One Shots | Formula 1

LN♥

"You really want my brother to kick your ass."

I stepped into the bustling café, the smell of freshly brewed coffee greeted me, swirling with the sounds of clinking cutlery and cheerful chatter. Spotting my brother Carlos at a corner table, I made my way over, a smile tugging at my lips despite the early hour. Racing weekends were always chaotic, but seeing Carlos made everything feel a little more normal.

"Hey, sis!" Carlos greeted me with a warm hug as I slid into the seat opposite him. "Glad you could make it."

I returned the hug, but my smile faltered slightly when I noticed another figure at the table. Lando Norris, Carlos' old teammate and friend, flashed me a grin that was all too familiar. Carlos had invited him, hadn't he? Without even telling me. Typical.

"Hey," Lando said, his tone light and casual as if we were old pals. But we weren't. Far from it.

I shot Carlos a reproachful look, but he merely shrugged innocently.

I turned my attention back to Lando, forcing a polite smile. "Hey," I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm that I hoped he'd pick up on. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Lando's grin widened, undeterred by my icy demeanor. "Yeah, Carlos thought it'd be nice for us to catch up," he said, his British accent laced with a hint of mischief.

Of course, Carlos would think that. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, stealing a quick glance at Carlos, who was busy perusing the menu as if everything was perfectly normal. As if he hadn't just thrown me into an awkward breakfast rendezvous with someone I'd rather avoid.

"So, how's life treating you?" Lando asked, leaning back in his chair with a casualness that grated on my nerves.

"Same old, same old," I replied, keeping my tone curt. "Just here to support my brother."

Lando chuckled, a sound that grated on my ears. "Still quite the diplomatic, huh?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Someone's got to be," I muttered under my breath, hoping he wouldn't catch it.

But of course, he did. Lando always had a knack for picking up on the things I didn't want him to notice.

He raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes. "Ah, come on, you know you love having me around."

I snorted, unable to help myself. "Yeah, like I love a root canal."

Carlos finally looked up from his menu, sensing the tension between us. "Come on, you two," he interjected with a grin. "Can't we all just get along?"

I shot him a look that clearly said, "No, we can't," but he ignored it, turning his attention back to Lando as if everything was perfectly fine.

"We have a lot to catch up, Carlos. Unless she has some more interesting stories to tell, which I highly doubt." Lando commented.

Was he calling me boring? His words hit a nerve, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation bubbling up inside me.

"So, I'm boring, huh?" I retorted, raising an eyebrow in mock disbelief. "Well, at least I'm not the one who thinks every day is a frat party."

Lando's grin faltered for just a moment before he leaned in, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Ah, but sweetheart, what's life without a little excitement?" he countered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Not all of us are content to live in the shadows."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes at his melodramatic response. "Right, because getting shit-faced every weekend is the epitome of excitement," I shot back, unable to resist the opportunity to get under his skin.