For Real | Lando Norris

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚-𝒔𝒊𝒙.

Ophelia

WARNING! NSFW BETWEEN THE ****

"How are you feeling?" I ask, looking worried at Lando. "I'm fine, it's just the heat and tonsillitis, I'm not going to die." He smiles reassuringly at me, but I see that even talking too much hurts him.

"Are you sure? Otherwise I will just fly home and we will see each other in the paddock when you feel better." I keep pressing the issue. Since Saturday Lando has been complaining about a sore throat and the doctor confirms it is tonsillitis. I couldn't help myself, but I've been checking on him all weekend. The crazy heat wasn't helping either and I feel like a burden coming with him to Monaco now.

"Lia if you need a reason to not come with me you can be honest-" He starts, but don't let him finish his snarky remark. "It's not like that and don't pretend it is. I'm just concerned about you."

He looks around the airport quickly, before pressing a kiss on my cheek. "I was just joking, sunshine." I smile weakly and let it go for now. It's Sunday evening and we are about to fly to Nice and go on to Monaco. I would be lying if I said I am not wrecked with nerves.

The whole weekend I had been looking for distraction, mostly in the form of Lando. His illness provided me with a reason not to talk about anything else. I know we had been alone together before. In Imola we spent a couple of days together, but there were lots of duties for Lando and we were sleeping in a hotel. Coming to his house, his home, feels different. More serious and I have no idea what to expect this week.

I had hesitated to say yes, but the fire in me wouldn't say no. I feel butterflies all the time, but my brain won't accept what my body is clearly feeling. Damned humans' self protective system.

When I told the girls I would be going to Monaco with Lando Sabine went mayhem hysterical and kept saying we are meant to be and after this week I have to come back as Mrs. Norris, or she would personally lock me up and torture me for leading him on this long. Ashley was a little more supportive with a 'just let it come at you and do what feels right.'

I feel a little bad for Ashley. The girl she had been talking to broke contact without a good explanation a couple days ago and I'm not there for her. Sabine said she would be the support system on her own, but I feel selfish for choosing my own love interest over my years long best friend. I decide I will call them when we are settled.

"Still thinking about how you are going to smutter me this week?" Lando chuckles on my left. I give him a look and respond with a shake of my head. "No, although I will force you to take it easy." I point motherly at him and he laughs at that. I turn serious again and stare in front of me. "No, I feel like a bad friend. Ashely is going through a hard time and I'm here hanging out with you."

"Hanging out?" he says with a pulled eyebrow. "You know what I mean," I respond and he nods. "What's going on with her?"

I sigh and tell him about Nicole and how Ashley always has bad luck. "It's weird because she is such a lovely person and she just deserves a great person by her side." He nods, "yeah that sucks. I don't get why people don't have the decency to explain how they feel to the person they're seeing."

I look at him and he is just looking in front of him with a blank expression. That feels like an accusation. "Well, I believe she just didn't know why she felt that way." I sound irritated and hope Lando doesn't pick up on my tone. I don't want to start an argument.

He keeps staring into the distance and shrugs. "That also sucks. I think you can always explain yourself."

"What if she was scared of her reaction when she told her the reason she can't speak to her anymore." I ask, my voice getting a little softer. Lando turns his head to me and searches my eyes for answers to questions he hasn't asked yet. I feel like he is onto me and I turn down my gaze to look at my hands, which makes me even more obvious and I quickly look back at him with the most natural face I can.