Ride or Die | Lando Norris (ENGLISH)

23

The next two days passed in the blink of an eye. We watched movies, cooked together, and I even trained with Lando and Jon. You could say that Lando and I were inseparable during this time.

Unfortunately, it was time for Norris to fly to Barcelona. I drove him to the airport, feeling strangely empty as soon as he was out of sight. Since then, we have been writing and talking on camera throughout his stay in Barcelona. He did great in qualifying, but the race was terrible, which made his mood very disturbed.

– I'll check out some interesting apartments while I'm at Fewtrell's – Norris said, adjusting his hood on his head. He was currently sitting in a car with a driver hired by McLaren who was taking him to the MTC.

– Lando, I've already told you something about this, – I sighed, shifting on the bed.

Over the last few days, one of the main topics of our conversations has been my trip to London to the Vivienne's agency and the fact that I will have nowhere to go. Amelie moved into a dormitory with some of her friends, who took her in when she moved out of Marcus' apartment. I also didn't want to bother my mother or father, who had settled down with a new woman somewhere near Paris. It was enough for me that he paid for my apartment in Monaco. I also didn't want financial help from Adam, because he already helped me enough. Lando also offered to help me by renting an apartment or a hotel room for me. It was absurd to me because I had no idea how long I would be there and it would simply be stupid for me to live on his money.

– So where will you sleep? On the street? – he sighed once again, throwing himself on the hotel bed. He grimaced slightly. He was probably still sore from the accident.

– I don't want your money, Lan. I'll be fine – I rolled my eyes, placing my phone next to the mirror so he could see my face as I touched up my makeup.

– Renting a room with or from a stranger in London isn't a good idea, Melanie – he said tiredly. He knew that was all I could afford. – I earn millions and live alone. Please, Mel, I won't even feel that anything is missing from my bank account – he sighed quietly, watching my face.

– I have no intention of taking advantage of your fame, Lan. I want to do it my way – I said calmly. There was no point in arguing. – End of story – I added, applying lip gloss. Brown haired boy only shook his head unconvinced.

I sighed under my breath, remembering our last conversation. I knew he wouldn't leave me alone.

– I want what's best for you, Mel. Let me help you – he rolled his eyes.

– I don't want your money, I'll say it again – I growled nervously. – Say hello to Pietra for me and please kill Max – I laughed to ease the tense atmosphere. A strange gleam suddenly passed through his eyes.

– Sure thing, Melly. I'll call you in the evening – he said with a broad smile and then hung up.

I sighed loudly and threw the phone aside. I tied my hair in a bun and went out to the balcony with a pack of cigarettes. I was so nervous about meeting Vivienne, even though I still had almost two weeks to prepare for it. I was lighting a cigarette between my lips when I saw Charles walking towards the staircase. I didn't move because I knew my door was practically always open. He was dressed in a white shirt and plain jeans, with his favorite black sunglasses over his eyes. A few moments later I heard a door slam and footsteps leading to the open balcony.

– Oh, there you are – he sighed in relief, leaning against the railing next to me. – I thought you went out and forgot to lock the apartment – he added, grimacing at the smoke coming out of my mouth.

– It happens sometimes – I laughed quietly, brushing the ash from my cigarette in the ashtray.

– I'm worried about Carlos – he blurted out suddenly, nervously playing with the glasses in his hand. I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.

– Why? – I asked curiously when the brunette looked straight into my eyes. A second later, he grabbed a pack of cigarettes that was lying next to him and pulled one out.

– We argue. Like really argue – he replied, sighing. He lit the cigarette between his lips and inhaled, grimacing. I looked at him with wide eyes, not believing what was happening. Charles Leclerc with a cigarette in his mouth. – Carlos changed after breaking up with Isa. It's hard to get along with him, he leads an even more entertaining life than mine, and that's too much – he emphasized at the very end.

– I have no idea how to help you, Cha. I haven't seen Sainz since Imola – I shrugged. I felt sorry for him. He was terribly upset by his friend's strange behavior, and I completely understood that. If Lando suddenly started partying and having fun with different girls, I would be concerned too.

– Maybe Lando will talk to him? – he asked uncertainly after a moment of silence in which we just looked ahead, smoking.

I looked at him, frowning eyebrows.

– Can't you ask him about it yourself? – I muttered, curious about the reason why I was supposed to ask Norris to talk to Carlos, as if I was a friend of the three of them.

– We haven't spoken since we left Imola – he sighed quietly.

Somehow it didn't surprise me. I saw that Lando had distanced himself from Charles since I had developed a great relationship with him. I just wondered why. After all, we were just ordinary friends.

I didn't investigate. A moment later we changed the topic and started talking about the stupidest things, making each other laugh. Charles was the one who blew everyone away with his stupidity. We sat there on the balcony for a good few hours, immersed in our own world, until it finally started to get dark.

I felt a vibration in the pocket of my sweatpants. So I pulled out my ringing phone and looked at Charles uncertainly. Lando called.

– Pick up the phone and I'll order something for dinner – the brunette suggested. I nodded and took a deep breath as Charles returned to the apartment, leaving me alone on the balcony.

– Hey, Lan! What's up? – I asked cheerfully.

– I've arranged a place for you to stay in London – he said enthusiastically. – Just promise you won't kill me – he added immediately.

I sighed under my breath. He probably rented me an ultra-luxurious apartment right in the center of London.

– I can't promise you that, Norris – I snorted quietly, and the brown-haired man chuckled.

– Pietra will be happy to welcome you to her apartment. She has an extra room that only I stay in when I come over, so... – he choked out in one breath. I was about to ask what Max had to say when a loud voice rang out right behind me.

– Mel? Pizza or some pasta?

He definitely heard it because he stopped mid-sentence. I only replied to Leclerc that it was pizza when Lando coughed.

– Are you with Leclerc at the moment? – he asked, clearly dissatisfied.

– Lan... – I started, just wanting to explain the whole situation. Besides, why should I have to explain myself?

– I have to go for now – he hissed and ended the conversation before I could even react.

I thought for a moment about calling him again and asking what the hell he was going on with him, but I decided it would be a better idea to talk in person and in the meantime devote the evening to Charles, who was sitting on the couch in the living room, looking through something in his phone.

I was glad that he got me a room at Pietra's, but I was afraid of Max. Staying in the same apartment with him would cause war.