Rise Up

Chapter 50: One Step Forward and Three Steps Back

Saying that Lando was excited to be in Monaco was an understatement.

As soon as the plane landed, he basically jumped on his foot, grabbing all his stuff and almost running downstairs all in a matter of seconds. I was still confused about what he mumbled a few moments before and seeing him so electrified right now wasn't helping at all.

After another short drive we finally arrived in Monaco. Roaming around the city, especially in the beautiful Monte-Carlo quarter, smelling the fresh smell of the sea, was relaxing me. Rolling down the car window, I got surrounded by tons of luxurious sport-cars, fancy hotels and restaurants where I'll probably go in the next few days, little private beaches where I'd like to spend the rest of my life with the out-of-mind muppet sat next to me in the back of the car. He didn't stop smiling neither a second, turning more creepier as the seconds were passing.

In a few minutes the car stopped in front of a new all white building complex. Lando ran around the car to open my door while the driver was already in the back grabbing all our stuff.

"Welcome in Monaco." He said, sharing another grin. He pulled a hand towards me to help me get out but I was too astonished to even notice it.

"This doesn't look like a hotel." I said once outside, pointing at the modern palace in front of me, before my eyes stopped at the top of it where a super-cool loft plastered in windows was towering.

He scoffed at my surprised words, pulling me to the entrance and then to a crystal elevator. When the doors opened, I saw him pulling from his rucksack a bunch of keys. He stepped at the only door present at this floor, pulling one of them in the keyhole and opening it.

"Don't stand at the door, come inside!"

A thousands questions were running in my mind right now but like a robot, I put them all aside, focusing on my surroundings.

We were in what I think was the living room. It was a little bit difficult to imagine it as there was basically only a big panoramic window that allow also to step in the balcony that could have stolen your breathe away with the awesome view of the Principate and its Port, as we were quite high on a hill. There were no signs of any furnitures but only tons of dust and other building materials, as steer tubes and pieces of pavements- it was evident that it wasn't finished yet.

"I know, I know. It's not ready yet but I've already bought all the furnitures for every rooms. Also the sim is ready, my brother will come to set it up personally in the next weeks." He leaned his body against the kitchen counter where he also put the keys of apparently his new apartment.

"You?" I dared to ask, already knowing well the answers.

"Me what?" He chuckled, coming closer again where I was standing, next to the window.

"This apartment- this. I mean, the furniture- you... you own this freaking huge flat?" My stripped questions came out even more confused than my mind, making him giggling even more at me.

"I bought this apartment last month. They still need to finish the floor and the bathrooms but they've already painted every room and we're waiting for the furnitures to come in the next weeks." He explained as if it wasn't a big deal.

"You bought this?" My jaw was about to hit the uncompleted floor.

"Yes. Why are you so surprised? I mean, you're a Formula 1 driver too, although all the fights with Horner I think he pays you well, no?" He joked, passing an arm around my shoulders.

"I'm serious, Lan." I stated. 

"C'mon, I was just trying to release all the tension. Why are you so speechless?" Still surrounding my body with his arms, he stood in front of me, facing me.