Here With Me - A Formula 1 Story

Daylight

Lando doesn't ask any questions, doesn't even say a word as he drives us to his apartment. Neither do I. I don't say a word even as we walk into his apartment or when he silently hands me a oversized sweatshirt. Not even as he hands me the remote controller for Mario cart. We play for the next hour without saying a word. I'm thankful for Lando in this moment, for not pushing me to talk or talking nonsense when I pretend to listen. 

I haven't cried any tears since in front of Charles but something triggers me after our last game and the waterworks start and I can't stop sobbing. Lando immediately sets his controller down and wraps me in his arms, whispering how everything is going to be alright over and over again. Eventually I calm down and now tears are just flowing silently and not as aggressively. I pull away from him and wipe my face. 

"I'm sorry, this is not the night you signed up for." I tell him sadly and he immediately pulls me back into his arms and squeezes me tightly. 

"Stop saying ridiculous things Lydia. Do you want to talk about it?" He asks and I debate on if I should tell him. I end up spilling it all to him, needing someone to know what happened. By the end of telling him everything he's angry and ready to go to battle for me. It makes me smile sadly.

"I don't understand what his deal is with Charlotte. When they were together they were so unhappy, I will never understand how they just circle one another over and over again." He rants and I sit silently, numb to it all. 

"Like why ruin something so great that he has with you, something that obviously makes him happy and be pining for something that made him so miserable, it makes no sense." He continues and I wish he would stop.  

"She's his ideal woman. Beautiful, thin, monegasque, elegant, young, someone his mother approves of, basically perfectly sculpted for him." I say sadly. 

"Don't be ridiculous." Lando responds with a roll of his eyes just as his phone rings. He picks it up and glances it at the screen before showing it to me. Charles is calling. Probably wondering where I am and why my phone is off. The first thing I did when we pulled away from Pascale's house was turn my phone off. 

"Ignore him." I say but Lando does the opposite and answers it and puts it on speaker so I can hear.

"Is she still with you?" Charles says in greeting, sounding stressed out. I don't say a word as Lando replies. 

"Yes, she's here."

"Can you tell her that I'm sorry and that I wish she would come home so we can talk." He says and Lando looks at me then, raising his eyebrows. 

"I'll be at your apartment in a few minutes." I respond, knowing that he'll probably keep calling until I'm walking into his apartment.

"Mon soleil, I'm so relieved. I'll be waiting." He breathes out a deep breath and I try not to read into it. When Lando hangs up the phone he stares at me like I'm an idiot and shakes his head like he's annoyed with my choice to leave here. 

"Lan, don't be angry with me. I need to talk to him, I love him..." I confess out loud for the first time. Lando just keeps staring at me like I'm making a dumb decision. He's too young to understand that when you love someone you try to make things work no matter what happens. Life is too short and time is too precious. He pulls me into a hug when I stand from the floor and find my bag where I left it in his kitchen. 

"He doesn't deserve you and I don't think you should leave but I understand why you think you need to. Let me drive you." He tells me as we walk to the front door.

"No. I'll walk, I don't want to risk getting photographed with you this late." I tell him and he frowns and furrows his brow but finally nods. I give him another quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before I walk out of his apartment.