From the Past - Lando Norris

Eleven: Night In

--Ella's POV--

Max fixes the hold he has of the chopsticks in his hand as he leans back on the couch in my hotel room. I giggle opening the soy sauce packet with my mouth as he shakes his head in disbelief, "I cannot believe you spent a summer studying butterflies in France," he says before shoving noodles into his mouth.

"Butterflies are what got me into photography. I loved studying them and keeping every single picture I ever took. When I was a kid...god this is so embarrassing," I whisper.

"More embarrassing than Shrimpy?" he asks.

"Ya know what I'm not telling you now," I tell him as I place my bowl down on the table to grab a drink from the mini-fridge. He groans with his mouth full and tells me to continue as I shake my head bending down to open the door to the fridge. I hear his bowl being placed down and gasp as he's right behind me. He takes the soda from my hand and looks at me, "You called me Shrimpy earlier in front of people. You can't be trusted," I tease as I move to walk back to the couch. He picks me up from behind making me scream through a laugh as he tosses me on the bed. He hovers over me, reaching his hand up and caressing my cheek as I stare into his eyes.

"What can I do to convince you to tell me?" he asks as I narrow my eyes. He leans down closer making it hard to resist the urge to break the distance. So I do. He smiles against my lips as I intertwine our legs. My sweats press against his short-clad legs as his t-shirt rolls up a little from my hand touching his arm. His palm rests on my cheek causing the skin to brighten from every touch he leaves behind. The fingers of his other hand play with the drawstrings of my pants sending butterflies to my stomach. I pull away resting my hands on his cheeks and smiling at the way he's looking down at me. 

I push his chest up and he kneels above me as I lean on my elbows. He holds his hand out and helps me up winking as we go back to finish our food, "The only friend I had as a kid was Lando because I was the weird insect girl," I tell him as he gets comfortable and looks at me. We are sitting with our backs to the arms of the couch as our legs tangle under a blanket, "At recess, I would just draw everything I saw. Lando didn't really care...he would just color cars or whatever he was into at the time," I tell him.

"That's why he calls you Wings?" He asks as I nod my head.

"Yeah...I used to hate it cause kids would just tease me for being a geek but it grew on me," I tell him with a small shrug, "I kind of grew out of my phase of being obsessed with insects but butterflies stuck," I smile. 

"Is that why you wear that necklace?" He asks making me look down. I never take it off so I forget I wear it half the time.

"My mom got it for me," I tell him holding onto the pendant of a butterfly.

"I like getting to know you. You're different from the normal people you meet when working in this field," He says as I smile into my bowl, "But you will see that for yourself now that you're an official McLaren employee," he smirks.

"You hate that I work for the enemy, don't you?" I ask as he nods his head laughing, "Maybe I should be getting photos of you being all cute and normal for the fans? The girls would love seeing you in in this outfit," I tell him reaching for my phone. 

"I'm wearing shorts and a T-shirt? This does not scream sexy," He says as I shake my head.

"You know nothing about women"

"This is doing something for you?" He asks as I put my hand up.

"Don't turn this onto me. I am just doing something for a good cause," I defend as I snap a photo of him mid-bite looking like someone just searched up Max Verstappen Boyfriend Aesthetic on Pinterest. I love finding pictures I've taken on there. Makes me feel appreciated by fangirls all over. I look up from my phone and see him taking a photo of me so I shield my face. 

"Don't tell me you take photos but hate to be in them," He chuckles putting his phone down, "I was wondering what your flaw would be. You were becoming too perfect...besides your strong love for shrimp," he jokes.

"Did you or did you not like your food better when I told you to add the shrimp?" I ask holding my chopsticks up as he gives in, "It's an underrated comfort food and I think you're missing out".

"You're insane," he laughs shaking his head. 

I put my bowl onto the table and look at the time knowing he should be leaving soon, "You have to get some sleep for qualifying tomorrow," I tell him as his hand stops rubbing my legs that he pulled into his lap. We put on an episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine on my laptop so I pause it as he sinks into the couch.

"You're probably right," he says as I pull my legs off him and get off the couch. He slowly walks to the door and turns around looking down at me when we get there, "Do I have to sneak out? I don't want you to get in trouble for having a Red Bull in a McLaren's room," he jokes pulling me closer by my waist.

"This is feeling very Romeo and Juliett now," I play along as I stand on my tip toes and press my lips against his. He opens the door and walks out letting me lean against it.

"Good night, Shrimpy," He says as I roll my eyes and flip him off before shutting the door.