Love 4 Apex | Lando Norris

🏎 12 - Between the Lines

As the paddock celebration was still in full swing, Rose noticed P—Max's girlfriend's daughter, Penelop—making her way through the crowd with her usual excitement. The little girl's face lit up as soon as she spotted Rose, and she ran up to her with open arms.

"Rose!" P shouted, drawing the attention of a few others around them. Without hesitation, P ran up to Rose and hugged her legs tightly. Rose smiled and knelt down to her level, allowing the little girl to stand on her tiptoes and give her a sweet kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, P! You're such a sweetheart. How are you?" Rose asked, smiling warmly.

P's eyes sparkled with admiration. "I'm good! I love you so much, Rose! You're my favorite driver, and I want to be just like you one day."

Rose's heart melted at the words. She gave P a tight hug, holding her for a moment. "That means so much to me, P. And I know you're going to be amazing. You can do anything you set your mind to."

Just then, Lando appeared beside them, leaning down with a grin on his face. "Hold on, P," he said, teasing. "I thought I was your favorite driver?"

P turned toward Lando with an innocent smile. "You were, but Rose is cooler now! She won today."

Lando pretended to be wounded, clutching his chest dramatically. "Ouch! That hurts!"

P giggled at Lando's theatrics, looking back and forth between the two drivers. "You're still my second favorite," she said, trying to soften the blow.

Rose chuckled at their playful exchange, feeling lighter after P's heartfelt words. Lando knelt beside her, giving P a mock serious look. "So, I'm not number one anymore? Tough crowd!"

P giggled, leaning closer to Rose. "But Rose will always be my number one!"

Rose beamed, exchanging a look with Lando. "I'll take good care of that title," she said with a grin. "But hey, you should still cheer for Lando too. He's going to win soon, I know it."

Lando gave Rose a playful nudge. "You better hope you're not the one in my way next time."

P burst into giggles, clearly enjoying the banter between her two favorite drivers. Rose stood back up, patting Lando on the shoulder. "We'll see about that," she teased.

Lando ruffled P's hair with a smile. "Alright, P, I'll forgive you this time," he said with a wink. "But next race, I'm winning, and I'll get back my spot as your number one favorite driver!"

P giggled as Rose playfully nudged Lando. "I'm not going to let you steal my title!" Rose said, grinning. P watched them with wide eyes, clearly enjoying both of them pretending to fight for her heart.

As P ran off back to her mom, Lando turned to Rose with a smile. "You're really good with her. She adores you."

"She's an amazing kid," Rose said, watching P disappear into the crowd. "It's nice to see that kind of enthusiasm. Reminds me of why I'm here."

Lando nodded, his expression softening. "Yeah, she's a great reminder of what's important."

Just then, a voice called out, catching their attention. "There you are!" Flo appeared with a mischievous smile, ready to roast Rose. "Miss Grand Prix Winner herself! I hope you know it was pure luck."

Rose rolled her eyes but laughed. "Pure skill, Flo. Pure skill."

"Sure, sure," Flo teased. "You just got lucky today."

Lando jumped in with a grin. "Yeah, you know I let you win, right?" he teased, winking at Rose. "Next time, you won't be so lucky."

Flo laughed, nodding in agreement. "He's right, Rose. Enjoy it while it lasts!"