The Intern || A Lando Norris Fanfiction

24. Lando

"How are you so nervous taking a girl out, you're already practically dating anyway?" Max F laughs as we're discussing what I should wear tonight.

"I just don't want to mess it all up." I admit.

"Awh, look at that. Little Lando's really likes this girl." Max says.

"I think I do yeah. So now help me, should I go for the shirt or the sweater?"

"You're taking her out for dinner right? The shirt then." Max says confident. "She won't be able to keep her eyes off of you then."

I don't even think about Max' advice twice. I just put the white button up shirt on, wearing some black skinny jeans and white sneakers. I check my appearance in the mirror of my hotel room, before walking to Jona's room across the hall.

I knock twice, taking a little step back. I can Jona yell that it'll take her a moment. And when she opens, I realise why. She's still strapping her heels on. But she's struggling to tighten them.

"Let me do that." I say, kneeling down, strapping her heels.

"Thanks," Jona says, walking back into her room to grab a small purse.

"Ready to go?" I ask her, as she comes back to the door.

"Definitely," she says, a bright smile on her face.

Our hotel has different restaurants, and I decided to just go to one of those. Knowing very well that there are reporters out side, and I'm not ready for that just yet. Even though we're not planning on keeping this a secret, a first real date should at least be somewhat private.

***

The date went amazing, we talked about everything and nothing. Jona admitted she's already missing home a bit, especially her dad and best friend. But that she is enjoying every bit of travelling around with the team so far as well. I admit to her that I struggle with being away from family a lot as well, and make a mental note to myself to invite her dad to one of the races sooner than later.

While we're walking through the long hallway of the floor our rooms are on, I notice I'm just not ready to say goodbye yet. It's been so amazing, and I don't want this night to end. Tomorrow's a day off, it won't matter if I stay up a little late then.

"Do you want to come in?" I ask Jona as we're standing in front of my room. A smile appearing on her face.

"I'd like that."

We both walk into my room, taking a seat on the couch. Even though we've only been here for half a day, I already turned this room into a mess. "I'd offer you something else to drink, but my minibar only holds water." I tell Jona, handing her one of the bottles from my fridge.

"Don't worry. Water's fine." She tells me. "So what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Not that much, there's just not that much going on on Wednesdays. I'll have to work out, maybe go on the sim a bit, but other than that it's a pretty easy day." I tell her, as she listens.

"I was thinking maybe we could go to the gym together? I feel like not playing soccer is getting me out of shape more than I thought, so I need to get some movement in. But I don't want to go alone." Jona tells me, and to be honest that sounds amazing. I don't want to be without her tomorrow.

"That sounds great." I tell her, putting an arm around her, as we watch over Jeddah together.

***

I am woken up by knocking on my door. Both my arms wrapped around Jona, I try to wiggle my arm out from under her. She fell asleep on the couch in my room last night, I carried over to the bed, letting her sleep in my bed. Not wanting to wake her up to make her go to her room. And I love having her close to me.

I open the door to my room to reveal Daniel standing there. "Is she here?" He asks me.

"Who?"

"Jona. Who else?"

"Yes, she is."

"Well, let me get in then." Daniel says, already trying to get in my room.

"She's sleeping." I tell him, making him stop from entering my room.

"You've got to read it, it's already out." Daniel says, handing his phone to me. A picture from both me and Jona holding hands in the restaurant last night accompanying the article. Even a picture where I kiss her cheek is featured.

"Shit," I whisper. "It wasn't supposed to get out that fast." I tell Daniel, my mind already spinning. The pictures were definitely taking from the bar. So it must be some one from the staff that leaked it.

I give the phone to Daniel. "Thanks for telling me, Daniel." I tell him saying goodbye as I close the door.

"Jona, wake up." I whisper as I lightly shake Jona.

"What's wrong." She says sleepily.

"It's out, someone of the hotel staff took pictures." I tell her, but she still looks at me sleepily.

"I'm sorry." She says. "I know how much you wanted to tell the fans in person."

"It's okay. But we do have to meet with Charlotte today on how we'd like to handle this. With media day tomorrow." I tell her, Jona just nodding in response.

"Lando?" Jona asks as I sit down on the side of the bed.

"Yes?"

"What are we?" She asks, making me realise we haven't put a label on it yet. And with all these rumours we might need that.

"What do you want us to be?" I ask her, making sure she's ready as well. Because I'd be very proud to actually call her my girlfriend.

"I'd like us to be together." Jona admits, a slight blush on her cheek.

"I'd like that too." I tell her. "Jona, would you be my girlfriend?"

"I would love nothing more." She tells me, placing her lips on mine briefly.

After properly waking up, Jona leaves to get ready for the day in her own room. In the meantime I set up another meeting with Charlotte. That woman must be going crazy just because of me.

***

Turns out Charlotte already had a really fitting solution for the semi-problem we'd encountered.

So here I am sitting in my hotelroom, setting up the streaming equipment. That's right, we're gonna be doing a livestream to announce Jona as my girlfriend. It feels awkward, but we want to own the gossip. And the only way to do that, is to admit it, so people can stop writing about it too much.

"Hi everyone," I say awkwardly starting the stream. People were already going wild when I announced a stream for this afternoon. But the chat is going even more wild than I expected.

Turns out, most of the fans like Jona as much as I do. We've just answered a bunch of questions, laughing a lot. Even doing some challenges the fans suggested.

It honestly couldn't have gone better.