𝐁 𝐑 𝐄 𝐀 𝐓 𝐇 𝐄 [lando norris x oc]

𝐟𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

"Oooh, bring the pink shirt. It'll make your boobs look bigger." Bridget nodded and threw the shirt over to where Gabi's duffel was on the floor. 

Gabi folded it and placed it inside the bag before glancing up at Lilly. "He's really not going? You're not fucking with me?" 

Lilly smiled and gave her a thumbs up. "Max told me he wasn't coming because of family. We're all good."

"Okay." Gabi still felt uneasy. "Sorry, I think I'm just stressed about the album coming out tomorrow. I'll be fine. The cruise will be fun."

"That's the spirit." Bridget threw another item of clothing at her. The cruise wasn't until Saturday morning, but with the album released at midnight and being streamed all of Friday, Gabi knew she wouldn't have time to pack between then. And if Lilly was right, Lando wouldn't be going and Gabi might actually have a decent time on the boat. 

"Launch party tonight, too. I can't wait to get wasted and listen to your sad songs." Bridget smirked. 

"They're not all sad, most of them are actualy upbeat." Gabi frowned. 

Lilly rubbed her shoulders. "We know, babes. We're excited!"

They continued to pack and chat about everything and after Gabi felt satisfied with her clothing options, they got ready and headed to a small club on the Lower East side that they'd rented out for the album launch party. 

In truth, the album was Gabi's favorite. Although she'd been working on it before Lando broke her heart, ever since then the words seemed to flow out of her. And yes, Bridget might've been somewhat correct about a majority of sad songs, but there were songs that made Gabi feel like herself again--songs that felt like her. The album was like her baby, and releasing it was going to to be scary but it had to be done. 

-----------------

It was 11:56. Gabi was drunk. Four minutes until the album came out. The rest of her friends were laughing and canoodling with the other Hollywood figures in the room because Gabi wasn't. She didn't know most people there--didn't feel like talking to them. She didn't feel like talking to anyone. Except for one person. Huffing, she pulled out her phone and through her foggy gaze opened up her messages. 

lando

November 11th, 2024

lando
i heard about your new album, congratulations,
i mean it
lando
i know u dont want to hear from me and you
aren't even looking at these texts, but i miss you
lando
i love you

She couldn't bring herself to block him. Not then, not now. Not when he texted every month, or  subtly ask Lilly to tell him how Gabi was doing. Gabi didn't know why. She spent countless hours wondering if she should say something, call him, or pretend to run into him somewhere just so she could see him. It hurt, sometimes, seeing how broken he was. Hearing his voice through the TV on race days tore her apart, even if she pretended not to watch. 

"Three!...Two!...One!..." The crowd cheered as the clock ticked down. 

Gabi laughed and stood as the timer reached zero. "Thank you everyone! Limitations is now out everywhere, and I'm so happy to share this with the world, finally."

The crowd cheered and shouted congratulations as she went back to her table in the corner. 

"Congratulations, Ellie."

Gabi rolled her eyes at the old nickname. "Didn't know you were invited to this, Carter."

"Nah, I wasn't. Mind if I sit?" Carter didn't wait for her to say yes and sat down next to her. "Limitations, huh? Cute name. Only took you a year to write it."

She furrowed her brow. "You know, albums usually take two years to write. I work fast, asshole."

"Fair enough." Carter shrugged and hesitated. "You look good."

Gabi squinted her eyes. "You do too." She bit the inside of her cheek. 

She could admit that, Gabi might pick assholes to date, but God did she pick the good-looking dick-heads. Carter was miles taller than her, with dark brown eyes and perfect facial features. Their relationship had been mostly a scam--he thought she was pretty and took her out for the press to have a field day. What Carter thought was a media-relationship felt more like a real relationship to Gabi--they never worked out the difference. Eight months went down the drain in one fatal night after she'd caught him running off with another girl. Carter still tried to weasel his way back into her life every now and then, but Gabi was getting better at ignoring him. 

"Mm." Carter took a sip of his drink. "How've you been? I heard about the whole Norris disaster."

She winced. "I'm fine. It's been six months, I'm over it."

"Are you?" He didn't seem convinced. "Norris doesn't seem great either, you really did a number on him, didn't you?"

"Why are we talking about this?" Gabi narrowed her eyes. "I know you didn't show up at my launch party to talk about my old relationships. Why don't you try to fuck me and I'll say no again, just like last time."

Carter laughed at that. "You always were good at rejecting me. No, I have a girl right now. I don't want the media nightmare."

"You have a girlfriend?" Gabi laughed. "Jesus christ, maybe you have changed."

"You have, too. You just can't tell because you've spent the last half-a-year feeling sorry for yourself."

"And you're back to being an asshole."

Carter grinned and stood from the chair. "All I'm saying is, don't dwell on the past. Life's too fuckin' short. I thought that you of all people would know that."

Gabi didn't know what to say. Was Carter being...a good person? 

"Well, this was great." He left his glass on the table. "Congrats, Ellie. I hope everything works out for you."

"You too, Carter."

He turned and left Gabi sitting there wondering what exactly she was doing with her life. 

a/n: YALL im kinda beefing w lando rn bc tell me ug saw the vid of him spraying lewis w champagne and completely ignoring oscar??? not to mention lando being rude asf in the cool down room to lewis?

lewis ate. him. up. tho what a legend

anyway expect some more chapters over the next few weeks bc ur girl is going on a vacay in august and i might have an 8 day hiatus