lemon and mint | Charles Leclerc

~ trentanove ~

Monza, September 2019

It was Friday. The paddock wasn't as busy as usual in Monza. Maybe it was the fact that it was just 9 am. Drivers were rarely in the paddock this soon unless they had some interviews or filming. The sun was shining over the Monza circuit making it look picturesque.

The young Italian came to the paddock this soon to give an interview to one of the journalists who were interested in Sebastian's family. The interview should take place at 11, but she felt like she needed to get ready and prepare a bit. She needed to feel the familiarity of the paddock to be comfortable.

As Pia glanced across the paddock, her heart sank as she caught sight of Lando passing by - a mixture of sadness and resentment all over his face. She guessed he noticed her first that's why he had such an expression. The Italian was more than aware that Lando did his best to avoid her at all costs, but maybe it was finally time to address some of the pain she had caused. So, she gathered the courage to chase after him, desperate for a chance to explain herself and apologise.

"Lando, wait," she called out, her voice shaking. "Can we talk?"

Lando stopped in his tracks, turning to face her with a guarded expression. "I don't know if that's such a good idea," he said, his tone laced with bitterness. He didn't want to be mean, but he also knew he might not be able to handle such a conversation.

Pia took a deep breath, bracing herself for the difficult conversation ahead. "Please, Lando," she pleaded.

Lando, however, was hesitant to engage. He had built walls around his heart to protect himself from the sorrow of their breakup, and he was not yet ready to face Pia again. But her persistence, coupled with a glimmer of hope, eventually wore him down, and he eventually agreed to talk. They moved to a quieter corner of the paddock, seeking solace in the familiar surroundings of the McLaren hospitality.

They sit down facing each other in the corner. It was too quiet for their liking. No distraction, just them two, an empty table and unspoken pain.

Pia looked down at the table since she was embarrassed. "Lando, I know I hurt you," she said, her voice trembling. "And I'm so sorry for that. I never meant to cause you pain," she apologised. Her apology was sincere. She really didn't want to hurt the McLaren driver.

Lando's gaze hardened, pain carved deep in his features. "Sorry isn't enough," he replied, his voice laced with a bitterness he could not hide. It was either being mean or breaking down and he didn't want that. He wanted to control his emotions or perhaps even hide them.

Tears welled up in Pia's eyes as she listened to his words, the gravity of her actions finally sinking in. "I understand," she whispered, her voice choked with regret. "I know that sorry isn't enough to erase the pain I caused, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me someday."

The Briton took a deep breath - the hurt visible on his face. "I'm not ready to forgive you yet," he admitted, his voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and determination.

"I understand," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't expect you to forgive me right away. I just wanted you to know how deeply sorry I am and that I will do everything in my power to make things right."

Lando looked into her eyes, searching for sincerity in the pain. He saw the genuine guilt reflected in her gaze, but he also saw the scars left behind by their shattered love. The wounds were still fresh, and he needed time to heal.

"You have to understand, Pia," he began, his voice wavering. "What we had...it was something special. I believed in us, in our future together. And then you just went and told me you loved Charles. It shattered me."