DNS 2

Chapter 21 - Second guessing

Still sitting here, in the same spot I was sat in an hour ago - looking aimlessly at the breakfast plates in front of me, attempting to persuade myself into going back up to the hotel room. I need to just bite the bullet and move, I can't just stay here and hide away from Lando and his struggles, or ignore my own - which I've been doing for far longer than I should have.

I make my way back to the room and open the door, bracing myself to talk to him, actually talk to him and acknowledge the reality of my situation... our situation - if it is ours.

The room is empty. He's not here. "Lando?" I say almost optimistically, as if for some reason he's going to appear from nowhere. The bathroom door is open so I already know he isn't in there, and the hotel room is pretty small, it's not as if it's an apartment and he wouldn't be in view as I walked in. Where is he?

Flapping around completely flustered I grab my phone and call him.

No answer.

Calling again - no answer. Why? What is going on?

Pushing the hotel room door back open and almost sprinting to make my way back downstairs to the hotel lobby, the only thing I can think to do right now is ask at the check in desk if anyone has seen him. Would he have just gone without me?

"Hi, excuse me"

I manage to grab the woman's attention at the check in desk - "Hi sorry have you seen Lando Norris at all? Has he checked out? or could you let me know if he has he left the hotel please?" I ask.

"Lilly is it?" The girl asks.

"Yes I'm Lilly?"

"Mr Norris has just left, he left this to pass along to you."

My heart sinks. Why do I always think the worst before I even know what's happening.

She hands me an envelope, I'm completely confused, why would he leave me an envelope and leave the hotel? It doesn't make any sense.

Turning away from the check in desk I drag my legs towards a seating area in the lobby, it feels as if I'm having to physically try my hardest just to get there, an overwhelming sense of panic washes over me and I have no idea what's going on, Why am I already reacting as if something awful has happened.

I peel open the envelope.

Inside is a handwritten letter from Lando.

Lilly I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything. You know I want to be with you but right now is just not the right time for both of us. I love you and you know that, I don't want you to get the wrong impression from this but I need to go home on my own. I appreciate you coming here with me so much but I need to see my family alone. I've booked a jet for you back to Nice today and a car is coming to pick you up from the hotel at 11am I hope you understand.

Its now 10:35am, I'm completely lost.

I absolutely do understand, and I was aware of this myself and was going to speak to him about going to see his parents on his own when I came up from breakfast, but is this really the way to go about it? A note.

Is he seriously this shit at being able to communicate face to face? I don't understand at all. So he's just left? And thinks by booking me a plane that it's all ok?

No part of me thought it was appropriate to go with him to his family home when he was going there with the intention of discussing such serious and personal matters, but he didn't even give me the opportunity to say that. I left for breakfast for us - and he ran?!

I honestly don't know how to take this.

I'm packing up the 4 items I've actually brought with me to the hotel, before I begin to panic...