The following morning, Alessia woke up to a pounding headache. The Italian wasn't sure she had ever experienced a hangover before. Being a top performing athlete, she very rarely so much as looked at a glass of alcohol.

As she laid in bed, the cheery chirping of the birds outside sounded ten times louder than usual and the honking of horns from angry drivers became the most obnoxious sound that Alessia had ever heard. In that moment, she regretted consuming so much alcohol and she wished that she was back in the Italian countryside where she had grown up. Abruzzo was tranquil and Alessia would give anything to be there and not in Miami.

Deciding that moping around all day would only make her feel worse, Alessia decided that it would be best if she left her bed and took some painkillers. Thanks to Carla's reminder in the form of a text message, Alessia had training later in the evening. How she would cope being hungover and in the Miami heat, she had no idea but she would try.

"Morning, Mama." Alessia spoke, her voice groggy as she greeted her mother. Evelyn was shocked to see her daughter in such a state. Never had she seen Alessia hungover. The American wasn't angry. Alessia was nearing her mid-twenties so Evelyn was proud. Her daughter, after so long, was finally starting to live.

"Do you need a plan B pill?" Her mother asked, leaping off of the couch and getting ready to head to the local pharmacy if her daughter needed it. She remembered what it was like to be young and going out partying. You could never be too careful.

"Mama," Alessia groaned, clutching onto her forehead as she did so. Evelyn was great and Alessia knew how fortunate she was to have a mother like her but sometimes, Alessia felt that her mum jumped the gun a little bit.

"I don't need plan B but what I do need are painkillers and we don't seem to have any so I'm going to walk to the pharmacy." Alessia kissed her mum on the cheek before leaving the house in same pair of running shorts and Italy athletics team t-shirt that she had changed into when she got home after the party the night before.

Miami, in the peak of summer, was always scorching hot. The beaches were overcrowded and the public pools were breeding grounds for germs. If she were back in Abruzzo, in the countryside, she'd have her own pool to lounge around, away from everyone else. However, she didn't have that same luxury in Miami and so she simply had to suck it up and get on with it.

Trudging into the pharmacy with her sunglasses on top of her head, she scanned the shelves for the painkillers that she so desperately needed. Just as she spotted them and was about to pick them up, another hand beat her to it.

"I really need those." Alessia whined and as she looked up at the stranger that had taken the medication from her grasp at the very last second, she was met with an all too familiar pair of sky blue eyes.

Suddenly, everything that happened last night came rushing back to Alessia. A montage of her evening, her dancing with the man in front of her and the several passionate kisses that they shared replayed over and over in her mind.

"Unfortunately, so do I." He smirked as he tossed the box of painkillers into the air and caught them in his hands once again. His eyes twinkled in the artificial lighting of the store and Alessia had to suppress yet another blush from appearing on her face. Even when he was looking slightly rough from the wild night before, there was no denying the man's beauty.

Pierre. That was his name. How could she have forgotten about him?

"I'm preparing for the Olympics. The urge to throw up during sprint sets is strong enough without being hungover." Alessia boasted. She hoped that her reasoning and the rough state that she was in would be enough to speak to his generous side.

"I drive cars at over two hundred miles an hour. A lapse in my concentration because of an alcohol induced headache could be catastrophic." The man shrugged his shoulders and Alessia knew that she had lost. There was no way in hell that she was going to trump his reasoning. His job had far more risks than hers did.

"However, I am willing to give up this box and hunt for more elsewhere if I can get your number, Alessia, we didn't get to say goodbye last night." He stuck his hand with the box of painkillers out to her, tempting her to take up his offer. How could she possibly deny his generosity?

"I'll give you both the pain meds and my number since I'm so nice. What if I took you up on your offer and you had a lapse in concentration from an alcohol induced headache? Not only could it be catastrophic but I might never hear from you again." The Italian girl took one of the pens that the pharmacy had up for sale and wrote her name and number on the side of the box. As she did so, Pierre smirked as he watched her. Who was this woman?

"Merci beaucoup, ensoleillement." Pierre winked as he backed up, heading to the cashier to purchase the product that had the name and number of the girl that had caught his attention.

Alessia's French was atrocious. A multilingual but French was the one language that she struggled with the most. She had no idea what Pierre had said to her but it didn't matter. What mattered was how beautiful he made his mother tongue sound.

She exited the pharmacy, still with a pounding headache but now with the added affect of butterflies.

988 words
4th August 2022

note from e !

Hello, my loves! After months, I'm back with an update! I haven't proof read this yet as I'm in a rush. I'm heading to the airport shortly but just wanted to give you all a little something before I potentially go off the grid for a wee bit.

Predictions for the Singapore GP?
- I'm missing it but I guess Max will probably win the race but I don't think he'll clinch the title just yet. Charles has enough in him to keep Max waiting, Ferrari are the only worry rn. We've had the same people on podium two races in a row so will that continue?

Enjoy and stay safe!

Lots of love, e x