Once they settled deeper into the venue, Luca and Sara were promptly attended to after Luca's official recognition. They were led into the sleek, modern building, away from the open spaces where people bustled about. Inside, their paths diverged as Sara was advised she could sit in the front row, take a spot in the backroom, or relax at one of the canopies outside.
Preferring fresh air, Sara decided to head back out, but through an alternate route that led her to one of the Fijee-branded canopies. Meanwhile, Luca was guided further inside and informed that he needed to prepare.
Just like he anticipated, Luca was provided with a fresh outfit tailored for the event. It included a dark blue polo shirt with a bold, deep red Fijee logo embroidered prominently on the chest. Though denim pants were suggested, the attendant assured him that his dark jeans would suffice. She then handed him a matching blue face cap to complete the look and led him deeper into the building.
They entered a corridor behind the large conference room, where a middle-aged man stood waiting. Introducing himself as Mr. Kessler, Fijee's regional coordinator, the man greeted Luca with a firm handshake and a warm smile. "It's good to have you with us today, Luca," Mr. Kessler said. "Congratulations on your win at the capital. That's one of the reasons why your presence has created so much buzz among our team and audience. Let me give you a quick rundown of what to expect and how this will work."
Luca nodded attentively as Mr. Kessler outlined the schedule. And as the man spoke, the reality of his role sank in. Mr. Kessler informed his role included a short introduction and a full outdoor engagement which involved a question-and-answer session. Luca could tell his job today was to satisfy the excitement of those who genuinely attended for Fijee and those who were there because a motorsport driver was being brandished.
"Got it," Luca responded with a confident smile.
Mr. Kessler then ordered for the attendant to take him to the backroom for a quick touch-up to make him camera-ready. The attendant gestured for Luca to follow. He obliged, walking briskly behind her while exchanging polite greetings with the staff bustling through the hallway.
As they neared the backroom, a booming voice suddenly pierced through the ambient noise, halting Luca in his tracks.
The masculine tone carried a sense of urgency, and Luca instinctively turned toward the source of the commotion. From across the bustling backroom, a young, dark-skinned man weaved his way through the crew, his eyes locked on Luca with unmistakable purpose.
The man came to a stop in front of him, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Han's teammate?" he blurted, his British accent crisp and genuine. "What're you doing here, mate? And where's Han?"
Luca blinked, momentarily thrown by the question. The young man's demeanor was friendly yet laced with impatience, and Luca quickly pieced together that he'd been mistaken for someone else. "Ansel's not here... is he supposed to be?" Luca asked with a steady voice.
Yes, indeed. Just like Luca, Ansel was another brand ambassador for Fijee, and this event was one of many he was obliged to attend. However, Ansel had declined weeks ago.
"He's unpredictable at times," the young man said with a sigh, introducing himself as Kendall Jackson. Kendall was a sports athlete as well, though branding Fijee for a sport worlds apart from motorsport. Kendall, at 21, was the star right wing back for one of England's top soccer teams, Manchester Red.
Having spent most of his life in the heart city of soccer itself, Luca was no stranger to the sport. He knew the Manchester teams were top-tier, and for Kendall to be their star wing back, he had to be exceptional.
Luca extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you. Full name's Luca Rennick," he said, shaking Kendall's hand firmly.
"Oh, I know pretty well," Kendall replied with a wide grin. "First Position, 21, Luca Rennick!" he exclaimed, mimicking Hungaro Ring's announcer from Saturday. "Man, you were on fire! Congrats!"
Luca chuckled. Before he could respond, Kendall launched into a lively recount of the race.
"The whole thing was insane! I barely had time to grab my popcorn, and—boom! Han loses a tire," Kendall said, shaking his head. "Man, that was rough. Real bad for him."
"Yeah," Luca agreed, the memory flashing in his mind. "He had some real bad luck."
The attendant motioned for them to keep moving, and Kendall tagged along, still chatting animatedly. "Since he's not here, I guess you're my new mate to talk with. So, what's your role today?"
Luca settled onto a stool in front of a mirror while a makeup artist touched up his face. She didn't do anything at all—just applied a hint of concealer to even out his skin tone and a light powder to reduce shine.
"Not much," Luca replied, glancing at himself in the mirror. "I'll be around the canopies most of the time, talking to fans, I guess."
The makeup artist patted his cheek, signaling she was done, and Luca stood up. He noticed how tall Kendall was compared to himself, his broad shoulders and athletic build making him look more like an American football player than a soccer star. "What about you? What's your role today?"
Kendall grinned, the energy in his eyes sparking. "Oh, I've got something bigger on my plate. I'm actually unveiling Fijee's new performance drink line today. Big stage, cameras, and all that jazz," he said, motioning dramatically as if mimicking a crowd. "Apparently, I've got to give this epic speech about how it helped me bag my last game-winning assist. No pressure, right?"
Luca raised a brow, intrigued. "That's actually cool..."
"Plus, don't tell anyone—I'll be on the cans in the next production, holding a ball with a bolt of lightning zipping out of my eyes. Now that's cool," Kendall whispered conspiratorially.
Wow. Luca wondered how much Kendall was earning from Fijee for something like that. "Sounds intense," Luca said, amused. "And you're not nervous?"
"Not at all," Kendall said confidently. "I've been in the industry for quite some time."
They began walking again, the lively hum of the event buzzing through the halls. As they approached the main area, an organizer caught sight of Kendall and waved him over. "You're up in five minutes, Mr. Jackson!" she called out.
Kendall sighed. "Well, that's my cue. Wish me luck, mate," he said, giving Luca a friendly pat on the shoulder before heading toward the stage area.
"He's a natural performer," his attendant said, watching Ken disappear as if she admired him. "He influences a lot of teenagers. Come, I'll take you to the outer post."
Luca adjusted the cap he had briefly removed during his session with the makeup artist. Following the young woman, he exited through the far end of the backroom corridor. They navigated through the venue's backyard, weaving past various setups until they entered a smaller building filled with Fijee staff.
"Everyone, this is Luca, the Formula 2 driver," his attendant introduced him with a bright smile. The crew, dressed in branded Fijee attire with pristine white gloves, paused briefly to acknowledge him. Some offered polite waves, while others nodded enthusiastically.
The space was stacked high with crates of Fijee energy drinks, almost a thousand, forming a colorful mosaic of the brand's signature design. Luca couldn't help but wonder if they were really planning to hand them all out for free.
'Hey! It's not just energy, it's endurance. Fijee has been a game-changer for me. It fuels me and my car.'
This was what Luca was given to say to the public when the time came. He studied and memorized the words, doing things as well as he could.
When the time came, Luca engaged heartly and warmly with the attendees. It was a smooth, engaging performance, and even the Fijee team members nodded in approval as they carried out their role effectively too.
Sometime later, Ken appeared in the space, a wide smile plastered across his face. He said he was eager to join in on this role as it seemed more fun and engaging than his own gig. Without hesitation, he was handed a cap and white gloves, blending seamlessly into the staff—aside from his hulking figure.
Next came product sampling, just as Luca had suspected. The stacks of Fijee cans were indeed meant to be handed out for free. Luca and Ken joined in, working side by side as they distributed crates of the drink to the crowd. They also posed for countless photos with fans, making the moment unforgettable for attendees.
It wasn't until later that Luca realized he'd skipped lunch entirely. Glancing at the time, he saw it was nearing 3 PM. Sara, who had driven off earlier, returned with a meal in hand. Luca thanked her profusely and devoured the food, chatting with some of the Fijee crew as he ate. They seemed genuinely intrigued by his career, peppering him with questions about racing and his future ambitions.
Eventually, it was a few minutes till four o'clock and the event was winding down. Everyone, staff, ambassadors and management were called back to the stage in the main building for a closing group photo. Though everyone was tired, the photo managed to capture a residue energy of the day.
Ken wasted no time heading back to his team, who were already prepping a convoy of four SUVs for departure. Before leaving, he scanned the area for Luca, genuinely wanting to cement the connection they'd made. Spotting him chatting with Sara near one of the outer canopies, Ken jogged over with his signature wide grin.
"Ayo, mate!" Ken called, slowing to a halt. "My team's all set, but I didn't wanna leave without this."
Luca turned, curious. "What's that?"
Ken pulled out his phone and held it up. "Let's exchange digits, yeah? Gotta keep in touch. We've got more rapport to build."
Luca chuckled, pulling out his own phone. "Sure, why not?"
The two quickly exchanged numbers before Ken jogged back to his team. Luca pocketed his phone, a small smile lingering on his face.
Sara, standing beside him, crossed her arms and fixed him with a stern glare.
Before Luca could react, she kicked his shin, nearly sending him off balance.
"Oof! What was that for?" Luca exclaimed, stumbling but catching himself.
"Let's go," she said.