George changed.
Carla doesn't know when it happened, how or even where, but he has. He's not the same man she fell in love with five years ago.
Lando's the one who noticed first, the thought whispered to her when George had plucked the wine out of...
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When Lando explained he was at a house party this is not what I pictured it to be. To me, house parties have always been a parents house taken over with rowdy teenagers, or a few drinks in a kitchen lit by a disco ball bulb before the place was abandoned for the pounding music of a club. They certainly were not set in a London Penthouse with professional sound systems and actual decks for any wannabe dj's (Lando included). They didn't come with what is practically a professional light display and a kitchen full of free alcohol. The place is that full of people I'm pretty sure it could be considered a health and safety hazard somewhere. I'm curious to how Martin even knows this many people well enough to invite them to his birthday, I'm not convinced I've met this many in my whole life.
"This isn't what I expected." I announce to Lando with wide eyes as I pour myself a drink from the wide selection available in the kitchen area. The two bottles of cava I brought, left over from the earlier event have gotten lost somewhere since I entered mere minutes ago. It's left me with no choice but to reach for the tequila and follow it with a splash of pineapple juice.
"What?" Lando asks not catching my words, his voice loud and yet muffled by the scream of a group of girls singing 'wannabe' by the Spice Girls. I vaguely recognise one of them as Lilly, a friend of Amber and ex girlfriend of Charles Leclerc. The same Charles who has practically disappeared from everything outside of racing since their parting; I've heard Lando complain about it at least twice, George mentioned it once. I spent a few hours with Lilly in the paddock at the start of the year so at least the place isn't filled with strangers, I guess? A couple of people brush past us yelling their own conversations making me wince slightly, unprepared for this level of volume.
"I said;" I lean into Lando's ear slightly. "This isn't what I expected." I repeat my words - a little louder with a grin, pulling away from Lando's ear. He shrugs with the words, shoulders unwinding before his hand reaches for me, pressing into the blue shimmering material hanging on my body, keeping me close so our conversation can continue without being knocked further by strangers.
"What did you expect? Some kids sitting around playing beer pong?" He asks loudly and I laugh through the sip of my drink. Perfect.
"Would you be offended if I said yes?" I joke to which Lando laughs and shoved my shoulder playfully. The sound comes over the music and yells of the group of girls singing. I feel like it's the first thing I've heard from him clearly since he met me at the front door of the building. The familiarity is nice.
"You're okay, right?" Lando asks for the second time since we've been side by side. This time his breath grazes softly against the shell of my ear, the soft brush of air forcing a shiver down my spine and goosebumps rise up on my skin. It's cooler than I thought it would be in here. I tug at the hem of the blue dress I'd made specifically for tonight, I never imagined tonight would end up with me here. Much less without George by my side. I feel overdressed compared to some of the girls in jeans and boots, others in short dresses and comfortable trainers I'm only half envious of.
