For Real | Lando Norris

𝑻𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚-𝒔𝒊𝒙.

Ophelia

I haven't seen Lando much today. This morning he left early to a meeting and training session and we didn't meet up again until lunch. That was nice though. We ate together and he told me the schedule for the rest of the day. He pointed out that I could do whatever I want around the grid because of the VIP pass hanging around my neck. With that assurance I decided to walk around the paddock waiting for qualifying to start.

I see many people walking around, doing their job. I see multiple engineers working on cars and other people on the teams looking like they exactly know what they're doing. It is all very overwhelming and I think back to yesterday morning when Lando and I were just hanging around the hotel room and talking like normal people. It was so nice to be able to just be in each other's presence. He was a very bubbly person, he made me laugh all the time and I just felt really at ease around him.

Lando didn't pressure me anymore about the deep conversation we had the night before about fears and thoughts. I was happy he didn't, because I still don't know what exactly I'm so afraid of. Getting hurt is one thing, but it goes deeper than that. I push that thought way, not wanting to go there. I want to focus on the here and now and not think about it too much.

Engrossed in my thoughts I do not notice that I am about to bump into someone. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going!" I apologise to the girl in front of me. She is about the same height as me and I look at a friendly face with brown eyes that is framed with brown hair. "No worries, I'm okay. Are you?" She asks with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little lost maybe," I chuckle and she laughs at that. "First time in the paddock? I don't remember seeing you before." She stretches out her hand to me, "I'm Charlotte by the way." I shake her hand. "Ophelia, and yeah I'm new to all of this" I gesture to the whole of the paddock. Charlotte laughs at that and takes my arm, "Let me show you around."

I'm a little shaken about her friendliness, but gladly accept the invite. "With who are you here?" she asks while we start walking down the paddock. "Uhm, Lando invited me." I answer and look around me still trying to wrap my head around the volume of this sport. "Lando is a sweetheart, I've known him for a couple of years now, but he hasn't told me he had a girlfriend!" She exclaimed.

I feel a blush coming up and quickly shake my head. "He doesn't, we're just friends. How do you know Lando?" I ask curiously. "Charles is my boyfriend." She says, "Leclerc, Ferrari driver." She adds chuckling when she sees my face trying to remember him from my Formula one 101 with Sabine.

"I'm sorry, I'm not too well educated on this sport or the people in it," I laugh apologetically. Charlotte shrugs and lightly bumps my shoulder with hers. "Don't worry, I was the same way before Charles and I started hanging out."

We walk through the paddock to the part that belongs to the Ferrari team, while Charlotte is pointing out people and teams to me trying to educate me a little. I try to keep up, and to my surprise I actually succeed to understand most of what Charlotte tells me. She is a lovely girl, talking enthusiastically about everything and I feel we can get along pretty well. I think I made my first paddock friend and that thought is nice and weird at the same time.

When we walk into the Ferrari garage I see a lot of people working on a red car. Next to it are a lot of screens where two men are standing. Charlotte walks up to them and hugs one from behind, "Hey love," She says and the person, who I guess is Charles, turns around with a smile. He gives her a kiss and then looks at me.

"Who's your friend?" He asks. I walk to him and stretch my hand which he takes, "Hi, I'm Ophelia," I introduce myself.

"She's with Lando," Charlotte says in a meaningful voice to her boyfriend, who on his turn raises his eyebrows and gets a smirk on his face. "Oh really?" He chuckles and Charlotte looks at him. "You knew?" she asks and the Ferrari driver nods. I feel like I'm missing something and look between the both of them with a confused look.