The Blackout ⤖ George Russell

S I X T E E N

The cold from outside exchanged for the warmth inside. It was only a ten-minute walk for Victoria, but for Nora it felt endless long. Although it fell like a small refreshment to walk in the cold, Nora was glad so was inside again and able to sit down. Nora's eyes fell on George, who sat on the stairs. Their eyes met.

"Hey," he said.

Nora looked at Victoria, who gave her a trusted smile before walking away. Nora looked at George again and put both of her hands in the pockets of her coat. "Hello," she replied and walked over to him. She stood in front of him.

"How are you?"

"Stiff and exhausted," she answered his question. "You?"

He nodded. "I'm fine."

Nora bit her lip and looked away. "Is Aubrey...?" She pointed towards the first floor.

George looked up. "She's with friends, I don't know," he answered. It felt awkward between them. He looked down.

She moved closer to him and sat down next to him on the stairs. A painful groan left her mouth. "Ben just stretched all my muscles, and honestly, my muscles never felt so soured. Emma wasn't that bad with stretching after all." Emma used to be Nora's personal trainer, but she left just before Abu Dhabi for a job in Canada. She was a nice person, but when it came to stretching and training, she was the devil.

Hearing Nora mentioning his name, it was painful. George nodded slowly. "Yeah, but things are getting better?"

"I mean, I can walk properly for ten minutes at its max." His cologne filled her nose, he smelled amazing.

"And memories?"

Her eyes were rested on the front door. "Got one. I'm almost one hundred per cent sure it was a something what happened, but I had no one to confirm it yet."

"And that is?" George also stared at the front door.

"Last week, I had a dream, but it felt real. My team and I were having a track walk in Abu Dhabi, we were walking around, and when we were at turn seven, I woke up," she told him. "And I was talking to Kimi, I only saw his smile - yes, Kimi smiled, and I don't know where we were talking about. So I don't count that as a possible memory."

Turn seven. "That's great."

"I feel like now I'm home and having the normal stuff around, such as pictures and winning cups, the process will fasten. I don't know, I'm talking crap now," she said and smirked.

"Those weren't imaginations, Nora, those were real. It happened." He looked at her, Nora had a refreshing look on her face. "I don't know the exact happenings on your side, but it all makes sense. And you did make a track walk with your team and had an interview with Kimi."

She nodded as a reply. "It's coming back," she happily said.

"It all will be back soon, you're doing good, and it's all positive progress." Their knees touched for a second, a shock with through both of their bodies. "Before you know it, you will be standing on the track."

"Supporting you or the other members of your boyband," she replied and stroked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Boyband," George smirked.

Nora looked at him and giggled. "The F2 boyband becomes the F1 boyband, you will be stealing hearts. And if it's not with the way you drive, it will be with the looks or the way how you, Alex and Lando will walk around like walking meme's."

Their eyes met, and he laughed. "You are not part of it...you are a member as well."

"I am not a boy, George," she stated. "And I will be your manager or biggest fan, don't worry about that." Nora cleared her throat. "But what I am trying to say is that if I am back soon, it will be because I will watch you race. I can barely walk, not even run, my muscles are limp, I am weak, not even drive a normal car,  so let alone racing. It will be a long way to get back." She looked away again. Looking too long at him did something to Nora, something magical.

George leaned in, planning on giving her a kiss on her cheek. But on that exact same moment, Nora looked back at him because she was waiting for a reply. Instead of the response, she was expecting, she felt two lips on her own lips. Oddly enough, it felt trustworthy like it was a kiss you gave to your partner, a simple kiss. They both pulled back, shocked about the moment. The blue eyes met the brown eyes. George bit on the inside of his cheek and broke the eye contact, what just happened? His heart was racing in his chest, and he had no idea how to act anymore.

It was silence for a moment. They both had no idea what to say to what to do, they were settling the moment in their own mind. Was it positive? Negative? An accident? On purpose?

The silence was broken by George his phone, which started to vibrate. George quickly grabbed his phone what was laying next to him on a step. He answered the call by picking it up.

Nora chewed on her lip while listening to George, she didn't want to listen, but it was silence in the hallway and him talking was the only sound. And his accent was just music to her ears.

"I have to go," he mentioned when his call ended. "They need me at the factory."

"Yeah, of course."

George got up and stuck out his hand to Nora. She grabbed his hand and slowly and controlled got up while George was supporting her. Even holding each other hands for support did something to them.

"Thanks," she said. "Tell them I said hi."

He gave her a warm smile. "I will. Have a good rest, you look exhausted."

They both walked to the front door. "I will. I probably will sleep for another two days," she casually said and opened the door. "Drive home safely."

"Thanks." George stepped outside. "We will meet up soon." Nora nodded. "Cheers." He walked to his car; it was a short catchup with a few emotions: it started with joy, followed by anger and disappointment, then laughter, and it ended with awkwardness. George got in his car, and he looked at Nora, who stood in the door opening. She waved. He waved back. Nora disappeared, and the door closed. "What the actual fuck," George mumbled confusedly and started the engine of the car.

Nora took off her shoes and coat. She leaned against the door of the wardrobe and frowned; what did just happened? She couldn't help it, but she smiled; this was confusing but also great. The confused look stayed on her face for a while, even when she walked to the kitchen to grab a drink.

Victoria sat around the kitchen island, she looked up from her laptop. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, just thinking," Nora answered and opened the refrigerator to grab a juice. "What are we going to eat tonight?"

"Your dad requested a pasta, so we're going to eat pasta spinach."

Nora smiled and got herself a drink. She took a sip. "Excellent request."

"That's what I thought. Also, your mum called," Victoria said and slid the telephone towards Nora.

"Okay." Nora grabbed the telephone and called her mum. She grabbed the glass with juice, gave Victoria a smile and walked to the living room. She let herself fall on a comfortable chair which gave her a beautiful view of the countryside of England.

"Hallo?"

"Hi, mum," Nora happily said. "Vic said you called."

"Hey, sweetie! How are you doing? Victoria told me about the stretch session, how was that?" The voice of her mum made Nora smile, she couldn't wait to see her again.

"I'm fine, thanks. Yeah, it was tough. All my muscles are soured now," she answered. "How are you? And everyone there?"

Maude started to tell about the family and work. How much Nora wanted to pay attention to her mum and half-family, only one thing went through her mind: George's lips on hers.