Ride or Die | Lando Norris (ENGLISH)

20*

•LANDO•

I got out of the McLaren car feeling like I was going to faint. I walked through the paddock, feeling the eyes of everyone who passed me. I wanted to disappear, but I still had to face the media. I didn't feel like doing it, but I had to. Due to my nerves and fear of what might happen in the rain, driving over two hundred kilometers per hour through the narrow streets of Monaco, I only achieved thirteenth place in the qualifications. I felt like a coward about it, but I didn't feel confident about the fucking tractor I had to drive. After doing post-qualification interviews and talking to engineers and mechanics, I was finally able to go back to my room and breathe a little.

I opened the door and froze in place. Melanie was sitting on the leather couch, sleeping, with Mila sleeping on her lap. I bit my lip, closing the door quietly behind me. I didn't want to wake them up, especially Mel, who had been disturbed from falling asleep every night for the last few days. I had to somehow get over the fact that Charles was bragging about sleeping with her. Fucking asshole.

I quickly took off my overalls and put on a white T-shirt and black tracksuits. I did everything as quietly as I could, but I still noticed that Mila started to move around.

– Shhh, sunshine – I murmured quietly to my niece and gently took her into my arms without waking Melanie.

Mila made me feel better every time. She was like a ray of light in a dark tunnel. And now that Sav had Athena, I had two of them in my life. I smiled at the girl as she happily wrapped her arms around my neck, clumsily saying my name. This tiny blonde made me melt with cuteness.

I looked at Mel and saw her wrap her arms around herself from the cold. She looked so damn peaceful as she slept. I grabbed McLaren's little blanket and covered her as best I could, then I left the room with Mila because I thought she might be hungry, and she was. I put the girl down on the floor and grabbed her hand. My arms didn't have the strength to do anything after qualifying, let alone carry my two-year-old niece. Even though it made me happy and I would like to continue carrying her, I knew I still had a race to run. Mila did not protest, in fact she walked excitedly through various corridors at my side, laughing from time to time and pointing at people passing us.

– Oh, Mel is still sleeping? – my mother asked with a smile when I approached her table with Mila in the hospitality. My mother, both of my sisters, Amelie and Pietra with Max were sitting at the round table.

– Mhm – I muttered as Mila immediately ran to Flo and sat on her lap.

– Maybe we should wake her up – Amelie suggested hesitantly.

I didn't want to do it and I had no intention of doing it under any circumstances. I knew everyone wanted to go home, but Melanie needed to get some sleep. I owed it to her.

– Let her sleep. I'll stay with her and you go – I shrugged. Max raised his eyebrows to comment in what was probably a mean way, but Pietra and Amelie nudged him with their arms on either side of him.

– I have nowhere to go. Mel has the keys to the apartment – Amelie sighed, resting her chin on her hand.

– You will come to my place with Max and Pietra – I shrugged again, as if it was obvious and threw the keys to my apartment to Max.

A few moments later everyone dispersed and I returned to my room where the brunette was still sleeping. I sat down on the couch right next to her and took out my phone. I started watching some stupid videos on tiktok, but I quickly got bored of it and switched to instagram. I was quickly scrolling through other people's stories when I came across Magui's story of her VIP paddock passes. The girl loved publicity, that was for sure. I didn't want to see her anymore. To me she was that silly blonde who would do anything for fame. This was also the case here. She deliberately inserted reports related to me and F1, and even observed Sav and Max F, whom she had not had the opportunity to meet, just to be associated with me through gossip portals. Pathetic. I sighed and locked my phone, glancing at the sleeping Melanie. She had already been sleeping for a good three hours, smiling every now and then in her sleep. She looked calm. I could never get over her. Ever since we started growing up and our paths began to diverge due to my passion for racing, I started to like Melanie more than just a friend. Her upturned nose, long dark hair, brown eyes and that sly smile. The way she licked her lips and bit her lip when she was concentrating or stressed. These were gestures she probably didn't notice herself, but I did. I loved watching her when she didn't know it.