SEVEN MINUTES || L. NORRIS

EIGHTEEN

Drinking wine under your window, back when life was so damn simple

---

LANDO

I sat before the simulator in the McLaren factory, with a banging headache and purple bags beneath my eyes. I was well and truly exhausted. I was becoming an insomniac; I could never get to sleep anymore, due to the feeling of utter loneliness I experienced when I lay in my bed alone. I knew that mine and Isabelle's breakup was having an impact on my career, everybody could see it and everyone was worried about me. Carlos would come to me every time we saw each other, a reassuring hand placed on my shoulder as he asked how I was holding up. I gave him the same answer each time, a simple shrug and a "just the same". I was beginning to fear that McLaren would choose to replace me even before the end of the season. They would find a way to bring Stoffel Vandoorne back, or even get Alonso behind the wheel of my car again. I didn't mind too much about losing my seat in Formula 1, it meant I would be able to go back to Isabelle without having the commitments of such a hefty career. I would have all the time in the world to love her.

I was performing fairly shit on the simulator this afternoon. I couldn't beat my personal best, but I couldn't focus. I was too busy thinking about Isabelle. After the other afternoon, when Chasing Cars decided to play through the speakers of the kitchen radio, I couldn't stop thinking about our younger years, when we would be at her house together. I preferred being there compared to home; even though we didn't talk about karting all the time at home, it felt like I was still in a working environment and I struggled to turn off. Right now, I was struggling to turn on and had quickly become bored of driving around in circles on the Monaco track. Fucking Monaco, out of all places. I didn't complain though; instead, I asked for headphones and allowed myself to become immersed in the on screen simulation as I prepared myself for what was going to be an absolute shit show of a race.

I sat on her windowsill, my back pressed against the wall, as I waited for Isabelle to come back upstairs. Today had been exceptionally busy and I was so happy to see a Friday evening. I finished school at one, like every Friday, where my Dad collected me and drove me across to the track. I spent five hours driving this afternoon. Isabelle joined us at the track at four, once she was also finished with school for the weekend. She brought me a Big Mac, like each Friday, as it had quickly turned into a cheat day for me, where I didn't strictly follow the diet plan from a nutritionist. It was only nine, but after our weekly glass of wine, I was prepared to head to sleep, whilst holding Issy in my arms.

"Here you are, baby." Isabelle walked back into her bedroom, two glasses of wine in her hands. I smiled in thanks as I took the wine from her. This became a tradition now too, drinking wine here every Friday night. I didn't even like wine that much, but on Fridays, it was my favourite thing in the world, along with Issy.

"Thank you. Come and sit here," I patted the space by her windowsill and gave her a smile. She padded across to the window. "You're beautiful."

Isabelle placed her glass on the windowsill, before cosying up into my side, her hands falling into my lap as she smiled widely in my direction. I couldn't take my eyes off of her; she was so damn mesmerising, everything about her was so perfect and there was nothing about her that I failed to love. I reached for her face, taking hold of her cheeks and tracing my fingertips delicately against her skin. I leaned forward, my lips finding hers, as I used my teeth to secure a kiss. I ran my hands down her body towards her waist, hearing Issy's small mutters as she inched closer to me. I was so desperate to get into bed and simply hold her to my chest, whilst playing with her and whispering to her as she fell asleep. She was so warm, her body so delicate as she sat so vulnerable in my arms.