Hollow River

25.

Lando's POV

I looked at Max. I was so confused, we were friends, why would he tell me to stay away from her?

"River, go in your room" Max said and looked back at her. "Uh, no" she shook her head.

You don't tell River what to do, you don't need to stand up for River, she can fight her own fights.

Even though we weren't having a fight at all. We were about to kiss.

"Get inside your fucking room River" Max snapped at her. She immediately looked at me. I nodded at her, telling her to listen to Max.

I obviously didn't want her to walk away, but she had to before Max could make it even worse.

I broke down her walls, just for Max to build them back up again and reinforce them with steel.

After River closed the door behind her, I looked at Max again. "What is your problem?"

"My problem? Mate, you forced her to have sex with you and now you're here again?"

I started laughing, which made her probably even more mad. "I didn't do that at all. Nate did"

"Nate?"

He obviously didn't know who Nate was. "One of our mechanics. We fired him though"

He frowned. He didn't seem to understand, he looked behind him to River's room and gestured me to follow him to his room.

So I did, he probably didn't want River to hear our conversation.

"So you aren't the person who's been writing messages in her notebook?" Max asked as soon as we entered his room.

How did he know about that?

"I am" I admitted. "But she thought it was Nate" Max added. So that's why she wanted to go out with Nate, she thought he was leaving messages in her notebook.

Max chuckled a little. "So you like her?"

"I do"

"You still want that Red Bull seat?" He crossed his arms. He had a look on his face but I couldn't read him.

"Yes, why?"

He walked closer to me and put his hand on my shoulder. "Then you better stay away from her"

I frowned. "Why?"

'Maybe I am not just a strategist'

She probably wasn't lying about that, but what did she mean?

"Christian just won't allow that, trust me"

He didn't want to tell me more, which was frustrating. Now I had to choose between her or the Red Bull seat?

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I went to the paddock early. I don't know why, but I was so nervous. I couldn't sleep anymore, so I decided to just be with my team.

I asked Max to delete my number out of River's phone last night. She had it saved under 'mystery guy' and I wanted to give her my number, which I obviously couldn't as long as I was saved under mystery guy.

I knew her password, it was the date her parents died. She opened up to me during our pizza date. She told me all about them and I just listened. She needed that, I could see that in her eyes.

I wasn't gonna give up on her because I wanted the Red Bull seat.
I wasn't gonna pick a seat over her.

If I couldn't be with her in public, then it had to be in private like a real Romeo and Juliet kind of love story.

But first I wanted to know who she was.

River wasn't here yet, not many people were but Oscar was. I liked him, I had a good friendship with him.

"Yo mate, how are you?" I asked as I walked up to him. "Fine, how are you?"

"Good" I replied.

"I think Zak wants to talk to you" he casually said. "Why?" I asked.

He shrugged but looked at me with a smirk. "Maybe it has something to do with your Juliet girl"

Even though it was none of Zak's business. I kinda hoped that was the case.
I just hoped that he didn't figure out I had a talk with Christian.

He didn't need to know that just yet.