Bad Reputation

36.

Francesca's POV

I went with Lando to England. I didn't want to stay in Monaco, didn't want to bump into Jordan.
He was the last person I wanted to see.

And Lando was the only person I wanted to be with.

Even though everyone told me he was a red flag, and to be honest, he probably was, he was also the nicest person.

He gave me a tour around the MTC and it was such a nice day. As if nothing happened.

As if Jordan didn't beat me, left a lot of bruises on my body. I covered it up as much as possible, but he already saw them.

He saw me vulnerable and crying. Which was quite embarrassing but he didn't judge. He just listened and stayed with me.

But I wasn't gonna think about Jordan anymore. I wanted to be happy, to enjoy the moment with Lando.

I was staying with Lando at his place. I told him I would go to a hotel, but he didn't want that.

So I stayed with him, only for a few days before we had to go to America for the next Grand Prix.

"You want something from the store?" Lando asked, already holding his phone to write down everything I wanted.

"No thanks" I smiled. Didn't want him to think I used him for his money or food or whatever.
I was already staying at his house, didn't want him to pay for my food as well.

"Nothing?" He frowned. "No I am perfectly fine"

"Okay" he shrugged, smiled a little and walked to the door. "I will be back in a second"

He grabbed his keys and walked to the door. I could hear him talking to someone before he closed the door behind him.

I figured it was just someone he was talking to on his phone, until someone walked in the kitchen.
His best friend Max.

The same guy who told me Lando was a walking red flag.

"Hi Francesca, Lando said I could wait here for him. If that's okay for you?" he said, as if I had a saying in this. This wasn't my place at all.

"Uh, yeah sure" I shrugged. "You want something to drink?"

Now I was acting as if I was living here. As if Lando and I were a couple and I was entertaining his friend.

I actually quite liked that.

"I bet Lando doesn't have much to drink so water is fine" he chuckled.

"Well, he bought a few things" I said as I opened the fridge to show him. "But I bet he normally doesn't do that?"

There was all kinds of drinks in his fridge. Water, Coke, orange juice, appel juice, Red Bull, pretty much a bit of everything.

"Uh-" Max looked at it. His face already showed the answer to my question. "No he definitely doesn't"

He grabbed the orange juice and poured him a glass, looked back at me. "You too?"

"Yes thanks" I smiled.

He poured another glass and we both chilled together in the garden.

Lando walked in the garden only a half an hour later. He was holding flowers in one hand, chocolate in his other.

"I know you didn't want anything, but I think you deserve this" he smiled, kissed my cheek and gave it to me.

And my heart, my heart jumped alive again.

"You didn't have to do this" I whispered. "But thank you so much, it really means a lot and I love it" I got up, hugged him tightly.

He was being amazing and we weren't even dating. We were friends at most. He didn't need to do this, but he had such a pure soul.

"I am gonna put these in water" I said as I pointed at the beautiful flowers. Lando nodded and sat down next to Max.

I walked into the kitchen and looked at them through the window. They were laughing and talking together.

And I felt so safe, so loved.

This was how it was supposed to be. I shouldn't be worried about saying or doing the wrong thing the entire time.

I couldn't believe that this man who was giving me flowers and chocolates, who cuddled me the entire night when I was crying, who moved mountains just to make me smile, this man was supposed to be a red flag.

He wasn't anymore. Not at all.