For Real | Lando Norris

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚-𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓.

Lando

Miami in one word is chaos. The whole weekend we have been running around like crazy. Meeting people, doing interviews, games and trying to get some practice in the meantime. I wondered if this weekend would be a weekend without racing, because everything seemed to evolve around the puppet show the Americans put up for us.

The team was quite annoyed sometimes and that wasn't a good thing on a new track. I was struggling as well. The track was not that difficult, but because it's new we, all drivers, needed to find our way. The first practice everyone was searching for pace and grip. The radio was the busiest I've ever heard it and we were just lost to be honest.

Daniel and I had complained a lot to Andreas, but he couldn't make a difference in the busy schedule. So I let myself be rushed from interview to interview all weekend, smiled for the camera's and put my happy face on. There was an upside to all the interviews and her name is Ophelia. She has been amazing all weekend.

I saw her shadowing Lucinda and helping as best she could. Her and the other inter, jack, have been running around like crazy. I am so incredibly proud of her and she seems to love what she is doing. But with the workload being so high for both of us we haven't had any alone time. We haven't even kissed anymore. She stays in a different room and is already sleeping every time I get back.

I know she wants to appear professional and she told me she wants to keep our distance in America because of the press. I understand her completely, but I am a little disappointed we haven't even tried to find time alone. On top of the press issue no one on the team knows we're dating either, except for Daniel and I think Lucinda suspects it, but keeps it to herself. We don't want to hang our dirty laundry. We are still just enjoying things and not being that serious. I hadn't asked her since that night in Imola what we are. I'm not even sure we are really dating and it sucks to be honest.

"Are you okay, Lando?" Jon asks when I don't pull the stretch band on his count. "You don't give any push back," he grins at me. I shake my head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just distracted for a moment."

He takes the stretch bands from me and sits down on one of the benches in the fitness room. "If you are distracted in any way shape or form you might end up in the wall, you know that. Talk to me."

I sigh and fall to the ground with crossed legs. "I don't know man, it's just- yeah, complicated dating stuff." He rests his head on his fists and looks at me questioningly. And who is she? The same you were nagging about weeks ago?" he asks.

I nod and lay down on my back. "She's amazing, and we had this amazing date the other day, but I don't know if she is all in or what we are at this point. I asked her and she said she didn't know and didn't want to know, what do I make of that."

Jon laughs, "yeah that sounds like a problem. You said you had a date the other day?" I nod and make a humming sound. "Well, have you talked after?" I feel myself getting uncomfortable and know I might need to confess who she is. Jon is always very understanding and helpful. I had been telling my coach about 'this girl' and 'her', but he wasn't aware it's Ophelia. "We kind of have to, she is in the same hotel as us at the moment."

Jon's expression looks like a lightbulb went on and his mouth falls into a 'o' form. "Wait, is someone on the team?" I bite my lip and nod again, waiting for his reaction. Jon laughs at me and moves to the empty space beside me, "who is she?"

"Ophelia, the new intern on the PR team." I say softly. When I say her name I feel a smile creep up on my face. I can't help it, she just makes me happy the instant I think about her. "I kind of gave her the idea to intern for McLaren so I could be closer to her more often, but now I don't know where we stand and it's driving me nuts." I sigh and prop myself up on my elbows. Jon is just grinning at me and I feel myself getting annoyed with him.

"What?" I ask.

"You're in love. I have never seen you like this, it's funny." He chuckles and I groan in response. "The main question is: did she tell her friends about the date?"

"Yes, but what has that to do with where we stand?"

His grin broadens and he stands up. "If a woman tells her friends about you it means you have been judged and approved by the people who will protect her the most. You're in the clear. Just enjoy your time with her and when you feel like it, ask her to be your girlfriend officially."

"When I feel like it... yeah but if she doesn't I am screwed." He laughs and pulls me off the floor. "Yeah that's love, Norris. Endless happiness and insurmountable fear." I throw my arms in the air. "Thank you for the amazing encouragement."

Jon just laughs and starts walking to the exit. "No problem and now, get your head in the game."

***

"I'm out." I slam my steering wheel in frustration and try to relax my muscles after tensing in the crash. "Are you okay?" I hear Will ask over the radio. "Yeah. Fuck, sorry guys. I don't know what happened."

What the hell was Pierre doing? I couldn't see fully, but in my opinion I had the inside and the track position. In frustration I climb out the car and walk back to the pit box. People are greeting me with apologies, but I'm not in the headspace to answer any of them.

I walk into the garage and take off my helmet, neck protector and balaclava. I almost break the cords of my ear plugs when I pull them out. I see the camera filming me and get even more irritated. Not now. I walk into a hallway to get out of sight.

I open one of the engineer rooms and walk inside. I turn around to slam the door, but to my surprise I see Ophelia standing there. She is still wearing her headphones on her neck and looks worried and almost angry.

"Oh hi," I say, walking into the room and leaving the door open for her. "I thought you wouldn't do that to me again after Imola?" She even sounds angry. "As if I wanted this to happen!" I am shouting and she flinches. I realise my error and sigh. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell."

She comes to me and hugs me from behind. I feel myself relax under her touch and I close my eyes for a second. I sink onto one of the chairs and she keeps holding me. I feel tears burning behind my eyes. I don't want to cry, but all the stress and pressure building just needs to come out at this moment.

She makes a shushing sound and caresses my hair. "It's okay, you're okay," she whispers. I take a breath and pull myself together. "I'm sorry for that." I say looking at her. She wipes my wet cheeks and I feel my skin burn where she touches it. She smiles her perfect smile and I feel myself getting calm again. "Never say sorry for your emotions," she says sweetly.

I nod and hug her tightly. I don't want to let her go and she seems to feel the same, because I feel her grip tighten around me. "Yes?" she asks when we eventually let go and I nod. "Thanks Lia, I-" I quickly shake my head and wave it away. "Never mind, just thanks for being here." She laughs at that. "You pushed me in this job, so you're stuck with me."

I laugh and stand up when she does so too. "Speaking off, I need to get you to the media panel." I nod and look at her walking in front of me. I watch her braided hair dance to the rhythm she walks. She is just amazing and I smile to myself. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I almost let it slip, just out of nowhere I felt the need to tell her. But I didn't and I'm undecided if that was very smart or incredibly stupid. 

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