the IT girl

The Unraveling

Lando was in the middle of a simulator session when he received Lily's message: We need to talk.

His heart skipped a beat. That was never a good sign. He quickly typed back: What's going on? Everything okay?

He waited for a response, but nothing came. Distracted, he pulled off his headset and waved over at his team. "I'm taking a break."

They nodded, and he headed out of the sim room, his mind racing. Something had shifted, he could feel it.

Back at his place, Lando sat on the couch, staring at his phone, trying to calm the growing unease in his chest. After a few more minutes, his phone buzzed. It was Lily, asking if she could come over.

Of course, he texted back, his fingers hovering over the screen before he added: Everything will be alright, I promise.

Half an hour later, Lily walked into Lando's apartment, still in her casual post-photoshoot outfit, but he could see the tension in her face. She looked tired, stressed, like she had been carrying too much for too long.

Lando stood up, walking over to her, his concern obvious. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Lily didn't say anything at first. She handed him her phone, showing him the article with the photos of him outside the restaurant.

"They're getting close, Lando," she said softly, her voice laced with worry. "I don't know if we can keep hiding this."

Lando sighed, running a hand through his hair as he scanned the article. The media had been relentless lately, always on the hunt for a story, always trying to find out who he was spending time with. "I know, I saw something similar the other day. But they don't know it's you."

"Yet," she added, crossing her arms as she leaned against the counter. "I don't know if I'm ready for them to find out."

Lando stepped closer, taking her hand. "We can control when and how we tell people. We don't have to do anything until you're ready."

Lily looked up at him, her eyes full of uncertainty. "I just... I don't want my entire life to become this spectacle. I've seen it happen to so many people, and with your career, it's going to be so intense. I don't want us to get lost in all of that."

He squeezed her hand gently, his voice soft. "We won't. I promise you, we'll figure it out. Together."

For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of the situation hanging between them. Lando pulled her into a hug, holding her close, wishing he could shield her from the storm he knew was coming.

"I don't want to lose you," Lily whispered against his chest, her vulnerability seeping through.

"You won't," Lando replied firmly, pulling back to look her in the eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."

They spent the next few minutes talking, Lando reassuring her that they'd take things one step at a time. But even as they made promises to each other, there was an unspoken understanding that their secret wasn't going to last much longer.

After a while, Lando decided to lighten the mood, guiding her over to the couch. "Okay, enough heavy talk. Let's watch something and chill. You need a break from all the chaos."

Lily smiled faintly, sitting beside him. "Alright. What are we watching?"

"Something that'll make you forget about everything," he said, pulling up a lighthearted comedy. "No drama tonight."

As the movie started, they curled up together, their worries pushed to the background for the moment. But even as they laughed at the ridiculous scenes playing out on the screen, both of them knew that the real challenge was waiting just beyond the horizon.