LOCK UP - Lando Norris [BOOK 2]

19

Day two and I don't even want to get out of bed. I feel it when I peel open my eyes that they are all puffy and red from how much I cried last night. I know I fell asleep in tears and I'm guessing it didn't stop when I slipped into my dreams either.

I know a 5 second video proved nothing, and I know that we told each other we were on a break, but he's the one that said he still loved me, he's the one who said we were still dating, just not with each other for these next two weeks. And I understand the thoughts I had about Charles whilst being with him last night made me just as unloyal. But maybe that's the point here. The first moment we are out of each others sight and we leaned on another. Maybe that's more telling.

It's only 4am and my class schedule today has me attending a seminar at the Teatro Goldoni near the Boboli Gardens at 1pm with Miquel Barceló Artigues, a Spanish artist. Miquel is known for his relief-like mixed-media paintings, expressive bronze sculptures and ceramics. After that we have another workshop back at the FirenzeArt Art Gallery to continue our work on our projects from yesterday to which we will then be given a tour of the art gallery by one of their directors.

It's going to be a busy day, and I really don't have the strength for it.

I slide out bed after checking my messages to see that I've heard nothing from Lando at all. Which, unfortunately, didn't really surprise me.

I turn on the shower head, letting the steam take over the room, and as I step in, I let the water wash over my face to mix in with my own tears as I allow myself only the time spent in this shower to mourn, I mourn the loss of my relationship, I mourn the loss of my first love, I mourn the loss of everything I lost along the way. But I promise myself that as soon as I step out, I'm not even going to let him come between me and my happiness anymore.

If, in some parallel universe, we are meant to be together, I have to trust we'll make our way back to each other when we are meant to. I have to convince myself that this time, we cheated our timeline and forced ourselves to have our time before it was scheduled to be.

I allow myself the time to grieve whilst I'm in the shower. But I decide that I'll let the water run cold before I call it.

As I step out, scrunching my hair dry with the towel before wrapping it around my body and blow drying the rest of my hair out.

I apply a small amount of makeup to my cheeks and under eyes to hide my emotion before sliding into a matching black set of full length leggings and solid crop. I tie a pair of quick French braids into either side of my head.

As I take in my outfit in the mirror, I'm not convinced, but I'll take it.

By the time I tip toe out of the hotel and grab my bike, heading for the Boboli Gardens for a quick breakfast.

I pull out my phone, clicking on the first name in my favourites.

"Ev?" he mumbles, and I realise how early it is.

"Fancy a morning picnic breakfast?" I ask.

I hear the grumbles coming through the receiver and some ruffling of sheets.

"What do you need me to bring?" he asks.

"Just a blanket, I'll stop by a market and pick us up some food. I'll meet you at Boboli Gardens in 20 minutes"

20 minutes exactly later, I'm walking up the path in the middle of the gardens, 2 plastic bags of food secured in either of my hands. The very man I invited walking toward me with a blanket secured under his arm.

"Good morning" I chuckle as I fold myself against his chest.

He lets out a yarn, using his free hand to run the length of my back and back up.

"Everything okay?" he asks.

I tilt my head up toward him and shake it, but hold the tears at bay.

He plants a quick kiss on my forehead, "Okay" is all he mumbles, keeping one of his arms around my shoulders, I transfer the bags to one hand so I can secure the other one around his waist as we walk up the path toward a little grassed area that overlook a small pond in the middle of the park.

Charles fluffs out the blanket he brought and I kneel down on it, to keep it in place. As he settles himself down on the blanket next to me, he reaches across and grabs one of the bags, emptying the contents of it out in front of us.

"Did you leave anything else in the shop for anyone else?" he mocks.

"I wasn't sure what I felt like" I defend.

"One of everything being the only option" he teases in return.

I nod, with a grateful look on my face that he understands.

"I'll ask this only once, okay, then I promise I won't bring it up again unless to you say you want to talk about it" he cautions.

I pause on my opening of the strawberries and eye him, waiting for him to continue.

"Are you going to forgive him?"

I set the strawberries down, tucking my lips inside each other whilst looking at him. I can see it all over his face that he saw the same video that I did.

My eyes dart off to the landscape whilst I try and think of my answer.

"To forgive him would mean he was sorry. I already know that even if I were to confront him about it, it's going to be my fault somehow."

I watch Charles nod out the corner of my eye, before grabbing a handful of blueberries and shoving them in his mouth as he lays down, both of his hands folding beneath his head.

"Waking up at this time on my holidays should be a crime, Verstappen. I'm going to have to report you to the proper authorities." he teases, changing the subject.

Thankful, I play along, "Oh no!" I exaggerate gasp, "Not the authorities." I cross my legs in front of me and pick apart a croissant in my fingers, placing the bite sized pieces into my mouth.

Charles lets out a breathily laugh, "Tell me something you've never told anyone, Ev" he suggests.

"Hmm" I think for a minute, trying not to get any memory triggers from the tell me something but of course it overtakes my mind anyway. "Okay, I've got one. When we were at the Horner's for a belated Christmas, Christian wouldn't stop talking crap about... " I pause, but we both know we are talking about, "So, when I went up to the bathroom, I snuck into his bedroom and took his lucky wrist watch"

"You didn't" he gasps.

I dig into my purse, pulling the piece of jewellery from my bag.

"Oh my god. You are a criminal." he mocks.

"Stop!" I groan, " I actually feel terrible. Max told me after that Geri gave it to him on their first wedding anniversary."

"Oh, come on now, you cheated. I said something you haven't told anyone" he accuses.

"I didn't tell Max. He was with me when we did it" I confess.

"You're joking" he chuckles, "That's absolutely golden"

Charles and I spend the rest of the morning at the park before it's time for me to head off to my seminar, agreeing to meet after for dinner. I give him a tight hug goodbye and silently thank him for being there for me.