"You're finally here." Lando said excitedly gesturing for the two Williams drivers to come in. He'd organised an evening at his where they could all do a combination of eat pizza, watch films and play video games. Emilia was in as soon as food was mentioned.
"Hey, guys!" Alex greeted as George and Emilia entered the living room. There were beanbags, blankets and cute lights everywhere showing that Lando had put a lot of effort into making the space comfortable for his friends. Emilia sunk into one of the beanbags.
"Someone wasn't ready when I got to their house." George revealed. She lived relatively close to George which was unintentional but very convenient because it meant one of them could drink while the other drove home. Even if they weren't drinking and instead working, it saved effort and her teammate wasn't exactly bad company in the car.
"You had to wait five minutes; you don't need to be so overdramatic." Emilia pointed out. She had tried to be on time and she didn't exactly need to do anything other than get dressed and put light makeup on.
"What were you even doing to be late?" Alex laughed. Lando was smirking quietly leaning up against the door having not sat down.
"I was helping my Grandad plant some flowers because he's couldn't do it and we ran over a bit but I didn't want to tell him I had to be here with you guys so I made a pretty good recovery to only be five minutes late." Emilia explained.
"Fred, what a lad." George commented. Emilia was glad he got on with her relative. He loved Formula 1 and it was amazing that he got to know some of the drivers.
"That's so sweet of you to help him Em." Alex smiled.
"Thanks." Emilia smiled back.
"Does anyone know what pizza they want?" Lando asked changing the subject and the tone of the conversation.
"We were just having a nice little sentimental moment and you just had to bring pizza into it." George sighed.
"I'm sorry guys, I'm hungry." Lando laughed clearly not sorry at all.
"Just whilst we're here, who does the best disappointed face." George sat up wanting to make a competition out of it.
"You're ahead of us on points can you not be satisfied with that?" Emilia grumbled.
"Yeah that is true." Alex agreed.
"You guys just know you're going to lose anyway." George relaxed back into the beanbag knowing he had wound them up.
"Right, no we're doing this then." Emilia decided and sat up. Alex sighed and joined her.
"You guys are like literal three year olds." Lando shook his head. He was smiling and couldn't take it seriously.
"Says the person who is the height of a literal three year old." Emilia responded.
"You're shorter than Lando." Alex pointed out. Emilia stood up and pulled Lando with her. Seeing as the other two were considerably taller, they could judge from above. Emilia and Lando were very similar heights so the pair couldn't tell leaving George and Alex to come to a decision. "Lando's taller." Alex quickly said.
"I refuse to believe that." Emilia replied. She was not losing this battle. Neither of them were wearing shoes so that didn't give either of them and advantage.
"I'm sorry but it's true." George grinned. Emilia huffed and sat down. "We never actually got to see who can do the best disappointed face."
"Em wins." Lando concluded. George stood up in an outroar and tackled Lando playfully pushing him off the beanbag. Lando didn't even get a chance to explain his verdict. Emilia and Alex watched laughing as the other two tussled. George eventually got off him and let him explain. "If you'd let me justify my decision maybe you would understand." Lando threw George a dirty look. "I only picked Em because she did a brilliant one when I was throwing up in her toilet after Alex's birthday party and after I said something I really shouldn't have."
"Wait why did I not here about this?" Alex commanded. He looked wildly confused as he adjusted his beanbag. Lando shrugged obviously not wanting to elaborate on the story. Emilia decided she would.
"Lando was drunk, falling over so I took him back to my room where he threw up in my toilet and George decided it was a great time to not answer his phone."
"I was talking to Carmen." George defended. His words dropping off and becoming quieter as the sentence went on – still a touchy subject it seemed.
"Anyway, he finally answered and took Lando back to his room because Lando couldn't get back himself or tell me where his room was."
"I just picked you over George and Alex and then you go and do that." Lando replied. She had deliberately left out the comment of he made so it could have been worse. Emilia raised her eyebrows at him when he made eye contact to remind him that she could have revealed all of it and Lando nodded knowing what she was implying she'd missed out.
"Wait, so what did Lando say that he shouldn't have?" Alex questioned picking up on a detail that Lando was keen not to explain.
"Nothing." Lando mumbled. Emilia stared down at the floor not wanting to snitch on Lando.
"It can't be that bad." George pressed. "Emilia, I know you know. You don't get the window seat on the plane next week unless you tell me." Emilia really wanted that window seat. She hated flying and having the window seat made the journey slightly less horrific.
"Just tell them." Lando quietly said.
"Fine. I can't remember exactly what it was but it was something along the lines of if we went back to my bedroom I wouldn't be walking straight the next day." Emilia tried to say it as inaudible as possible but they still heard every word.
"Why wouldn't you be able to walk straight?" Alex looked lost but George definitely got it. "Oh, oh. Yep I've got it now. Ew."
"I was blackout drunk; I didn't mean it." Lando clarified. Emilia knew he never meant it in the first place so the explanation was probably more for the other boys. George said nothing and Alex still pulled a gross face. "Anyway, what pizza are we getting?"
"I'm happy with anything." Emilia said shrugging. The boys chose and ordered an excessive amount of wedges and doughballs as well. They definitely would need to work out after all of this.
"So, while we wait. How are you getting on with your new teammate Lando?" Alex questioned.
"Daniel's a good guy. It's still a bit awkward but I definitely like him. Obviously not as good as Carlos though." Lando smirked as he mentioned his best friend. Bromances were rare in Formula 1 often due to the tension but most drivers managed to keep what happened on the track and off the track separate. As soon as the visor goes down, they're not your best friend anymore. "How are you finding your new teammate Alex?"
"Mick's a great guy. Can't fault him, especially as I keep beating him." Alex smiled. Mick was still subject Emilia wanted to avoid but she took up on the opportunity to tease George.
"Imagine getting beaten by a rookie." Emilia teased insulting her teammate next to her.
"I was actually going to say some nice things but no, not anymore." George said. "Plus, it was only once. And I beat you last week so that means I am currently winning." George boasted.
"Yeah only because I crashed." Emilia argued. Had she not, the race may have turned out different. She still wasn't over the fact that she had ruined the chance for a podium but Spain provided another opportunity for her to redeem herself.
"That was a pretty nasty crash." Alex voiced. They all nodded. Emilia didn't want to think about it too much even though she had been the one to bring it up. The four of them discussed the race cautiously avoiding talking too much about Emilia's unfortunate accident that had ended her race prematurely.
Pizza came and was demolished quickly and Emilia offered to help Lando clear up the mess. They had ordered an obscene amount of food though most of it was devoured and there was only a bit of leftovers surprisingly. Emilia picked up the boxes while Lando carried the plates and followed him to the kitchen.
"Where's the bin?" Emilia requested while juggling the recyclable Domino's boxes.
"Um, over there." Lando gestured to the corner while loading the dishwasher. Emilia neatly folded the boxes into the recycling bin so they wouldn't take up the whole capacity. She closed and spun around to see Lando behind her. Emilia was close to him, so close. She scanned his face being drawn to his eyes. Emilia couldn't tell whether they were green or blue. In some lights they looked blue, but here, they looked green. "Can I get to the cupboard behind you please?" Lando whispered.
"Yeah, I'm sorry." Emilia snapped out of looking at him and moved out the way.
"What are you sorry for?" Lando queried puzzled. Emilia wasn't entirely sure herself, it just felt right apologising seeing as she was in his way. That's what Emilia was planning on saying. It did not come out like that.
"I uh I." Emilia stumbled panicking. She couldn't tear herself away from his eyes. They were such a beautiful colour, how had she not paid that much attention to them before?
"Are you okay?" Lando stepped closer to her lowering his voice so the others certainly couldn't hear him. Emilia's eyes followed him as he closed the distance between them. She was tranquilised by his eyes; getting lost in them again. "Emi?" The shortened name brought butterflies into her stomach. "Are you okay?" Lando repeated.
Emilia couldn't focus when he looked at her like that.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Emilia replied avoiding his eyes. The sunlight had caught his eyes changing their colour from green to blue. It was golden hour as well so his face was tinted a tanned shade. "Do you want any more help clearing up?"
"It's fine. Thanks for your help again." Lando smiled as he put the tablet he had retrieved from the cupboard in the dishwasher. Emilia left the room and collected herself before entering the living room again. She had no idea what that just was. She had frozen. That had never happened before. Maybe supressing her feelings only made them stronger.
"What took you so long?" Alex asked as she sat on the beanbag.
"Lando can't work a dishwasher." Emilia sighed lying. They didn't need to know that she wasn't able to form a sentence because Lando looked so good in the golden hour lighting.
"Yes I can." Lando defended as he entered the room. He turned on the Xbox and handed controllers around. They all took it in turns to play each other at multiple games. The boys were far better than Emilia at it but she didn't mind. She could outdo them in other things.
"You are shit." George cackled as he beat her. Emilia was literally on a losing streak which wasn't very delightful for her. She was sulking pretty bad which Alex had acknowledged.
"Why don't we do something different?" Alex suggested. Emilia was grateful for the change in activity.
"What about truth or dare?" Lando wore a cheeky smile. No one objected to the idea so they proceeded. "Alex, truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"Down three shots." Lando instructed. They had alcohol on the table and it didn't taste very good in Emilia's opinion. She was lucky that dare was for Alex and not her. Alex effortlessly inhaled the shots and cheers erupting.
"Okay, my go." Alex chuckled wiping his mouth. "George truth or dare?"
"Truth." George shrugged.
"Real reason you and Carmen broke up?" Alex had evidently smelled bullshit on George's breakup. Emilia hadn't thought he was lying or anything when he told her and raised her eyebrows. Lando appeared as shocked as her.
"Dare." George quickly replied. Emilia wouldn't have suspected anything was off until then.
"You can't just change it." Alex pointed out. George sat and took another sip of his drink.
"Oh shit. We can't drive home. I've drunk too much." George realised. Emilia groaned she didn't want to have pay for a taxi home.
"I've got plenty of bedrooms you guys can just sleep here, Alex included." Lando offered. They all agreed that they would stay overnight. Emilia hadn't brought extra clothes to sleep in and she didn't particularly want to sleep in jeans but she could worry about that later.
"George stop changing the subject. You can't change to a dare." Alex protested.
"Pass. I'm not answering." George seemed slightly agitated so they left the subject. There was a pause of silence with George intensely examining his beer bottle.
"Em, truth or dare?" Lando questioned. Emilia considered going dare but she didn't want the nasty alcohol that lay on the floor.
"Truth."
"Why don't you date drivers?" Emilia should have guessed that question was coming and should have gone for dare.
"It's a long story." Emilia muttered.
"We have time." Alex said intrigued as well. George had even lifted his head to listen.
"Well, to be honest I've only ever dated racing drivers or boys trying to become that because the distance was just too difficult especially growing up. Though it meant I was always dating my competition which was not great. I mean you guys know how hard it is to keep your relationships unaffected by racing. But a lot of relationships failed during my time in F3 because everyone is competing for the small number of seats in F2. My first year I F2 I dated an engineer and that turned um, sour pretty quickly. He didn't turn out to be the guy I thought he was but I don't see him anymore thankfully because we did not leave it on good terms." Emilia explained. She took a pause to regain her breath. "By the end of the first year I had a few things going on with a couple of the drivers, not at the same time obviously. Me and Mick got quite close over the winter break."
"Hang on. Mick as in my teammate?" Alex interrupted sounding shocked. Emilia nodded.
"How come you never told us?" George asked surprised by the mention of the German driver.
"This question was bound to come up and I would have dropped it in the conversation had it been the right time but an opportunity never arose." Emilia justified.
"I was literally talking about Mick earlier." Alex pointed out.
"Yeah but we were talking about teammates. You can't go from yeah Mick is a good teammate to I dated him in Formula 2." Emilia defended giggling.
"True." George agreed.
"Anyway, Mick and I were competing for the title and were going wheel to wheel every race and it was just too difficult. We were arguing a lot so we decided to call the relationship off and we're still on really good terms. He congratulated me on winning the championship."
"So why don't you date them now if it didn't end bad?" Alex inquired.
"Because the only reason we're civil is because we ended it. We would have torn each other's careers apart. If Lily was on the track, even if you're in racing mode, would you be extra cautious around her?"
"Definitely." Alex responded.
"My point exactly." Emilia stated.
"So what about that engineer?" George probed.
"What about him?"
"Who is he?" Emilia didn't really want to talk about it but felt she might as well get it out so she doesn't have to talk about it again.
"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to." Lando smiled sensing her not wanting to elaborate on him.
"It's fine." Emilia shook her head. "There's not much to say really. He wasn't working for a particularly competitive team so there wasn't the same clash as there was with Mick even then, it was before him. He seemed like a really nice person at first, the first few months were good until I saw how manipulative and spiteful he was. I tried to get out of the relationship, and I couldn't. I didn't have anyone really I could confide in like I do now with Christine and Aurelia and you guys. Eventually, I got out of it. I saw him around the paddock still and desperately avoided him for the rest of the season. Thankfully, he didn't return the next season and I have no idea where he is but he's not in Formula 1 so that's okay."
"That sounds horrible." George exhaled sympathetically. Emilia nodded and no one else spoke really. They offered her kind smiles but she didn't want pity. People went through toxic relationships all the time.
"Yeah, so that's why I don't date drivers." Emilia sighed. "Anyone want a rematch?" She changed the conversation and picked up a controller. They played into the early hours of the morning before they all decided to go to bed. Emilia attempted to make Lando's house a bit more presentable by tidying up wrappers but he insisted she left it. She still tried.
"Em, please leave it I can sort it out in the morning." Lando assured. Emilia wanted to clean up so everyone could go upstairs and get into bed and she could use the bathroom without having to worry about any of them using it. Though, Lando probably had multiple bathrooms.
"Which bedroom am I sleeping in?" Emilia queried as she piled bowls up and carried them into the kitchen.
"It's literally one in the morning you don't need to do this but you're sleeping in the big one: first door on the left when you go up the stairs." Lando responded. It was nice of him to give her the larger bedroom. George and Alex had already headed upstairs and into their temporary rooms.
"I don't have any pyjamas." Emilia stated. She wasn't sure how telling Lando would help her solve the problem.
"You can have a jumper of mine. Clean of course." Lando smiled. Emilia nodded and finished clearing up with Lando joining her as he couldn't beat her. "You're really determined you know that right?"
"Thanks." Emilia replied as she put the beanbags in the corner. She wasn't sure what Lando's living room had looked like beforehand so she didn't move anything else.
"No, thank you for the help." Lando smiled. He stood in the doorway blocking Emilia's route out the room. Emilia hovered wanting to go to bed but not wanting to be rude and ask him to move. Staying and talking to him didn't seem like the worst thing either. "Did that engineer hurt you?" The concern in his voice was clear and almost sounded threatening.
"Lando it's in the past. I don't want to think about it anymore, okay?" Emilia answered.
"Did he hurt you, physically?" Lando asked again.
"No." Emilia lied but Lando believed her.
"Okay." Lando nodded. He stood closer to the British driver and caught her off guard and pulled her into a hug. Emilia wrapped her arms around him and he felt good to hug. He smelt amazing. Lando was warm and she fit in his arms like a jigsaw piece does a puzzle. She didn't want to let go. Lando let go first. "I won't let that man go anywhere near you again." He promised. This new protective side she was seeing was unexpected and had sprung from nowhere. Emilia couldn't help but admit to herself that it was attractive.
"He could be on the other side of the planet; you don't need to worry about him." Emilia seemed to be the one reassuring Lando rather than the other way round but she was totally over him.
Lando appeared satisfied with her response and led her upstairs. Emilia sat on her bed while Lando got her something to sleep in. He came back with a fluorescent McLaren jumper.
"Seriously?" Emilia giggled. "You have no other jumpers?"
"Nope. I rarely do my washing." Lando bit his lip. "Do you want some joggers or anything else?"
"No thank you, this will be fine." Emilia replied. Lando left and she got changed. The boys came in and wished her goodnight. She hid under the covers as she only had her underwear then Lando's jumper on. Though the other drivers weren't judgemental she wasn't comfortable with being in her underwear around them. She imagined Lily wouldn't be too pleased either even though she was a sweet person.
Once Emilia was sure everyone was asleep, she headed to the bathroom. The light was on so she could find it easily. She used the toilet and searched the bathroom for wipes that would remove her makeup as she didn't want to get it on Lando's pillows. She couldn't get hold of any and was worried she was making too much noise. Accepting defeat, she left the bathroom leaving the light on just in case someone else wanted to use it in the middle of the night or rather early in the morning.
"Emilia?" A voice whispered from the darkness.
"Yeah?" Emilia whispered careful not to wake others. Lando emerged from the darkness. She almost panicked and ran into her room but she was sure he couldn't see most of her because of the angle of the door where the light seeped out of.
"What are you looking for?" Lando questioned. He came close to her so he didn't have to talk to loud.
"I was looking for some wipes to get my makeup off but if you don't have any that's fine." Emilia whispered leaning in closer so she wouldn't wake Alex or George. "Wait how did you know I was looking for something?"
"You were making an awful lot of noise but no sorry, I don't have any makeup wipes." Lando stated.
"Did I disturb your sleep?" Emilia asked worried.
"No you didn't." Lando smiled. Emilia couldn't see his face properly but could see the smile he wore. "You're so caring."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No, you should just do more for yourself and not worry about others." Emilia knew exactly what he was implying. Lando leant in. Emilia could feel his breath. His lips were so close to hers. She would only have to move millimetres to touch them. Emilia desperately wanted to kiss him. To melt under his touch. Lando stopped moving handing her the decision on whether she wanted to kiss or not. Of course she did. There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted to. But she couldn't. She'd explained why.
"I'm sorry but I can't." Emilia apologised and stepped away. "Goodnight Lando."
"Goodnight Emi." Lando replied. "By the way, you look amazing in my jumper." Emilia blushed aware that this jumper was quite short due to the small height difference between her and the McLaren driver. She turned and rushed into her room replaying the moments in her head. There was the perfect opportunity to kiss him and let him know how he felt about her but her trust issues and the conscience told her she shouldn't. Maybe she would get another chance and take that one.
Thanks everyone for reading! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Stay safe and have a wonderful day <3