How Did It End? - Lando Norris

Part 11 - I would come back stronger

"One gasp, and then

How did it end?"

Lily Lawton's POV:

The familiar ringtone buzzed through my phone, cutting through the quiet Saturday morning. I settled into the couch with a warm cup of tea, bringing the phone to my ear as Gabi's name flashed on the screen.

She answered almost immediately. "Hey, Lils! How's your morning going?"

"Hey, Gabi," I replied, feeling a small smile tug at my lips. These phone calls had become our little ritual, especially during race weekends when we weren't together. It helped to hear her voice, to feel like she was still close despite everything else feeling so distant. "It's been alright. Just taking it easy, you know? What about you? How's Italy treating you?"

"Oh, it's been busy but good! The qualifying session's coming up soon, and Carlos is feeling confident. He's been on a roll lately, you know?" Her voice carried that usual brightness, and I couldn't help but imagine her beaming smile on the other end.

We chatted about the usual—how her week had been, the hectic schedule of the paddock, and a bit about Carlos' chances for qualifying that day. I tried to focus on the conversation, but there was a strange tension in the air that I couldn't quite place, a sense that something was just slightly off. It was probably just me, I reasoned, still trying to get used to not being there with her during race weekends.

But then, in the middle of Gabi describing some funny moment from the garage, I heard a voice in the background. It was a woman's voice, speaking in Portuguese—something I couldn't fully understand, but the tone was warm and familiar. The voice was light and melodic, as if it was a part of the space around Gabi.

My stomach tightened, and I froze. My hand gripped the edge of the couch cushion as I tried to keep my tone casual. "Uh, who was that?" I asked, forcing a small laugh. "Did Carlos finally pick up some Portuguese?"

There was a pause, a beat too long, and I could feel the tension coil in my chest. Gabi hesitated, something unspoken hanging between us, and I felt my heart rate pick up, faster and faster, like it was anticipating something I didn't want to hear.

"Oh, um..." Gabi's voice had lost its usual lightness. "That's... that's Lu. She came with Lando this weekend. They're all staying nearby, so she's been hanging around with us a bit."

It felt like someone had reached into my chest and squeezed, hard. I tried to take a breath, but it caught in my throat, coming out shaky. I closed my eyes, pressing my palm against my forehead, trying to stop the sting building behind my eyes. "Oh," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, but it came out too small, too fragile. "I see."

"Lily, it's not—" Gabi started, but I couldn't listen anymore. My ears were buzzing, and a sudden heat flushed through my face, making it hard to focus on anything but the dull ache in my chest.

"I—I should go," I stammered, barely recognizing my own voice. "I just remembered I have some errands to run. Talk to you later, Gabi."

"Wait, Lily, please don't—" But I didn't let her finish. I hung up, the call cutting off with a finality that echoed in the silence of my apartment.

I dropped the phone onto the table, burying my face in my hands. My breaths came in short, sharp gasps as I tried to keep my emotions in check, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave. Tears spilled down my cheeks, hot and unwelcome, as the realization sank in—one that I had been avoiding for weeks but now faced head-on.

It wasn't just about losing Lando anymore. It was about losing Gabi too—losing that sense of closeness that had always been a constant, even when everything else shifted. I had always known that she and Carlos had their own life together, but now there was this whole other part of her life that felt out of my reach, tied to a world I no longer belonged to.