Book 1: Oh love, how could I forget~ (Lance Stroll)

Chapter 58: Unknown Rival

Theia receives a message
Lando: Theia?
Lando: sorry I was pretty busy earlier. I'm eating lunch now though. Did you have something to ask?
Theia: It's alright I managed to get food
Lando: Oh yeah you said you wanted to order from that breakfast place we bought from. Sorry 😔
Theia: It's okay I have to do some stuff brb
Lando: okayy.. will you watch me later?

Theia closes her phone and sighs. She walks around with her head down, looking at her feet.
"Ouch!" Theia falls on her butt. This lad was running at a speed and the impact was a bit tough.
"Oh goodness! Sorry.. are you okay?"
Theia sees a hand offering her help to get up. Feeling a bit light headed, she grabbed it. Miscalculating his strength, she was pulled closer to him. Their faces just inches away and for a second their eyes locked with each other. Theia gently pulls away as she stands up and dusts off her pants.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you. Are you okay?" The accent sprung onto Theia's ears. He's british.
"Yeah.. it's fine" She says as she looks away. She was about to go but this lad held her wrist gently.
"Wait you're bleeding" he says.
"what"
"Come with me" he starts to walk towards the Alfa Romeo hospitality. "Wait I'm with Ferrari"
He chuckles. "It's alright"

When they were sitting infront of each other with him getting the first aid kit, only then she realized that she got hurt.
"I'm really sorry for this. I should've watched where I was running to" He says again. His voice was really calm and very british.
"It's fine.. but are we allowed here?" Theia looks around the room which made him chuckle.
"Yeah.. it's okay I am from this team so..."
"I'm Callum.." he smiles at her brightly.
"Theia.." finally she speaks.
"Non red clothes but an employee pass.. are you Charles' girlfriend?" Callum was trying to guess.
"What? No I—"
He smiles hearing her answer
"Lily needed someone to do part time work so I came here"
"So nobody's girlfriend?"
"Uhh.. pretty much" Theia winced as the alcohol hit her hand scratches from the fall.
Callum nods his head and smiles as he puts the ointment on her hand. Gently holding her.

They walk out of the hospitality but Theia stops.
"Now that you're okay how about I—" Callum stops as he sees Theia looking far away and that the view was Lando beside this unknown girl laughing.
After a minute, she turns around to face him.
"I'm sorry.. you were saying?"
Her eyes.. he sees the pain in her eyes.
"Because I'm responsible for this, how about we eat dinner? My treat" he offers hoping she accepts.
"Uhh.. I'm not really doing anything later and it's my first time here so... I guess.. yeah.. why not" she faintly smiles
"Your first time here?? I should tour you around then" Callum pushes off his feeling about Theia being connected to Lando and proceeds as if he doesn't know anything.
"I.. kinda don't feel like watching the race. Can we just go somewhere else?"
"Yeah. Of course! Let me just get my bag and car. We can go somewhere near here"
Theia nodded. Somehow it's kinda weird to go with someone you just met but Theia didn't mind. She wanted her head space somewhere else. She sighs at the thought of seeing Lando and that girl again. Plus Callum doesn't look like he's some bad guy, she didn't even feel an ounce of threat at all.

"Nice car" Theia says as she gets in.
"Thanks. So where do you wanna go? Food? Cinema? Arcade?"
"Arcade? Is there one here?"
Seems like Callum has picked her interest.
"Yes" he smiles and drives to some mall.

They were walking beside each other. Theia was quiet most of the time and Callum didn't know how to start the conversation. When they saw the arcade Theia somehow boosted her mood.
They played shooting games, drums and other stuff but the last one was the toy crane.
She has been looking over those machines and he noticed that. "Come. Let's try to get you one" Callum being hopeful and gently pushes her towards the cranes area.

"It's finee I don't need to adopt them" Theia jokes as Callum wasted a couple of tokens already.
He was getting a bit annoyed at how he can't get one. Theia suddenly chuckles.
"Finally you laughed. You're cute when you smile like that" he says looking at her eyes. Theia gulps. She didn't know how to respond.
"Let me get more tokens" he says but Theia stops him. "It's okay really. I kinda feel hungry though"

They were walking around the parking lot when Theia felt light headed. "My head hurts so bad"
She grabs Callum's arm. He sees this and quickly responds as she faints. He was panicking but he brought her immediately to a hospital.

"Theia are you okay?" She hears a familiar voice. It was Lily. She slowly opened her eyes only to see Callum, Lily and Charles infront of her.
"Ughh.. my head hurts" she winces in pain as she sits up.
"Sorry. You mentioned her so I had no choice but to call her here" Callum says worried.
"Are you feeling better now? You should've told me you weren't feeling well I would've understood" Lily was feeling really guilty seeing Theia in the hospital. She brought her here so it was her responsibility.
"My head still kinda hurts" Theia says that made Callum say "you can rest some more if you like"
"I'm sorry Theia I really should've paid attention"
"Lily.. it's not your fault. I've skipped a couple of meals and I really did have headaches every now and then. This is normal" Theia assures her.
"But still—"
"Stop. I'm here now I'll be better" Theia smiles a bit.

The doctor came and explained that Theia was already suffering from migraine and she was dehydrated that day too. Skipping how many meals, working on the computer for a long time and proceeds to the arcade where her eyes must've been so stimulated. Callum sighs and apologizes. It was him that brought her to the final straw.

"Guys.. it's really okay. It was my fault that I didn't get properly tested for my headaches"
"Let me call Lando" Lily says which make Callum stop midway of pouring water for Theia's cup. Charles notices him. They know each other since its Scuderia but other than that. They didn't interact much.
"No. It's race day tomorrow. He might get distracted"
"But Theia—"
"No Lily.. please"
Charles gently holds Lily's hand and slowly shakes his head. Lily sighs and gives up.
"Fine but he still has to know"
"Don't worry I'll tell him after" Theia fakes a smile.
"Okayyy" Lily surrenders.

Theia asked them to go back and have some rest but Callum was allowed there since he admitted her.
"So.." Callum starts off only to stop halfway
"Thank you for bringing me here"
"Don't mention it" He smiles
"No really.. I had fun earlier. Thank you"
"You looked like you were having a bad day" Callum says as he sits next to her bed.
"Hmm.. not really.. I just.. I just realized that maybe I misunderstood intentions"
"Lando?"
Theia nods slowly.
"When do I get out of here?"
"You can after your iv is finished"
"Can I stay here for the night?"
"Of course. If you want to"
"You can go back and rest. I can finish everything here" Theia smiles
"No, I'll stay. Besides I was the one who processed your papers here so"

Theia insisted he should rest back at his hotel where it was comfortable unlike the hospital coach in her room which was pretty small compared to his height. She couldn't sleep yet but Callum was already. She gets her phone and scrolls through instagram. She stops and see Lando's post today. Funnily enough, the next picture was from the unknown girl.

It was a shadow picture of someone. Theia knew it was Lando.

The girl's post said. "Before I confess" and the comments were filled with Lando stans.

Theia sighs and feels her head hurt a bit. "Ugh"
Callum hears this and wakes up. "Does it hurt badly?" He asks, his voice a bit coarse as he just woke up. Theia closes her phone and slowly shakes her head. "Sorry did I wake you up?"
Callum was half asleep but he smiles "It's okay as long as you're not hurt" and somehow that just makes her feel a bit better~