Rise Up

Chapter 32: Valentine's Day

January passed quickly, mostly between hard trainings and briefing back and forth in Faenza. I decided it was the best for me to stay in Florence, to be close to my parents but also my Doc. As the season was about to start, I had to go through some usual checks, to be sure everything was ok, that the therapy was going well. Moreover my house wasn't too far from the motorhome, just a few hours by car, so it was more than easy to go there and reach the team anytime they needed me for meetings or sim hours.

February arrived and I didn't notice, if not for the cold weather. I made myself busy everyday, between hours on the simulator, long gym session and studying- yeah, I tried to find some time to give at least one of the finals I was missing. After all, I wanted to complete my study, so I tried my best to get closer to graduation. In the end of the month I had to leave to Barcelona for the pre-season test and I couldn't wait any longer to try in person the new car. On the other hand, it would also mean that I will see again Lando.

Thing between us ended bad that night and to make it even worse, we've never properly talked again since the call. He tried to text me the very next day but as soon as I decided to ignore him, overwhelmed by the angriness, he stopped his useless tentative after few days. He literally disappeared, nor a word, a call, a text, a letter, neither for mistake.

I couldn't help myself from fulling my mind of self-destroying thoughts. 

What if he cheated on me even before that night? What if he already moved on? What if he's happier with her?

In these past weeks, getting ready for the new season, I decided to have a few more sessions with my therapist, to be sure to be in a good place mentally, so I could give all myself also physically. Hannah helped me a lot, not only with the whole accident thing, but also with all my personal problems, linked mostly to my trust issues and lack of self-confidence. The situation with Lando became one of our main topic of conversation, as I found very useful talking with her. It's thanks to her that I decided to focus just on myself, ignoring it all- well, actually she didn't suggest me to ignore the elephant in the room, instead she thought that we should have talked and be cleared with each other, but that's not the point.

Valentine's Day was getting closer and my friends were trying with every way possible to help me feel better although the Brit driver who basically broke my heart. They wanted to go out for dinner, just us girls, as old times, but I wasn't really in the mood. Spending the day of lovers, alone and sad in my flat, eating a good pizza and some ice cream on my cosy sofa, was the perfect plan for my mood.

This morning I went to Faenza for some photoshoots with Pierre and the new beauty aka the new Alpha Tauri car. When I came back to my apartment, the only thing I wanted to do was chilling on the small couch, watching some Netflix and eating some Chinese food, of course keeping it secret to Mike who wouldn't exactly approve my new diet.

In a huge pair of sweatpants and an old hoodie from a random Championship I took part when I was in Formula 4, I rushed to the door when I heard a knock, as I was waiting for the delivery guy. But in front of my door I didn't find my much craved spring rolls.

I was shocked, speechless, absolutely impressed. He shouldn't be here. Above all not with my food in one hand and a huge bouquet of red roses in the other one.

Without even thinking, I closed the door, as a reflex.

Lando knocked again, a bit louder. This way all the building would hear him. I had no chance than open again. 

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Ok, maybe my tone was a bit too sharp, but I didn't expect any of this.

"Can I enter?" I'm pretty sure that my facial expression was scaring him. "The roses have still some thorns and are killing my hand."

If I wasn't this angry still with him, I would have chuckled at his silliness. Anyway I opened the door a bit more and let him enter after me.