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𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕪 𝕗𝕚𝕧𝕖

{ riley's version }

_

While Lando and Oscar went to press conferences, I flicked through the photos I took. Thankfully, I had brought my computer with me so I was able to flip through the SD card. Most of the beginning pictures were great and I knew that at least some of them would be good enough to make it onto the Instagram or Twitter. But most of these, I would probably keep for myself.

It was the soft smiles and the looks he was giving me that made my heart flutter. I made sure to save a few of them for myself. I would transfer them to my phone later when we got back to the room. After those saved, I sent the rest of the file to Izzy for her to pick the best and we would push the posts later.

"Yo, there she is!"

I looked up and saw Max, Oscar, Lando, and Charles walking toward me. I closed my computer and waved.

"Well, hello boys."

Charles came over first, shaking my hand and I raised an eyebrow. "Charles, we need to come up with something better than that."

"You want a super cool bestie handshake?"

"Please never say those fucking words ever again."

The boys burst out laughing as Lando made his way over to me. He put his arm around my shoulders and I instinctively leaned a bit closer to him.

"Riles and I have something."

Charles gestured. "Go on."

Lando leaned down and knocked my forehead. I giggled softly which caused Lando to do the same. But he didn't fully move away, just kept staring at me with those eyes.

"Well, that's just kissing her without doing it."

_

Lando walked. He hadn't taken my arm as he usually did when we walked, but instead he had his pinky interlocked with mine. Something about it felt more intimate than our usual ways but he didn't show any kind of hesitation or signs that he was uncomfortable. He was fully immersed in his conversation with Oscar and still hadn't let go of my pinky.

"Riley?"

"Hm?" I turned to look at Oscar.

"Are you for sure on this whole invite thing?"

I flashed a smile, nodding. "Well, duh. I want my friends with me in my home and I can show you guys so many cool places."

"Like ZombieLand."

I turned around to see Logan and Alex walking a bit behind us. It was weird that I didn't notice when they got behind us and it messed with me. But I was more focused on what he brought up.

"I don't know about that."

"What's ZombieLand?"

I groaned, flipping Logan off before I turned back to Oscar and Lando. He left go of my hand to hold open the door for everyone and I stood to the side to wait. Without even planning it, we matched. I was wearing a nice pair of jeans with a white sweater and Lando wore the same. It made both of us laugh when we met in the lobby and it released some of the tensions from Charles's joke at the track.

I was worried he was going to be weird about it but everyone laughed it off. I had opted to ride back to the hotel with Izzy so we could take a second to look at all the photos and choosing the right ones to post. She said my 'gen z' knowledge would help to push the posts. I thought it was stupid but I did the best I could and so far, results went well.

"Riley."

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"Can you explain what ZombieLand is? Please."

I took the seat as Lando pulled it out for me. He took the seat to my right and Oscar was to my left. Logan and Alex sat across from us. The Mercedes boys were next to Logan and now they were interested in what was being said. Max sat down on the other side of Alex.

"What are we talking about?"

"Riles is inviting us to Miami for the break and we're asking what ZombieLand is."

"Woah, we are going to Miami?"

I groaned. "Okay. Hold. Max, Charles, Lando, Oscar, Alex, Logan, Max F, Dani and the other girls. Everyone else, I've already talked to and most of you have plans."

"So then, what's this ZombieLand."

I wanted to disappear. I hated that Logan brought it up. Part of me wanted to completely forget that place. It had existed in a different part of my life. It has been my safe place, a private studio away from all the expectations and lies. Always from the pressure, I could escape there. And when I was within those walls, I was a different person. But there was also part of me that wanted to show off all the work I put into that place.

"The easiest way to explain it... it's a club. I own it. But it's a dancers club. An oasis away from what we've been taught. No routines, no vibe. Music and expression."

"You own a club??"

I watched as Max turned to me. "Uh. Yeah."

"How?"

"It was pretty run down and I had money so I bought the place and built it up. There wasn't a place like it around and so it made a crap ton of money right off the bat."

"It's a great place."

I threw a glare as Logan spoke. I wouldn't have to explain all of this if he hadn't been the asshole that brought it up. I wasn't even sure when we got home if I was going to visit. I would talk to Dion and see how the place was running, if we needed to fix anything up but that had been my only plan. It felt like I had no right to be there anymore. The dancer part of my life wasn't there. I was a fraud in that aspect.

"Well," Lando spoke as he put his hand on my knee. It drew me back to reality and he squeezed it when I looked at him. "We can always go visit it if we have time. I'm sure there's lots of other things we will want to do and see."

I put my hand over his and he interlocked our fingers without looking away from the conversation that broke out after. A glass of wine was set in front of me but I didn't want to touch anything, I didn't want to move. I just wanted Lando. I wanted it to be a dinner with us and not having to deal with the weird dynamics.

It was childish to want all of that. He wasn't mine. We weren't dating. We were just Riley and Lando. But a girl could dream.

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a/n: oh lord. i love angst. my lovelies that came from my other fic, you know that. hehe. i am not a writer if there isn't angst. but as always, my suffering is yours and vise versa. love it or don't :p