For Real | Lando Norris

𝑺𝒊𝒙𝒕𝒚-𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕.

Lando

"Ah, no you have to delete that Norris. It's horrific." Charles whines as I lower my camera with a smirk. I look at the picture of him looking up at Valtteri next to him demonstrating how to seriously brush a good moustache. "No, I won't. These are candid, you can not undo them."

"I think you look very adorable, Charles." Zhou comments, as he looks over my shoulder at the screen of the camera. I extend my arm to show Max and Alonso as well sitting next to him. "Adorable is not something anyone likes to hear about him." Charles sighs. I shrug and put the camera away. "Still, I'm keeping it for the memories sake.

"Are you keeping up the photography in the off season?" Valtteri asks, showing interest. I nod fiercely, "I'm actually planning to go up to Lapland. So I won't be that far from you." The fins' face lights up from that information and he nods. "I will not be in Finland, but if you want some hotspots to visit I will text you some places."

"That will be great, thanks." I empty the glass in front of me, before turning to Max and Charles who are discussing their plans for the off-season as well. "And we will go hiking and climbing. I don't know what else, but it will be nice." Charles tells us. "Sounds cool, I still don't know what I'll be doing. Probably enjoy somewhere sunny." Max tells.

"Are you not going with Kelly?" Max looks at me. "Probably, she was planning on visiting her parents around Christmas so I think I'm going with her instead of she with me." I nod, "are you planning on asking her dad for permission while you're there?"

Max almost chokes on his own air at this question and Zhou pats his back trying to help him regain his breath. "Why on earth would you think that?" I can't keep my smug expression from my face and make a gesture of nonchalance. "I heard someone would like you to."

The Dutchman coughs again and a pink colour comes onto his cheeks. "How.." He doesn't end that question, but rather starts a new one with an expression of understanding now settling on his face. I start laughing before he can even ask me. "What did Ophelia tell you?" Charles asks for him and I shrug again, dragging out the expense of the situation that is hilarious for everyone but Max.

"Not much, just that she had a conversation about it with Kelly the last time they spoke." Max is still a little out of it and doesn't seem to catch that I just basically told him that his girlfriend wants him to ask her to marry her. "Do you understand that if they have been talking about it, the topic also refers to you?" Valtteri points out. That thought has not reached my mind and I stammer a little. Was he right? We had been joking around, because of the rumours going around that Kelly is pregnant. She told me that she and some of the other 'wags' had discussed this where Kelly had hinted that she wouldn't mind for Max to propose. My thoughts searching frantically through the conversation cause my face to make an expression which results in the rest of the drivers around me to laugh at me. With that the blush creeping onto my own cheeks intensified.

"Oh boys, if I were you I would wait a while with these kinds of thoughts. Marriage is not for the faint hearted." Fernando tips his glass at us and takes a sip. As if it is some kind of toast to staying unmarried. Max and I can't make the best comeback, but Charles backs us up. "As if your marriage was such a success, Alonso."

Fernando glares at the Monegasque for a hard moment, before breaking into a wide smile. "No, that is why I use my experience to warn young eager people like yourselves." He takes another sip and continues. "Besides, a messy divorce doesn't mean the marriage was all bad."

"Well, I don't have to think about any of that for a long time," Charles counters. He is saying it lightly, but everyone can see he is not comfortable with his break-up from Charlotte yet. I regained my composure and lay a supportive hand on his shoulder. He offers me a sad smile. "Thanks, but really it's okay."

That sounds like an 'I don't want or need to talk about it in a room full of people' statement, so I let it go. "Messy divorce is better than it just ending. Fighting means there is still feeling involved." Valtteri's gaze is a little misty as if he is lost in a distant memory. We all fall silence for a moment. A clap sounds, coming from max. "Well. I don't know how we got from off-season vacation plans to horrid divorces, but can we maybe not talk about those. I have something called trauma."

We all laugh at his self-mockery. "Somewhat dark, but A for effort Verstappen." Charles can laugh again and the mood switches to lighter conversation. Glasses get refilled and I stand up to switch my point of view off the table.

This dinner had been a great idea and I was glad it was just the whole grid together. Despite what the press might say, we do respect each other and we get along most of the time. Some are better friends than others, but off-track we are all bound by this crazy life in formula one that only those having the same life can completely understand.

I look at Sebastian, Lewis, Checo and Mick in the middle of the table. Where Mick and Sebastian seem to be teaching Lewis and Checo how to do a proper German accent. Next to them Lance is showing George and Carlos something on his phone that makes them all laugh uncontrollably and sends George into a hiccup-fit. At the other end of the table the rest are engaged in telling each other anecdotes from weird things that happened this year. It makes me happy to look at all the great men, some that are dear friends others more like idols and I count myself lucky and accomplished that I am one of them.

"Guys," I say loudly and half of the group turns to me, which makes the other half wonder why it was suddenly more quiet and turn to me as well. "How about a group picture?" I wiggle my camera in my hand and get immediate enthusiastic responses.

Everyone gets up and we huddle around to get in a formation where everyone is sort of visible and presentable. After a few tries Alex gets weary from standing around and squats to let George hop on his back. They almost fall over from the lack of balance, but their position inspires others to go above and beyond. You would think that taking a group picture with twenty-two people who have done a lot of professional photoshoots would be an easy task, but it takes at least forty-five minutes until we are all satisfied enough with the results and return to the table.

When I get back to the hotel I feel full and satisfied after a great night and a good ending for the season. I put the card into the door of the room where I am staying with Ophelia. As I push inside I try not to make a lot of sound, it is rather late and I don't expect Lia to still be up. That thought is confirmed when I turn to the bed. My lovely girlfriend lies slummed from a sitting position with her e-reader in her lap. Her hair is tight up into a messy bun and the bit of drool coming from the corner of her mouth is not to miss.

I smile to myself not knowing how I am this lucky that I get to come home to such a sight. Closing the door softly I step out of my shoes and tiptoe into the bathroom. After undressing and getting ready for bed in the most quiet way possible I go back to the main room. Lia seems to still be sleeping. I take her e-reader and also her phone that lies next to her pillow and plug them both in the charger. Then I get into the other side of the bed and my weight dents the mattress. At that point Lia stirs a bit and I stop moving. She glides down, settling better on the pillow.

I allow myself to breathe again and lay down next to her. I can just withhold myself from pushing some loose strands of hair out of her face. She is so precious to me. I keep looking at her being so at peace. The race-weekend will be enormously busy with it being the last of the season. We can both use our rest. She turns on her pillow, which allows me to shuffle a little closer to her and lay my arm around her middle. The sent of her apple shampoo meets my nostrils and the feeling of being home comes over me. Just as a heavy wave of sleep. 

"Good night, sunshine." 

--