RACE - Lando Norris

BONUS 4 - CHRISTMAS

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Max asked as he dragged his suitcase along with Daniella only a step ahead of him.

“Yeah,” Daniella smiled. “Why are you so nervous?”

“I don’t know…it just seem little awkward spending Christmas with your family,” he replied.

Max was supposed to go home for Christmas but his parents had their own plans and since he was not sure what to do Daniella graciously invited him to spend Christmas with her family. Max was hesitant at first but his former teammate managed to convince him.

“Don’t worry, my family adores you,” she smiled as they got in the car.

“And what about Lando?” Max asked as Daniella started driving. “You two are not celebrating Christmas together?”

“Umm no,” she replied. “He wanted to be with his family and I wanted to be with mine.”

Daniella was a little upset about not spending the first Christmas as a couple with Lando and neither one of them were willing to compromise. But she knows Lando's family is just as important to him as her family is to her and feels like both of them made the right decision.

“Damn it! I didn’t buy any gifts for your family,” Max eyes went slightly wide. “Oh God! They are going to hate me.”

“They are not going to hate you,” Daniella chuckled. “You need to chill Max.”

“I am already scared of your dad Dani and now if he gets mad at me I am…coming here was a bad idea….”

“Hey, calm down,” she put her hand in his shoulder to comfort him as she continues to drive. She had no idea he was going to be so nervous.

“We can go shopping now if you want and then we can go home,” Daniella suggested.

“Yeah that’s a good idea,” Max nodded his head, feeling less nervous.

“Any why is everyone scared of my dad? Even Lando is scared if him, ” Daniella asked, feeling curious. “He is the sweetest guy I know.”

Max gave her a confused look as she waited for an answer.

“The way your dad looks at the guys around you…it’s like if anyone even damage your hair he is going to kill them,” Max explained. “I am more scared of your dad than mine, and that’s saying a lot.”

“He can’t even hurt a fly, Max,” Daniella chuckled.

***

Daniella knocked at the guest room door before opening at, finding Max unpacking.

“Are you comfortable?” she smiled as she walked in.

“Yeah,” Max pushed aside his suitcase. “Room is very cozy.”

“This used to be my room when I was little,” Daniella explained. “But then I had a brat phase and wanted a bigger room so I moved out of it.”

“That explains the blue walls,” Max pointed out Daniella’s favorite color painted on the walls.

“If you remove the wardrobe you will see a terrible drawing of a formula one car on the wall,” Daniella let out a laugh. “I was the artist by the way.”

Max smiled he looked around before his eyes finally landing of Daniella.

“Thank you for inviting me,” he said, feeling grateful. “Your family is just as wonderful as you are.”

“Told you you are going to love it here.”

***

Max laughed as Daniella’s family went around the dinner table telling embarrassing stories about her. Judging by Daniella’s face she is not thrilled about it but he can’t help but laugh.

“Apparently my family hates me,” Daniella sarcastically smiled at Max.

“We don’t hate you,” her dad said from across the table. “We love you so much that we want your friends to know all about you.”

“I don’t see how that’s love,” she said to her dad, trying not to smile.

“At least he didn’t go to your school and scared away the guy you have a crush on, “ Collins, Danielle’s sister added, still feeling embarrassed about the encounter.  

“Stop pouting,” Daniella said to Collins. “He tries to scare Lando every chance he gets, he even scared away Charles. That poor guy didn’t talk to me for a week.”

“Not my fault your friends and boyfriend gets easily scared,” her dad added. “But I like this one,” he pointed at Max who immediately sat straight, feeling all eyes on him. “He is not easily scared.”

Max gave a nervous smile before looking at Daniella. His eyes begging her not to tell everyone how scared and nervous he was earlier.

Daniella smirked at Max.

The front door opened, turning everyone’s head around to see who arrived at the middle of dinner.

“Sorry I am late,” Lando smiled at everyone.

“What are you doing here?” Daniella looked surprised as she got up from her seat and went over to him.

“Dinner got over early so I thought to join my girlfriend and her family,” he replied.

“I love you,” Daniella whispered before she gave him a gentle kiss.

Max felt a little sting of jealousy as he watched the happy couple.

“Aww so sweet,” Collins sarcastically smiled. “Pass me the chicken,” she said to Max, making him look away from the couple. He complied.

Daniella’s dad cleared his throat loudly, making the couple step away from each other.

“Happy Christmas Eve, everyone,” Lando nervously smiled.

“Take a seat,” Daniella’s dad ordered. “And no kissing my daughter under my roof.”

“Yes sir,” Lando politely replied.

Daniella helped him take off his coat and he went to take his seat.

“Hey man,” Lando greeted Max. They exchanged a fist bump.

Daniella took her seat between Lando and Max.

“I thought you were spending Christmas with your family,” Max started the conversation.

“I am, but Daniella is important too so here I am,” Lando replied making Daniella’s heart melt. “But I will leave tomorrow morning soon after we open the presents here.”

Max nodded, again not liking the sting in his heart.

“I will go with you,” Daniella smiled as she put her hand on top of Lando's. They shared a quick kiss, luckily her father didn’t notice.

 
**********

A/N: Merry Christmas everyone

This is a Max book now. Let's all forget about Lando.

Also I gained more than 250 followers in the last two days which is really freaking me out and not in a good way. Accounts with zero followings and reading lists are following (seems like ghost accounts). It feels like someone exposed my account somewhere. I am really not liking this.