Love 4 Apex | Lando Norris

🏎 14 - Altitude and Attitudes

As the plane took off, Rose stared out of the window, the hum of the engines drowning out her swirling thoughts. She hadn't responded to Franco's call. Deal with it later, she told herself. Last night had been a mistake, and now she was facing the consequences.

Her head pounded, a steady ache behind her eyes, and her stomach felt uneasy. Her mouth was dry, and her body felt heavy, drained from the night before. Even the smallest movements made her headache worse. You can't let this happen again, she reminded herself. Don't lose focus. You have to stay on top of your game. Rose clenched her fists slightly, determined to push away the regret still hanging over her.

It was going to be a long flight—eight hours to Singapore. The sleek interior of the plane was quiet, the seats arranged in a more intimate setting. Rose sat by the window, trying to focus on the endless sky beyond. Daniel was next to her, leaning back in his seat, while Lando sat directly in front of Daniel, headphones on, seemingly lost in his own world.

Rose closed her eyes, hoping to rest and block out the mess from last night. A steward passed by their seats, offering champagne. Lando dropped one ear of his headphones to hear her. "No thanks," he said politely, his eyes still on his phone, and then slipped them back on.

The steward turned to Rose, but before she could respond, Daniel jumped in with a mischievous grin. "She's had enough alcohol for a year, so I don't think that's a good idea."

Rose sighed, shooting him a look. "Really, Danny?"

Daniel chuckled. "I suggest you eat something, Rosie. You look awful," he said, his tone playful.

Rose nodded, realizing he was right. "Yeah, you're right," she admitted, turning to the steward. "What do you have to eat?"

The steward smiled kindly. "We've got a selection of sandwiches, salads, and snacks. Would you like me to bring you something?"

"Yes, please. Anything light," Rose replied gratefully.

As the steward nodded and disappeared to fetch her food, Lando suddenly pulled off his headphones, his face a mix of surprise and curiosity.

"Guys, did you see? Colapinto's taking Sargent's seat at Williams." Lando blurted, showing them the post from the official F1 account. "It just dropped."

Daniel's eyebrows shot up. "No way! Didn't see that coming."

Rose glanced at the post, equally surprised. "Wow, that's huge. But you can't deny Franco's talented. Good for him, I guess he's finally getting his shot in F1."

"Well, poor Logan," Daniel added with a shrug, giving Rose a knowing look before raising an eyebrow. "Wait, you didn't know? Thought you'd already be in the loop, considering how close you and Franco looked last night," he teased with a mischievous grin. He shot her a sly look, clearly enjoying himself. "So, what's really going on between you two?"

Rose sighed. "Nothing, Danny. Just... leave it."

Lando, who had been half-listening while scrolling through the comments on his phone, raised an eyebrow, clearly picking up on the tension. "What are you guys on about?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Daniel, enjoying himself, leaned back in his seat, glancing at Lando, who still seemed curious. "Lando, mate, you missed quite the scene at the party."

Rose shot Daniel a warning look. "Just drop it, okay?"

Daniel glanced at Rose, his smile widening as he leaned closer, clearly having too much fun. "You didn't sleep in your bed last night, did you, Rose?"

Rose's eyes widened, and she made a half-hearted attempt to hush Daniel, her hand reaching out as if to close his mouth, but Daniel wasn't having any of it. He smirked, dodging her hand.