Love 4 Apex | Lando Norris

🏎 2 - Podium Bet

The lights went out, and the race began. Rose shot off the starting line, her car roaring down the track as she felt the familiar rush of adrenaline. This was it—the pure speed, the split-second decisions, the art of overtaking. But even with her skill, there was one thing standing in her way today: Lewis Hamilton.

Her teammate was dominating the race as usual, comfortably in P1, leaving her and the rest of the grid battling for the remaining spots on the podium. Lando was right behind her in P4, hounding her rearview mirror like a playful but relentless rival. They had raced against each other for years and knew each other's driving styles intimately—their limits, their strategies. It was always a tough battle, but never reckless; they knew how to push each other without crossing the line into danger.

They both knew how important this race was—Silverstone, the home of British motorsport. For both Rose and Lando, it was a chance to prove themselves on the world stage and shine in front of their home crowd.

She pressed down harder on the throttle, trying to extend her lead, but it wasn't enough. Lando, with his usual finesse, swooped in, making an aggressive yet clean pass on the inside during the final laps. It was a move she saw coming, knowing how he liked to set up for an overtake, but she couldn't block it in time.

"No!" Rose muttered under her breath as she saw his car surge ahead.

She finished the race in P4, just behind Lando in P3, the disappointment settling in. But what stung the most was losing out on the podium in front of her home crowd. Silverstone meant everything to her, and being so close, only to watch Lando claim the third spot, was hard to swallow.

After crossing the finish line, Rose pulled into the parc fermé, her heart heavy with mixed emotions. She climbed out of her car and immediately spotted the podium in the distance. Lewis was up there, spraying champagne as the victor of yet another race. But it wasn't just Lewis celebrating. Lando stood proudly in P3, grinning from ear to ear, soaking in the moment.

A pang of jealousy tugged at her—this was her home race, and she had desperately wanted that podium. But as her eyes met Lando's, his smile widened, and he gave her a small, enthusiastic wave. Pride swelled within her. That's my man, she thought with a warm smile, a flush creeping up her cheeks at the unspoken admission. Trying to shake off the sudden rush of feelings, she turned back toward her team, focusing on the celebration that awaited her there.

The festivities were winding down, the crowd's cheers fading as the podium celebrations came to an end. Most of the drivers and team members had already started to disperse, changed out of their race suits and into more comfortable attire. Rose had just slipped away from the bustling scene, hoping for a quiet moment to herself.

But Lando found her before she could get far, sauntering over with his helmet tucked under one arm, now dressed in casual team gear. His trademark grin lit up his face as he leaned casually against the wall.

"So, how was the view from behind me?" he teased, eyes twinkling with mischief.

Rose shot him an exaggerated eye roll. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," she said with mock annoyance. "Enjoy the one time you beat me."

"One time?" Lando raised an eyebrow, pretending to be offended. "Pretty sure I've got a whole highlight reel of my wins over you."

"Oh, please," Rose shot back, hopping out of the car. "You've got a highlight reel of excuses."

Lando laughed, clearly enjoying himself. But instead of rubbing it in further, he softened. "Alright, alright. To make up for your tragic loss, dinner's on me. Where do you want to go? I'll even let you pick the fanciest place."

Rose blinked and shook her head. "Oh, no, it's fine. It was a bet—I'll keep my promise," she said with a small shrug, trying to hide her amusement.

Lando grinned wider. "No, I insist," he said, his tone playful but firm.

Rose shot him a teasing look. "Oh, okay, I see what this is—you just want to take me on a date. Be honest!"

Lando chuckled, rolling his eyes. "You wish!"

She laughed, shaking her head at his response. "Alright, alright."

"Consider it my way of saying thanks for the entertainment today," Lando added with a wink. "Plus, I know you were planning on something fancy. Might as well make you feel better," He added.

Despite her frustration at losing, Rose couldn't help but smile. Lando always had a way of turning things around and making her feel good, even when she didn't want to admit it. He was charming like that—casual, fun, never taking life too seriously. But that was also part of the problem.

As they walked to his car to head to dinner, she found herself caught up in her thoughts. Lando had always been this way—kind, supportive, and yet... distant in a way that left her unsure where she stood. He'd had girlfriends in the past, never sticking with any one of them for too long. It made Rose think that he wasn't serious about anything more than friendship when it came to her.

She glanced at him from the passenger seat as they drove, the light banter filling the air as usual. He was so comfortable with her, so relaxed. Sometimes she wondered if he even realized how much she cared, or if it was all just one-sided. After all, Lando had always seemed more focused on his career and his string of casual relationships. Why would she be any different?

"Alright, what'll it be?" Lando asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Fancy French? Or are you aiming for somewhere with Kobe beef on the menu? I know how you are with food."

Rose smiled faintly, pushing her feelings aside for the moment. "Italian sounds good." She knew it was Lando's favorite, and part of her couldn't resist letting him have that small victory.

Lando grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Sounds perfect to me."

As they arrived at the restaurant, Lando held the door open for her, and for a split second, Rose imagined what it might be like if this were something more—if he actually saw her the way she saw him. But then she shook the thought away. Lando was just being Lando, a gentleman and a good friend who happened to buy her dinner after beating her in a race. Nothing more, nothing less.

But despite her best efforts, the thought lingered in her mind: What if it was more?

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Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Silverstone is my favorite racetrack. What is yours ? 🚗💨