𝙁𝙊𝙍𝘽𝙄𝘿𝘿𝙀𝙉 𝙁𝙍𝙐𝙄𝙏 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘴

𝙁𝙄𝙁𝙏𝙀𝙀𝙉

𝙁𝙊𝙍𝘽𝙄𝘿𝘿𝙀𝙉 𝙁𝙍𝙐𝙄𝙏 ᯓ★

𝙀𝙇𝙀𝙉𝘼'𝙎 𝙋𝙊𝙑

THE RACE WEEKEND had come around faster than I'd anticipated. Before I knew it, I was back to being in the garage watching Oscar closely and Norris briefly during qualifying.

Oscar had qualified P6 and Norris P4, although not the best they could do, still a descent start for the race.

Race day had rolled around the corner too and I soon found myself dreading the upcoming session with Norris but trying to make the best of it.

Lando and I found ourselves in the familiar confines of another small white room. We had agreed—grudgingly—that it might help our act if we actually knew each other better. And so here we were, about to delve into the uncomfortable task of personal questions.

Lando reclined in his seat, his casual posture a stark contrast to the tension simmering between us. I sat across from him, the table a barrier that felt both necessary and insufficient.

"Okay, let's get this over with," I said, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "You go first."

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly relishing the moment. "Alright. What's your favorite movie?"

I rolled my eyes. "Really? We're starting with that?"

He rolled his eyes, clearly the only thing he could come up with. "Hey, it's a classic question. Answer it."

"Fine," I sighed. "Inception. You?" I'd watched the movie thrice, its mind bending nature something that had always intrigued me.

"Interesting choice," he mused. "Mine's The Dark Knight."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Christopher Nolan fan, huh?"

"You could say that," he replied, leaning forward slightly. "Your turn."

I thought for a moment, trying to find something that might throw him off. "What's your biggest fear?"

He paused, the smirk faltering for a split second. "Failure," he said quietly, the word hanging in the air between us. I was surprised he'd answered honestly, partly expecting him to joke about it or stray away from the question. "Yours?"

"Losing the people I care about," I admitted, the words more honest than I intended. There was a moment of silence, the weight of our answers adding to the already thick tension.

He cleared his throat, breaking the spell. "Why did you accept this job?"

"Truthfully, to be with my brother," I replied. "And travel the world a little."

"And here I thought you were here because of me." He put a hand to his chest in mock offense before nodding, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "Makes sense. What's one thing you can't live without?"

"Music," I replied without hesitation. "You?"

"Speed," he said, grinning. "It's addicting."

I rolled my eyes again. "Of course it is. Typical racer answer."

"Hey, it's true," he shot back, but there was a softness in his voice that wasn't there before. "What about hobbies?"

"Reading, mostly," I said. "And cooking. You?"

He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Surfing, when I get the chance. And video games."

"Figures," I muttered, a small smile tugging at my lips despite myself. "I suck at video games."