|Love 4 Apex| Lando Norris

🏎 29 - Painful Reminder

The crowd in São Paulo roared as Rose crossed the finish line, her arms raised in victory. She had won the Brazilian Grand Prix, finally breaking a long series of DNFs. The rain had poured down relentlessly throughout the race, turning the track into a slick battlefield. Every lap was a fight against the elements, her car slipping and sliding, demanding every ounce of her focus and skill. But she'd pushed through, battling the rain and her own doubts, and now she claimed her second victory in Formula 1.

Lando crossed the line in P2, followed by his teammate Daniel in P3—a mega result for McLaren, now positioned P2 in the Constructors' Championship behind Mercedes. As he wound through the cool-down lap, rain still spattering on his visor, his gaze drifted toward Rose. She was basking in the thrill of victory, her face radiant despite the drenched suit and the rain-soaked track waiting to celebrate her.

He felt a pang, a deep ache that had been growing with each race, each podium. He knew what this moment should feel like: he should be the one running to her, lifting her in an embrace as they laughed, lost in the thrill of the win. It was a moment they'd always promised to share. But now, in the pouring rain, the distance between them felt insurmountable. So close, yet miles apart, they were separated by a gulf of unspoken words and unmet expectations. The relentless rain only deepened his sense that this gap would be impossible to cross.

When he pulled into the pit lane, Franco was already there, waiting for Rose with a calm confidence that nearly irritated him. Franco stood under the heavy rainfall, looking every bit the classic hero as he waited for her. The crowd, already energized by Rose's victory, erupted even louder as they saw Franco approach. Being Argentine, Franco had a strong contingent of South American supporters, and today, the Brazilian fans seemed to embrace him as one of their own.

Franco moved to Rose's side effortlessly, slipping an arm around her waist with a familiarity that felt too easy, too natural. Then, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world, he leaned in and kissed her—a kiss that seemed to make the rain itself pause. It was deep and unguarded, like something ripped straight from a romantic movie, the rain falling around them in shimmering sheets. The intensity of it was undeniable, a bold declaration of love that no one could ignore.

Lando couldn't look away fast enough. The rawness of it, the unfiltered emotion, struck him harder than any race incident ever could, leaving a hollow ache spreading through his chest. He forced himself to glance away, desperate to escape the sight of something he'd once imagined as his. Around them, the paddock buzzed with cheers, gasps, and murmurs as cameras captured every second of the scene unfolding in the rain. For a fleeting moment, Lando felt as though he were in the stands, watching from afar as the life he'd once envisioned with Rose slipped further away. The rain fell between them like a veil, and with a sinking heart, he realized that this story wasn't his to tell.

Lando forced himself to smile, to appear proud, even as he struggled to process the sight before him. A small part of him wanted to walk away, to escape the ache, but then Daniel appeared at his side, giving him a friendly clap on the back.

"Mate, that was a hell of a race!" Daniel said, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Yeah... yeah, it was," Lando replied, his voice sounding distant even to himself. He managed a smile for Daniel, grateful for the distraction. But his gaze wandered back to Rose and Franco, and the knot in his chest tightened, the distance between them feeling as vast as the crowd cheering around them.

"Go congratulate her, mate," Daniel urged, his tone softer. "She'd want to hear it from you."

Lando hesitated. Approaching her with Franco right there was the last thing he wanted, but Daniel had been right—he couldn't avoid this moment forever. Taking a deep breath, he approached, each step feeling heavier, as if even the faint mist settling in the air weighed on his chest.