Dear Lando - Book Two

𝟷𝟸 ♡ Summertime Sadness

Summertime Sadness By Lana Del Rey

Lana spent the next day in bed—and the few days after that were much the same. She ignored the world beyond her four walls, shutting out the routine stops from Nat and even Theo, who would bring fresh snacks or try to coax her out on small walks. Each time, she politely declined, unwilling to leave the sanctuary of her room.

Her once-neat space had become a mess, mirroring the chaos in her mind. Clothes piled up on the floor, her bed unmade, and her hair hadn't been released from the messy bun she threw it in on Monday—day one of her retreat from the world. It was now Friday, just days before the drivers would head off to Singapore, and she hadn't managed to shake the weight pressing down on her.

An email from Aria, detailing the specifics of the agreement, sat unopened on her computer. Lana assumed Lando had received the same one, but she could hardly bring herself to care. After glancing at the subject line, she had scoffed, slammed the laptop shut, and rolled over in bed. The last thing she wanted to think about was this fake relationship.

The email laid out her new reality: she would attend every race weekend, appear affectionate with Lando in public, go on staged dates, attend parties—the works. She was officially becoming a WAG, a term most people would be thrilled about. Traveling the world with Formula 1, rubbing elbows with celebrities, and "dating" a driver? It sounded like a dream to most. But for Lana, it felt like a nightmare. She wasn't falling into the glamorous world of Formula 1 with the person she cared about—it was with Lando.

Sick of binge-watching movies, Lana found herself scrolling through her phone. As expected, the media was having a field day over Carlos and his new girlfriend. Jealous fans flooded the comments, theories and rumors running rampant. Lana knew she shouldn't be reading them, and that Nat would scold her for it later, but she couldn't help herself. It was like picking at a wound—painful, but she had to know.

One comment in particular stopped her mid-scroll: "I thought he had a thing for Leclerc's sister?"

"Yeah, me too," Lana muttered to herself, sighing as she continued to scroll.

Minutes passed before her phone rang, Aria's name lighting up the screen. Another sigh escaped her as she answered, putting it on speaker so she could remain horizontal.

"Hi, Aria," she greeted, her voice flat.

"Lana, hi! Just wanted to check in and make sure you're ready for your outing with Lando tomorrow?" Aria's voice was chipper, the sounds of traffic hinting that she was calling while on the move.

That made Lana sit up slightly in bed. "Outing?" she asked, her mind scrambling to catch up.

"In the email," Aria said, her tone growing concerned. "You did read the email, right? It has all the important details for this whole thing to work."

Lana grabbed her laptop, already wincing. "Right, the email... of course," she lied, quickly opening it up and skimming the contents.

"Lana," Aria's voice held a warning. She knew Lana too well.

With a sigh, Lana relented. "Okay, no, I didn't read it. I'm sorry. It's just been... a week from hell."

Aria's own sigh was heavy with understanding. "I get it. But please, read it now. There are schedules, rules—everything you need to know for this to go smoothly. It's important."

"Alright, I will," Lana promised, guilt tugging at her.

"Thanks, Lana. You're doing a great thing for the foundation, but just—please, don't let anything slip. It's delicate, alright? Anyway, I've got to run. Bye-bye!" And with that, Aria hung up, leaving Lana staring at the screen.

"Too late," Lana muttered under her breath as she started reading through the email in full.

Friday: Lando will pick Lana up for an outing of his choice. This will act as an icebreaker before you travel to Singapore together. Please coordinate amongst yourselves the details.

Monday: You will travel to Singapore together. Lando has flight details he will share with you.

The rest of the email outlined more logistics—dates, appearances, flight schedules, all things Lando was apparently in charge of. Lana's head swam just thinking about it. She had grown up around Formula 1, thanks to Charles and their childhood spent at karting tracks, but attending a few races a year was very different from being on the circuit constantly. And now, she was expected to attend every single one, glued to Lando's side.

The idea of it exhausted her, even more so than the emotional turmoil that had been consuming her for days. Suddenly needing some fresh air, Lana let out a groan and hoisted herself off the bed. She threw on a little red dress, grabbed the keys to her little red Porsche, and drove away with no destination in mind. 

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At the same time, across town in a sleek Monaco apartment, Lando Norris was sprawled out on his couch, phone in hand, absently scrolling through social media. The Monaco skyline glimmered outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, but his mind was far from the luxury and charm of his surroundings. His phone pinged, drawing his attention, and he groaned when he saw who it was.

Charlotte. 

He knew what was coming before he even answered the call, but there was no avoiding it. Reluctantly, he put the phone to his ear. "Hey, Charlotte."

"Lando! Glad I caught you," Charlotte's voice chirped through the speaker. He could practically hear her smile—annoyingly upbeat, as always. "Just checking in to make sure you're all set for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" he echoed, feigning ignorance, but he knew exactly what she was talking about. His 'fake girlfriend' duty was starting tomorrow.

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about," Charlotte sighed, her tone quickly shifting to business. "Your first outing with Lana—did you read the email? You're supposed to take her out. It's an icebreaker for the two of you before Singapore. Please tell me you've at least thought about where you're taking her?"

Lando rubbed his face, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "Yeah, yeah. I've got it handled," he lied through his teeth. In reality, he hadn't given it a second thought. He wasn't exactly thrilled about this whole situation and planning a fake date wasn't high on his priority list.

"Lando," Charlotte's voice was sharp now, more impatient than before. "I can tell when you're lying. You need to take this seriously. I've seen the headlines—they're all over Carlos and his new girl. We need you and Lana to sell this, alright? Mclaren's new sponsorship is a big deal, and your relationship is going to keep the press focused on the right things."

He let out a frustrated sigh, leaning back against the cushions. "I know, I know. I'll make sure it looks legit."

"You better. This isn't just about you. Lana's doing this for Speedy Stars, and it's important we make this work for her too. Now, make it fun, make it public, and we will see you in Singapore!" Charlotte instructed before hanging up, leaving Lando staring at his phone in silence.

He tossed it aside, running both hands through his hair before leaning back onto the couch with a frustrated sigh. A fake relationship with Lana Leclerc. This whole situation felt like a mess waiting to happen, but he didn't have much choice in the matter. Mclaren needed good PR, and he had been dragged into this stunt whether he liked it or not.

Still, as he stared out at the glowing city below, his mind wandered to a different girl, one he didn't have a date with tomorrow.