HYGTG ! by KissLeclerc
May 25, 2024 # "This Could Be A New Era."

          THE HUM OF THE PADDOCK BUZZED faintly in the background as Solana reclined on the plush couch of the suite, a glass of sparkling water in her hand as the thrill of qualifying was just about to start.

The room, adorned with F1 screens and an unbeatable view of the track, was alive with energy. Her best friends Lily, Thalia, and Calvin had effortlessly slipped into easy conversation with Manny, who now sat beside her, his arm slung over the back of the couch.

Arthur had left for the Ferrari garage a while back when their brunch wrapped up, leaving Solana and Manny to their own plans for FP3 and the Qualifying session.

And, surprisingly enough, it was Sol's idea to invite Manny to join her at the suite, and so far, she was not regretting it. If anything, she could hardly focus on anything else but the way he kept leaning closer when he spoke to her, his teasing remarks making her cheeks burn.

Their chemistry was undeniable, that's for sure.

When she first brought up the idea for him to join her, he was quick to accept the invitation, happy to have more time to spend with her.

Thinking back to when FP3 was barely starting, Solana had stepped into the suite with Manny by her side, feeling a little bit of nervous excitement bubbling inside her.

She was content to be there with him. Although it was a fresh meet, he just had a way of making her forget everything around her. His easy smile, the way he seemed to take up space without even trying—it was impossible not to feel drawn to him.

When they entered many hours ago, her gaze immediately found her friends lounging at a table, looking effortlessly chic in their quali day outfits.

Thalia, Lily, and Calvin were deep in conversation, but their eyes flicked over to Solana when she walked in.

"Ah, my love, there you are!" Thalia stood up, her signature smile softened by the warmth in her voice. She was always the one to set the tone in any room, and today was no different.

"Hello my loves! You all look stunning," Solana greeted them with hugs and cheek kisses, her eyes soon scanning them appreciatively.

Her friends were always dressed to impress, and they definitely never failed to hit the mark. Thalia, in a sharp black jumpsuit that hugged her form just right, and Lily, in a flowy white dress with subtle gold accents that caught the light perfectly.

Before she could say more, Calvin raised an eyebrow, eyeing Manny up and down with a grin that screamed mischief. "Oh, and who's this?" His voice was playful, but the way he was looking at Manny was undeniably intrigued.

Manny, ever the flirt, shot Calvin a wink before turning to Solana, leaning slightly closer. "I think I'm the one who should be asking that," He said, his voice smooth and teasing as he glanced at the New Yorker with the same energy.

Solana couldn't help but laugh at his cocky charm. "Oh, where are my manners?" She said, looking a little flustered. "Everyone, this is Manny. Manny, these are my best friends: Calvin, Thalia, and Lily."

Manny flashed his signature grin, effortlessly taking the spotlight without even trying. "The pleasure's mine," He said smoothly, nodding at each of them in turn.

"Wait, like... Mendiola?" Thalia said, pausing mid-sentence as the realization hit her. She raised an eyebrow, finally piecing it together.

Manny grinned, leaning in slightly. "Oh, I'm flattered you know me," He said with a playful glint in his eye. "I'm a big fan of your work." He shot her a wink and flashed a smile that could probably melt an iceberg.

Thalia blinked a couple of times, clearly caught off guard, before she muttered to herself. "I'm happy with Lando. I'm happy with Lando. I'm happy with Lando," She repeated like a mantra, causing Lily to snicker at the interaction.

"Right! So, how do you two know each other exactly?" The golfer gestured between Solana and Manny with a quirked brow and cheeky grin.

"Ah!" Sol glanced up at the spaniard before laughing, mindlessly fidgeting with her manicure. "We met this morning actually. Arthur introduced us." She replied.

"Well God bless, Arthur." Calvin said under his breath as he took another good look at Manny, causing Thalia to soon elbow him in the side.

Solana snapped back to the present, her smile lingering as she glanced at Manny who had poked at her shoulder to let her know he was gonna use the bathroom.

She blinked, momentarily dazed from her daydreaming. "Sounds good," She replied with a soft smile, a hint of warmth creeping up her neck.

Manny gave her a wink before standing up, his movement fluid and natural. As he walked out of the suite, Solana leaned back into the plush cushions of the couch, trying to shake off the dreamy haze he kept leaving her in.

"Finally!" Calvin was quick to lean forward in his seat, Thalia and Lily soon joining him as this was the first time Manny left Sol alone all afternoon. "Solana. Care to EXPLAIN??"

"Guys, I'm just as confused as you are." She confessed completely, a blush still present on her face as she at up right.

"You're confused? Why are you confused. Girl, we're confused? He came out of NO WHERE." Calvin laughed. "But my god, I think I love him for you,"

"Agreed." Lily toasted to that, raising her glass of champagne in the air. "Very charming, very handsome, very funny." She listed his redeeming qualities.

"He seems perfect, my sunny girl." Thalia spoke with a genuine tone. "And I love this look on you." She smiled, gesturing to Solana up and down.

"Yeah." Calvin added. "Letting yourself be happy."

Solana smiled softly, the warmth of her friends' support helping her relax a little. "I don't know... Calvin's right, no? It is a little.. out of no where?" She murmured, her eyes drifting toward the door where Manny had just disappeared.

"Like, everything about him feels so effortless. But also... kind of scary? I don't know if I'm ready to just dive in like this..."

"You deserve someone good," Lily said, her voice gentle but firm. "You've been through enough to know that when something good comes along, you shouldn't hesitate."

"Plus," Thalia glanced up from her phone, "Just searched him up, seems like he was never the problem in his past relationships. Just gold diggers and cheaters breaking his heart." She shook her head with a playful pout and scrolled through an article.

"And maybe you'd be his first girlfriend that is below the age of 40.....?" The model said with furrowed eyebrows, continuing to read her screen.

"My god, what is up with athletes and dating old hags." Calvin hovered over her shoulder, reading the screen and causing Lily to laugh.

"You searched him up??" Sol quirked a brow, nearly giggling at the extent her friends would go.. although this wasn't too crazy. He was a famous athlete after all, of course his business would be on the internet.

"Well, I was curious." The model shrugged before setting her phone down. "But my point is, Manny may be the start of a new era for you."

"Yeah. An era that's free of the shackles that fake french man has on you." Calvin said with a smile, causing Thalia to nearly choke on her sparkling water.

Solana couldn't help but laugh out loud, even though her heart was still racing from Manny's earlier smile. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to calm her thoughts.

This is insane, she thought.

Charles was the one who held her heart for as long as she could remember. She's unfortunately loved him for so long, and no one had ever come close to making her feel differently.

She had never even tried to entertain the idea of anyone else...

Until today.

And it was so sudden.

It truly was out of no where.

But, she wasn't about to get ahead of herself. Manny was charming, funny, and undeniably easy to talk to, but she'd only just met him this morning.

She needed to slow down.

"I'm seriously not trying to get ahead of myself here," She said, but her voice faltered just a little, betraying her nerves.

Calvin leaned forward. "Sol, my heart, if anyone deserves a little fun, it's you. Manny seems like he could be that fun."

Lily nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "True, but it's not about just fun." She gave Calvin a knowing glance and teasing smile before looking back at Sol.

"It's also about letting yourself have a chance at something real, something that makes you feel seen. And Manny definitely seems like someone who sees you."

Thalia added, "Exactly. You don't need to make any big decisions now. Just... enjoy what this is, see where it goes. No pressure." She smiled. "But after everything I've observed in the last couple hours... I believe this could genuinely be the start of something so beautiful."

Solana let out a soft sigh, letting her fingers trace the rim of her glass. "I just... I don't want to make a mistake. I don't want to mess it up because I got too excited."

Calvin softened, his teasing nature giving way to something more sincere. "You're not gonna mess it up. You've got this. And if Manny's as good as he seems, he'll get that you're not rushing into anything."

"Yeah. You deserve this Sol. More than anyone else. Remember that."

vera's voice! 💌
wait cuz lowkey screw charles. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️
give me manny or like idk. Hi.

HIIIIIIII , Another one!!!
DONT HAVE MUCH TO SAY
BUT HI BEVERLY & EVERLY
from veverly.