KARMA | Lando Norris

8

why so tense

ADEERA SANTIAGO

I found myself sitting uncomfortably at the McLaren's briefing room, staring blankly at the window while Mercy and Valentina's voice chatter in the background. I find myself enjoying the view outside this cursed room, the way the rain pours over the paddock, the grey hue of the once blue sky. It's a perfect scenery. Never in my life would I have wished to be outside on a rainy day like this. Usually I just snuggle in my bed and watch dystopian movies. But this time, I want nothing more than to get out of this room.

The door suddenly burst open, catching my attention. Revealing a guy soaked in rain. He removed his drenched jacket and threw it outside. "Oh the great Lando Norris has graced us with his presence." Mercy said in a bored tone while the McLaren British driver rolled his eyes at her and marched over the table. He grabbed the air-conditioner remote and turned it off.

"The fuck, turn it on" Mercy snapped, complaining.

"I'm freezing." He said coldly as he took a seat in front of me. Blocking my view of the window that's keeping me sane. The perfect scenery of the rain outside was now replaced by his smug face. He smirked at me in an insulting manner. My eyebrows automatically furrowed as I averted my gaze to Valentina.

"So... Everybody's here. Let's start shall we." Val started, standing up beside Mercy.

The guy in front of me raised his hand as Valentina was about to speak. I silently cursed him and focused my gaze into Valentina.

"What is there to talk about?" He asked, bringing his hand down.

"The terms, Lando. If you want to wrap this up quickly, shut up." Mercy spat. Her reply made my gaze turn to her in shock. Wow. Didn't know anyone talked to this asshole like that.

"Can't you just text it?" He asked lazily. "Don't bullshit me, we both know you don't read any of the team's messages." Mercy replied. "So now, listen." She added. I slightly turned my head to the side to get a view of him and his reaction. He raised both his hands in defeat as he signaled our PR managers to proceed. He caught me staring at him and gave me a sly smirk. I showed him my middle finger before turning my attention back at our two pr managers in front.

"You two are going to date for a month or two... Or maybe more— if the situation calls for it." Mercy started and added the last sentence when the McLaren British driver was about to say something. "You're not gonna announce it right away. What you're going to do is soft launching. Give the people hints that you two are in a relationship. Give them clues, tease them. And when we give you the signal, you're going to announce it to the public." Valentina explained.

"Question." He said nonchalantly while raising his hand. "Yes Lando?" Mercy called closing her eyes in frustration. "Why is that necessary?" He asked.

"To make it believable. People would suspect, if all of a sudden you two started dating without any warnings at all." Valentina answered, looking at Mercy. "You two had only been seen together outside the formula 1 world thrice. The first one is at Oscar's birthday and the second one is at a football match, and you weren't even in the same row then. And the last one just occured earlier." Mercy added. "That stunt Lando pulled back there when the two of you arrived at the paddock together."

"What kind of hints?" He asked again just before Val was about to speak. Making Mercy sigh in irritation.

"Small interactions around the paddock, matching ig stories, quick glances at each other. You know, stuff like that. Let people connect the puzzle pieces you're giving them" Mercy explains, answering his question.

"The first hint you two are going to give them is at the race tomorrow. You're going to ask how Adeera's doing on the radio every 5-7 laps. And when you're asked about it at the media pen, you're just going to smile and leave it unanswered." Valentina explained, looking at the McLaren British driver.

"Why would I? Can't I just focus on the race and let her do that?" He questioned in annoyance, clearly unentertained.

"No. You need to do it. We got something else for Adeera." Mercy replied, smiling at me. I looked at her blankly waiting for her instructions.

"If you were asked in the media pen about the radio messages, you're going to act touched by it and try to add something that'll leave them hanging, got it?" Mercy said and I nodded, not clearly hearing nor comprehending what she said.

"When will this 'hint giving' be over?" He asked. "if everything goes well in our plan, I'd say after 1 week." Valentina answered "so you better follow our plan Lando, or we're going to extend this 'hint giving' thingy." Mercy added as a threat.

No one knows their driver other than the pr team manager. Knowing the grid's asshole, he'll do anything to make the hint giving short. Hell I'm not going to be surprised if he ruins the plan tomorrow.

Mercy wrapped it up after discussing a few things I didn't listen to. I started to get up to leave the briefing room to go home when I remembered that he has my key. I marched over to him as Mercy and Valentina passed. He turned around to leave but I suddenly went in front of him and blocked his way. "Give me my keys." I demanded, extending my hand.

"I thought you said I can have it? You've got several other cars right?" He replied nonchalantly.

I stared at him blankly as I waited for him to give up my keys, wiggling my fingers. Silently urging him to give the keys. Instead of giving it up, he just stand there and stared back at me as pin drop silence filled the room. We stood there, silently staring at each other.

I started to feel my body tense as he stepped closer. I took a step back, avoiding coming in contact with him as the tension in my body got out and filled the room. He stepped closer and closer as I took a step back every time he gets close until my lower back hit the long table at the briefing room. His breath fanned over my face as he slightly bent his head down, looking deep into my eyes. That was when I realized that his eyes has its unique color, but the sadness in them drained it all out. I felt number every second that had passed. I stared back at him as he stared deep into my soul. My heart started racing, and I gulped hard. I could hear the pumping of my heart loud and clear in my ear. Suddenly I felt a metallic object being placed at my open palm. "Why so tense?" He asked, breaking the silence along with the tension that was continuing to grow and he proceeded to walk away with a smirk. Leaving me with my back glued into the wall as I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

I gave myself a few minutes to recover from what had happened, patting my chest— trying to calm my racing heart— before looking down at my palm to see what the metallic object was. It's a key. But it's not mine. It isn't the key to my Mercedes. It's a key to a McLaren.

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A/N: hiii, how do we like it so far? Feel free to comment and vote if you can. Thank youuu