I've been sat dormant at the McLaren lounge, losing track of how much time had actually passed as I pick aimlessly at the sticker on the side of the water bottle.
"Is everything okay?" I hear from in front of me. Peering up to see another McLaren member glaring at me with concern.
Not realising I had been crying, I wipe the tear from my cheek, putting on a smile, hiding all my overthinking. "Yeah, I'm good"
"Really? Because I came in here for lunch about 40 minutes ago and you've been sat in the same place, picking at the edge of that sticker" he chuckles.
"I guess I'm just distracted" I sigh.
He glances down at the seat that he's currently holding the back of, a silent exchange passes between us. I nod my head at his silent question.
Pulling the chair out and taking a seat, he holds onto his palms after he settles them on the table, looking like we are about to start a business meeting. It makes me chuckle.
"You're Aussie right?" He asks.
I nod.
"Thought so" he chuckles.
"How could you tell?" I quiz.
"I actually think we went to school together, primary school" he informs with a squint to his eye.
"Are you sure?" I ask, not feeling at all creeped out by his questions.
"Haileybury College? Mrs Pickerage?" He asks, although it seems more like he's confirming.
"Oh wow" I examine.
"I'm Oscar" he smiles, holding his hand out for me to take.
"Baylee" I smile, accepting his gesture.
"It's nice to meet you Baylee. Now, are you okay?" Oscar asks again, dipping his head slightly.
I smile, "Yeah, I'm alright"
"You're here with Lando, yeah?"
I look up at him, holding his gaze for a minute and then nodding my head, he doesn't need to be hearing all about my boy drama.
"That's good. He's told me a little about you. I hear you're the reason he won the Australian Grand Prix. Impressing you seem to give him the edge on the rest of us" he compliments with a smile.
"That had nothing to do with me" I admit.
His eyes hold mine, telling me he doesn't believe me.
"Can I ask you something? About him?" I ask, letting go of all my previous thoughts about not involving him.
"Go ahead" he agrees, shuffling in his seat.
"Do you think it's possible that he's two different people? Like, is F1 Lando different to regular Lando?"
He eyes me for a minute, an amused chuckle threatening the sides of his mouth.
"F1 Lando isn't regular Lando?" He questions.
I shrug my shoulders, "I hope he is, but I guess I haven't been around F1 Lando enough to know"
"And what could have happened that would make you think they are different people?"
I shrug again, "I guess I just want to be sure"
Oscar smiles, "I think only Lando can give you the answer to that question"
He's right. So I nod.
"We Australian's have pretty good intuition, trust your gut. And give him the chance to explain any doubt you may have. From what I heard, he really likes you, but I also understand why there might be questions"
I don't like his statement, my overthinking tells me he's just confirmed my queries. But I have to be sensible and mature about this. Up until last week, we didn't really have a label on anything. We still don't really have a label on things.
I smile and nod at Oscar. "Thank you" I accept.
"It was really nice to meet you Baylee, I know I'll be seeing you a lot more and if you're coming to Miami, my girlfriend Lily will be there, I think you two will get along." He comforts, sliding his chair out from the table.
I put a strong front on for the rest of the day, watching Lando take to the track and get in a lot of decent times ready for the race on Sunday. From the atmosphere and sounds from the garage, everyone was really happy with how both Lando and Oscar went. There were high hopes for Lando in his rookie season, and I could feel the pressure that surrounded that.
When we got back to the hotel later on that evening, I did everything I could to push the feelings away. I had no idea if I would be going to Miami or not, and I really didn't want to spend what little time I did have with Lando fighting with him, or causing issues. It wasn't healthy for the relationship. But I also knew it wasn't healthy to be holding back feelings and not communicating.
"Hey, could I talk to you about something please?" I ask as we step off the elevator, declining the 10th call from Jade on my phone since I left the cafe. I realise I said I would call her back and she's probably thinking someone murdered me.
"Yeah of course" Lando coos, squeezing gently on my hand for added reassurance.
"Some girl approached me at the track today, she said she knew you" I begin, realising how vague that sounds. "She showed me a picture on her phone of the two of you, told me I wasn't the only girl in your life"
Lando's eyes dart to me. "Who?"
I shrug my shoulders, "She actually didn't say her name." I reflect, "She would have come into the garage not long after I left though" I inform him.
"'I don't keep track of who comes in and out of the garage Baylee, what are you accusing me of here?" His defensive nature catches me off guard, and my walls begin to come up immediately.
"I'm not accusing you of anything" I say in defence, his hand disconnecting from mine as he walks toward the wall opposite the elevator.
"Some girl showed you a picture of me and them, do you know how many people I have to take photos with in a day?" He grunts.
I shut down, I don't even know how it got to this point.
"Well, what is it Baylee?" He pushes.
I shrug my shoulders, wrapping my arms around me like a subconscious barrier. "Nothing, it's fine"
"It's obviously not fine, if you felt the need to bring it up, what are you trying to say? And who is this girl?"
"I don't know. She didn't tell me who she was, but it was a picture of you cozied up to her and she just seemed to give off the impression that you two were.."
"What? Fucking?" He sasses.
"Please don't attack me on this, Lando. I was just asking a question" I defend.
His unamused chuckle fills the hallways. "Well, you're accusing me of cheating, so I'd like to hear where this is going?"
"I didn't say you were cheating" I sigh.
"Out of our histories Baylee, you're the one who has a record of being disloyal if you remember" he mocks, breaking my heart.
Tears brim my eyes. "How could you?"
"How could I what? Did you or did you not cheat on your boyfriend with me?" He pushes.
"Why are you being like this?" I shake my head in disbelief.
"Baylee, we just had a really good week, and then the minute I'm back to Formula 1 you start accusing me of cheating on you. Do you, what, not like the attention being on you?"
My mouth opens but I close it again, this conversation is escalating to a place it doesn't need to go too.
"Baylee?" Our attentions turn to my name being called from where the halls open up to the hotel rooms.
Turning my gaze, my mouth opens again, but this time in absolute shock.
"Finn?" I ask.
"Yeah, Hi" he smiles.
Lando chuckles, "Yeah, and I'm the unfaithful one" he boasts before storming past Finn and headed toward our room.
YOU ARE READING
For Now, For Good
FanfictionA year ago, their paths crossed unexpectedly and whilst timing and circumstances were completely against them, Lando and Baylee couldn't deny the connection between them. They vowed to meet up again, a year from now, when they hoped the world offer...
