LAS VEGAS, UNITED STATES. NOVEMBER 2023.

Jacob and Liv didn't want to tell anyone yet about the fact they had kissed. It felt wrong to lie to his friends and keep it from them but he wasn't entirely sure what he and Liv were.

It was a difficult one to call, Jacob would been travelling a lot and Olivia would be on tour next year meaning both of them wouldn't see each other as often as they would like. Because of this, Jacob was unsure of what Olivia wanted to do.

Shortly after the race had ended and everyone got back to their hotel rooms, Jax had to say goodbye and so did Sophie. They were both catching a flight back to Los Angeles for their respective commitments. Jax obviously had a game on Monday and Sophie was needed for her various responsibilities as an actress.

Jacob kept silent as they left, acting as if nothing had happened between himself and Olivia not too long ago. He wished his friends goodbye and said he'd visit them during the winter break.

Olivia was staying, which did make Sophie slightly suspicious, the plan was for her to go back with them but she told them she had a change of heart.

Jacob was to stay in Vegas for a few more nights before making his way over to Abu Dhabi where his and Thierry's last race of the season was.

There was a hint of awkwardness when Olivia and Jacob returned to Jake's hotel room, they initially just sat side by side on the bed in silence. That was until Jacob was bold enough to make a move and before they knew it, the two were making out on Jacob's hotel bed.

It was purely an instinct that Jacob was acting on, he was feeling all sorts of emotions as he had been pining over Olivia since they'd met - if not before. However, she obviously didn't feel the same way about him until recently.

What Jacob didn't know was that there was something about Jacob the first night the two met in New York that Olivia liked about him, but at that time she was dating Joshua. And when that ended poorly, she wasn't sure if she could be with someone else for a while - fearing that someone else would do what Josh did to her again.

The whole relationship with Adam felt like a blur to her, he was an older guy, seemingly charming at first. But she quickly realised that everything wasn't what it seemed to be. There was more than what met the eye with Adam. She was truly unhappy and was even more so when Jacob barely spoke to her during that relationship. She was used by him to boost his popularity.

After countless late nights with her friends, Iris and Conan who both told her the obvious and reminded her that Jacob was most likely different from Josh and Adam, Olivia decided to confront and deal with her feelings for the racer instead of pushing it and locking it away in the back of her mind - what she had been doing since the very beginning.

The two teens now found themselves entangled with one another, breathless after making out with such desire and passion that Jacob himself could tell the past few months were not one sided.

"So..." Jacob started awkwardly.

Olivia laughed, and Jacob couldn't help but smile at her laugh.

"So..." Olivia added, also trailing off.

"Where does this leave us?" Jacob said jokingly, not entirely sure how he wanted this conversation to go.

Liv remained silent and Jacob pondered on his thoughts slightly before speaking.

"I want this to work, but do you think it can work? I mean with your career and mine, I just don't think we'll get to see each other often and I'm not sure if that's something you want."

Liv smiled, looking up at Jacob. "I want to make it work. I think we can. I think we both understand how important our careers are to us."

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, course."

"Do you want to make it work?" Olivia asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

Jacob smiled at Olivia. "I do Liv, I really do."

They hadn't put a label on it yet, but they had mutually decided they were at least something and they were exclusive. Their conversation continued and they both also decided they didn't want their relationship to be in the spotlight. They would be comfortable posting each other from time to time, but they both rather enjoyed the concept of a relationship that was secret, but not private.

That night, Olivia spent the night in Jacob's room which immediately subjected Jacob to an intense interrogation the morning after from Thierry.

"Something you want to tell me?" Thierry asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jake sighed, he didn't want to lie to his best friend so he told him the truth.

"About time!" Thierry exclaimed. "We all made our bets this weekend!"

Jacob looked sceptical. "What bets?"

"Well me, Soph and Jax thought you'd get with each other over the weekend."

Jacob rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone to text the others, making sure they weren't left out.

THE CORE FOUR

You all suck.

Soph 🎥
well that's nice

Thi 🏎️
What he meant to say was our bet was correct

Jax 🏈
HAHAHAH! NO WAY! Congrats dude!

Soph 🎥
adds up tbh, figured that's why liv stayed in vegas with you. happy for you both <3

Thanks guys. We're taking it slow. You are the only one's who know, plus Liv's closest friends

Thi 🏎️
What an honour

Soph 🎥
should we be pissed at him he didn't tell us as soon as they kissed?

Jax 🏈
Hm...

Thi 🏎️
Yeah dick move Jake!

Guys wtf! I was just trying to process it all

Soph 🎥
hahaha just messing w you!! ofc we're not pissed, we completely understand.

Thi 🏎️
Nah I'm pissed!!

Cry me a river Thi 🖕🏻

YAS ISLAND, ABU DHABI. NOVEMBER,
2023.

With nothing planned in her schedule, Olivia followed Jacob to the final race of the season, his last race with Alpine and Thierry's last race in Formula 2. There was immediate media interest that Jacob had Olivia, a very well known individual, with him but they managed to play it off as being close friends.

The internet, with fans of both clocking on, were initially confused with this pairing but then immediately began to show their interest and support in a potential romantic relationship. This made the two laugh.

The night before qualifying, the two were in the hotel room together when Jacob asked Olivia a question. "Have you got any plans to release music soon?"

"Not at the moment, I think it's just preparing for tour at the moment. But I do have plans to release music soon after."

Jacob nodded, it was a pretty big deal for Olivia. It was her first tour and it would span around four months travelling across America as well as Europe. It was a small tour in comparison to other artists but Jacob was positive that would be different for future tours she went on.

"What are you planning on releasing afterwards?"

"It's a secret."

"Come on Liv!" Jacob said, giving Liv a fake frown. She rolled her eyes and caved in.

"It's an album I've been working on, it's called 'GUTS'."

"Creating a bit of a four word theme we are." Jacob laughed.

Olivia chuckled. "Yeah, I know."

"What's the theme of it?"

"It's pretty heartfelt stuff...like spilling your guts out I guess. I'm going to release the single 'vampire' first."

"Can I hear it?"

"I haven't got a recording of it on me."

"You're a singer Liv."

Liv sighed and began to perform an acapella rendition of the song. She only got to the chorus and stopped at the end of it.

"Jesus, you're talented."

Olivia grinned as she made her way over to Jake on the bed and gave him a kiss, to which he happily reciprocated. Jacob wondered if the lyrics had anything to do with Adam but didn't dare to ask. Exes were a tricky topic in all relationships.

On the Saturday, before his qualifying session, Olivia and Jacob were in the paddock preparing themselves to watch Thierry's sprint race where he was starting in pole position. It was a terrific performance from the Arquette, he had been consistent all season, showing everyone why he was deserving of the Sauber seat for the 2024 season.

Jacob then waved goodbye to Olivia who made her way to the hospitality suites as he prepared for his qualifying session. After quick interviews as he walked towards the Alpine garage, he got into the cockpit of the Alpine racing car.

Looking at all the data in front of him, Jacob prepared himself for his first flying lap to kick of Q1. The soft tyres on the car felt nice as Jacob eased into the first couple turns of the circuit.

"Ok Jacob," his engineer said from the radio, "push as hard as you can this lap. Push as hard as you can."

"Copy."

As the session progressed, Jacob found a good rhythm. He managed to set a competitive time in Q1, ensuring his place in Q2. In Q2, Jacob pushed even harder. The competition was fierce, but he managed to squeeze out a lap time that put him through to the final session. The team's encouragement over the radio made him smile. He was determined to finish his time with Alpine on a high note.

Q3 was intense. Every driver was pushing to the max, aiming for the best possible grid position. Jacob's first flying lap was good, but he knew he could do better. With the clock ticking down, he went out for one final run. He hit every apex perfectly, braking late and accelerating out of the corners with precision. The car felt alive beneath him, responding to his every command.

"And that's P10 Jacob, P10 tomorrow. Well done."

P10 was good but it wasn't up to Jacob's standard. He knew the Alpine was only capable of so much against the other cars so he had squeezed everything he could. He was looking forward to being in a more competitive car next season.

"You were amazing out there!" Oliva exclaimed when Jacob finally found her after all the debriefing.

"Thanks, Liv," Jacob replied, grinning, "always have to put on a show when you're here."

Olivia gave him a playful push on the shoulder and rolled her eyes. Jacob merely just laughed as the two made their way back to where they were staying.

Race day had the perfect conditions for the season finale. Jacob felt a mix of excitement and nostalgia as he prepared for his last race with Alpine.

As the cars lined up on the grid, the anticipation was palpable. The lights went out, and the race began.

The first few laps were intense. Jacob drove amidst the chaos of the opening corners, maintaining his position and looking for opportunities to move up. His focus was razor-sharp, each decision made in a split second. He fought hard, overtaking when he could and defending his position effectively.

Midway through the race, a safety car was deployed, bunching up the field. Jacob used the opportunity to pit. As the race resumed, he found himself in a strong position, pushing hard to stay in the top ten.

With ten laps to go, the tension was at its peak. Jacob battled wheel-to-wheel with several drivers, his skill and determination on full display. He made a brilliant pass on the outside of turn nine, moving up to P9.

As the checkered flag loomed, Jacob gave it everything he had. He crossed the line in ninth, a fantastic result that felt like a victory. The team erupted in celebration, and Jacob felt a rush of exhilaration.

Back in the garage, Jacob was greeted with applause and cheers. The entire Alpine team had gathered, their faces beaming with pride and gratitude.

"Jacob, we have something for you," said Laurent Rossi, the team principal, stepping forward. He handed Jacob a framed photograph of the team, signed by everyone, with a heartfelt message of thanks.

"Thank you for your dedication and hard work this season. You've been an invaluable part of the team, and we wish you all the best at McLaren."

Jacob was deeply moved. "Thank you, everyone. It's been an incredible journey, thanks for giving me a great insight into the sport."