LOCK UP - Lando Norris [BOOK 2]

13

Three coffees and not a single chapter completed later, Charlotte and I have successfully brought each other fully up to date on our current love lives and all their complications. 

"So what are you going to do?" She asks, hailing the waitress over for another round. 

I shrug as I pile up the dirty cups into a pile ready to be collected. "I feel like I shouldn't have been given the choice, you know. Like, it's not fair right?" 

"Right" she nods like it should have been completely obvious. 

"But, maybe he has a point" I mumble. 

She looks at me underneath her eyebrows just as our 4th round of coffee is placed in front of us, Charlotte offering to collect the tab as she hands a 20 to the lady. I feel like coffee shops should be like the bars and pubs, and the wait staff should cut off those who have had too many. 4 cups of caffeine for anyone in the space of the 2 hours we've been here is insane. 

"I mean, I think if he had that kind of relationship with a girl, maybe I would have a problem with it" 

"Have you told him he's not allowed to speak to this, Maddie, anymore?" she asks waving about her hand to enhance her expression. 

"No, but that's different" I defend. 

"It's not" she shakes her head. "So, how long do you think you'll be away?" 

"I honestly don't know. I feel like whenever I'm around I bring drama with me" I sadden. 

She shakes her head at me, and I feel like this girl knows me just as well as Johan does at this point, "Lando is the one creating all this drama, not you" 

"But, I love him" as if its any sort of excuse. 

"I can tell that you do, but this isn't right of him to ask, not if he truly loves you too" 

By the time we have finished our cups and called it quits, we finally decide to part ways, exchanging phone numbers and promising to catch up again. It's been so long since I've had an actual girlfriend. Sure, Johan is great, and gives me every amount of gossip and fashion advice I could ever need in a friend, but he's still such a huge part of the part of my life I need to seperate myself from. 

I feel like Charlotte may be my answer. 

As I walk back through Trafalgar Square in the direction of Hyde Park, I watch by at the hundreds of people I pass by. Wondering about their lives and what issue they face in their day to day lives. How they deal with it? What choices they are forced to make, and when they do so, which way do they go?

Reaching the top of the hill, my favourite part of the park that overlooks the city, I place myself down on a park bench and pull out my phone, the flooding of messages I've missed whilst spending my time with Charlotte. 

Pulling up Charles' messages, letting my finger scroll through everything left unsaid between us. I understand Lando's asking me to stay away, and I know where it's coming from and the intention I'm sure he means deep down. Put what Charles and I have, the friendship and the love for each other, it deserves so much more than me just disappearing on him, again. It deserves more than a message announcing my departure. He deserves more. 

Taking a deep breath, I let my fingers make the choice for me before my mind talks me out of it. 

I bring the phone up to my hear, not even allowing the second ring before he picks up. 

"Ev?"

"Hey Charles"

A silence passes as we both prepare ourselves.