THE CORE FOUR

Soph 🎥
we're all literally so in sync wtf?????

Thi 🏎️
?

Jax 🏈
Oh wow it's been a while since I've seen a notification from this chat

Soph 🎥
yeah because of jake and thierry duh
which i'm hoping we're past now?

We're trying to

Thi 🏎️
Yeah we're making a start

Soph 🎥
good, slow progress is better than no progress
ANYWAYS
not me, liv and jax all posting pics of our partners at a restaurant
we're literally telepathic

Jax 🏈
I didn't even realise

Only you would notice these things Soph

Soph 🎥
we just need thierry to complete it now

Thi 🏎️
I think I'm taking a break from women at the moment

Jax 🏈
Are you coming out to us?

Congratulations

Thi 🏎️
WHAT??? NO!!! I MEANT DATING

Soph 🎥
ah i always knew, remember that time you ended up spooning with jake at a sleepover?

Don't bring me into this. That was years ago.

Jax 🏈
HA

Thi 🏎️
I'm not gay, I love women

Soph 🎥
what's wrong with being gay?

Thi 🏎️
Nothing, I love the gays. I'm just not one of them

Soph 🎥
we'd still love you if you were, unless you fuck everything up for us 4 again

Thi 🏎️
Haha...nice joke...so funny

Soph 🎥
wasn't joking :)

NOVEMBER 2025. LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES.

The soft hum of conversation and the clinking of silverware filled the upscale Hollywood restaurant as Jake and Olivia walked in, hand in hand. The hostess greeted them warmly and led them to a private room, where their friends were already waiting.

They were meeting for dinner with Jax and his girlfriend Hailee, Sophie and her boyfriend Austin and obviously Olivia. Since they were all currently residing in LA, it was easier to make plans. As for Thierry, he was still in Monaco and Jake hadn't spoken to him in person since the hospital.

They were messaging every now and then, Jake did ask about Thierry's plans for next season to which he responded telling the Thompson he was set to retain his Ferrari seat after his father had pulled many strings. He was also telling Jake about the vigorous recovery programme his father currently had him on and Jake couldn't help but feel bad for the younger racer.

For Jake, his recovery was going very well. He was basically back to full strength almost half a year after the incident at Spielberg. He was consistently hitting the gym and going on runs for his physical condition. He had also had his sim racing set up in Olivia's apartment which he had been using to get back into racing - although it wasn't the same as the real thing. His set up had been at Liv's for a while, since whenever he had time off he was practically living there. They hadn't officially moved in with each other but they were practically living with each other.

Jaxon, looking every bit the NFL star, stood up and gave Jake a bear hug. "Jake! Great to see you, man."

"Good to see you too, Jax." Jake replied, clapping his friend on the back. He turned to Jaxon's girlfriend, Hailee Steinfeld, and gave her a friendly nod. "Hey, Hailee. It's been a while."

He had formally met Hailee briefly during one of his stints in Los Angeles where he would often make plans to see Jaxon.

"It has! You're looking great, Jake." Hailee said, smiling brightly.

Sophie, elegant as ever, stood up next and enveloped Jacob in a warm embrace. "I'm so glad you're doing better."

"Thanks, Soph." he replied, a smile on his face. He then shook hands with Austin Butler, Sophie's boyfriend who he hadn't formally met yet. "Nice to properly meet you mate."

"Likewise, Jake." Austin said, his smile sincere.

They all took their seats, Olivia sliding in next to Jacob. The table was beautifully set with crystal glasses and pristine white linens, reflecting the elegance of the restaurant.

The conversation flowed easily as they enjoyed their meal, a delectable array of dishes that included everything from truffle pasta to perfectly seared steaks. Olivia and Hailee chatted about the music industry, sharing stories of their tours and upcoming projects. Sophie and Austin talked about their latest film ventures, their passion for acting evident in every word.

Jake found himself laughing more than he had in months, and engaging in the conversation. He was happy to be surrounded by such positive people who made his life nothing but better.

At one point, Jaxon leaned in and asked. "So, how's it feel to be back in the swing of things?"

Jacob shrugged, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Honestly, it feels amazing. I'm getting stronger every day, and living in LA with Liv has been great. McLaren doesn't need me just yet, so I'm just enjoying the time off."

Olivia squeezed his hand under the table, her eyes shining with love and pride. "He's been a great support on tour," she said, looking at the others, "and he's getting back into his training routine, slowly but surely."

Sophie leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "So I'm assuming we'll see you back out there next year?"

"That's the plan," Jake replied, "I'm aiming to be in top shape by then. It's been tough, but I've had a lot of support."

As dessert was served - a decadent chocolate soufflé - the conversation turned to lighter topics. They reminisced about their school days at Wellington College, laughing at old stories and shared memories, the others enjoying hearing a glimpse of their partners' earlier lives.

Jaxon, with a mischievous grin, recounted a particularly funny incident involving a prank they had pulled on a teacher. "Remember when we filled Mr Horsforth's office with balloons?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Jacob laughed, shaking his head. "How could I forget? We were in so much trouble for that."

Hailee and Olivia listened, amused by the tales of their partners' school days.

"You guys were such troublemakers." Hailee said, shaking her head in mock disapproval.

"Only a little," Jacob said, winking at Olivia, "it was mainly Jax. He was the bad influence."

"Hey!" Jaxon retorted. "That's not true!"

Sophie chimed in. "Jax just missed Jake and Thierry a lot because they were gone most weekends racing so when they had a weekend off he always made the most of it."

"Awww," Hailee said, smiling at Jax, "you big softie Jax."

As the evening wore on, the group grew more relaxed, the conversation flowing easily and the laughter coming often. Jake felt content and happy, it reassured him knowing that despite everyone having such busy lives, they would always stay connected to each other.

Finally, as the meal came to an end, they all stood up to leave. Outside the restaurant, under the twinkling lights of Hollywood, they said their goodbyes. Jaxon and Hailee hugged Jacob and Olivia tightly, promising to get together again soon. Sophie and Austin did the same, their smiles reflecting the joy of the evening.

As Jake and Olivia walked to their car, Jake looked down at Olivia, his heart full. "Tonight was fun." he said softly.

Olivia smiled up at him, her eyes full of love. "It really was."

Jake opened the door for Olivia before getting into the driver's seat, driving them back to her apartment. As they drove around the quieter streets, his hand rested on her upper leg causing Olivia to blush at the physical contact.

As they passed a traffic light, Jake's phone lit up with a notification.

"Can you read that out for me please babe?" Jake asked, glancing down at his phone before refocusing on the road.

Olivia nodded and picked up his phone, reading out the message. "It's from Zak Brown, he went 'Hey Jake, how are you doing? Hope the recovery is going well."

Jake furrowed his eyebrows, confused why Zak had messaged him. The McLaren team had been keeping in contact with him and keeping tabs on his recovery but he wasn't expecting a message from the CEO. "Alright go 'Hey Zak, I'm doing great thanks. Feeling back to normal and feeling good. How's the team?"

Olivia typed the message in and within a minute there was a response. "Good to hear, team's preparing for the final races of the season. It's looking like we're going to miss out on top three this season. That brings me onto what I wanted to ask you."

"Ask him what's up."

"He replied with 'We're happy with your recovery and it seems like you're basically there so if you wanted to get back in the car before next season we're happy to have you drive the car in the free practices at Abu Dhabi.' No way Jake that's amazing!"

Jake smiled. "Tell him I'd love to."

"He went 'Fantastic, it'll be a great way to ease you back in."

"Tell him I've been waiting to get behind the wheel and I appreciate the opportunity."

As they approached Olivia's apartment, she read out another message from Zak. "'No problem at all, Jake. You've worked hard to get back to this point, and we have full confidence in you. Plus, the team has missed having you around. Let's get you out there and see how you feel in the car."

Jake's face was filled with a grin. "Tell him I'll see him in Abu Dhabi."

As the couple parked and got out there car, Olivia engulfed Jake in a hug, so happy for him that he had this opportunity. Jake was ecstatic too, it had been too long since he found himself in the cockpit of a Formula One car.

They walked into the apartment, hand in hand as they both started unwinding down and getting ready for bed. Olivia slipped off her heels and sighed with relief, stretching her arms above her head as Jake started unbuttoning his shirt and going into the bathroom.

He brushed his teeth and came back out in nothing but his pyjama bottoms and Olivia couldn't help but momentarily stare at her boyfriend's athletic body.

Jake felt a heat rise to his cheeks, noticing this. "Do you want anything?"

"Glass of water would be nice thanks." she replied, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

She made her way to the bathroom an started getting unready, getting dressed into her pyjamas, taking off her makeup and brushing her teeth. Once she emerged, she grabbed a throw blanket and wrapped it around herself, sinking into the cushions.

Jake made his way over with a glass of water for her and a cup of tea for himself, joining her. The two were snuggled comfortably together on the sofa, scrolling through social media and TikTok and laughing at content they had seen posted from their fans.

Jake's phone buzzed with a notification and he wondered who could be messaging at this time. He looked and it was Thierry, it was obviously a lot earlier for him since he was in Monaco.

Thi 🏎️

Hey Jake, I'm about to go live on Twitch on the sim. Want to join me? Will be fun.

Jake stared at the message for a moment, then looked over at Olivia, who raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Thierry wants me to join his Twitch stream." he explained.

Olivia smiled gently. "You should do it. It could be a good way to reconnect. Plus, it sounds like fun. You love the sim."

Jake nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He quickly typed out a response.

Sure, I'm in. Call me on Discord.

A few minutes later, Jake had put a t-shirt on and was setting up his monitors, connecting his camera and microphone. Olivia sat beside him, watching with interest as he logged into Twitch and Discord before he joined Thierry's call.

Thierry's familiar face appeared on the screen, and Jake saw the chat already buzzing with excitement. "Hey everyone, I've got a special guest tonight," Thierry said to his viewers, "please welcome Jake Thompson!"

Jake's camera feed popped up, and he waved awkwardly. "Hey everyone," he said, his voice a little hesitant, "good to be here."

The chat exploded with messages, fans expressing their excitement and support, some fans were a bit sceptical.

"It's been a while since we did this." Thierry said, his tone friendly but slightly awkward.

"Yeah, it has," Jake agreed, "feels like old times, though."

They started playing, navigating through the menus and choosing their cars - obviously both of them racing as themselves. The initial awkwardness began to fade as they immersed themselves in the game. It reminded them of their schoolboy days when they used to spend hours playing video games together.

As they raced through the virtual circuits, the conversation became more relaxed. They joked and bantered, the tension melting away. The chat was filled with comments about how great it was to see them getting along again.

"Let's do Abu Dhabi next." Jake suggested, a smile tugging at his lips.

"How come?" Thierry asked. "Didn't think you liked that track much."

"No reason..." Jake said before his excitement got the better of him. "I'm actually going to be racing there in the free practices." he blurted out, forgetting for a moment that they were live.

The chat went wild, fans picking up on Jake's accidental announcement. Thierry laughed, shaking his head. "Did you just leak that Jake?"

Jake's eyes widened in realisation. "Oh crap, I think I did. Oops."

Olivia, who had been watching from the couch, laughed and moved closer to the camera. "Hey everyone," she said, waving, "I guess Jake just can't keep a secret."

The fans loved it, the chat filling with heart emojis and messages of adoration for the couple. Thierry smiled, clearly happy to see Jake and Olivia in good spirits.

"Well, it's out there now," Thierry said. "Good luck in Abu Dhabi, Jake. It'll be nice to see you out there again."

"Thanks, man," Jake replied, "and thanks for having me on the stream. This has been great."

As the race continued, Olivia stayed close by, occasionally popping into the frame to engage with the fans. Thierry and Olivia's interactions were still cautious, but there was a sense of mutual understanding and forgiveness starting to form.

"Looks like Olivia is keeping you in line, Jake." Thierry joked, and Jake laughed.

"She definitely is," Jake said, turning his head momentarily to smile at Liv, "she's been amazing."

The race came to an end, and they wrapped up the stream, thanking the fans for watching. As the screen went dark, Jake leaned back, feeling his exhaustion starting to hit him. It was the early hours of the next morning.

He turned around to see Olivia snuggled up, snoring gently on the sofa, obviously too tired to stay up. He smiled to himself and made his way towards her before gently placing his arms beneath her and the blanket to bridal-style carry her into the bedroom.

She moved slightly but Jake was careful not to wake her up, delicately placing her on her designated side of the bed. He climbed in next to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead, causing her to stir slightly but still remain asleep.

Jake smiled with love, watching his girlfriend sleep peacefully, admiring all the features he loved about her until he too was consumed by exhaustion and drifted off to sleep.

It was a good day, even if he accidentally leaked the fact he would be back in Formula One before the year ended...