Since returning to London, Nadine and I have been keeping our distance. We hadn't spoken of Lando or the situation since I said I was done discussing it. Speaking of Lando, I wasn't really answering his calls. I would text him back here and there but I was upset this past week. He was preparing for the first race this weekend so I knew I was far from his thought. He had noticed that I had been off since the FaceTime on the train and would every once in a while try to get it out of me but I would tell him it was nothing. A part of me felt like I owed it to him to tell him why I had been off and the other part of me wanted to call just to get my own closure.
Without giving it much thought, I called Lando not even knowing if he'd answer. To my luck or possibly dread, he did. I didn't really know what to say, I hadn't planned this far ahead.
"Eiza?" He answered, confusion and possibly surprise in his voice.
"Lando, sorry for calling I wasn't even really thinking." I respond, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"No, it's no worries at all. I'm just in my hotel room. What's going on?" He rushes.
I didn't know what to say really. "You slept with Nadine?" I ask not wanting to sound accusing so I posed it as a question.
"What? Absolutely not." He stated.
"Lando, Nadine told me."
"Eiza, I have no idea what she told you but I didn't sleep with her." He practically scoffs.
"Well then Please tell me your side of the story." I am nearly at a loss for words. Nadine had made me think they were sleeping together.
"Is this why you've been distant? You've been thinking I slept with her?" After I stood quiet he continued. "The night we met, it was the winter break and I was proper smashed. I didn't have to be at MTC the next day so I went off the rails a little. I'm lucky I even remember it happening. I had kissed her, we were drunk. That is all that happened. She was the one who wanted to come home with me. I said no, and that was that. We had hung out in a friend setting with the others but that was it. I even apologized to her for kissing her. I didn't want her getting any wrong impressions." He argued.
"So you never liked her in that way?" I questioned, feeling a bit embarrassed but also confused.
"No!" He says sternly. "I know she's your friend and everything, and I don't mean it in a mean way, but I wasn't interested. I was being careless when it happened. I'm sorry to her but also you. I know she's your best friend so I hope it doesn't make you think differently of me." He says sounding a bit ashamed.
"I don't think of you differently, I'm just upset more so with Nadine for making me think the way I did." I say shaking my head. I knew he was far from a saint but that didn't excuse Nadine.
By then end of the call, we had seemed to patch things up and we back to our normal banter. I had wished him luck over the weekend and I could see the excitement in his eyes. The only thing that left me confused was why Nadine had said what she said. We had spent this time basically ignoring each other. I needed to get to the bottom of this.
Eventually Nadine came home and I was really wanting to talk. She was my best friend after all, I hated fighting with her.
"Have a nice night?" I ask, leaning against the island in the kitchen.
"Was fine." She said, moving past me to try and get away.
"I think we should talk." I stated not wanting her to just hole herself up in her room.
"About what?" She asked turning to look at me as she takes her heels off.
"I talked with Lando after ignoring him for a week." I said as she rolled her eyes. "Please just talk to me. I need to hear your side. You're my best friend and I don't like fighting." I pleaded moving closer to her.
"What do you want to hear about it? We kissed once, that's it. We never slept together. I'm sorry for implying something else." She let out a sigh. "He really is a douch bag. I don't want you to get hurt."
"We're friends. He flirts with me and he has asked me on a date but that it." I say wanting to be honest.
"Do you like him?"
"I mean it's not that serious. I enjoy the conversation." I shrug putting it plainly.
"So I take it he's nice to you." She states leaning back against the wall acting shy.
"Yeah, he's lovely." I say and when she stays silent I continue. "Why did you tell me otherwise? About the two of you I mean."
"I just know how he can be. He was publicly dating someone when I had kissed him the night we met. The next week I saw him take someone home and it wasn't his girlfriend. I just don't want him to hurt you." Nadine looked at me with sad eyes. I could see that she felt bad for what had happened with us but she thought she was doing it for my own good.
"Lando and I are nothing but friends. We only went out to lunch a few times and we got a couple workouts in before he left for his F1 stuff." I reassured her.
"I'll try to be kinder about the situation, I just really don't want him to hurt you. You've been through so much and for someone like him to think he can do as he pleases? It-.. I just want to see you happy." She calls with a sigh. I send her the smallest of smiles.
"Thank you. Knowing I have my best friends support already makes me 10 times more happy." I remind her, looking into her eyes from the distance she stood from me.
"And this date he asked you on?" She asked a small smirk on her lips but in a more playful way.
"I mean I agreed. I don't know. If he can play the game why can't I?"
"You don't have to downplay it. He's easy on the eyes isn't he?" She chuckles.
"Yeah something like that." I joke along because he was a very handsome guy.
"Has he said where you'll be going?"
"He said it's a surprise." I say as Nadine begins to move for the sofa. I follow after her, sitting beside her.
"Hm.. well just please be careful I love you and I'm sorry for being a twat." Nadine responds pulling me in for a hug. I hug her back in silence, missing my best friend.
"Apology accepted, twat." I smile as she lets out a gasp then a laugh.
"I missed you."
~~~
And for this off weekend, a chapter for you.. maybe another one in the near future! Thank you everyone for reading! I hope you are enjoying it. Apologies for any grammar and spelling mistakes. I try to proofread before publishing but I didn't major in English so some things may have slipped :)
All the Best,
Gaby. x
