I hate you, I love you - A Lando Norris story

14

She wasn't kidding when she said it was a five minute walk. Before I know it I'm stood in front of her apartment. "See? I'm home, you can go now."

"Don't I get a thank you?" I tease.

She shoots me daggers and walks off into her building. I deserved that.

I head home and can't help but think about the night I've just had, I don't know what it is but I enjoyed her company, even if she did insult me at every chance she could get.

I don't know if it was the wine giving me courage or my own ego but I pick up my phone and text her.

Norris
See, wasn't that bad was it?
We'll have to do it again sometime

Karev
In your dreams

A few days go by and I'm woken up to my phone ringing.

"What's up Karev, you changed your mind?" I joke, my voice groggy.

"I need your help with something." She stammers, clearly panicked.

"I'm not burying a body for you." I chuckle, sitting up in bed.

"Lando, I'm serious. I need help." She pleads, her voice sounds desperate.

Alarm bells start going off in my head, "Are you okay? What is it?"

"I may have accidentally broken a table at my air BnB. I've tried fixing it but I'm useless at stuff like that. Can you help? Please?" She begs, stumbling over her words.

I start laughing, "Depends, what do I get out of it?"

"it's not funny." She scolds before taking a deep breath. "I'll be nice to you for a full race weekend. Please I'm desperate, I wouldn't have called you otherwise."

"Give me an hour I'll be there." I chuckle, and she hangs up. Not even a thank you. I feel like she's doing it on purpose to prove a point.

I have a quick shower and make my way over, I ring the door bell, toolbox in hand.

"Thank god. It's in here." She grabs my arm and guides me to the living room.

"Hello to you too!" I tease. She wasn't kidding, the coffee table is in pieces, all four legs broken off. "How..?"

"I fell okay? I wasn't looking where I was going and I fell and the table collapsed." She snaps, but her face begins to turn a light shade of pink. She's embarrassed, "Can you fix it?"

I try to stifle my laughter, "Looks like it. How hard did you fall for all the legs to fall off?!"

"I blame shoddy craftsmanship." She mutters, taking a seat on the sofa.

I get to work and about ten minutes later the table is as good as new, all four legs sturdily reattached.

"Thank you. You can let yourself out now." She mutters, checking over the table.

I look at her and scoff. "So that's it? I fix your fuck up and you order me out?"

Our eyes meet from across the room. "I said I needed your help, not that I wanted to go on a date."

"Fine." I snap, collecting the tools and putting them away. "You know I have been nothing but nice to you for these past few weeks."

She looks at me stone faced. "Well yeah... that was sort of the deal..."

"Liliana shut up just let me talk. You had your say in Japan. Let me say mine!" I raise my voice, in hindsight it was a bit of an overreaction on my part.

Liliana backs up against the wall in shock, just staring at me blankly.

"You know what? I came to the realisation the other night I actually enjoyed your company and that you weren't as bad as I thought you were. And that maybe we could actually be friends and get along. But it's clear you don't want the same thing." I don't even realise that I'm moving closer to her, my mind is just filled with so many emotions right now that I can't think straight.

"And you what's really pathetic? You could call me at 3 in the fucking morning and I'd still come running, even though you treat me like shit. And yes. I know. I treated you like shit too. But I've apologised for it and I am trying so hard to be better." I pause for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts.

"But you, you just carry on with your sarcasm and your condescending looks. And I get it, I do. If you don't like me that's fine. But don't expect me to bend over backwards for you when you certainly wouldn't do that for me!" I come to my senses and realise I'm stood that close I can feel her breath my face.

It's fast, laboured. she's staring at me, not saying a word. Probably not knowing what to say.

We just stand there in silence, and I don't know if it was the adrenaline coursing through my veins or that subtle glisten in her eyes but I grab her waist and I kiss her.