Tangled in Trophies- Lando Norris

10. Surpised Messages

Evangeline Vittori woke up to the sound of rain outside the window of her London apartment. The winter months not quite letting go of the weather just yet. Stretching and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she lingered in bed for a few more minutes, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face. The events of the previous night flashed through her mind—talking with Lando at the event, and the unexpected chemistry they had shown in the photos. She had enjoyed it more than she anticipated, at least she hadn't wanted to leave within the first twenty minutes like she normally would.

Reluctantly, she threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The floor felt cool against her feet, jolting her fully awake. She padded to the kitchen, the familiar scent of coffee wafting through the air as she brewed her morning fix. While waiting for the coffee to drip, she moved to the fridge, grabbing some eggs and fresh spinach for an omelet, although she wasn't that big of a fan of the breakfast she did have to stick to a diet before the season started, and omelet's where one of the only bearable breakfast option she had been given. Cooking always grounded her, giving her a sense of normalcy amidst the whirlwind of her career, she used to cook all the time with her mum back in Italy, even her dad would join in back then. Emery and Jack Vittori made an impression on everything she did, even if it was a simple a task as cooking breakfast.

As she whisked the eggs in a bowl, her mind drifted to the mixed feelings she had about the night before. There was something about Lando that intrigued her—his easy charm, the way he made her laugh even thought she often found herself having to force herself to laugh at most peoples jokes out of politeness. But she quickly pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the sizzle of the eggs in the pan.

Once breakfast was ready, she settled at the small dining table by the window, clouds streaming overhead promising a day full of rain and more rain. Each bite was comforting, a reminder of home. She took her time, savoring the moment before facing whatever the day would bring.

After finishing her breakfast and washing the dishes, Evangeline felt the urge to check her phone. She didnt know why but ever since her shoot with Lando she had been checking it more often. As she reached for it, her heart raced with anticipation. Notifications flooded in, each a reminder of the buzz surrounding her and Lando from the night before at the corporate event.

As she scrolled through social media, she was graced with numerous images of the night before. Photos of her with Lando dominated her feed. In one picture, they were caught mid-laugh, genuine smiles brightening their faces against the backdrop of the lavish venue. In another they simply stood next to each other listening to whatever the middle aged sponsor in front of them had to say. Until yesterday she didnt even know that both her and Lando where sponsored by Monster Energy. She had come by the sponsor earlier on in her career when monster had wanted to sponsor the underdog, now they sponsored one of the most succesfull young tennis players to grace the courts. How how times had changed. Comments streamed in—fans celebrating the unexpected duo, journalists speculating about future collaborations. She couldn't help but smile, a warmth spreading through her chest when thinking of her and Landos interaction.

"Wow, this is... actually nice," she murmured to herself, feeling a mix of surprise and relief. For once, the narrative wasn't about being cold or distant; it was about chemistry and connection.

Just then, a new notification pinged. It was a text from Lando.

Lando: Morning! Looks like our alliance payed off.

Evangeline laughed softly, shaking her head. How could he be so casual? She hesitated, then typed back. Evangeline didnt have a single casual bone in her body.

Evangeline: Morning! Yeah, who knew the turn around rate would be as quick as it was.

She didn't want to overthink it. They had clicked last night, but she was determined to keep things light, filled with banter like they had had in all previous interactions.