I remember

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Sunday 1st December 2019

Sienna POV

'Hey Zac, have you seen Lando?'

He points up to the podium 'he said something about having a moment'

I should have known that's where he was. It's where I'd found him at the end of last season too.

'Hey babe, whatcha thinking?' I said sitting down next to him.

'I'm thinking about what a crazy year it's been. New teammate, who is awesome. Can't wait to see what we do together next year. Hopefully, I'll get my first podium. McLaren finished 4th so couldn't be happier with that, but, I'm aiming for a top 10 finish for myself next year, fingers crossed that I don't get as many retirements. Lewis and Mercedes won again' he rolls his eyes. 'We lost both Niki and Anthoine' he pauses, sadness reflecting in his eyes. 'You made up with Gasly...' he bumps my shoulder with his own.

'I did not make up with him. It's just after Anthoine.... I know how close they were and how devastated he must have been in that moment and then he apologised, said Anthoine had ripped into him about how he treated me and it was time he started being the man Anthoine would have wanted him to be. That he owed it to his memory to be better. And he'd already lost his seat to Alex. I felt sorry for him, rather than angry at him' I shrug. 'We'll never be friends, but I don't need to avoid him anymore'

I rest my head on his shoulder and look out over the race track. 'We celebrated our year anniversary'

'That's right, we did!' he laughs. 'How could I forget about that? Do you regret it at all?'

I look him in the eyes, 'Not for one moment. How about you? Is being with me everything you imagined it would be?

'Nope. It's so much more' he closes the gap between us and his lips touch mine.

Sunday 13th December 2020

Lando POV

I'm sat in my usual spot at the end of another season, reflecting on another year gone by. To say this year has been crazy is an understatement.

'Thought I might find you up here. What is it about this spot?' Sienna sits beside me as she always does.

'I don't know. I just... find it fascinating, I guess. You can see all the garages from here, everyone running around packing up, a hive of activity. And yet, there's a kind of peacefulness up here, you know? I like just having some time to think over the year and this year has been especially mad!'

'You're not wrong there babe. One word, Covid!'

I sigh. 'Arriving in Melbourne to only have the race cancelled was a shit show. All those fans were so disappointed. I mean I get why it was cancelled, but, still. It was quite scary too, not really knowing what was going to happen'

'Then we move in together to stop us having to be apart for god knows how long and I had to finish my university degree online whilst having to listen to you on the sim everyday'

'I'm so proud of you, S, I know it wasn't easy finishing your degree like that and I know how dissapointed you were not being able to graduate properly'

'Yeah, that sucked' she shrugs 'but what can you do? The new car my dad gave me made up for it though, that thing is a beast!'

'I was so happy when we started racing again, even if it was without any fans. I was starting to get twitchy.'

'Haha tell me about it, you do not do well when you're not able to race. At least you had the guys to talk to and play games with. And thankfully the weather was good so we were able to spend a lot of time outside.' She snorts 'you in that pool, which was far too small, even for you!'