😀😀😀

😃

😐

(I only made two mood boards because I'm lazy and this shit is hard asf. Respect for those who make these 😅)

Sánchez

🏎🏎

"Hello, what can I get for you?"

"Uh, one double shot espresso please," the dark haired girl replied, fiddling with the pair of sunglasses in her hand.

She pulled out her phone as she moved to the side, waiting for her order to be ready. Tapping aimlessly at her home screen, she busied herself as she waited. 

The sound of cars going past filtered through the walls of the café as cars rumbled past on the streets of Woking.

She sat on the barstool in front of the large window so she could see the cars go by.

It had just stopped raining leaving the streets slick and messy. Dakota stared out the window at the lights reflecting in the puddles. Tiny golden spheres of light were hanging from a string, dangling over the light posts. Dark green bows decorated the tops of the posts, red bells dangling from them. 

Woking - a quaint town in Surrey, England. 30 miles from a city you've probably never heard of, the 45 minute drive southwest of London had brought her to the little cafe where she sat. 

"Espresso for Dakota!"

Quickly getting up, she made her way over to the barista who handed her the drink.

Returning to her seat, she resumed her people watching.

Despite the gloomy weather, people had started to come out of their homes as the drizzle came to a stop. 

Couples dressed in winter coat's walked hand in hand, out to experience the Christmas lights. 

Dakota sipped her drink, her eyes drawn to a car with matte black paint and heavily tinted windows as it pulled up to the curb. A guy with messy brown hair got out of the drivers seat, a mask covering the lower half of his face. He shoved his hands into his pockets as the wind blew. 

She took a moment to admire the black McLaren, and perhaps she took a few seconds to admire the man himself as he stepped into the cafe. 

She swallowed, her eyes scanning over him. Despite the cold, he was dressed only in a sweatshirt. Dakota on the other hand, was decked out in a ski jacket and a beanie. 

He was just over 6 feet and had tanned skin, broad shoulders, and really really nice hair. 

God damn. 

A hiss left her lips as the hot liquid from her drink spilled over her fingers in her loose hold. 

The cold was getting to Alessandro as he stood in the barely heated cafe. He regretted not grabbing a coat when he left the McLaren Technology Center. Every breath he let out warmed his face and nose behind the mask. 

He unconsciously fiddled with the material on the bridge of his nose, scanning the cafe. It was empty aside from a girl who sat by the window, looking outside. 

The first thing he noticed was how long her hair was, tumbling down her back from under the beanie. 

"Is that a wig? " was his initial thought. 

No wonder his teachers always told him to "think before you speak."

He shook his head as the cashier returned to the front. 

"Long time no see Mr. Moreno," the cashier grinned, glad to see the racing driver again. 

"Yeah, been a tad bit busy," Alessandro winked. 

"Contract talks?" he asked, wiggling his brows. 

"Can't say," he shrugged indifferently, but the sparkle in his eyes gave it all away. 

"Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret," the younger boy smiled, handing him his espresso. 

Alessandro pulled out a tip for him, sliding it across the table. 

The boy grinned, thanking him and quickly pocketing it. 

He was about to pull down his mask and take a sip of his coffee when he remembered there was someone else in their presence. His eyes wearily drifted over to the girl. 

He didn't want to risk anyone recognizing him in the small town. If the news leaked that he was at McLaren, people would connect the dots in no time. 

The F1 season had just ended and January was fast approaching. The empty seat at McLaren was yet to be announced and Alessandro was desperate for everything to go as planned. He couldn't lose his one chance to race in the pinnacle of motorsport that was Formula One. 

Dakota stood up, glancing at her watch and realised she would be late for her meeting if she wasted any more time in the café. She finished off her still hot coffee as fast as she could. Her eyes scanned the room for a trash can, finding it in the back corner of the tiny building.

She could feel a pair of eyes on her and she looked up, her gaze connecting with the green eyed man. 

The man had pushed his mask down, revealing the rest of his face. 

She sucked in a breath as she looked over at him.

His face was familiar. Very familiar. Yet she wasn't exactly sure where she'd seen him.

One thing was for sure.

God definitely took extra time on him. 

He raised a brow at her, in an almost playful manner. Not knowing what to do, Dakota quirked a brow back at him, tossing the cup in the trash. 

"Cheers!" Alessandro thanked the boy, reaching for the door handle and swinging it open. 

He waited a moment, courteously letting Dakota pass through before him. 

"Thank you," she said quietly, brushing past him. 

The first thing her mind registered was that he smelled really nice. Even through her mask, she could smell the faint scent of his cologne. 

Alessandro didn't trust himself to respond, so he nodded instead. Her eyes squinted as she smiled under her mask. 

You know that feeling when you just know someone is attractive, without even seeing their whole face?

Shaking his head, he opened the door to his McLaren and got in. 

Now in the darkness of his car, he was able to watch the girl fish her pockets for a set of keys. 

She was dressed in a heavy winter coat, appropriate for the near freezing temperatures. A maroon beanie reseted on her head. Dark brown hair fell past her waist, curling at the ends. A pair of red soled heels covered her feet as she stepped over a puddle. 

A white Audi R8 was parked in front of his and it happened to belong to the girl. The square sticker on the back window revealed that the vehicle was a rental. 

"Nice taste," he muttered to himself as he pulled away from the curb. 

The rain had started to fall again, drops of water sliding down the windshield. 

Dakota sat in the warmth of her car, putting directions into her phone. Getting settled, she put her car into drive and pulled onto the main road. 

The loud sound of an engine revving made her jump in her seat. 

Glancing up, she caught sight of the white lights of the McLaren shining in her rearview mirror. She watched the sleek car pass by her and speed off ahead. 

"Two can play that game," she smirked, stepping on the gas. 

Dakota quickly caught up with Alessandro as they got onto the highway, both of them unknowingly heading in the same direction. 

Her eyes constantly drifted to the speedometer on her dash. She was definitely pushing the legal speed limit, almost asking for a ticket at this point. 

From the corner of her eye, she could make out the black car right beside her. 

A split second later, it pulled ahead and cut in front of her. 

"What the fuck!" Dakota exclaimed, slamming on the breaks. 

"Asshole. That was fun while it lasted," she grumbled to herself, trying to calm her racing heart. 

Dakota shook her head as the black McLaren disappeared into the mix of other vehicles on the highway.

The rain was still coming down heavily as she drove into McLaren Park. Raindrops splashed in the small lake that stretched across the property.

The bright lights illuminated the building making it look like a spaceship.

About halfway through the 15 minute drive, Alessandro assumed he had lost the white Audi. And along with the car went the mysterious girl. 

Feeling slightly disappointed, the brunette drove his now regular route to the McLaren Technology Center. 

But to his surprised, when he pulled up the white car was already parked outside the building. 

"What the fuck?" he thought to himself, quickly getting out of the car. 

Dakota heard the sound of a door slamming shut. She turned, only to see the man from earlier hurrying up the stairs after her. 

She wasn't about to get soaked in the rain so she rushed inside, but held the door open for him. 

"Thanks," he breathed, water droplets clinging to his lashes. 

"Thanks for cutting me off," she deadpanned, narrowing her eyes at him. 

Alessandro opened his mouth to speak, but she was already walking away through the rows of former race cars. 

"I didn't even get her name," he muttered to himself. 

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