Deals with Daisy // LN4

6 ~ Off Balance

Lando's POV

Max and I passed the time as best we could before I was pulled away for more media commitments and team meetings that led to me being a little late to head back to the garage after warming up for the race. Despite this, I was stopped mid-step as I ran to get in the car when I saw her stood at the top of the ramp to the hospitality next to John.

At first I thought she was just stopped for a moment on her way to go and harass either me or Fraser but instead, I watched as she exchanged a few words with him. Both their faces breaking into smiles as she turned around to shake his hand before heading down the ramp and towards the garage with no cares in the world it seemed. I started moving once she was out of sight, remembering that I am in fact late already as I rush inside, glad that Daisy jumps out of the way as she had stopped in the tunnel. Her stormy grey eyes are wide as I dash past, clearly catching her off guard while I try to remind myself that I was too busy to be self conscious about the fact she was here to watch the race it seemed.

I am relieved that Max notices she also seems slightly unsure about being there. For the first time this weekend when I look at her I actually see Daisy... the sweet and slightly uncertain twelve year old whose voice was soft and still held her Italian accent close to the surface despite years in England. She'd changed and it wasn't a bad thing... I just hadn't seen that side of her yet this weekend until now. She'd gone from being angry to annoying to business very quickly and I knew that if I'd seen this version of her in the hallway yesterday, there's no way I wouldn't have realised it was her.

Max and her sit off to the side as I get ready for the race and I won't lie and say that I'm not relieved because I definitely am. There was something unsettling about her eyes on me as I was trying to work, as though I was an investment she was trying to size up and decide if I was worth the time and stress. I also wanted to know what her conclusion was, not that I'd let Fraser know that.

I didn't think there was anything worse than failing out of the race with her there. Knowing that she was watching was weird. I felt overly aware that if she had wanted me to sign for her big, shiny agency before - then she had probably changed her mind by the time I finally crossed the line after almost half a dozen pit stops in what could probably be easily regarded as one of my worst races ever in five years of F1.

However, as I walked back up to the garage after getting out of the car to the commiserations of the rest of the team, seeing Jon, Will, Max and Fraser standing there for me left me somewhat startled by the fact my eyes kept looking for her as we walked into the garage. "She's gone to catch a flight," Max mutters as he gives me a hug, clearly keeping the words for just me as I don't attempt to crack a smile after the race and just give a subtle nod when we pull apart to let him know that I'd heard him.

"Tough luck Lando, you'll get them next time," Fraser says with a degree of positivity I had no interest in hearing right now as I just walked away, relieved when Jon and Max follow me to my room where I promptly collapse on the floor. It might have been a shit race but it was also the first of the season and I was exhausted, my body hurt and I was tired beyond belief. "You alright mate?"

"No, I'm not," I say honestly, reacting quickly to Fraser as he follows us through the door and looks down at me with amusement on his face, totally missing the vibe as I follow Jon's instructions to stretch.

"What's so bad? It's just one race?" Fraser responds and I immediately know, with a great amount of annoyance, that Daisy has managed to get in my head as I stare blankly back at him. I'm waiting for him to catch on to my mood and annoyance because it feels like the other two have as they sit glumly in the room with me. It's just him exuding false positivity.

"It's not though is it? It's four races... I know I fucked up in qualifying but I was overcompensating because my car isn't finished because the team messed up the supplies! I'm obviously not going to say this out there but it's not fine. I'm pissed off and that was fucking embarrassing, it would have been better if they would have let me retire the car. At least that way I could be on a flight home right now," I mutter as I switch sides, still lying on the floor as Jon just nods his head in light agreement and I hear a murmur from Max which sounds vaguely like agreement.