Love 4 Apex | Lando Norris

🏎 13 - From Carefree to Careful

The harsh sunlight pierced through Rose's eyelids, pulling her from the depths of unconsciousness. She groaned, her head pounding as if her skull were splitting in two. A dull, rhythmic buzzing filled the room, the sound unfamiliar and grating. Her hand fumbled across the sheets, searching for the source of the noise. Confusion muddled her already aching head. Slowly, Rose forced her eyes open, blinking against the brightness of the unfamiliar room. Her surroundings were blurry, her vision unfocused from the blinding headache. Panic fluttered in her chest as she sat up slightly, a sharp ache spreading through her temples.

The buzzing persisted, and her eyes landed on her phone, half-buried under a pile of clothes on the floor. She swallowed hard, trying to piece together the fragments of last night, but they scattered like dust in her mind. As she reached out, the buzzing stopped abruptly, leaving an eerie silence in its place.

Then she felt it—an arm.

Her breath hitched, and she froze. Beside her, under the covers, was a man. Naked.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she slowly peeled back the blanket from her body, the air hitting her bare skin. She was naked, too.

Panic surged through her veins, her breaths coming faster. What the hell happened? Her thoughts raced, scrambling for any recollection. But all she found were fractured, jumbled flashes—laughter, loud music, drinks being passed around, a blur of faces. Then... darkness.

The headache throbbed harder, and she winced, trying to push through the pain to make sense of it all. The man next to her shifted slightly, his back turned to her. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him. Her stomach churned with nausea and fear.

Then, with a sinking realization, she recognized the tousled hair and familiar frame.

Franco.

Her chest tightened as horror gripped her. Franco? How did this happen? Her mind raced through the night again, desperately searching for answers. Flashes of him on the dance floor, laughing, another drink in her hand, their bodies close as they danced, touching one another—his hands on her waist, his eyes full of desire, her laughter mixing with the music. The warmth and closeness felt so carefree... until everything blurred.

The rest wasn't complete darkness, but a series of fragmented, hazy images: getting into a car, fumbling with the door to a room, Franco lifting her up, pressing her against the wall, his lips on hers, undressing her. Each flash brought a sinking feeling in her chest.

The more she remembered—the touch of his hands, the weight of his body—the more the shame flooded her. She had slept with Franco.

What had felt carefree now left her drowning in regret.

What did I do? How did it get to this?

Her hand shook as she reached for her phone, clutching it tightly. Her head pounded, and her heart raced as she saw the missed call—Lando.

Her breath caught, guilt crashing down on her like a wave. Franco stirred beside her, oblivious to the turmoil raging inside her. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, the weight of the situation pressing down on her, suffocating.

Rose's fingers closed around her phone, eyes widening as she saw the time. It's late. Her heart pounded harder, but this time it wasn't from panic alone. She had a flight to catch—one to Singapore with Lando and Daniel. That's why Lando's calling. As her mind raced, she remembered their plans from last night—how they had agreed Lando and Daniel would pick her up from the hotel so they could all head to the airport together.

Panic surged as she realized Lando had probably been calling her all day, trying to wake her up. With a sudden burst of energy, she threw off the blanket and jumped out of bed. Every movement was slow and careful, her breath held as she glanced at Franco, still fast asleep. Her heart raced, the knot in her stomach tightening as she tiptoed around the room.