STOCKHOLM SYNDROME || LANDO NORRIS

4.

It was hard adjusting everything even for your birthday. 

I had booked a club not too far from Glastonburry - my home.

I promised myself to reserve Lando a place, but it was impossible. Buying two tickets in a row to go to the UK for your best friend's birthday and heading home? Expensive. He'd manage it, but in a rich way I wouldn't expect him to do.

"I'll definitely come, I just need to check the race schedule," Lando and answered me on the phone. "Who else do you want coming? Oscar? Daniel?" 

"I'll see, I just want a private party by myself," I grinned. 

"Wow, just remember to invite me, yeah?" He said. "I wish you could be with me right now. It's so boring, and Oscar wants to meet you." 

"Really?" I tried to remain calm. 

"Jesus Christ, calm down love," Lando joked along. "He wants to meet this person I've been talking about since he joined McLaren." 

"Wow, so you do love me a lot," I smirked. 

"Hey! I was only talking about how good of a best friend you are," He protested. "But please just come to one race, I'm begging you." 

"You sure?" I raised an eyebrow. The door downstairs slammed shut as the giggling started. I crept down the stairs and stopped at the landing. 

"What's going on?" Lando frowned. "Your Mum getting pregnant by the new guy?" 

"Shut up, they just met," I rolled my eyes at his tease. Despite wanting to leave the phone in my room, I shoved it into my pocket and stayed down at the landing while we both stayed quiet. "I swear on my life, Lan. Stay quiet." 

"Sorry, I can't help sneezing," He chuckled. 

"I'm the father?" Michael exclaimed, his eyes shining. I forced myself not to gasp loudly and fall on my bottom. "Shouldn't you tell your daughter?"

"Well, she's been an only child her whole entire life, so I might tell her when my stomach starts expanding," Mum sighed. "I don't think she'll be quite happy with me either with her birthday coming up next week. Should we tell her on that day? Or is it a bad idea?"

"Give out hints you're pregnant, just don't tell her," Michael suggested. "I don't think she'll take it in that calmly. She'll take the hint and discover it quite sooner or later."

"Yeah," Mum smiled up at him, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for the idea." I sat there, as the pair marched out of the house, shockingly accepting the idea. As the lock turned, I heard the voice I longed for ask me. 

"Darling, are you okay?" Lando asked me as I sat there on the landing, still processing what had happened "You seem quite... quiet."

"I..." My voice faltered as he cleared his throat. "Fine."

"What?" Lando sounded worried as I sniffed and my eyes started watering. "Should I call on my family to come check on you? You're crying, love."

"Fuck..." I wiped them away. "You know what? I've just accepted the fact my Mum's hiding something away from me. I bet you she's used to this. She must've done this all the time that she's getting used to hiding secrets and big events from me."

"Ash..." Lando's voice trailed off I buried my face into my knees. "Don't say that. She still loves you, I promise."

"You can say that, Lando, because your parents are completely normal," My heart was screaming help to me. "They never fight, they never abuse one another, they never stay apart for more than twenty-four hours a day. Your life is perfect, I don't need to compliment it. At all."

"Love, please don't say that, I- my life isn't perfect at all, no one's at all," Lando comforted me. "Hey, we'll talk about it when you arrive, okay? And about your birthday... I'm coming."

"Thanks." 

"I'd miss races for you," Lando laughed. 

"Shut up, you wouldn't," I said. 

"Hah, I've gotta go," Lando left the call. 

I sat down, fumbling around in my jean pocket until I fished out something. A necklace I love so much I kept it with me everywhere I went. I slipped it around my neck, trying to get the feeling back with which I felt not so long ago.

"Lando, you're the best!"  I exclaimed as I threw my arms around his neck, him awkwardly ruffling my hair and hugging me back. eleven year old Lena, who was there at my birthday party as well, huffed. She'd had a secret crush on Lando, but not for too long. "I love you sooo much."

"As a friend?" Lando questioned me, which left me to ponder. "I'm too young to date!"

"Very funny, Mr. Famous Race Car Driver," I rolled my eyes at his statement. "You can legally date at the age of thirteen."

"Uh, who told you that?" Lando asked me, as he adjusted his cap on his head. "I thought you had to be eighteen!"

"My mum got her first boyfriend at thirteen!" I exclaimed. "So you'll have to wait one more year, then you can date anyone you want."

"Okay, princess," Even back then, he loved to call me couples' names. Lando twirled me around as he helped me put my necklace on. I smiled at him as he chuckled and grinned. "You look really nice for a ten year old."

"Can you two stop flirting?" Lena, who'd gotten tired of us, sighed and complained in a corner. "I can't stop helping but want a boyfriend now!"

"Does it look like I care, Elena?" Lando pursed his lips, and I giggled as he put an arm around my shoulder. "No. So shut up, you brat."

Lena stuck her tongue out at Lando as he laughed, and I did the same.