Crash and burn

Chapter 30

Everyone was well and truly tipsy. I needed to be to deplete the anger I felt towards George just being here. But I didn't want to rock the boat with everyone else so I played nice.

Daniel and I moved to the backyard with max to try teach him how to kick the afl ball which was hilarious, he would get so mad with himself when the ball went flying off to the right. I had tears in my eyes when we walked back inside.
CL: "what's with the crying?"
PG: "is max being a dick again?"
DL: "nah we are learning how shit he is at ball sports." Everyone laughed at the sour look on his face.

I looked around counting off everyone's faces, the only two missing were George and Lando which made me nervous. Charles caught me looking around and came up to me to talk.
CL: "come here." He ushered me around the corner in to the hallway.
YN: "where are they?!"
CL: "calm down alright, I checked on them 2 minutes ago when they left, they are out the front."
I looked at him confused.
CL: "they used to be really close. They want to resolve things." I shook my head.
YN: "I don't want to tell him who he can and can't be friends with but George?!"
CL: "he is going through a tough time, he was on the top in F2 and now has to sit at the bottom of the grid every week with that Williams car."
YN: "he will move to Mercedes next year when bottas retires, he needs to grow up."
CL: "no he won't."
YN: "what?" That made no sense to me.
CL: "you didn't know?"
I was getting more confused as this conversation went on.
CL: "George talked to them about it when bottas announced the retirement and they didn't offer a contract but then apparently went and offered one to another driver."
Shit. That would've fucking hurt.
YN: "who did they ask?"
CL: "not sure...I just know that they declined."
I raised my eyebrows.
YN: "decline Mercedes?"
They were a championship winning car. I couldnt even imagine why someone would do that.

As Charles walked back to the group I lingered by the window, spying on the two boys. Lando was clearly drunk, something that doesn't happen very often. He was stumbling around throwing his hands around ranting as George sat on the fence silent, sipping his drink. I grew increasingly worried.

I heard bits and pieces of what lando was saying, 'yn....Mercedes.....career....help...." I frowned. I didn't know if this was the right time to tell George he needs help. I watched then lando stutter on his next words shyly, that was when it all exploded. George got up and tried to swing a punch but landed on the floor.
YN: "shit. Charles!" I ran out the front followed by the rest of the boys. Lando was stumbling away from George muttering curse words.
LN: "I shouldn't...I said something wrong...George just-"
YN: "it's alright, he's okay, everyone's okay, let's go inside." I pulled him inside as the others moved George up on to the fence again. Pierre walked out with water as George began to vomit. This was a massive shit show.

Carlos came over to help carry lando up the stairs.
LN: "hey buddy, miss you!" He started laughing. Carlos looked over to me worried. We dropped him off on his bed.
C: "can I trust you to get him changed and to sleep."
I nodded whispering my thanks as he walked away.

I began to take of his shoes.
YN: "what did you say to make him take a punch?"
He grunted pulling a blanket over him and closing his eyes. I sighed.
YN: "fine...I'll talk about it tommorow." I kissed his forehead and turned of the lights letting him sleep.
I walked downstairs to see Pierre and Charles cleaning everything up. Meanwhile Daniel and max were pulling George out of the toilet.
GR: "oi fuck you and your stupid fucking boyfriend." He slurred it as he was dragged out. It took everything in me to bite my tongue. I gave him the finger as he walked away, provoking a chuckle out of pierre.
YN: "Jesus fucking Christ, what a mess." I walked over to the sink to help the two clean.
CL: "what was that all about?"
YN: "I don't know man... I tried to talk to lando but he fell asleep as soon as he laid down. Both of them had way too much to drink."
PG: "no kidding."
CL: "do you reckon it had to do with George outing you guys?"
YN: "how would that tussle George though?"
PG: "stupid things are said when under the influence." I nodded. My best guess was that he insulted him, if the Mercedes thing was still sensitive it would only take a small comment about his driving to tip him over the edge.
CL: "we are gonna head off, tell us what he says when he is sober yeah?" I nodded, offering my best smile as they walked out.

Exhausted I retreated to bed. Lando looked peaceful asleep, I lied down with my head facing his, even when there was a shit ton of drama at least I had him. He was always there for me and me for him.
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I woke up to an empty bed, I was worried he felt embarrassed or angry still from last night. I tip toed around half expecting to find him in the toilet spewing his guts up.
YN: "lando..." I cooed out to try find him.
LN: "kitchen!"
I found him making tea on the island bench. Hair poking up, bags under his eyes, a touch pale, hungover.
YN: "how are we feeling?"
LN: "shhh it's loud in here." I rolled my eyes.
YN: "alcohol is not kind is it."
LN: "no it is not."
I sat down, cupping the tea he had prepared, warming me up.
YN: "so can we talk about it?"
He sat down, using his elbows to prop himself up on the bench.
LN: "George?"
YN: "what else?"
He nodded, processing what to say. I watched his eyes flicker, analyzing his face, noting any tells.
LN: "I wanted to talk out all our problems, try to be mates again... but it escalated."
YN: "how so?"
He was silent.
YN: "if this is about his problems with Mercedes and all that Charles told me."
He scoffed.
LN: "of course he did."
YN: "it's not that big of a deal!"
LN: "that's rich yn your upset with getting P7, imagine not getting off the back row." I looked at him pointedly. How did this turn on to me.
YN: "your avoiding the topic. What did you say to make him so mad."
LN: "I made a stupid comment about his driving okay!"
I shook my head.
YN: "no you wouldn't, your not callous what did you say."
LN: "seriously yn drop it."
YN: "no. No more secrets and lies, the fact that Charles had to tell me about George was bad enough."
LN: "I'm not allowed to say!"
YN: "what do you mean?"
He banged his fist against the table. I wasn't budging, I raised my eyebrows waiting for his response.
LN: "fine....He made a crude comment about us as a couple, he kept pushing and pushing after I tried so hard to help him. So I told him he was not as good as a driver as he thought he was and that's why..."
YN: "why what?"
LN: "I told him who got offered the Mercedes contract."
My jaw dropped. How on earth would he know? Unless....
YN: "you were-"
LN: "no not me, but I know who and can't say."
I squinted, unsure if I believed him.
LN: "trust me, if I got that offer I would have told you."
I took a deep breath. I liked to think we were in that part of the relationship where we didn't lie to each other's face. Especially with such a serious topic.
YN: "I trust you." I did, and I really really hope that he didn't take advantage of that.