|Love 4 Apex| Lando Norris

🏎 27 - Turning the Page

Rose watched as Lando's expression shifted, emotions flickering across his face like storm clouds in a shifting sky. For a moment, she thought she saw something deeper, something reaching out toward her, yet weighed down by an invisible chain. His lips parted as if to speak, his voice barely a whisper.

"Rose..." he began, his voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and hesitation. "You don't know how much I—" He caught himself, looking away as if those words could reveal too much, too soon.

She held her breath, waiting, hoping that he'd finally bridge the divide between them. Her heart raced, echoing in her ears as he continued, "This... this is complicated. I don't want to lose you, not now, not ever. But..." His voice faltered, and he looked back at her, his eyes full of uncertainty.

In that suspended moment, Rose felt her heart twist. She knew he was with Magui, that their lives had already begun to drift apart in different directions. She wasn't expecting a miracle, wasn't even asking for reciprocation, just for a chance to reclaim the pieces of herself she had handed over to him.

With a quiet resolve, she spoke, her voice steady yet carrying the deep ache that had settled within her heart. "I'm not asking you to feel the same way, Lando. But I need you to stop leaving me with these hints, these moments that make me believe that someday... somehow... things could be different." She took a breath, her gaze unwavering, yet laced with sadness. "I can't keep holding on to what-ifs, reading into every look, every silence. I think... I need distance from you now, for both our sakes."

For Rose, this was her interpretation of all the subtle signals, the glances and half-spoken words, the near-confessions that had held her heart captive for so long. She couldn't keep waiting, couldn't keep holding her breath for the promise of a love that might never truly be hers. It was time to reclaim her own story, even if it meant stepping away from the one person she'd always thought would be part of it.

Her voice softened, a hint of melancholy woven through her words, carrying the weight of an unspoken farewell. "You're with Magui, and I... I'm with Franco now".

The statement hung between them, final and painfully clear, and yet a part of her waited, as if daring him to defy the boundaries she'd just drawn.

Lando kept his silence, his gaze dropping to the floor as if searching for something he couldn't find.

After a long, aching pause, he finally looked up and, with a voice barely above a whisper, said, "I understand."

The simplicity of his words stung, resonating in a way that told her he had accepted the distance she'd asked for. Yet his expression held a sorrow that seemed to echo her own, as if they both knew that understanding didn't make it any easier. After that quiet, heartbreaking exchange, Rose gave a small nod, her voice barely steady as she excused herself. Without looking back, she turned and walked away, leaving Lando standing there, a part of her hoping he might call her back. But his silence remained, filling the space between them with unspoken regrets.

As she reached the exit, she heard the faint sound of his phone ringing. Glancing back, she caught him looking at the screen, a flash of Magui's name visible. She watched as he hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen, clearly torn yet leaning toward answering. The sight was like a final confirmation, solidifying the distance she'd just set between them. It was a reminder that he had made his choice, even if he couldn't voice it.

Back at her hotel, Rose sat on the edge of her bed, feeling the quiet of the room press down on her. She'd held everything together in front of Lando, but now, alone with only her thoughts, she allowed herself to fall apart. The tears came slowly at first, slipping down her cheeks as if they, too, were reluctant to be seen. But then they poured freely, each tear carrying the weight of every unsaid word, every missed moment, and every hope she'd clung to in silence. It was as if she was letting go of years spent orbiting him, circling closer and closer but never quite touching.