Flight Attendant - Lando norris fanfic

30 - After the storm

The morning sunlight streamed into the room, a harsh, uninvited guest that pried into every shadow, every dark corner where I'd hoped my worries would hide. I cracked one eye open, my head pounding with the aftermath of too little sleep and too many raw emotions. Everything felt wrong. My body felt heavy, the sheets twisted around me like the remnants of a restless night. The events of the evening before surged back with painful clarity, and a shiver ran through me.

The first thing I noticed was the empty side of the bed. The sheets were cold, untouched, as if no one had been there at all. My heart thudded in my chest, and my stomach twisted into knots. Lando should have been here. He'd held me so tightly last night, whispering assurances into my hair as he helped me out of the club, his touch gentle but firm as he guided me to the Uber he'd called. His protective presence had been the only thing keeping me together, and now he was gone.

"Lando?" My voice came out rough, barely more than a whisper. Fear crawled up my spine, and I sat up abruptly, my hands clutching at the sheets. Where was he?

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand, but it was dead. With shaking hands, I plugged it in, willing it to charge faster. The waiting felt like an eternity, and in the silence, the memories of last night replayed in my mind. The panic. Aaron's face, grinning and carefree, oblivious to the horror he'd caused me. The feeling of being suffocated, like the walls were closing in. And then Lando, his arms around me, the only anchor in the storm.

I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to calm the trembling that wouldn't stop. But the stillness of the room only made everything worse, my imagination conjuring up all the worst-case scenarios. I needed to know where Lando was. I needed to hear his voice, to know he was okay. And I needed to understand what had happened after I left.

My phone finally powered on, and it buzzed relentlessly as notifications poured in. Texts, missed calls, and—oh god—dozens of social media alerts. My heart sank, a sinking feeling settling in my gut. I opened one of the notifications, and the reality of the situation hit me like a freight train.

Photos and headlines dominated my feed. Pictures of me sobbing in Lando's arms outside the club, his face twisted with concern. The flash of cameras, the sea of onlookers. And worse, images of Lando and Aaron Miller locked in a heated confrontation, fists flying. Aaron's face was red and furious, a split lip from where Lando had clearly punched him. The gossip blogs had run wild with it, spinning tales of drama and infidelity.

"F1 Star Lando Norris in Late-Night Brawl with Pop Sensation Aaron Miller! Was Cheating to Blame?"

"Cordelia Haldstead Seen in Tears—Love Triangle or More?"

I swallowed hard, my hands shaking as I scrolled through the endless stream of speculation. Messages flooded in from friends, colleagues, even strangers who felt entitled to an opinion. The narrative had already spiraled out of control. Everyone had an idea of what had happened, and none of it was the truth.

I read through one particularly vicious post, accusing me of being the reason for the fight, implying I'd caught Lando cheating with some nameless, beautiful girl in the club. Another suggested that Aaron had come to my defense, and that's why the fight had started. The lies were so absurd, but they still made my heart ache, the words cutting deeper than I wanted to admit.

Before I could stop myself, I pulled up my messages and sent a text to Lando.

Me: Where are you? Are you okay? What happened last night?

I waited, staring at the screen, my breath held as if the universe would answer me if I just hoped hard enough. The seconds dragged on, and with each one, the anxiety in my chest coiled tighter. I dropped my phone onto the bed and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to fend off the rising tide of panic. My mind wouldn't stop racing. Was he angry at me for leaving? Was he hurt? What if something worse had happened after I'd left?

My phone buzzed, and I snatched it up, my heart in my throat. Lando's name flashed across the screen, and for a moment, I felt like I could breathe again.

Lando: I'm okay. Just needed some air. I'm sorry for not being there when you woke up.

Relief washed over me, but it was short-lived. There was more he wasn't saying, and the vague reassurance only added to my anxiety. I needed answers, needed to understand how everything had spiraled so badly.

Me: Are you sure? What happened with Aaron? The internet is going insane. Please tell me you're okay.

The ellipsis of him typing appeared, disappeared, and reappeared again. My chest tightened as I waited for his response, the uncertainty gnawing at me.

Lando: I'll explain everything when I get back. Just... stay off social media for now. Please.

Stay off social media. As if that would stop the world from crashing down around us. I threw my phone down again, frustration bubbling up. But more than anything, there was a deep, gnawing sense of dread. The kind that made me feel small and powerless, like I was that same girl back in Ibiza, trapped and terrified.

I curled up on the bed, pulling the covers around me. The rumors, the lies, the haunting face of Aaron Miller—all of it felt too heavy to bear. And the worst part? The part that made me feel sick to my stomach? I couldn't help but wonder if my trauma, my fear, had somehow led to all this chaos. Had I dragged Lando into something he didn't deserve?

But there was no escaping it now. The storm had come, and all I could do was hold on and hope that somehow, we'd make it through.