Behind the Pit Wall: Jamie Albon's Challenge // Lando Norris // F1

Chapter 27: Boiling Point

Lando stared at the single word on his phone screen, disbelief morphing into anger. No. It was a simple, two-letter response, but it sent his emotions spiraling. How could Jamie just say "no"? After everything, she was going to shut him out like this? He clenched his jaw, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion bubble up inside him.

He couldn't sit still. He began pacing back and forth in his driver's room, the walls feeling like they were closing in on him. The more he thought about it, the more his frustration grew. He had tried to reach out, to make amends, and she had just brushed him off. It wasn't just the rejection that stung; it was the finality of it, the coldness.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Jon walked in, immediately noticing the tension radiating from Lando.

"Everything alright?" Jon asked, though it was clear from Lando's expression that something was off.

Lando stopped pacing and turned to face Jon, his eyes blazing with frustration. "She just said 'No'... No! How dare she just decline meeting up with me?"

Jon raised an eyebrow, quickly piecing together what—or rather, who—was causing Lando's agitation. Jamie. Of course. Jon had seen how Lando had been increasingly fixated on her, and it was starting to affect him in more ways than one.

"She said no, huh?" Jon remarked, trying to keep his tone neutral, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You've got to stay focused, Lando. You can't let this throw you off."

Lando groaned, running his hands through his damp hair. "She's driving me insane, Jon. I just want to sort this out, to argue with her, to—" He paused, struggling to find the right words. "To have things go back to normal. But she won't even talk to me. She's acting like I don't exist!"

Jon studied him for a moment, realizing just how much this was getting under Lando's skin. It was unusual to see him this worked up over someone, especially over a situation that seemed so... unresolved.

"Maybe you need to give her some space," Jon suggested, though he knew it wasn't what Lando wanted to hear. "Or maybe you need to approach this differently. She's obviously hurt, and maybe pushing her isn't the right way to go about this."

Lando frowned, his frustration mounting. "I've tried being nice, I've tried apologizing, and it's like she doesn't care! She just turns me down and ignores me. What am I supposed to do?"

Jon sighed, knowing that no matter what advice he gave, Lando was too caught up in his emotions to think clearly. "Look, Lando, sometimes people need time. But if you really want to fix this, you might need to show her that you're serious. And that means being patient, even if it's frustrating as hell."

Lando grunted, clearly unsatisfied with the advice, but he knew Jon had a point. He couldn't keep pushing Jamie if she wasn't ready to talk. But that didn't mean he was going to let this go. He just needed to figure out a new approach.

The debrief couldn't have come at a worse time. Lando tried to push his frustration aside as he and Jon headed to the meeting, but the tension gnawed at him. As the team discussed the race, the car's performance, and strategies for the next track, Lando forced himself to focus. He needed to keep his mind on the job, but Jamie's rejection kept creeping into his thoughts.

Two hours later, the debrief finally wrapped up, and Lando felt more drained than ever. He headed back to his hotel room, collapsing onto the bed with a frustrated sigh. Staring up at the ceiling, his mind raced with possibilities. What could he do to get through to Jamie? How could he break through this wall she had put up between them?

Maybe being nice wasn't the answer. He had tried that, and she had shot him down. But if he kept trying to reach her, maybe he could get her to respond, even if it meant pissing her off. He smirked slightly at the thought. If there was one thing he knew how to do, it was get under her skin.

"Fine," he muttered to himself. "If she wants to play this game, I'll play."

He reached for his phone, a plan forming in his mind. He wasn't going to let Jamie walk away from this, not without a fight. If she wanted to ignore him, he would make sure she couldn't. He would be in her face, reminding her that he was there, whether she liked it or not.

Lando texted Jamie again, this time with a different approach. He knew she wouldn't respond, but that wasn't the point. He wanted her to see that he wasn't going anywhere.

Lando: You can ignore me all you want, but I'm not going to stop. We need to sort this out, whether you like it or not.

He hit send, knowing full well she'd probably leave him on read again. But this wasn't about getting an immediate response. It was about persistence. He wasn't giving up on this, on them, no matter how much she tried to push him away.

Lando stared at his phone for a moment, then tossed it onto the nightstand with a sigh. He was determined to get through to Jamie, even if it meant playing dirty. He wasn't proud of it, but sometimes you had to do what you had to do. And if pushing her buttons was the only way to get her attention, then so be it.

He closed his eyes, trying to quiet his racing thoughts. Tomorrow was a new day, and he would figure out his next move. He wasn't going to let this go, not until he got what he wanted.