Double Sided Tracks

paid bills

Nora walked quickly to where he's sitting, "hey! Sorry, have you been waiting long?" she asked, setting her purse on the other chair, and sitting herself across from him. Lewis shook his head, not at all, I'd wait hours like a loser if it means I can do this.

"Did you– did you drive?" she asked, and Lewis shook his head, "Oh! Let's get your driver inside then? Or is he inside already?" she asked, standing up.

Lewis is stunt, Nora is– she is kind. There's no other word to describe her, she's genuine it made his heart ache. "No, no– I sent him to get Angela from the circuit. She had to finish something up so,"

Nora nodded, then set herself down. "Oh you changed," she said, noticing he's well– outside the race suit. He laughed, "I mean I had to." he said.

She laughed too, "That's true. I just mean, I didn't get to change or anything, I figured you won't mind seeing me in the same abaya from before." she joked.

If this is any other girl, he'd be 50% away from tipsy and he'd say something like, "definitely don't mind, we're going to lose the clothes anyways." but instead he shook his head with a smile. "Definitely don't mind, as long as you're comfortable."

They chatted more while waiting for their food, changing topics, with occasionally commenting about how crispy, or good every bite is.

"You knew I was a vegan?" he asked when Nora told him that she chose this restaurant because they have a vegan option, and he couldn't help but smile a little when Nora acted like a deer caught in headlights. He nodded when she had told him that she asked Angela, make sense.

They talked about what she's doing in school, she's doing her Master in Business. Lewis slightly loses his attention span because she looks very beautiful when she's into the conversation, hand movement and everything. Like a cat being bait with shiny things, he couldn't help looking at her right wrist that's decorated with many bracelets and her manicured fingers that are decorated with gold rings. Some with diamonds.

"Sorry, I talk a lot when asked about my school." she said, he could see blushes creeping on her face.

Lewis shook his head, "no please, continue." he said, genuinely, he could hear her talk forever. "People couldn't get me to shut up about racing, so. It's just passion, right?" he added.

Nora, however, took a bite of her salad. Once she swallowed everything, "well, let's talk about today's P2." she started with a teasing voice. "P2 is the new win, how are you feeling?"

Holding himself with all his power to yell out, Right! That's what I've been told! I'm a winner, anyways! Because that is just.. sad. Red Bull couldn't have broken him this badly.

He got into it a little bit, how it was hot as hell in the cockpit, how Toto had told him again to drive the shitty car. "But, P2 is good. I'm feeling good." he closes.

Nora was smiling the entire time, interrupting with a little "right," "Oh I see," "Oh that's good!" but nothing sounds fake, and that made him feel good.

He didn't realise it's been 2.5 hours until Nora's phone started ringing, there was a picture of her and he recognized that's Sultan, with another woman who's probably her mom. They spoke in their native language with some english here and there, she looked at him and smiled, mouthing 'sorry'.

Lewis shook his head, and excused himself to go to the bathroom, also to pay the bill only to find out she had paid. That.. that minx. She went to excuse herself earlier to go to the bathroom, and she must've paid. Lewis couldn't help but smile, this was new.

Post-race Lewis Hamilton always spent thousands and thousands of dollars, euros, any currency, paying open tabs (that stayed open even after he left). He doesn't have any open tabs now, well, not to count the open tabs that he told Angela to do for the mechanics (they deserved it, and it doesn't count because he's not there).

Nora isn't on the phone anymore, instead she chatted with the waitress, her hands moving, clearing up their plate and handing them to the waitress. Lewis knows, he knows these are just-basic decency, but sometimes in him twinged. He just doesn't see that anymore.

"Thank you so much," she said cheerily.

"So," he started, he could feel his own eyes twinkling when she raised her eyebrows in question, waiting for him to continue. "I was about to pay when I found out a certain someone had paid."

Nora shook her head, "must've been someone who wanted to congratulate you, then." she said, smiling teasingly.

He shook his head, but grabbed her hand that rested on the table. Oh shit, oh– oh crap. He let go quickly, but not too quickly that he couldn't feel how cold her hand felt or how soft it is compared to his, "thank you," he said.

He was expecting Nora to yank her hand out, but she nodded, hand still not moving from where it was. Like she's paralyzed. "Thank you." she said instead. "For the pass, even though I didn't get to see Toto, you know." she said with a teasing smile.

"next time?" He asked, trying to be casual about it but 2 seconds away from arranging flights and accommodation for her to the next Grand Prix.

"we'll see," she said, and it's not unkind. Not in a way that she wants to play hard to get.

He nodded, "Can I have your number?" he asked quickly, not wanting to lose the memento. He almost let her walk away without giving him her number. yikes, that sounds like a pick up line a douchebag would use.

Nora seemed to think about it, but nodded and put her number in his phone. "Don't get offended if I answer slow, I'm a nerd, remember?" she joked, referencing his joke from before.

Lewis shook his head, "never, I know you're nerdy." They laughed and stared at each other for a few more seconds until she clapped her hands softly. "Right," she said as she stood up. "Is your driver here?"

Usually this is the time where Lewis would say, "do you wanna go back to my place?"

And not to stroke his own ego, the answer is always a yes.

But, oh shit, yeah, he forgot to text Angela. "Yeah, like, 2 minutes away." he said, quickly texting Angela. He was expecting Nora to offer him a ride, or something. Everything is still new, he definitely never been asked if his driver ready to pick him up like they were in school.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" she asked, and Lewis smiled. So amused by her. You are a breath of fresh air, and that's addicting.

"No, you go ahead. I'll walk you." He said, grabbing her purse and handing it to her.

He watched her drive away, her seat is so close to the steering wheel and she is basically folded, and she smiled sheepishly at him and explained that she hates driving and gets worried if she's so far away from the wheel. Isn't that just adorable, he drives one of the fastest cars in the world, and this girl hates driving.