helmet love // 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬

XVII

"Lando I've got-!"

I sprint like a cartoon character from the office out to the living area, and my feet may as well of dramatically skidded to a halt the second I got there. Standing in the kitchen with him is another guy with dark, curly hair and his back to me. Is that his brother? Does he have a brother? Whilst the guy is distracted on his phone, Lando silently but chaotically shoos me away. Where do I even hide in here?

"Two secs mate- have you got someone here?" The guy asks, starting to turn around.

"No?" Lando shakes his head at the guy just as I leap behind the wall. "You're here, that's it."

Oh my God, I would be no use in a secret agent movie! I tut to myself as I scan the three options I have to hide; my room, Lando's room and the office. Lando's room is already off the list; I can't imagine witnessing your brother- or friend, whoever that is- finding a girl hiding in your room is an experience Lando wants to go through. The office seems like a bad idea, incase they do gaming or something, so the spare room it is!

I pace into my room, trying to find the next thing to hide in. The room has hardly any hiding spaces, just like the office. I mean, my mattress is on the floor, so 'under the bed' is out of the picture. The rest is just boxes and my suitcase! Do I even bother? May as well stand in the middle of the room!

"Marci!" Lando hisses, taking me by surprise.

"Who's that-" I'm swiftly interrupted by Lando's arm reaching for me from the doorway.

Lando drags me like a rag doll from the spare room into his room. It was perfectly timed, like a scene you'd see in a movie. Just like the spare room, there's no where to hide in here. Like running into a dead end in a maze.

"Stand there." He orders as he guides me into a corner.

"Who's that?" I ask, watching as Lando grabs a box. "Oh- don't you even think for a second-!"

"Thinking is done, be quiet!" He tells me as he puts the box over my head. "You're lucky you're small enough for the box."

"You're lucky your friend is here, otherwise I'd beat your ass!" My voice vibrates around the cardboard box like I'm inside a shitty speaker.

"If my friend wasn't here you wouldn't be in a box." Lando sighs, pacing around the room. "Give me a second and I'll- hey!"

I freeze on the spot, staring into space- sorry, the box- as I listen to their conversation. Cautious footsteps tread into Lando's room, clearly aware that something is going on in front of him. Is this Lando's room mate or something? Who is this?

"Who're you talking to?" The guy asks bluntly.

"No one." Lando replies, copying his tone.

"No one?" They repeat back, unconvinced. "I heard another voice."

"...No you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"No you didn't."

"I definitely did."

"You must've heard my voice." Lando's voice gets higher and higher the more he lies.

"Right, I forgot you sound like a woman." The person sarcastically remarks, shifting on the spot. "And that you keep suspiciously tall, upside down, empty boxes in the corner of your room."