Ride or Die | Lando Norris (ENGLISH)

41

Another week passed without any contact from Lando. It was just after the Brazilian Grand Prix when I flew from Monaco to London for Pietra's baby shower. The blonde was already six months pregnant and we all had to find out the sex of the baby together. As much as it hurt me to see her pregnant belly, which I should have too, I was so happy for her. I really wanted to be with her, but Norris' presence at the same party sent unpleasant shivers down my body.

– Melanie! – Nico exclaimed cheerfully as I walked through the threshold of my family home near London.

I didn't want to impose on Pietra and Max about where to stay overnight. They had enough to worry about. I was equally aware that Lando would move to his house in Woking immediately after returning from Brazil. Of course I still had the keys to it and could sleep there at any time, but the idea of spending the night in the same house as Norris put me off the idea altogether. Especially since I was there only once when the house was completely empty. That's why I ended up at my mother's house.

– Hey, Nico! I missed you – I gathered my brother in my arms, hugging him tightly.

– Where's Lando? – he asked immediately, looking for Norris. I bit my lip, moving a few centimeters away from him.

– Lando is in Woking – I smiled weakly at him. I didn't want to explain anything more to him, so I put my suitcase aside and walked with my seven-year-old brother to the kitchen, where my mother was preparing dinner.

***

The party was held at Max's mother's house. The entire living room and dining room were decorated in pink and blue. Balloons and various decorations littered the floor as each guest was dressed in the color of the child's expected gender. Of course, I was dressed in powder pink, as were Pietra, Jennie, Pietra's parents, Andie and Max's brother, while Max, Tom, Thierry, Connor and a few other guests were dressed in blue. The baby shower was in full swing. Jennie had already had a fight with Connor, Max's brother had a few too many drinks with Pietra's younger brother, and they started gossiping about their siblings. And there was me. I supposedly felt part of this group, but the fact that if it weren't for Lando, I wouldn't have been there at all, was constantly in my head.

– Have you seen Lando? – Max asked hesitantly when, stressed, he went outside the house where I was smoking a cigarette alone.

Why does everyone keep asking me about him?

Even though the party had been going on for several hours, Lando did not show up. He didn't even text anyone. Nothing.

– No, Max – I sighed, throwing my spent cigarette onto the asphalt and crushing it with my pink high heels. It was getting cold, so I turned to head back towards the house where all the guests were celebrating, but Fewtrell grabbed my arm, turning me towards him.

– You need to talk to him, Melanie – he muttered, staring seriously into my eyes.

– I know – I rolled my eyes and at the same moment when I wanted to disappear behind the walls of the house, a loud McLaren drove up to the gate we were standing next to. I couldn't move when a brown-haired man wearing a pink button up shirt and white pants got out of a green McLaren. He hurriedly pulled out a white-wrapped gift from the trunk and walked over to us, straightening his shirt.

– Sorry I'm late, I landed an hour ago. I only had time to go home and change my clothes – Norris sighed, staring at Max.

– I was already worried that you were fooling us and were lounging somewhere in Bali – Max snorted mockingly, taking the gift from the brown-haired man. – We're all going outside now, so I'll just take this gift and be right back – Fewtrell said, winking at me and I rolled my eyes.