chasing - lando norris

fourteen.

[lando norris]

I haven't spoken to Cassie since she stormed off yesterday.

The plan, initially, was to stay in her home town for the few remaining days before the Grand Prix, film some content for social media and feed the fans with more Cassie-Lando content that they've been begging for.

I'm not sure how well that plan is working out.

I twist the tap of the shower to shut it off, taking a moment to collect myself and my thoughts, before stepping out of the shower and grabbing my towel.

Why do I keep thinking about her? About what she said? About us?

Okay, maybe what I said wasn't right. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten so angry and defensive, but something about her just gets under my skin. She has the capacity to make me feel things I haven't felt in a long time; that I wasn't planning on feeling in a long time.

It's something about her hair, and the way it coils and falls down her back and stops at her waist, or her eyes and the way the look up at me, or her attitude and the way she holds her ground.

Whatever it is, it's infuriating.

And sexy. God, she looked so good the other night. Her dress fit her body so well, hugging the right spots and flowing at even better places. It was so easy to roll up, to take off, to-

No.

Everything I said, everything I did yesterday destroyed any chances I ever had at repeating the events of that night. And that's the way it should be.

My phone buzzes as I finish drying myself off, and I almost drop it as I pick it up hurriedly.

Cassie Klein: are you picking me up still?

Cassie Klein: if you are hurry up, im ready to go

I stare at my phone, heart beating faster at her messages. My phone buzzes again.

Cassie Klein: please.

I bite back a smile, imagining the sheer effort it took for her to send that last message.

I'm out of the hotel in five minutes.

*****

Lando Norris: I'm here.

I send the text as I pull up outside of her house, leaning down slightly to get a good look at it.

It's a decent size, a large wrap-around deck encasing the single-story building. Behind the house is a breathtaking view of the ocean of Woorim Ocean Beach on Bribie Island. The whole house reminds me of a surf shack, surfboards posted either side of the doorway, plants hanging from the roof of the deck, and the whole house is painted a pale grey colour, chipping in some spots to reveal the wood under the painted paneling.

My eyes are torn away from the view as Cassie emerges from the doorway, waving bye to her parents, I assume, before closing the door and walking down the few steps toward the car.

I shamelessly check her out as she walks toward me: her hair glows almost golden in the sunlight, tied up in her signature long braid. She's wearing a crocheted top and denim shorts, covering her barely visible blue bikini, a pair of white-framed sunglasses, and flip-flops the same colour as her bikini.

I clench my jaw as she opens the car door and slides in.

All my thoughts vanish at her scent of vanilla and roses.

"Do you know where you're going?" She mumbles, crossing her arms and turning her knees away from me slightly.

"Uh, yeah- yeah I think so," I clear my throat and put the car into drive, trying my hardest to ignore her sitting next to me. It seems to work when she says,

"Are you just going to pretend yesterday didn't happen?" She snaps, turning toward me again.

I turn a corner, taking the opportunity to look at her through my own sunglasses.

"If that's what you want to do, then yes." I say.

She scoffs, turning back away from me. Silence settles in the car for a moment. I feel as if I'm treading on thin ice as I speak.

"What I said was..." I pause, trying to gather my words as her scent invades my thoughts, "It was wrong. And I'm sorry, Klein."

She seems to freeze, and I'm almost worried I broke her when she doesn't move for a while. I find a park in front of the ocean and turn to look at her, putting an arm behind her headrest. She slowly turns to look at me.

"Thank you," she whispers, brows creased and gaze turned downwards. "But thank you's not really gonna cut it, if I'm honest."

I release the tension in my neck and drop my head, eyes glued to the console between our two seats. Then I nod. 

"I know. I'll try to make it up to you." 

She still seems hesitant when we get out of the car and head toward the ocean, but I feel like I've made some sort of progress.

A weight is lifted off my shoulders as I watch her smile take over her face when she rips off her shirt and shorts and runs toward the water.

She's not going to forgive me any time soon.

But there's progress.

~~~

yippee short paragraph in landos pov todayy

much love, olive<33