Deals with Daisy // LN4

92 ~ My Daisy

Lando's POV

The Next Day

"Lando Norris you are world champion!" The words are screamed so loudly through the earpieces that I think I might go deaf, the crackling and static behind each word making it so I can barely hear them and yet somehow I do and they're almost the most beautiful words I've ever heard in my life.

"Waheeeeeyyyyyy, let's go girls and boys! Let's fucking go! We did it! We fucking did it! My God!" I scream back, my voice breaking midway through my scream but I don't care. My voice breaking from a sob that surprised even me wasn't an issue because I did what everyone else said I wouldn't be able to do. I won a world championship, with McLaren. The good years and bad years were all worth it because they had led me right here, right now. Winning. World Champion. Everyone's sacrifices. Everyone's belief is rewarded.

I'm freaking crying my eyes out as different people come on the radio and I complete my cool-down lap, going extra slow as I struggle to see through my tears which are leaving me faster than I thought possible and I wave to the fans. Everyone I could have thought of speaking to me and more as I hear from Max, my parents, and Daisy before I hit the number one sign and sit in stunned shock for a moment. I wait until I see Oscar's car sit behind the number two and Charles's car hit the number three before I really let myself believe it. Max and Lewis weren't on the podium.

I won the race.

I won the championship.

Oscar is the first one to approach me as I take my gloves off and wipe my eyes through the open visor, my heart beating out of my chest as I feel my body vibrating with anticipation and disbelief. This was unbelievable, it didn't feel real. The feelings were matched only by Daisy telling me she loved me that day in Denver. I thank him, pulling off my helmet and undoing my seatbelt so that I can stand victoriously on the nose of the car and hold my helmet up with one hand and a victorious fist, my eyes immediately finding Daisy looking like a devil in her all black outfit, once more crying.

I get off the nose of the car, placing my helmet carefully above the four as I point at the McLaren logo for all photographers to see before leaping victoriously into the arms of many, but mainly toward Daisy. I spent too long working my way down the line yesterday to get to her, having to pretend that I could focus on anyone else when really I couldn't. By the time I'd gotten to her, I was done pretending that I wasn't. I couldn't do it anymore and she was right. When I'd done my lap for pole position, all I was thinking of was getting back to her and kissing her. Pretending that I was channeling anything other than that as my motivation was ridiculous. It just wasn't possible anymore, I wanted the world to know. I'd protect her from the rest and we'd figure it out together.

She kisses me proudly, tears streaming from her eyes as I pull away to rest my head against hers for a moment. No words needed to be said as she stroked my cheek, a way to pause and slow down the moment, help me savor it before she pushed me onto the rest of the team. My heart didn't slow down though, beating faster than probably what was acceptable as I lost myself in the fireworks, music, and cheers of everyone around us, my parents soon located and crying similarly to me.

I don't get to see Daisy for the next two hours except for when I'm on the podium and looking down at her, still in disbelief that it's all real. Seeing her crying, her normally cool exterior in pieces for the second time in as many days helped it hit home for me. We both know what this meant, the words world champion superimposed on the screen behind me not quite hitting home the feeling as much as the pride in her eyes made it.

I went looking for her the moment I was out of media, I really did. I tried everywhere that I could think of including the Mercedes motorhome which resulted in a far longer stop than I had anticipated. It was a bit awkward to just straight turn up, find out Daisy wasn't there, and then walk straight back out of the building. I then spent forty-five minutes going around and congratulating all engineers and then Lewis on a battle well fought... before being dragged to Red Bull to do the same there, then also to Ferrari. By the time I'd finished my almost full tour of the paddock, I just about managed to slip out of Calum's eyesight and get to my driver's room without anyone following me. I immediately slam the door shut, my back almost cracking against it from the force as I close my eyes, yawning as I slowly fall down the wall to the floor for a moment, taking a breath to recalibrate.