𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒: 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊 | 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬

[ 029 ]

'Friendship is a wildly underrated medication.'
- Anna Deavere Smith

LANDO'S POV

"What are you supposed to do?" Max asked in confusion and looked at Charles, who was already pulling out his cell phone.

"See if Luise's parking lot is free or that of her neighbor. She's currently parking in the no-parking zone over there." He pointed in the direction they had come from.

He dialed his sister's number and then turned up the volume.

The group of Oscar, George, Max, Daniel, Charles and himself were standing in front of the apartment complex where Luise lived. They had all arranged to meet up for a pre-party and then go to a club in two hours. As they had all been to Max's house before and all the others had said that her apartment was not so nice and untidy, Luise had given in and invited the boys over to her apartment.  

"Yes?" came the voice from the phone, which he recognized as Luise's.

"You do know that you're not allowed to park there?" Charles said, sounding a little accusing, making Daniel and Max smile.

"No, really?" she said with mock indignation, "I hadn't even noticed."

Charles rolled his eyes and Lando let out a laugh.

"Your neighbor's parking spot is free, do you want me to repark your car?" Charles asked and Luise responded immediately.

"Absolutely not. I like it when my car stays whole and doesn't break down," she said deadly serious, "I'm coming down."

Then all you could hear was that she had hung up. Charles rolled his eyes and then turned to his friends, who were grinning broadly. He also had to laugh.

By now, Luise was almost the same again. The way they had gotten to know each other and sometimes even more quick-witted and humorous. Of course, she still had bad days, but the good days outweighed the bad.

Suddenly the door opened and Luise stepped out. She carried her cell phone, car keys and house keys in one hand and pushed the door open with the other.

She was wearing black leggings with white Puma shoes. She only wore a black sports bra as a top and a sage green, long cardigan as a jacket. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun where hair had already fallen out.

He would guess that she had just come from training.

"Hi." she said with a smile on her face, "I hope you're doing well and that you have plenty of motivation to drink."

Her lips formed into a laugh and she went around the row and gave them all a friendly hug. Since their friends didn't know there was anything between them, they refrained from kissing and stuck to a casual hug as well.

"Of course," laughed Daniel.

"I hope you're motivated too," said Max.

"I always do," she laughed and was the last to reach Charles, where she gave him a kiss on each cheek and then pressed her belongings into his hands.

"Hold this for a minute. I'll hurry."

She walked off in the direction of her car, which he had seen a few meters away. She had been standing in a one-way street and was parked halfway in a no-parking zone.

She headed quickly towards her car. A minute after she had disappeared around a corner, she drove around the corner from the right. She hadn't blinked and didn't appear to be driving very slowly around the corner. It was only because of this and the stories she had told him that he was able to get a picture of her as a driver.