Mutual Friends | Lando Norris

Chapter 42 - Race Strategy

Lando's POV

"Maybe this isn't the best time?" I hear Max's voice cautiously behind me as I walk out of our suite toward the one across. "I mean maybe she needs some space or something? You know how some women can be."

The weight in my chest seems unbearable as I stop in front of her best friend's suite. Olivia spent the night with Zoey just as she said she would, a clear silent sign that she needed space to heal the fresh wounds between us.

This is going to be a make or break moment. I've given her time to cool off but I can't let this drag on any longer, especially not today of all days.

"No. I don't buy it," I respond, my voice filled with frustration and confusion.

I've replayed last night a million different ways and dissected it from every angle. I understand a big chunk of the reasons that ultimately led to our heated argument, but there are still missing pieces that refuse to fit the puzzle. Something isn't adding up.

"I know Liv," I continue, my voice filled with concern. "Something is off with her. It's like there's something else pushing us apart innit? And I can't for the life of me understand why." The weight of my anxiety settles on my shoulder, making it hard to shake off the nagging feeling that there's more to this than meets the eye.

"Yeah but still," he says attempting to stop me from taking any drastic actions. "Are you sure you've really thought this through? Confronting her so soon might not work in your favour mate."

Max places a gentle palm on my shoulder. It's pretty clear that he thinks my emotions are still running high after last night and maybe he's partially right. "Take a moment Lando. We want to mend things, not make them worse."

"I'm not going to make it worse," I say sounding frustrated. "And this changes nothing about today, we go ahead as planned."

Ignoring Max's disapproving look, I raise my hand and reluctantly knock on Zoey's suite door. The sound echoes through the hallway as my mate lets out a heavy sigh. Seconds tick by, each one feeling like an eternity mocking my own impatience.

The suspense is suffocating, and I can no longer wait in agonising anticipation. With a hint of frustration I knock again, this time with more force.

"Geez mate. At least give her a chance to put her slippers on," says Max leaning against the beige painted wall beside me.

The door opens swiftly and it's Olivia who's standing before us. Her face is a canvas of natural beauty, clean with little to no makeup. Her hair, straightened today instead of her usual curls or braids, flows down her shoulders adding a touch of freshness to her appearance. There's a certain glistening glow about her that comes from within.

I can't help but be caught off guard by her appearance, even with the noticeable bags under her tired shadowy eyes. I struggle to find the right words to say as I had expected Zoey to be the one to open the door first.

"Who is it?" Zoey's voice calls out with curiosity from somewhere in the room. And then, almost as if a breath of fresh air entered the space, her eyes fall on me. "Oh, Lando. Hi," she says with a hint of surprise mixed with a touch of warmth.

Relief washes over me as I take in the sight of Zoey standing beside Olivia. It's a small assurance that maybe things can still l go as planned. The tension in the air feels like it's slowly starting to fade away.

"Hi Zee."

"What are you doing here?" Olivia sounds annoyed but seems to have calmed down a bit as she doesn't sound as cold or stand offish as she did last night. The soft tone in her voice suggests she's cooled down a bit.