10 Years Later Ago - Lando Norris

13

NOW

As I eye him as he shifts uncomfortably in the chair opposite me where Kasey once sat. He's fiddling with some of the condiments on the table.

"Do you want a drink?" I ask him, offering us both an out because I sure as hell need another one.

His eyes light up at my offer and immediately agrees, swiftly eyeing the bar staff to get them in our direction.

After ordering our drinks and having them delivered, we've been sitting in absolutely silence the entire time.

As he clears his throat, I put down my second Gin which I've almost half finished already. "So, um, some friend you've got" he comments. An easy icebreaker.

"Kasey" I confirm, "Yeah, she's great, she's a fighter" I tease, knowing that he's probably come out of the toughest grilling of his life.

He nods like he understands what I mean. "She's passionate"

"I'm really sorry about earlier today" I comment, may as well get us to the point, figured the earlier we deal with it, the earlier we can get back to our nights.

"No, I deserved it" he quickly adds. "I haven't even begun to appreciate how hard this is for you"

I nod in agreement. "We probably need to talk, don't we?"

He looks nervous this time, and almost unsure of how to proceed, very different to his last few approaches to me. But I like that it makes me feel more in control.

"Do we do it here?" He asks uncertain, eyeing the pub around us.

I join his line of view and think twice. "Probably not" I shake my head, a packed bar on a Wednesday evening probably isn't the greatest place to discuss heartbreak and the past 10 years.

Lando looks unsure of his next move, it's almost like he's about to get up and leave, but battling whether to ask me to join him or not.

"It's fine" I chuckle, although watching him squirm has been a different view, the boy looks like he needs a rescue. "How about tonight, we chat as old friends, and then we can catch up and discuss that night some other time?" I offer.

The relief that washes over his face plants us both in familiar territory. We both know where we stand and there's a plan of attack. We've both always thrived under organised chaos, and fell apart when the chaos overtook us.

He nods in agreement before signally for some more drinks to be brought to our table.

"So," he breaths out. "Congratulations on Brase, looks to be such a success. And Zak is so over the moon about everything you've been working on" he opens up with a safe topic.

"Thank you, I was so excited when we were brought this pitch. I was so anxious for everything to go well" I confess.

"Well, you've impressed the big guy, everything else should be a breeze"

I nod and accept the third Gin of the evening from the bar tender.

"That's good" I gush.

"Are they bringing you to any of the races?" He asks, taking what I can only assume to be a nervous sip of his beer afterwards to hide his emotions.

"Umm, I'm really not sure" I confess. "I do hope so though"

"You always did love the track" he reminisces.

I nod my head in agreement, "It was a huge part of our lives"

And I realise as soon as I've said it and immediately want to take it back.

Luckily for me, Lando is gracing me with the decency of letting it slide. But I know he's heard it from the smirk that's appeared behind the glass.

"Well if marketing won't bring you trackside, let me know, I can arrange for you to come down" he offers and I give him a knowing look. "Just as a guest B, lighten up" he chuckles.

"I'll keep it in mind" I end that part of the conversation, and mostly because of how it's made me feel.

The silence of the elephant in the room is becoming more and more evident, and we are running out of small talk.

The slight glances we catch of each other, whilst trying to seem interested in everything else in the bar is drawing to a close and we're left only looking at each other.

"I should probably go find Kasey" I suggest; trying to discover our out.

"Yeah, Max is here somewhere as well" he agrees and we both stand to leave our booth only to catch immediate sight of both Max and Kasey, and unfortunately, they're attached at the mouth.

"Figures" Lando laughs, shrugging his jacket back onto his shoulders. "Want to go for a walk?" He offers, shoving his hands into the pockets and shrugging at his own suggestion.

I take a look back over at Kasey and then again at Lando. "Sure" I accept before I allow my head to catch up to my heart.

You're gross lol gone for a walk, I'll see you tomorrow x BE SAFE

I flick Kasey a quick text and follow Lando's lead out of the bar. Those all too familiar butterflies returning to my stomach.