SEVEN MINUTES || L. NORRIS

THIRTY FOUR

Now I know how I let you down

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LANDO

I rolled over, grunting into the pillow as I heard Isabelle's sweet voice coming from the bathroom. I could hear the shower running, I smiled, closing my eyes and pulling the duvet further upwards towards my nose. I'd not heard her singing for months. My heart was aching because I soon realised how much I'd missed this overwhelming sensation, this overwhelming sound that filled the bathroom and Issy's bedroom.

I remained silent, my breathing very quiet as I listened to every word she sang. I recognised the tune, the lyrics clicking in my mind and I bolted upwards. I used the headboard to rest my back against as I sat up comfortably, my breathing becoming a little deeper.

"If I lay here," her voice sounded so angelic as it rang through my ears. The water simply emphasised the soft tone of her voice. "If I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

A tear slipped down my cheek. Happy memories of every night in her bedroom when this song would play softly through the speakers of her small radio filled my mind. Our lives back then were becoming a little more hectic, but on those nights, nothing else in the world mattered as we lay on her bed, fingers lingering between one another's as we enjoyed the music on the radio. Those evenings made me realise just how much Issy meant to me. I never thought it was possible to fall in love with somebody as quickly as I did with Isabelle. Everything changed, as soon as I laid my eyes on her, because something felt different inside me. I was willing to drop everything for her; I had the conversation with my Mum about maybe stopping karting, because all I wanted to do was spend all of my time with Isabelle. Somehow, we managed to make things work; Issy was more than willing to spend her time with me at the track. She took school work to the circuit and would sometimes sit inside to complete some homework, but most of her time was dedicated to being at the track with me. I felt so lucky and so overwhelmed because of how much time she spent on me. She wanted to be with me just as much as I wanted to be with her, so she sacrificed her schoolwork to be alongside me.

There was no doubt that Isabelle and I were always going to be in love. Every single time I looked at her, I felt the same, unusual warm sensation in my stomach. She was unbelievable, completely breathtaking and there was nobody else in the world who I would rather spend my life with. It broke my heart every time I left her sobbing at the front door before I left for work, but little did she know that as soon as I reached my car, I broke down into tears at the wheel and struggled to drive away from her apartment. It distressed me in similar ways to how it distressed Issy.

The shower flicked off and I was snapped out of my thoughts, realising that she would reappear in our bedroom quickly. I didn't want her to see me crying. I used the back of my hands to wipe the tears away from my cheeks. I had one more chance to make this right, to make mine and Isabelle's relationship work, and I knew that it would be the final chance I was given. I was so lucky to have bagged this opportunity and I wasn't prepared to lose it.

"Morning, baby," she smiled as she sat on the edge of her bed, tucking her towel securely around her wet body. She blushed as she took my hand. "Last night was really lovely, Lando. I love the way you make me feel."

"I love pleasuring you," I whispered, shuffling closer to her as I pushed the sheet away from my body, ensuring that it still covered from my waist down, as I was still naked beneath the duvet. "I love you, Issy. I'm going to make this work. Do you trust me?"

"I trust you, Lando." She nodded with a quick smile and I burst into tears, reaching forward to scoop her body into my grip. I took in the sweet scent of her fresh shampoo, her damp locks brushing against my face. She clutched onto my warm shoulders. I felt so lucky. I couldn't believe how amazing this was. I never thought I would ever get to see her again, never mind hold her like this after spending such intimate time with her yesterday evening.

"I fucking love you. Oh Isabelle, I don't know what I would ever do without you." I cried against her damp skin as she ran her fingers across my back. Her touch was so calming, so reassuring and it brought me so much peace. There was no feeling in the world that could ever compare to being in Issy's arms.

"I love you too, Lando," she kissed my cheek and took my hand. "I'm so excited to make this work again, because I've missed you."

"Are you up for coming to France with me next weekend?" I bit on my lip as I pulled myself away from her warm body. It was sudden, but it had been playing on my mind since yesterday evening and was essentially the main reason I turned up at Issy's front door after drinking too much vodka. I just wanted to know if she would come with me.

"I'd like that." She nodded, before standing up and removing the towel from her body, slipping into her underwear before walking to her wardrobe. I watched her beautiful body as she padded slowly to the other side of her bedroom. She took a jumper from the wardrobe, one I recognised to be mine and took some high knee socks from her drawer. She was dressing exactly how she used to when we would stay at her house on a Friday evening. I looked at her in complete shock because I couldn't believe that she was mine. Maybe not properly mine just yet, but we were taking baby steps to getting our relationship back on track.

Before I left for training, I kissed her goodbye. I promised I would be back afterwards, to hold her as she fell asleep. I told her about my plans for tomorrow evening, I had a late night training session so would just be heading straight home afterwards and she told me she was alright with that. I thanked her, before rushing downstairs to my car.

I lied a little. My training session started an hour after I left Isabelle's front door. I had something to go before I turned up at the gym. I was headed to the jewellers in the middle of town, after pondering all night on whether it was a good idea. This morning, something clicked, and I realised how much of a good idea it was. I needed to do this, for myself and for Isabelle; I wanted to prove how real my love was and how genuine my feelings were for her. She was my beautiful girl, my special girl and I wasn't going to lose her again.

I was going to keep her, right by my side, for the rest of our lives.

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