Flight Attendant - Lando norris fanfic

15- Rumors and Repercussions

I woke up that morning with a strange feeling in my chest, like something was off before I even reached for my phone. The past few days had been a whirlwind—flashes of laughter, quiet moments with Lando, and that nagging uncertainty that came with letting myself feel something more for him. We hadn't labeled anything yet, but we both knew what was happening between us. It was undeniable, and terrifying.

As I checked my notifications, my heart sank. There was an endless stream of messages—group chats buzzing, Instagram DMs from people I hadn't heard from in years, and a few from my close friends with cryptic "OMG" or "WTF" texts. I sat up, my stomach twisting in knots. Something wasn't right.

I clicked on one of the messages, a link to a tabloid article. The headline practically screamed at me:

"LANDO NORRIS SPOTTED ON A SECRET DATE! WHO IS THE MYSTERY WOMAN?"

My blood ran cold. My heart pounded as I scrolled down the page, my name conspicuously absent but the article filled with details from the night of our dinner. They had a photo—blurred, but recognizable enough—of me sitting across from Lando, laughing. The caption underneath read:

"Is this Lando's new fling? The F1 star is known for his wild lifestyle. Is the mystery woman his next conquest?"

Conquest. The word made me sick. I slammed my phone down, my mind racing. How had this happened? We'd been careful, or at least I thought we had. That dinner had felt so personal, so private. I hadn't even noticed anyone taking pictures.

I grabbed my phone again, this time scrolling through Instagram. It was worse there. Comment after comment on Lando's most recent post:

"Who's the girl, mate? Thought you were single!"

"Doesn't look like another fling, she seems too classy for you, lol."

"He's dating a flight attendant? Isn't that a little... beneath him?"

That one stung the worst. I felt my face flush with embarrassment and anger. People didn't know me, didn't know what was happening between Lando and me, and yet they felt entitled to judge and dissect my life as if it were public property.

Just as I was about to throw my phone across the room, a message from Lando popped up.

Lando: Hey, saw the news. You okay?

I stared at the message, trying to figure out how I felt. I wasn't okay. I was far from okay. This wasn't part of the deal. I had never asked for attention, never wanted my life to be put under a microscope like this. And now, here it was, happening because I'd let myself fall for someone I shouldn't have.

Me: I'm not sure how I feel right now. How did this even happen?

He replied quickly.

Lando: I'm sorry. I guess people just... notice things. I didn't think it would blow up like this either.

I didn't know how to respond. I wasn't angry at him, not really. But I was scared. Scared of what this meant for me, for my job, for everything. Dating someone like Lando came with risks, and I'd tried so hard to ignore them. Now I couldn't.

I stared at my phone, chewing on my bottom lip as a wave of anxiety crept over me. What if my boss found out? What if the rumors spread to the wrong people at work? I had fought so hard to build a career that wasn't defined by who I was involved with, and now, thanks to one night, everything was in jeopardy.

And then the panic set in. What if Juniper found out? She had always been understanding, but this was different. This wasn't just a rumor that would pass in a day or two. Lando was a public figure, and that meant everything about him—and now, about me—was up for scrutiny.

Another ping.

Juniper: Hey, Cordelia. Just a heads-up, some people at the office are talking. Maybe steer clear for a bit?

I swallowed hard, staring at the message. My worst fear was starting to unfold. People were talking, and not in a harmless, curious way. There was gossip, and gossip in the aviation world, especially in the close-knit circle of private flight attendants, traveled fast.

The phone buzzed again. I looked down, my breath catching as I saw another message from Lando.

Lando: I hate that this is happening to you because of me. Can I see you? We can talk about it in person.

My first instinct was to say no, to retreat into my safe space and block out the world. But I knew I couldn't hide from this. I couldn't run from it, not when everything was crashing down around me.

Me: I'm not sure if I can right now. It's a lot.

The silence on the other end made me feel guilty, but I needed space. I couldn't be the woman everyone was talking about. I wasn't sure I was strong enough for this.

Hours passed, but the unease didn't fade. I opened my laptop, intending to do some work, only to find another article about us trending online. This one was worse.

"Lando Norris' New Girlfriend? Inside the F1 Star's Romantic Escapades"

The words hit like a punch to the gut. The article painted me as just another one of Lando's flings, speculating on his past relationships and drawing comparisons between me and other women he had been seen with. They didn't know anything about me, but that didn't stop them from labeling me.

I couldn't take it anymore. I needed air, space to think. I grabbed my coat and headed out the door, hoping that a walk would clear my mind. The cool evening air hit my face as I stepped onto the sidewalk, but it did little to calm the storm inside me.

As I walked, my phone buzzed again. This time, it was an email—from work.

My stomach dropped.

I opened it, my heart pounding as I read the first line.

"Dear Ms. Haldstead, we've been informed of some circulating rumors regarding your personal relationship with one of our high-profile clients, Mr. Norris..."

The rest of the words blurred as my eyes filled with tears. This was it. This was the beginning of the end. My job, my reputation—it was all on the line now. I could feel the walls closing in, the fear and panic choking me.

I sank onto a nearby bench, staring at the email in disbelief. How had things spiraled so quickly? Just days ago, everything had felt so... normal. I had my life under control. And now, it felt like I was losing everything.

Before I knew it, I was dialing Lando's number, my hand shaking as I pressed the phone to my ear. He answered almost immediately.

"Cordelia," he said, his voice soft but urgent. "I'm so sorry about all this. I didn't mean for any of it to happen."

"I know," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the lump in my throat. "But it's happening, Lando. And I don't know if I can handle it."

There was a pause, the kind that felt heavier than words. "I don't want you to get hurt because of me," he said finally. "I never wanted this for you."

"I know that too," I replied, closing my eyes as the tears finally spilled over. "But what am I supposed to do? My job... my life... everything's at risk now."

He was silent for a moment, then spoke quietly. "You're not alone in this. I'll figure something out. We can fix this."

I wanted to believe him, I really did. But I wasn't sure if this was something that could be fixed. My life wasn't meant for this kind of scrutiny. I wasn't built for the spotlight, the rumors, the constant judgment. And I didn't know if I could live like this... not even for Lando.

As I ended the call, my heart felt heavier than ever, weighed down by uncertainty and fear. For the first time since I'd met him, I truly wondered if being with Lando was worth all of this.

Because even though I cared about him, I wasn't sure if I could survive the fallout