket herself without a problem, and her mom would never have come up with the idea of a family vacation.But alas, what's done is done.

"Please, Laurel, tell me why..." Emilio started to ask the question whom which he bothered Laurel all the flight until she asked for a sleeping pill and felt dead asleep.

"Ain't nothing but a heartache, tell me why ain't nothing but a mistake..." she replied, singing an old song. Emilio rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, but why do you care so much?"

"I just want to know why you broke up with David, I lived with you both back in Boston and well, you really were lovey-dovey," Emilio said and took another sip of his coffee. He is like that gossipy neighbor who wants to know about everything with detail.

"We wanted to avoid him a conflict of interests," she shrugged, telling the truth, but not caring too much about it. "Since he works for my dad, he kept wondering what my dad would say about anything we did. It was very annoying."

Iray pursed her lips. That sounds annoying. "That is stupid, he was dating you, not my dad."

Emilio and Laurel laughed.

They continued eating their desserts together, along with their coffee with gold. Iray told Laurel about a facial with gold, and even though they think that is also too much, maybe they'll decide to go and take it one of these days. That is why they save money on Black Friday, to have money to spill on stupid crap like golden facials.

Laurel thought about it. Being there with their twins made her realize that her mum is right. When Broadway gets started, they won't be able to be together like this again.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a message arrived from George, in which he told her that he was already at the hotel where she was so they could finally go out together. "Well, I love you, pals, but I need to go," Laurel took a last sip of coffee and stood up from her chair. "You can finish drinking my gold."

They were sitting at the closest table to the stairs of the main entrance of the hotel. Laurel took her small purse and climbed some steps until she found George.

"I thought she would take some time in getting over David," Emilio said, holding his mug as he saw his sister giving George a big hug.

"What are you implying?" Iray raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "It's just that they were happy..."

"She is happy now, okay? People fall in and out of love all the time," Iray rolled her eyes. "We can choose a lot of things in life, but not who or how we fall in love."

"Do you think she is in love?" Emilio continued with the gossiping.

Iray tilted her head. "Most likely, yes," she smiled, and her eyes fell on Laurel and George again.

They were at the exact same spot of the staircase, laughing together.

●●●

"How did the free practice go?" Laurel used her recently learned Formula One vocabulary.

"The same as always," he shrugged. "But nice after all. Progress and not perfection," he remembered her words.

"I admire you for having such a good attitude despite all of the...issues," she calmly said. He nodded and smiled. "Winston Churchill said that attitude is a small thing that makes a big difference."

He nodded again with a smile on his face and took her hand. They walked on the Marina of the Emirates Palace hotel while eating an ice cream with 24-karats of gold. For sure, Laurel has eaten more gold in this evening than in her complete life. Thank God it is not harmful for the digestive system. It doesn't even digest.

"I am hating myself for eating this," George laughed and continued eating the ice cream. "Oh, and before I forget, this is for you."

He took a VIP pass out of the pocket of his jacket and handed it to Laurel.

"What is this?" she said and took it in her hand.

"Is your pass for tomorrow."

"Oh," she replied, surprised. "I wasn't expecting this."

"How you thought you could get to the paddock, then?"

"With Rafael's tickets," she frowned slightly and smiled. "He has two tickets for the Paddock club or something like that. He was supposed to come with his girlfriend, but they broke up like a week ago."

"I see," he smiled. She wasn't really expecting nothing from him. "Well, now you can come as my guest and Emilio can go with Rafael."

"Yes, thank you," she nodded, smiling. "I'm sure Emilio will be thankful as well."

"I missed you, Laurel," he blurted out, changing the subject and daring to say what his heart was really feeling.

Laurel blinked a few times and swallowed. "I missed you, too," she admitted.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked.

She just curved her lips into a shy smile and nodded, feeling her heart pounding against her chest. But she stood static right in her place as George leaned down onto her and brushed his lips with hers.