Unexpected Feelings | Norris & Sainz

06 - unexpected turn

Lando

Before his lips fully laid on mine a woman shouted my name, Clara. I was aware that my interviews would take place in five minutes but why couldn't see look for me two minutes later. Carlos backed up quickly and we both looked towards the paddock where my media manager appeared. 

After a last quick look at me Carlos mumbled something and left. I was to overwhelmed with the last past minutes so I couldn't get a word out so I only looked after the Spaniard who dissapeared behind Clara in the paddock.

"Lando stop standing there and come on, the interviews are waiting." she said and waved at me.

I shook my head and followed her to the media panel but my mind was completely off. That didn't changed for the next hours and the whole night I was laying awake in my bed and thought about Carlos and our nearly-kiss. 

Wasn't the whole holding hands thing a coincidence? What if he also felt mixed up and unsure with his feelings towards me. No, that wasn't the case for sure. Carlos Sainz the Spaniard himself would never be unsure in anything, he is always straight forward and uncomplicated. 

But this few minutes in the small space between the hospitality where something different, even he seemed confused by his own actions. Maybe he just thought of it as a big mistake now. I was sure that I would figure it out today despite the race was just a couple of hours ago and I was pretty sure that we would see each other in the paddock, even it was Monaco and pretty crowded.

"Hey Lando, didn't you see us before?" Alex said and walked with George up to me.

I nearly oversaw them again since my friends stopped directly in front of me.

"Lando? Is everything okay, you seem tired."

Yeah because I didn't sleep much last night because I was thinking of the man who would start from pole today.

"Hi guys, yeah sorry my mind was off."

"We clearly saw that. Did something happened with Carlos, did he speak to you?"

George raised an eyebrow and look at my while Alex glanced toward the Ferrari garage. Luckily I saw my trainer over their shoulders and quickly started walking again.

"No, I mean yes he wanted to talk to me yesterday."

"What did he say?", Alex wanted to know but I was a couple of meters ahead of them and pretended not to hear them.

I didn't want to tell them about my conversation with Carlos yesterday, considering that it wasn't a real conversation. But if they get knowledge about the kiss they would probably call me crazy for interpreting so much into it. 

I mean they would be right because I was clearly thinking too much about it, even tough it was probably just an accident and nothing Carlos would do again. If I would like to do it again was a completely different thing. 

I mean it wasn't a real kiss he just laid his lips on mine, which felt amazing and gave me butterflies, but this was enough for me to crave for more. Suddenly my phone vibrated and I took at look at it before following my trainer to my drivers room.

Good luck for the race tiger

I got goosebumps when I read his message, especially because of the nickname he gave me once again. Before I could reply I noticed that he was still online and after looking at his name for about two minutes he started writing again.

Wanna go for dinner after the race?

With such a question my heart stopped for a second before it started to race very fast. I stopped a couple of meters in front of my room and even when my trainer called for me I didn't move, I just stood there and looked at his text. 

Was Carlos asking my out like out for date? As he was still online I assumed that he was waiting for an answer. Should I ask him about the title for our dinner or should I think about it for the whole race as I probably would? When Oscar passed me and said something about destroying everybody today I decided to do number one, even it was very risky, but I had to know.

Are you asking me out like a date?

Scared I focused on the screen and my heart dropped for a second when he went offline. I thought that was it and I had overstepped something again, because why should Carlos also feel something for me, more than a friendship, I had interpreted too much into it, again. But suddenly he came back online and typed something. Then he went offline again but at the exact moment a message from him arrived.

Yes.

This word made me so happy for the next hours that my race had a pretty good start and I could defend very well trough the first lap. The red Ferrari in front of me was always in my view and I had to focus on the race more than normal because its driver distracted me very well. 

Unluckily we lost the position to Verstappen during the pit stop but I fought back and on the last laps the gap was very small again. Suddenly it was the last lap and I noticed that the RedBull went really wide on the start of the hairpin so I saw my chance and took it. 

Focused I drove the last sectors and than heard my team cheer over the radio. It may not was the win but a second place in Monaco was pretty good as well. Also I was happy for Carlos who won with quite a big gap to us. After we jumped out of our cars, took the helmets of and celebrated with the mechanics we congratulated us. First I hugged Max and than Carlos stepped towards me.

"Good race mi luchador." he said and nodded in Verstappens direction.

"Thanks, congrats on the win."

I wasn't able to say more especially after I felt his fingers that brushed mine inconspicuous. With a smile of his face he winked at me before leafing to the interviewer. Inside my stomach flew thousands of butterflies and I couldn't wait till the evening and our dinner.