DAISIES-Lando Norris

[ 32 ]

"What do you mean you're leaving the team?" Taylor looks incredulously at Max, "You can't just leave me"

"But-" Max went to protest, about to tell her how selfish she was being and how he needed to move on right until he turned to look at her better. Mischief was in her eyes and a slight smirk was taking over her face, "You're joking with me"

Taylor chuckled at his annoyance, "Clearly dear Max. I'm actually over the moon; I won't have to watch anymore weird stuff with you"

"Admit it, it was fun"

"It wasn't" she says with a straight face, remembering all the times she stayed back with Max to watch movies in his hotel room because he refused hanging out with the other drivers."Why Mercedes though. I honestly saw you more at McLaren than Mercedes"

Max didn't answer, he was having an internal battle with himself as to how to tell Taylor he needs space from her in order to forget all about her. even if it means moving on from his team, but she quickly beat him to it.

"Let me guess, you don't want to fight with Lando like you did with Daniel"

"Partly yes" Max looked relieved as he ran a hand through his hair.

"You didn't fight with me" Taylor points out,
"Okay we did have a few disputes but nothing major"

Not like they had time to fight with each other on track anyways. Taylor was too preoccupied worrying about performing good that the thought of fighting with Max on track never crossed her mind, plus the fact the team didn't let her be better than Max under any circumstance. She was hoping this year she could have a chance now that she's more settled in the team.

"Oh well, in that case"

"Why are you caressing me with your body?"

"This is a hug Max. I'm hugging you" Taylor chuckles with him ending the hug quickly than expected. "It will be weird seeing you with other team" Max only sadly smiled at her, taking off his RedBull cap before placing it on her head.

It was time for him to move on.

•••

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Taylor says once she opens the door, almost dropping her phone in surprise at seeing her brother standing there with his luggage, "You're supposed to be in college right now, James." She says angrily, "Finishing your exams"

"Look, someone needed to be the family disappointment and the gay cousin and I'm really good at multitasking. Just playing up my strengths"

Taylor rolls her eyes, wanting to hit her younger brother so hard he would go back to the US, "I'm calling mom"

"NO" James was quick on grabbing her phone, throwing it somewhere in the apartment.

At the phone dropping to the floor Lando instantly asked from another room, "Gigi? Are you okay?"

James pulls a cheeky face at his sister, "Oh? So you have a boy over?" Shaking his head in disappointment although he was only joking with her.

Taylor had enough of it and it hasn't even been five minutes, "James-I'm driving you to the airport" she grabbed with anger his upper arm trying to pull him out of the front door.

"But why!? You almost did the same, you disappeared like for a month a few years ago"

"Almost, dumbass. Mom will kill me when she finds out" Sighting Taylor decided it was pointless to do anything at the moment, knowing James is just as stubborn as her. "What are you even doing here?"

"Hey Lando" Taylor turned her head to see Lando walking closer to them, his hand found itself around her waist quickly.

"James, hello. Want to go for ice cream?"

"No"

"Yes"

Both of the guys turned to look at Taylor, which she was so stressed about James being there that she couldn't agree. What will their mother say? She must be worried sick about James not replying to her in more than a few hours. "Okay. But you call mom after we come back"

The three of them walked in silence to the nearest ice cream shop. Lando accidentally (not once but like five times) brushed Taylor's hand with his own.

"Fucking commit to it" she said while grabbing his hand once and for all only to receive a boyish grin from him.

Once they sat down with their ice cream Taylor didn't waist any time on asking her brother,"Jamie, what happened?"

"I dropped out, okay?"

James expected Taylor to scream at him, yell at how stupid he was being for dropping out of college but instead he got a slightly different reaction, "Yay, drop outs" she laughed, high fiving him with excitement. Although as his sister she should tell him to stay in school, Taylor couldn't help but laugh at it all. "So instead of just going home you catch a plane to the other side of the world"

"Yes? Look I'm sure that if I tell mom I'm working for you everything will be fine"

"Working for me? How?"

"I could be your social media manger. I have experience on being annoying in the internet"

At this Lando laughs in between eating his ice cream, "I could hire you as well"

James points to Lando, "See, problem solved"

Taylor drops her spoon in defeat. She has no problem with James staying with her, hell it was good to have more company on her side when she's away from home but the thought of what their mother will think scares her a bit. "You know I have no problem with you James, it's mom I'm worried about"

Yeah well, it didn't end so well.

James kept his promise and called their mother when they arrived home, even when James was speaking to her in the balcony Taylor could hear her mother yelling at him.

"Was I too harsh with him?" She asks Lando, who quickly locked his phone before tossing it somewhere.

"No, I don't think so" he brings her closer to his chest placing a kiss on top of her head, "At least your lecture to him was not half as bad as what he is receiving at the moment"

They both smile at each other, Lando placing a chaste kiss on her cheek before hugging her harder.

Taylor can't think of ever getting used to the blushing and nervousness she gets around Lando, even if it has only been a few weeks it felt like he never wasn't by her side before. It all felt right, like it's meant to be and she never wants to leave him no matter what. She just can't imagine how next year is going to be like since they both agreed to keep things just between their families. Race weekends will be hard to keep away from each other and if they couldn't, hiding from the public eye will be even harder.

"What did mom say?" Taylor asks once James returns from outside.

His face was flushed in embarrassment, "She said we'll speak better when we come home for Christmas"

"Oh God...well, it was nice knowing you Lando"