the IT girl

Secrets and Spotlight

The celebrations from the Monaco Grand Prix carried on well into the night. The McLaren team was ecstatic with Lando's podium finish, and the city's energy was contagious. But even in the midst of all the champagne and cheers, Lando and Lily slipped away from the limelight, eager for some time to themselves.

Back at Lando's apartment, the city lights twinkled in the distance as the noise of the party faded. They sat on the balcony, a bottle of wine between them, feeling the quiet after the storm.

"You were amazing out there today," Lily said, her eyes locked on Lando's as she leaned back into the couch.

Lando smirked, still riding the high from his podium finish. "You think so? I had a good feeling about this one."

Lily nodded, but there was something more serious on her mind. "There's something I've been thinking about... Something I wanted to talk to you about."

Lando's smile faded slightly as he shifted his attention fully to her. "What's on your mind?"

Lily took a deep breath, her fingers nervously tracing the rim of her glass. "I know we've been really good at keeping our relationship low-key, but... it's getting harder. People are starting to notice more. Your fans, the media—they're starting to put the pieces together."

Lando exhaled deeply, rubbing his hand through his hair. "I've noticed that too."

"And with your post, even though they didn't know it was me, people are already speculating," she continued. "It's not that I want to hide us forever, but... it's overwhelming sometimes. You're used to this kind of attention, but I'm still figuring it out."

Lando leaned forward, placing his glass on the table and taking her hands in his. "I get it, Lily. I don't want to put any pressure on you. I'm okay with whatever you need. We can keep things private as long as you want."

"I just don't want it to affect your career," Lily admitted, her voice quieter now. "The media can be brutal, and once they know about us, it's going to be nonstop."

Lando sighed, thinking it through. He hadn't considered how much this would affect her. Sure, he was used to the attention, but Lily had been navigating her own world, where the rules were different. The last thing he wanted was for their relationship to make things harder for her.

"We'll figure it out together," Lando said after a pause. "We'll take it slow. We don't need to rush into anything. If it means protecting you from all of this chaos, I'm willing to wait as long as it takes."

Lily smiled, her heart warming at his words. "Thank you, Lando. I just needed to know that we're on the same page."

"Always," he reassured her, pulling her into a soft kiss. "Besides, I kind of like having you all to myself."

The next morning, Lando woke up early for media obligations and interviews, leaving Lily to enjoy a rare quiet morning in Monaco. She scrolled through social media absentmindedly, her feed flooded with posts about the Grand Prix. Lando's fans were still buzzing about his podium finish, and his Instagram post from the night before—just a simple picture of their shoes side by side—was gaining a lot of attention.

Lily hesitated for a moment before checking the comments. As expected, fans were guessing who the mystery girl was, with many pointing fingers at various models and influencers.

"I know it's Lily Ralph!" one comment read.
"He's been seen with her before, it's definitely her!"

Lily bit her lip, feeling her anxiety spike. She had been careful, and Lando had been too, but the clues were there. It wouldn't be long before someone figured it out. She put her phone down, trying not to let it get to her. Today wasn't the day to worry about the media. Today was about being proud of Lando.

After his media duties, Lando returned to find Lily deep in thought. "You okay?" he asked, sitting beside her on the couch.

She nodded, trying to shake off her worries. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind."

Lando frowned, sensing there was more to it. "It's the post, isn't it? People are starting to guess."

Lily sighed. "Yeah. It's not that I don't want people to know eventually... It's just happening faster than I thought."

Lando placed a comforting hand on her knee. "Look, I can take the post down if it's too much."

"No," she quickly replied. "I don't want you to feel like you have to hide things because of me. I just need some time to adjust."

Lando nodded. "Alright. We'll do this at your pace."

Lily leaned into him, grateful for his understanding. The world might be closing in on them, but at least they were in this together.

A few days later, the rumors were swirling even more intensely. Every time Lily posted something, fans and gossip sites seemed to read into it, trying to find connections to Lando. Every appearance they made separately still sparked speculation. Despite their best efforts, it felt like the secret was slipping through their fingers.

Lily started receiving more questions during interviews, not just about her career but about her personal life. It was a new kind of pressure, one she wasn't entirely prepared for.

Back at Lando's apartment, she vented her frustrations after yet another interview that veered into questions about her relationship status.

"I feel like I can't escape it," she said, pacing the living room. "Everywhere I go, it's about you and me."

Lando leaned against the kitchen counter, watching her with concern. "I know it's hard. But we can still control how and when we make it official."

Lily paused, running a hand through her hair. "What if... What if we do it on our terms? Maybe we can't keep it hidden forever, but at least we can decide how we want to tell people."

Lando's eyes lit up at the idea. "Like, make an official announcement? Do it in a way that feels right for us?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Something that's on our own terms. That way, we're not constantly dodging questions or hiding. We can be open, but on our own timeline."

Lando thought about it for a moment before nodding. "I think that's a great idea. It's better than letting the media make assumptions. We'll take control of the narrative."

Lily smiled, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "Let's do it."

The decision was made. In the coming weeks, they would plan how to reveal their relationship to the public. It wasn't going to be easy, but they were ready to face it together.

As the sun set over Monaco, Lando and Lily sat side by side, knowing that while the world might soon know their secret, what they had was real, and that was all that mattered.