Thread of Destiny | Lando Norris

Chapter 3: The Second Pearl

Eli idly fiddled with the bracelet an accessory now fused with her wrist, her attention half-drawn to the TV screen. The show played on, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere. Am I truly meant to be someone's guardian angel? Weeks had passed since the accident, yet she bore no injuries, no scars— just the haunting recollection of glaring headlights before an abyss of darkness and unexplainable divine encounter that came after. Questions about her supposed duty as a guardian angel swirled in her mind, diverting her thoughts from Lando, though his image, his eyes that you could easily get lost in, occasionally danced at the edges of her consciousness. Her eyes shifted from the TV screen as she gazed at the bracelet's pearls, one already darkened, a mystery that mirrored her confusion. What was her next move meant to be? She had been trying to carry on with her usual day to day life and to be fair, not much had changed, just like the pearls on her bracelet. How am I supposed to help someone when I don't even know who I'm helping? What would happen if I don't fulfil the purpose each bead held? Her thoughts were briefly interrupted by the grumbling of her stomach. She walked over to the kitchen, opened her fridge, only to be met by cans of Diet Coke, oat milk, and some fruits— hardly a meal. Gathering her essentials, she set off to the grocery store.

She wandered the aisles of the grocery store, checking things off her shopping list one by one. As she walked past the fruits, she spotted some ripe bananas and decided to bake some banana bread— maybe baking will help her keep her mind off things for a while. Eli now set off to hunt for her special ingredient she used in her recipe, and after checking up and down countless aisles, she found the last remaining pack of what she was looking for— almond flour. As she reached for it, her fingers barely grazed the package before another hand intercepted. She looked up to see a man with a focused expression, clearly eyeing the same item. There's a moment of slight embarrassment mixed with amusement as they both realise the situation. "Ah, the last one," he remarked with a smile. "Seems like we're both after the same ingredient." Eli chuckled softly, releasing her grasp on the packet, "Seems like it! But don't worry, I can find a substitute or come back later. I'll manage." He pauses for a moment, observing her. "You sure?", he queried, to which she just nodded reassuringly. "Thanks. I'm shopping for someone else, and his diet insists on these healthy alternatives," he explained. "Sounds like you're dealing with a diva," she jokes, eliciting small laugh from the man before her. "Or just a high-performance athlete," he casually remarks. And with that, their brief interaction came to an end as they both resumed their own days.

In one corner of Monaco, Eli navigated her kitchen, determined to make a meal of some sorts to please her grumbling stomach. On the opposite side of the city, the man from the grocery store stood in an apartment, unpacking his shop. He meticulously organised ingredients while discussing meal plans for the week to younger man across him. Jon, what's that?" he asked, pointing at the unfamiliar packet of flour." Jon explained, "Almond flour. If you insist on having breaded chicken, this is a healthier alternative. It's gluten-free." The younger one chuckled, finding it amusing. "Lando, I'm serious," Jon warned. Lando nodded, recognising the importance of all this preparation before the start of his race season.

Meanwhile, back in Eli's apartment, a second pearl on the bracelet darkened, a signal of her duty fulfilled to her yet-unknown protected one.