Long Story Short

fearless

"Ok, but are these too casual and is this dress too fancy?" I held up and dress and some sandals to my phone camera to show Sophia and Millie.

"You're overthinking this Bea," Sophia said, "it's only a date."

"Yeah a date with an F1 driver who just got a podium," Millie replied.

They were both sat in Millie's apartment squeezed in front for her phone begging for information about Lando and the race.

"Yeah, that was amazing. He did his champagne pop thing as well," I smiled as the memories were still fresh in my mind.

"I'm so jealous of you it's actually concerning," Sophia said.

"You didn't know who he was before this," Millie laughed.

"But I do know and will forever bet bitter that I haven't know about him for longer."

I interrupted their conversation. "Guys, we still haven't figured out what I'm wearing."

They turned back to me and Sophia got closer to the screen so she could see, because she refused to wear her glasses. "That outfit is pretty and you need to calm down."

"You're being too loud," Millie and I said in unison as Sophia rolled her eyes. "It's giving 'I wear nice clothes and look pretty but it's so effortless for me'"

"Thanks Mills," I laughed, "now jewellery."

"Your mum's necklace," Sophia nodded.

"Good shout," I got up and walked to my suitcase to find the necklace. It was silver with a little teardrop pearl hanging off the chain. I took it everywhere with me. "I wonder what she would've thought of Lando."

"She would've loved him," Millie nodded, "everyone loves Lando."

"Your dad would've definitely," Sophia added. "Wasn't he into cars?"

"I think so, my grandma has pictures of him at tracks and stuff. My big cousin Ben did karting and my dad went to watch him a lot."

A notification popped up at the top of my phone and my eyes widened, I scrambled across the room to find my lipgloss. "He's here already. He's early."

"That means he's excited for the date," Millie said.

"This is my first date in forever and he's outside waiting," I sped round my hotel room putting on the sandals and grabbing my jacket.

Millie waved at me through my phone screen. "Have a great time."

"I will, I hope," I replied, nerves creeping in like a predator.

"Yeah enjoy it," Sophia smiled. "And no sex on the first date."

I gasped and Millie hit her playfully on the arm. "Sophia Larkin, I would never."

"Sure," she said sarcastically.

"Hanging up now," I replied before pressing the button. They both managed to shout love you before it cut off and I was alone in the hotel corridor.

I walked to the lift trying to think of everything that could possibly go wrong tonight. I came to the conclusion that, the very worst would be him kidnapping me and murdering me. But then I decided that it would probably have emerged by now if Lando was a serial killer of some sort so I was probably safe in that department.

My sandals tapped the stone floor of the lobby as I walked from the lift to the glass doors of the hotel. I could see a car waiting outside but the sun was so bright I could only see the silhouette of a man leaning on it. I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself.

As my eyes adjusted to the harshness of the Italian sun, I saw Lando. He was wearing a navy button down shirt, with the top few left undone and white sunglasses covering his eyes like an American movie star from the 50s. I nearly melted onto the floor and thanked the universe for finally giving me something good to begin to counteract the bad.

I remembered where I was and began to walk towards him. It took a few seconds for him to look up from his phone, but when he did he paused and stared at me. I could feel myself turning bright pink and cursed my pale skin for being so transparent, when he grinned at me.

"Hi," I said, unsure of what to do next.

"Hey," he replied. He stood up and opened the car door for me, which had me internally screaming.

He sat down in the drivers seat and smiled again. His whole face lit up when he did, it was a perfect genuine smiled, reflected in his eyes.

"So where are we going?" I asked, finally managing to get out words.

"Have you ever been to Lake Como?"