back on track

66. the one in England

"Why do you have to go again?" Lando asked as we laid on his bed cuddled up on each other.

We had flown to UK straight after the last testing day last week. Lando had had to drive his tests that day and I had spent a lot of time with the Arthur and Oscar while Robert was testing again, but with Ferrari along side Carlos. I had learned that Oscar didn't have a seat for next year and that he was going to be the test driver for Alpine, which to me seemed a bit unfair after winning everything he could in so little time, but then again if someone knew what kind of part the money played in this sport it was me. Still I felt for the guy, but was happy to have someone around my age in the paddock. Never bad to make some new friends. 

After the testing I had said my byes to everyone, and we had headed over here. We had hang out a lot with Max and they had really tried to teach me how to golf but already now they had given up and I just sat there making snarky comments or reading my book while they played. Besides that Lando had been packing and I could tell that the mood was somewhat sad as the two friends parted their ways, I knew how thankful Max was for Lando, but I think he underestimated the fact how much help he had been to Lando as well. Besides messing around with those guys we have spent a lot of time with Lando's family. I had really been adopted to the family and was treated like one of them, which was amazing. Most of all I was just happy that there was nowhere to be and we could've just spend time together this past week.

"I promised my mom I'd be home for Christmas and I need to pack if I want to move after the New Year" I told the guy who was holding onto me tight. "And it's not like we'll be a part too long you're coming there in a week" I reminded him as he was acting like he was never going to see me again. We had made a plan for the winter break, I would come and stay here like I had for the first week of the holidays before I would head back to Finland. Lando would come to spend the Christmas there with me and my family before coming back here for couple days before we would head back to Dubai: Lando for a bit longer time than me as I needed to start working before he did. Also I hoped that during those days between Christmas and Dubai, I'd had time to stop by in Switzerland and go visit Mick and his family. Anyways I needed to come home from Dubai before finally moving to Italy permanently, at least for now. So yeah, there was a lot to do.

"Yeah, but I don't want you to go, I wanna stay here forever" Lando mumbled half a sleep right before Max yelled him something about some stream thing and he shot up and disappeared out of the room. I guess, staying here forever wasn't that big of a deal after all.

I used the opportunity and jumped up from the bed and started to gather my stuff into my suitcase. I didn't even know how I had managed to spread my belongings like this but it felt like the whole house was full of something of mine. Seemed like their little gaming thingy would take a while so I hopped on the shower and after that headed to the kitchen where Max was actually cooking something.

"You sure you wanna do that?" I asked as I got to him.

"Oh shut up, it was one time" he sighed. I had taken a habit of bullying him every chance that I got about his cooking and pretty much anything else in general. Once we had gotten back from Dubai we had also sat down and talked about my, well our, past and everything he had wanted to know. It felt funny now how closed and scared I had been about talking my past, because by now I had had to tell that story so many times I had a pattern for that.

"I know I'm sorry love, any chance that there is some for me too?" I looked curiously over the boy's shoulder to see what he was putting together.

"Since you asked so nicely" he rolled his eyes giving me a plate whatever it was that he was making.

"Thank you" I sighed to him and sat down to the table. "So what are you two doing exactly?" I asked not really sure what was so much better than spending time with his own girlfriend.

"We're watching our e-sports team play. You should come too" Max stated, and I cringed. "Oh right" he realized. I wasn't really a fan of media at the moment as the whole Lando's fan base had went nuts over the fact that we were dating. The amount of hate that I was getting was unbelievable and even if there was nice comments and messages in the mix the ones telling me to kill myself or telling how Lando was a bad person for dating me for some reason hit a bit different. So yeah, no streaming with me in a while at least. I had learned to ignore those comments though, so they didn't bother me but I knew that Lando was getting mad over some of those messages, especially if they had something to do with me.

"Yeah maybe next time, but for now I think it's for the best if I don't" I gave him a small smile.

"If you say so. When were you leaving again?"

"First thing tomorrow morning" I nodded. I had an early flight, not really ideal, but at least I was home in decent time of the day.

"That's too bad"

"Yeah, but I'll see you in couple weeks anyways, and I really need to start packing and ship my stuff to Italy" this time I really needed to ship all my belongings as I no longer would have a place in Finland. My parents had promised to store some of the stuff I didn't need at all, but most of the stuff I owned was going with me.

"Oh yeah, I had totally forgotten that you were moving too" Max said. "You excited?"

"Yeah, I am" I nodded. I really was. I was ready to start this new chapter of my life and last year felt like the free test period that you get on platforms and now I had really bought the whole product. I was scared, but in a good way. I had been away last year for so long, but known that I was going back to Finland to my family and so on, but now the deal was completely different, I wasn't going back. "How about you, how you feeling?"

"Little sad to be honest. This has been a great place to live and even though we joke about each other being pain in ass, it's been nice to live with someone. I mean he's been away a lot already now so it won't be that different and he has to come England for McLaren, so I feel like it won't change our friendship that much" Max listed and I smiled softly, I really hoped it wouldn't change their thing too much, they were basically platonic soulmates and good for each other, so it would be a shame to see them falling apart.

"I think that it's going to be just fine" I agreed.

"Max, get your ass back here" Lando shouted from upstairs, and Max shook his head dragging himself back to his friend leaving me alone with my food. I didn't mind though; I was basically turned to their third roommate in past week, and I was happy they didn't feel obligated to be with me 24/7.

"Hey you" two arms wrapped around me and I felt a kiss on a back of my head. I guess they couldn't leave me alone after all.

"Hi," I told the guy turning my head so I could see him. "What's up?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to see you" Lando told walking around the kitchen table getting some food for himself.

"Okay" I raised my brows little amused.

"Have you heard from Carlos?" Lando asked and I shook my head. I hadn't really talked to him after the first testing day and I had decided that I would let him reach out when he wanted to. He had been clear saying that we were okay, but he needed some time, and I was more than happy with that.

"No and I don't think I will"

"Oh okay, well I talked to him the other day and he's doing great" Lando smiled to me. I knew he didn't really know if Carlos was on the list of the things that I was okay to talk about or not, even though I had tried to tell him that it was okay to talk about him.

"That's good to hear" I smiled back.

"Yeah, I think he's met a girl" he added and my lips parted.

"Oh really, that's good news" I grinned. It really was, he deserved the world and I hoped that the girl he had found was someone who could give just that to him.