bucket list || l. norris

seven

* bit of drama in this chapter (if you can call it that)... enjoy! please keep voting and commenting, your support means so much to me! *

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"You've been quiet all morning," Lando grumbled as he turned his sleepy head to look at me. I was comfortable in my seat, allowing the silence in the aircraft to engulf me. "What's going on?"

I was yet to tell him that Callum and I planned to see one another when I returned home. I didn't know how he would react, and whether he would be pleased for me or upset. He was my best friend, he supported my decisions, but Lando was still very protective of me. I understood, because in a way, I was protective over him, too. Nerves were bubbling in my stomach at the thought of telling him my plans because I knew that initially, he would take it the wrong way. He already thought I liked Callum.

"Mila," Lando poked my arm and tilted his head closer towards me, resting his on my shoulder. "What's on your mind? Talk to me."

I was trying to collect my words in my head as I remained silent. The peace was beautiful, but I needed to break it so I could tell him the truth. I wasn't going out with Callum with the thought of a potential relationship on my mind. Lando would believe me, I wouldn't lie about something like that. I was very focused on my career, determined to work with my best friend to make all of our dreams come true. The only boy that would come before that was Lando.

"Callum and I spoke again after the race yesterday,"
I could only tell him the truth. There was nothing more to it than a friendly catch up. "While you were in your debrief. We decided that we want to go out with each other when we're back home, just for a drink, to catch up."

"Oh." Lando's body seemed to stiffen at my news. I lifted my eyebrows and turned myself so that I was facing him properly now. My seatbelt was already unfastened and hanging beside my thighs after the seatbelt sign went off about an hour ago. He looked at me with a blank expression on his face.

"What?" I lifted my eyebrows as a sign of confusion and sat up in my seat. Lando shook his head, beginning to play with his fingertips as he avoided my eye line. I didn't really understand why he reacted like this. I didn't want him to think I was going to fall in love with Callum, because I one hundred percent was not letting that happen.

"Nothing." Lando closed his eyes and leaned backwards in his comfortable seat, resting his locked hands over his abdomen. It seemed like he didn't want to talk at all and I felt quite defeated. I tried to go about it in the nicest way possible, but I was only informing him that I was going out with a friend, so I didn't understand why he had to respond like this. It seemed like a slight overreaction.

"Lando, what's so bad about me going out with Callum?" I cleared my throat whilst using my index finger to poke at my best friend's upper arm, his bicep flexing at my touch. He almost flinched away when my fingertip came into contact with his skin. I looked at him, rather blankly, a frown engulfing my features. He didn't budge and I got the impression that he didn't want to talk about it. He was acting in quite a childish manner. "Lando? Stop being so childish and tell me."

"There's nothing to tell you," he rolled his eyes and a grumbled puff of air fell over his lips. I'd never known him to act like this before, especially not over a boy. I was friends with more boys than girls - I just got along better with my male counterparts - and Lando never seemed to get all worked up over it. I'd worked with men in the past, I was close to Sacha (even though I had no choice because he still lived with Lando) and there was absolutely no issue. "I'm just tired."

"Tired, or annoyed?" I folded my arms across my chest. I wanted him to know that his response got to me. He was being rude and I knew this wasn't really him. Maybe he was quite agitated and sleepy considering we were on our final flight back home, but that didn't give him any reason to behave like this. "I'm friends with more boys than girls and you don't seem to have an issue. What is it about Callum?"