Physical love

12.

"Okay first thing you need to do is not be basic" Lando said as we were walking through the paddock the next day.

"So I am basic?" I started laughing.

"You're not" he quickly said. "So don't be basic in your questions either"

"But I have to ask basic questions sometimes, it's what people want to know" and what I had to ask. What Sky Sports wanted me to ask.

"Okay, so start with something funny and casual first to make them comfortable around you" he looked at me. "You're pretty so they will nervous around you at first"

Was he actually complimenting me?

"You weren't nervous around me" I nudged him playfully.

"Oh yes I was" he chuckled. "Sometimes I still am"

And I had to admit that I was nervous around him sometimes too.

Maybe that's why we were rude to each other, to hide the fact that we were actually nervous around the other.

"Me too" I admitted.

His head snapped in my direction. "You're nervous around me?"

"Sometimes yeah" I shrugged.

"Good to know" he mumbled.

It was quiet for a while, as if we both forgot why we were walking around the paddock together.

"So what's going on between Max and you?" He broke the silence.

"We have a -" I stopped, trying to think what we were exactly. "Physical relationship"

"And do you want it to be an emotional relationship as well?" He asked.

Good question. I didn't know if I was honest. I felt comfortable around him, but nothing more.

"I can't answer that right now"

"Fair enough" Lando nodded. "How did this thing start?"

"He was heartbroken, guess he needed a distraction"

Lando cleared his throat. "Right"

Maybe I didn't have to mention that, things kinda turned awkward after it.

"Anyways, thanks for the tips Lando, I hope you win this race" I wasn't lying. I really wanted him to do well.

"I will definitely try, but don't get your hopes up. If you want my number, you just have to ask" he chuckled. Waved and walked to his hospitality.

And just as he expected, he didn't win the race. Max did.

I was happy for him, kinda sad for Lando.

"Can I please do the interviews? I think Lando will act normal around me now" I asked Milan. I was actually quite sure about that.

But you never knew with Lando. Maybe he would be annoyed and still act like an asshole.

Max had to do the press conference first, so he wasn't in the media pen yet.
So I interviewed some other drivers first, until Lando arrived.

"Hi Lando" I smiled, adjusted the mic. "How are you feeling?"

Please be good, please be nice, please don't be an asshole.

He sighed, put his hand through his hair, which was a little damp. It was a hard race, every driver was sweaty but seeing Lando like this was definitely something else.

"Hi Gianna" he smiled. "Feeling hot and sweaty. A win was never in the books unfortunately" he laughed.

He was definitely hot and sweaty.

"But you still did a lot of overtakes, do you think the car suited the track?"

He put his arms on the barrier between us and leaned on it. "Uh-no definitely not. A lot of slow speed corners here and we suck at the low speed corners. We are pretty basic here"

He said the word basic a little louder, so he was definitely giving me another hint.

I was asking basic questions.

"So, you have two weeks until the next race in Australia, how are you gonna prepare?"

He leaned back, nodded a little and smiled. "I am going back to Monaco, spend a little time with friends, probably gonna drive the sim too"

I nodded as I was listening to him. Didn't even know he lived in Monaco.

"What are you gonna do?" He asked.

Milan, who was standing next to me, frowned a little.

"I-uh- I am going to Monaco for a couple of days too"

With Max, or because of Max.

"Oh interesting, then I'll see you in Monaco" he smiled a little wider, tapped the barrier and walked away to another journalist.

"What happened to him" Milan mumbled, more to himself than to me.

Who knew chicken wings would have such an effect on our relationship.

Our friendly relationship.