Rise Up

Chapter 47: Fighting the Lions

Without even thinking, my fingers pressed the socials' icon and I got overwhelmed by comments, tags and likes from hundred and hundred of accounts. Fan-pages reposting our photos and new ones with sweet captions, gossip magazines publishing fresh articles on the new "it-couple of the F1 world", a sea of comments consisted in opinions, congratulations and heated up words, mostly against me.

In just a minute of scrolling down the many notifications, I noticed how interested people were in all of this. After months of speculations, spots and gossips they got finally what they wanted to know, as if the whole planet was depending on it. So this means that we'll be able to finally enjoy it freely, no?

Of course no. People weren't satisfied with it. They wanted to know every little detail of the story and obviously everyone was ready to express their doubts and dislikes about it, not pondering neither a second on which words they were using to do it. We live in a world where fortunately everyone is free to express their opinions about everything, but people should know that there are limits.

"That explains her seat in Formula 1."

"Lando deserves better."

"She of course needed a good media story to come back after the huge mess she did in F2."

"Horner and Brown really matched them well."

Without even noticing it, my eyes started to tear up. The phone was stuck between both my hands while the fingers were brushing again the display to have it more.

As soon as Lando spotted a tear going down my cheek, he broke the hug and gently grabbed my face in his big hands.

"Hey, hey, hey. Love, whatever you've seen, just turn it off."

A sob escape my lips, echoing in the silent room, making me realize how stupid I was in that moment.

"Oh my goodness. Lan, I'm sorry. I didn't want to- oh, fuck. I'm so sorry, really. It's just that I didn't expect all of this. I was ready for the storm that was coming and I knew what would have been. It has just caught me by surprise."

His worried eyes, scanned mine, as if he was trying to understand if I was really alright after this eventful good morning.

"I'm more than ok, believe me. I don't care what people say. I want you, I don't matter about the rest. And if this means that I have to deal with tons of hate or bad comments, then I'll do it." I leaned more in his hands still cupping by cheeks.

"You don't have to deal all of this alone. We're in this together, ok? I'm pretty sure that this kind of reactions are also on my socials as well. The secret to deal with it is not giving a damn fuck, got it? I want you too, I don't care what people, I don't even know, think. But please, Kiara, if it'll ever became too much for you, just tell me, ok? Promise me again that the media reaction won't touch us neither with a finger."

"I've already promised you this, Lan." My hands closed around the back of his neck, pulling his head closer to mine so our foreheads were touching.

"I love you, Norris."

"I love you more, Bianchi."

We shared another long breathtaking kiss, this time ignoring the thousands notifications that were bombarding my phone.

"I think I should turn off all the notifications from Instagram." I murmured against his lips while recovering my breathe.

"I think we really should." He said chuckling and caressing again my jaw with his index. "Are you still up for a quick shower together?" He whispered in my ear with his usual low voice that always manage to fuck up my mind even more.