bucket list || l. norris

mila's bucket list

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mila's bucket list

1 • travel the world with my best friend

I love my job. I love that Lando and I work together. Finding my feet at McLaren has really impacted my life, and for the better. When he was signed officially in 2018 and he asked me if I'd be his press officer, I couldn't turn him down. I'd been a press relations and social media intern at McLaren during the 2018 season, although I did very little travelling. I was based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, only ten minutes from my family home. We had two places, one in Surrey and one back in Somerset. The opportunity to work alongside my best friend whilst travelling to new places was an exciting prospect. I want to visit as many countries as I possibly can, together, with him, my best friend in the whole, entire universe.

2 • visit disneyland paris and the eiffel tower

Paris, the city of love, right? Ever since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to visit. My parents were lucky enough to fly to Paris for their honeymoon and I'm so jealous, but they had a good reason as to why they didn't take my brother and I there for a short holiday. They wanted us to find someone to visit with ourselves. They wanted us to find someone who we loved so much that we could create some beautiful memories together in Paris. It sounded exciting and I was all for it whilst growing up, but now, I don't know who I want to go with. I don't know if I have anyone in my life who I would visit Paris with, but I'll do everything I can to find someone.

3 • stargaze after driving around and listening to my favourite songs

Nice car. Good music. My favourite person by my side. A beautiful, clear night with a sky full of stars. Endless conversation, endless laughs and endless love. I've always wanted to do this, especially after seeing it in every single movie and reading it in every single book. It sounds so romantic and with the right person, it would be totally perfect. The best night of my life. I've already made the playlist. Lando told me he would love to drive me around under the moonlight so we could look at the stars together. I can imagine it happening, the pair of us, as best friends, so happy and so in love with the moment. Already, Lando takes every single photograph for my Instagram and he knows he is the best photographer I could ask for. The pictures we would take on our special stargazing outing would be just perfect.

4 • formula one hot lap

Even though I work for McLaren, I've never been lucky enough to experience the adrenaline rush of a hot lap. Watching Lando from the garage always scared me because I knew how unpredictable the nature of his sport was. The worry was expected each time he climbed into a car on track, whether it be his race car or not. He promised to always be safe, and he stuck by it, but I always found myself feeling curious about the sensation he felt post-hot lap. He would sit in front of me, pull the helmet from his head and exhale heavily, his cheeks rosy red and his lips parted whilst he tried to catch his breath. It seemed exhilarating. I wanted him to share it with me. I felt extreme jealousy whenever he took another girl on a hot lap with him in the McLaren, my heart racing when I heard the engine roar to life as he left the pit lane. I just wanted to spend even more time with my best friend. Maybe I was selfish, but I just liked being in his presence. I loved Lando. He was the most important person in my life and I wanted to create as many memories as possible with him.

5 • finish a colouring book

Colouring in is the most therapeutic pastime. I remember my mum sitting me down at the table after school when Lando was karting. I missed him and I was always bored without him, so she printed off pictures of cars for me to colour in to show him when we were finally reunited. He always loved seeing my pictures and he was amazed because I could colour in without going outside the lines. I still haven't taught Lando how to do that. We're too busy nowadays. Although, I spend my time travelling across the globe colouring in, with Lando's ear resting on my shoulder, and he pays absolutely no attention. It will always be my goal to buy one colouring book and stick to it, to complete every single page and colour them in order. I want to date every single one, so I know when I completed it. I simply struggled to find the perfect colouring book to dedicate so much time to.

6 • move into my own apartment

My parents have a house in Glastonbury and one in Guildford, where we spend most of our time, particularly whilst I'm working. My parents chose to move us to Surrey when I achieved my internship with McLaren in 2018. I was old enough and I could afford to move into my own apartment, but I was yet to find the perfect place. Lando lived alone, so I did spend a lot of time at his apartment when we were at home, but I still wanted my own. Somewhere I paid for myself, a place I could call home, but a place that I deserved.

7 • name a star

I don't know what I'd name it, but I want to name a star. Maybe I'd name it after my best friend to help show the appreciation and love I have for him. My mother and father were also strong contenders. I decided when I was a little girl that my brother would never have the privilege of having a star named after him. I saw it as a precious and very personal way to show someone how much you love them, how much they mean to you. It would reassure that person that I'd always be there for them, no matter where I was in the world, no matter how far apart we were.

8 • learn a new language

I don't know which language I want to learn, but simply knowing English is quite boring. Of course, I studied Spanish and French when I was in school, but I didn't take it seriously. I preferred being creative, languages were boring. My mind changed when I began working for McLaren. I was intrigued by Stoffel, whose native language was Dutch since he grew up in Belgium and Fernando, who grew up in Spain. I tried to pick up a few phrases from Stoffel, but Dutch turned out to be the hardest language in the world. Cisca often spoke in her native language when I was in her presence, and Lando understood, but I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. I think Italian might be my forte.

9 • go skinny dipping

I don't know why, but I've always wanted to do this. I don't really have an explanation. It just seems cool.

10 • learn to overcome my fears

Like any teenage girl, I have so many insecurities. I class them all as fears. I look at myself in the mirror sometimes, when I've just dragged myself out of bed, my hair is a mess and my face is makeup free, and I think I'm the ugliest girl in the world. I know, deep down, that my mind is playing awful tricks on me, but my physical attributes and the insecurities I face surrounding them, terrify me. More than anything, I want to look in the mirror and feel beautiful. Lando tells me everyday that I'm beautiful, but he's my best friend. He has to say that. I hate not feeling comfortable in my own skin. I just want to feel better, to feel more confident. I think it's one of my biggest wishes.

11 • write a love letter

I want to tell the person I love the most just how much I appreciate them. I don't know who the love of my life is. The experts say you know when you know, and maybe I already do, but I've never felt an intense feeling of romantic love. I don't really know what love feels like. The only person I've ever loved is Lando and that's only in a friendship way. He's my best friend, my light at the end of the tunnel and he makes all of my bad days worth it, but I've never felt anything towards him in a romantic way. I know, however, that I'm such a romantic at heart and I want to find someone who will treat me like a princess. I want to fall in love properly. I want to go on dates, spend the night talking and giggling, whilst falling in love. And then I'll write the letter. I'll tell the love of my life just how in love I really am, how I'll never leave, how I am completely fascinated with them. The thought of writing something like that and showing my most vulnerable side sent shivers up my spine. Pouring my emotions onto a page sounds absolutely endearing. I want the love of my life to know that they are special and that I will always be so in love with them and only them.

12 • fall in love with someone who means the most to me

It's pretty simple, self-explanatory.

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this might be the last update for a short while as i work on chapter plans for this story and others, along with writing other chapters. i've been meaning to take a break from constant uploads for a while and felt like this was the best time to do that. i hope you all understand. i will be back soon. thank you for all the reads and all your support so far. it means so much to me. i have big ideas for this story and can't wait to share them with you <3