For Now, For Good

35. - A Year Ago

Charles

"I didn't expect to see you here" I chuckle as I see Lando approaching the track in his fireproofs.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" He smiles, clutching onto his helmet tightly in one hand as his combs his fingers of his other through his curls.

"Hear about Vettel did you?" I tilt my chin up.

He nods his head. "Pretty common news by now" Lando comments.

"I heard Alonso is going to Aston" I correct him with a smirk, however his smug look is bigger than mine.

"You think that McLaren seat will be yours?" I chuckle, teasingly. To be honest we all knew that Lando would be in that seat the minute we head Vettel was stepping out and Alonso was making the move to Aston Martin.

"Couldn't imagine who else they'd take?" He sasses with a wink.

"I guess todays the day to prove it. Word is Ollie is here as well, got his eye on the seat too" I inform him, watching closely for his reaction.

"Bearman?" He confirms.

I nod my head, pulling my Ferrari drink bottle up to my lips and taking a long drink.

"He's got nothing on me" Lando mocks confidently.

We all knew it too, but that didn't mean I didn't enjoy winding him up. My eyes notice how he checks his phone from his pocket again. The third time since he's arrived.

"They won't call you that quickly with an offer, mate" I tease. I got my call from Ferrari the moment they hung up the phone from Seb, it was only a matter of time.

His eyes snatch up to me, worry coating them before it quickly disappears and he shakes his head, shaking the phone between his fingertips.

"Hope that's not a girl you're waiting on" I inform him half serious.

"Why would that be a problem?" He asks with a serious tone.

"If you're serious about making it in this sport, and being taken seriously, they can't have you having any reason not to be on the limit. Girls, they come with nothing but drama and problems and distraction" I inform him.

"Nope" he disagrees, shaking his head before I'd even finished my statement. "Not this one"

I scoff in amusement, "really? Because we've been stood here no more than 5 minutes and you've checked your phone 3 times, and judging by the look on your face, you've either just been dumped or had the biggest argument of your life"

"Got to be dating to be broken up with" he mumbles and I'm not entirely sure he wanted me to hear it.

"Like I said, Norris. Complicated" I clench on tightly to the railing, leaning back slightly to stretch my back and shoulders as Carlos goes streaming past in the cherry red livery.

"You've never been involved with a girl whilst you've been in racing?" Lando asks as I feel him move in beside me.

"For me it's alway been about more of understanding and committing to the business rather than a woman, but I do find myself surrounding myself with the same company from time to time. I just make sure that there are no complications, no expectations and certainly no obligations"

Lando's phone appears in front of him again as he taps the screen revealing a blank notification screen.

"She must be important to you" I conclude.

"If I'm honest I don't know what she is yet" he chuckles but doesn't seem amused. "I'm just worried that I'm tossing it aside before I really know, you know what I mean?"