For Now, For Good

5. - Present Day

I was nervous to go out in the streets. I was so terrified that I was going to run into him. I felt like I was watching my back everywhere we went and always had that feeling like someone was watching me.

"Relax" Jade chuckles as we flick through the racks of tops in a boutique. "He's not going to be in here"

"I'm fine" I lie, pulling out an orange crop tee and admiring it.

"Are you getting that for a certain race team?" she mocks.

I roll my eyes whilst putting it back on the hanger, "If you're going to tease me about this, I'm going to change my answer"

"No, you won't. You're actually excited about going. Don't try and tell me otherwise" she teases.

"Guess who messaged me this morning" I inform her.

"Lando?" she guesses with excitement.

"Close" I reply, pulling out my phone and bringing the message onto the screen and handing it to her so she can see for yourself.

"Oh gross" she disgusts, "What the hell does he want?"

I shrug my shoulders, retrieving the phone back off her.

"Leaving Finn was the best decision you ever made" she relives.

"He left me" I remind her.

She waves her hand off at me, "Whatever, doesn't matter. Outcome was the same and it was the best outcome"

"He wasn't happy that I spent 24 hours with another guy" I reflect.

Pulling out a cropped jean jacket she holds it up to me, "Do you think I could pull this off?"

"No" I reply as she nods in agreement after analysing the item again before slipping it back on the rack, as she follows me over to the dresses.

"And he didn't even know half of what you two got up to that night" she teases, judging me playfully with her shoulder.

"You don't' even know half of what went on that night" I chuckle.

"What about this one?" She asks, holding up a ripped, full length, tight fitting chocolate brown dress.

"Yes, that's better" I inform her as she holds it up against her body. "Try it on"

"You find something too and come with" she instructs.

I pull a cream, linen short jumpsuit out of the rack and follow her to the change rooms.

"Are you going to meet up with him?" Jade asks from the next change room over.

"Who?" I ask, shimming off the sundress I was already wearing to step into the outfit.

I hear her chuckle, "You tell me" she sasses, "Finn, dummy"

"Oh" I gush, pulling the sleaves up over my shoulders, "No, I don't think so"

I unlock my door and step out into the main hall, checking the outfit out in the mirror provided as Jade appears at my side.

"You're not going to be able to date anyone else again" she accuses. "Your boobs are going to fall right out of that" she informs, tapping my side where the jumpsuit has a nice opening at the side of my torso.

"Thanks for that" I reply to her first statement. "And it's called Hollywood tape" I chuckle, pulling the sides of the material across my breasts.

"I'm just saying, as long as you're in love with Lando. You're not going to be able to date anyone."

Gazing at our appearances in the mirror, she accepts, "Yup, I think we've found our outfits"

Pulling my hair over my shoulders and turning to view the back, I nod "Yep, I like this one" 

5. - A Year Ago (the fifth hour) 

The coolness of the grass beneath me mixed with the cooling autumn breeze, made a comfortable temperature as we lay side by side on the grassy hill somewhere along the riverbend.

My hand is currently in Lando's, but only as he analyses the lines on my hands with one of his, whilst the other is holding his phone up to view, following the diagram of palm reading.

"Hang on" he announces, "It says your marriage line is longer than your lifeline"

I chuckle, "Faithful even after death" I tease, although the feeling that I'm currently testing that faithful component right now.

"I think I'm reading this wrong" he admits.

"Let me see" I ask, shuffling myself closer to him so I can read the phone diagram too. "hmm" I consider, holding my palm up. "All I'm getting from this; is I'm going to be broke forever"

"That's okay, my money line is really good, I'll share with you" he suggests, holding his hand up in view.

Reaching across my body with my free hand, I trace along the money line on his palm. "Where do you think we currently sit, on these lines?" I ask.

"I'm not really sure" he considers. "Surely somewhere around here" he suggests, delicately touching his finger across one of my lines.

My fingers involuntarily close down around his hand, holding him in place as his hand feathers around, holding mine gently in his.

I pull my hand from his instantly, laying it on my chest and cradling it with my other, "Sorry" I apologise.

"What for?" he asks in a whisper.

I shrug my shoulders and shake my head at the same time, confused as to why I am actually apologising.

After a moment of silence comfortably passes us by, Lando continues, "Do you think it's going to be possible to stay awake all night?"

I turn my head in the grass to gaze at him, "Why's that?"

"I meant what I said earlier" his head falls in my direction, "I don't want this night to end. I figured if we stayed awake, it's kind of the same?'

I let out a breathily chuckle. "Do you not have a race soon, isn't that why you're here in Melbourne?" I ask.

"Yeah" he replies, "But not until Friday. I've got like 2 days to recover."

I can't help the smile that appears, "Fair enough"

"So, is that a yes?" he presses.

"I should say no. I have a boyfriend" I remind him. "But..."

"But." He replies.

"That's all, I have an excuse, I just can't think of one, but I'm sure there's a but in there" I mock.

"Sounds good" he agrees in a chuckle. "For what it's worth, I'm really glad I met you tonight"

"I am as well" I reply, "Never thought I'd be so thankful for being stood up"