leilani | mick schumacher [ON HOLD]

.10

[1227 words]

'schumacher, are you flirting with me?'

'and if i am, leclerc?'

the conversation still lingered in her head as she walked from the train station to where she worked. some days felt more worthy of a speedy train ride instead of the bus, and today was one of those days. the phone nestled between her neck and shoulder as she dug out some change to give to the old man on the side of the station.

'thank you miss.' the man heartily replied, and her mother's voice over the phone was quick to ask who it was.

she rolled her eyes as she reassured her mother that it was a nice guy at the train station.

leilani leclerc was in a good mood since that weekend in silverstone 2 weeks ago. she had replayed all the moments, daydreaming about it all. seeing her mother and brothers, visiting the all familiar yet distant race tracks had unlocked memories of her late father, but this time she didn't cry remembering him. it felt like he was with her, watching from home. a reassuring presence.

she especially remembered that damned mick schumacher and his startlingly blue eyes. his swiss accented french stuck like a broken record in her head.

she shook her head, as if relieving herself of thoughts about the german. she wished he was more forgettable. she couldn't afford to be so attached to someone she only met a few times over the tight course of a weekend. let alone daydreaming about him for weeks to come.

she shouldn't have already imagined the way his hand would feel clasped in hers, or brushing her fingers through his blond hair, or other things.

gosh her delusion was so strong. she really shouldn't get so far ahead of herself.

'and what about that lovely friend of yours, arthur's been talking my head off about her?'

she walked on, even smiling at the little old lady who always sat on the park bench she crossed, waiting for someone to arrive. the woman, delighted, returned the sentiment and watched as leilani walked further into the business district.

'ingrid is well. and i told arthur that she is seeing someone. they're even going on holiday to see her extended family in india.' ingrid mendes was indian of portuguese descent, and had the lovely ability to speak three languages with ease.

her mother laughed, and leilani smiled hearing the sound of it. 'i'm going to have to break the news to him when he comes back. the poor boy was praying they'd break up. also that reminds me, have you met anyone yet?' pascale leclerc was going to pester her daughter about her love life and leilani hated that her mind wandered to mick.

'maman!'

'sorry sorry, just wanted to ask. besides, does that mean you're coming home too, for the summer?'

leilani didn't see a reason to say no. monaco was her home. also she was glad the subject changed so quickly.

'i think i will.' her mother ventured off, asking if she had made it to her workplace after a few moments of chatter.

'yes maman, everything is fine. i have reached the building safely.' she made a point of stressing the word safely. her mother's newfound involvement in her daughters life meant that leilani's phone in the morning was never free.

she worked her way up into some financial tech company she had applied to years ago as an intern while she studied. sighing as she entered the lift of the building to the floor she needed to get to, she reminded herself that she worked hard for this. she had up and moved far from home, on bad terms, and made a life here in london. all on her own. and with some help from ingrid, of course, but the courage was to her credit. it was her little ritual, so she felt better about everything.

she bid her mother goodbye and suddenly wondered how she went almost 6 years without these kind of conversations.

she looked down at her outfit, and bit her lip in uncertainty. her clothes that were bolder than her usual style could be accredited to this good mood, but that didn't mean that the self conscious thoughts didn't plant its nest in her mind. her legs were less covered up than usual, with the midi skirt. the other girls in the office weren't wildly dissimilar to her, but were a lot thinner.

before she could spiral into more of these thoughts, the lift door opened.

'you look good, leilani!' merna, the administrator, called out as she saw leilani. she instantly knew she had nothing to worry about.

—

she really shouldn't be looking at her phone, eyeing the instagram notification, even if she was on her lunch break. she didn't like going on social media during work hours. besides, her colleagues were nosy people who found it difficult that leilani didn't reveal much about her personal life. and she believed that opening her social media account around them would a breach of privacy.

but alas, she went against her own rules. she didn't she didn't have many followers, and her account was private. she didn't know why anyone would have taken the trouble to find her account and dm her. it was in the unknown section.

'hi leilani, it's mick.' she immediately sat up in her chair, arising suspicion from karina who sat in the cubicle opposite hers. she calmed down to dispel her attention.

'i hope you don't mind but i asked pascale for your instagram.' she read further. now, her mothers question made sense. she must have given it to him in some elaborate scheme to set her up with the german driver. she didn't know if she was glad that he wanted to talk to her or mortified that her mother had made her look like a total loser.

'i wanted to ask if we could meet up, i am in london for a bit.' her mind was celebrating because her delusion had won and made itself into a reality, but then again he only asked to catch up. nothing grand itself.

'let me know if you're up for it :) '

she closed the app, and started working again. her mind was too hyperactive to give a decent reply as of now. although she already knew what she was going to say. it was a motto she had taught herself ever since 6 years ago, that she would grab every opportunity. sometimes it had good consequences, sometimes it had bad consequences.

but there was no way in hell she was going to pass up the chance to see the man that occupied her thoughts far too frequently in person again.

——

it's a short chapter, im so sorry. i have been realllyyyyyy busy that past 2 weeks. i took 6 different flights (YES 6!) in the span on 1 week and it knocked my brain and internal timesones too much. also i don't have reliable wifi so it took time updating this book.

thank you sooo much for reading, and please comment so i can finish this book before i get married lol.

love you all,

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