Mutual Friends | Lando Norris

Chapter1 - When Love Came To Kill Us

Lando's POV

It felt like I was stuck in a dream... Everything was in a hazy blur and played in slow motion.

I stood there, still as a statue on the dark balcony of my hotel room. Eyes burning from being awake too long, I let them rest with a final blink.

I wanted to not be there. I would give anything to have the world stop spinning, even just for a few moments.

"I can taste... I can taste... Think Lando. What can you taste? Ground yourself..."

My legs were failing me. Too heavy to move from being weighed down by the complexities of my emotions. Like a ton of bricks had been strapped to my ankles, anchoring me into the dark abyss.

Down below in the street ahead of us, cars could be seen driving by. A group of young people laughed to themselves as they stopped at a corner to smoke some cigarettes.

"I can hear keys falling," I thought to myself.

The cool - end of summer breeze danced with the curls in my hair while also settling the light sweat that gathered along my forehead. I hate that I sweat when I'm stressed.

Budapest is such an underrated city. We'd only been here for two days ahead of the race but something about this place was beautifully nostalgic.

It carried a lot of sadness too in the faces that looked back at you without registering your existence. Almost as if knowing no one ever stays here long enough to fall in love.

"Lando?," Luisa questioned - trying to get my attention back to her. "Are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

I turned my body in to face her. She was easily one of the most beautiful people in my life.

Luisa and I had been dating for a couple of months now. I was absolutely smitten over her and the whole world knew. Everyday I pushed myself to be better. For her.

"I can see a small silver suitcase next to her."

A pot of anxiety started to bubble at the pit of my stomach. As if that wasn't enough, my heart was growing in size with each second that passed.

Why does time go by slower when you're thinking with your heart and not with your head?

"I can smell the sweet vanilla scent of her perfume."

"Yes." I answered softly taking her hand in mine. "You can't do this anymore." I knew what she meant by those words.

"I'll always love you Lan, but you have to understand that this life isn't what I pictured for us, for myself."

There was an expression of pain in her eyes as she said these words and I knew it wasn't easy for her either.

"Luisa..."

I paused, searching for the right words to say. Fighting back the heartache that was clawing it's way out of my throat proved to be a difficult.

"Luisa I will never be able to find someone like you but I'm thankful that we at least had a temporary forever in this world together. You deserve to be happy and it's okay for you to walk away from this... from us..." I paused again as I looked down at our hands interlocked. "From me."

My voice cracked. "When do I get my happily ever after?"

"I'm sorry." She mouthed almost in a whisper as a tear rolled down the side of her face.

"Me too." I sighed.

I hugged her gently for what felt like the last time and did my best to hold back my tears as I lay my head on her shoulder.

"I can feel my heart ripping itself out of its place, as if a parting gift for her to leave with."

And just like that.. she was gone.

~~

Luisa's POV

Charlotte waited for me in the lobby and pulled me into a warm embrace as soon as we were together.

I cried my heart out into her cashmere sweater. I wasn't embarrassed to be so vulnerable in front of her. She'd been one of my closest friends over the last couple of weeks.

She comforted me almost like a sister would and told me she'd be there if ever I needed anything.

"It is okay to have dreams and aspirations of your own. You should never feel bad for putting yourself first." She said.

"He knows how much you loved him and I'm sure he understands and respects your decision. This is Lando we're talking about."

Charlotte gave a small smile at her own words trying to reassure me but even I could tell she was sad about it too.

—

It's an hour drive from the hotel in downtown Budapest to the airport and then a 2.5 hour flight back to London.

He will always be my first love and I meant it when I said I'd always love him. Maybe when we're older, we'll be able to find our way back to each other.

—
A/N: Honestly it was nerve wrecking trying to decide how to start this story but I hope you liked it.