Hellooo!
Those who follow me on TikTok already know what will happen in today's chapter. I am so excited about your reactions! Please let me know what you think of everything :)
besitos xoxo
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The next morning everyone sleeps in. Even if we all went to bed relatively sober, it got very late, the sun was actually already up.
Apart from Daniel and me, everyone goes for a day trip to the island.
"I want to try out the jet skis we've been dragging around all this time," I explain and Daniel looks at me with raised eyebrows.
"I miss the adrenaline," I laugh and he nods.
"Well, off we go then. Have you done this before?" Daniel asks as we indicate to the crew that they should lower the two jet skis into the water.
"Unfortunately, no. You can borrow some at my mother's boarding house on the beach, but I haven't had the pleasure yet," I say.
Daniel pulls the life jacket over my head. "Shall we go on one first, just the two of us?"
"You just want me to cling to you." I shake my head. "I can do it alone."
"Of course, you're a strong, independent woman, everything as usual." Daniel smirks.
We get off the boat onto the jet skis and I quickly have Daniel explain the steering and we head off towards the open sea. Once again I notice that adrenaline rush when accelerating is pure energy for my mind. It's no wonder that I've somehow ended up in motorsport now, albeit off the track.
Daniel and I drive to a small group of islands and drive around small areas of land several times before I head for the beach. I stop the jet ski and slide off the seat.
I drop into the warm sand and stretch my feet into the water that reaches the beach.
Daniel sits down next to me and grins at me. "When exactly were you going to tell me that you are just as crazy about speed and action as us Formula 1 drivers?"
"I grew up with it, what do you think? Adrenaline is what keeps me going." I nudge him with my shoulder.
He puts an arm around my shoulder and I lean against him. We stay silent for a few moments.
"That was fun. We can do something like that more often," I murmur.
"We should probably talk to a few people surrounding us first. Including our bosses." Daniel sighs and pulls away from me.
Confused, I look around and see a few groups of people whispering behind us and I shake my head. "Do you really think you're that popular?"
"Pichoncita, I was recognised by the back of my neck in Austin last year in a bar. So yeah." He grins at me with waggling eyebrows.
"Okay, okay. Shall we get back before anyone realises it's really you?" I ask and Daniel nods.
When we arrive back at the yacht it is already early evening. Time has literally flown and I am looking forward to my shower - the sand from the break on the beach is all over my body.
"I'm going to jump in the shower quickly before the others come back, yeah?" I call out to Daniel, who stays on the deck for now.
"Yes, that's fine. I wanted to talk to my parents anyway," he replies.
Just as I'm washing out the shampoo, the bathroom door opens and Daniel stands in the doorway with his arms crossed and grinning.
"Do you think we can still use the time we have alone? I need to take a shower too."
I tilt my head but gesture for him to follow me into the glass shower.
"Actually, there's no room for two people here," I murmur as he squeezes in next to me and I direct the water jet at him.
"Hmm." He shrugs and shampoos his hair silently.
"Am I supposed to stand here like a fool and watch you shower now?" I narrow my eyes.
Daniel calmly washes his hair out and I'm already tempted to leave the shower.
Just as I open the glass door, Daniel grabs my wrist.
"Not so fast." He smirks at me.
"Oh? Now I'm interesting after all?" I giggle, knowing full well he hasn't ignored me on purpose.
"Pichoncita," he grumbles. "You're the most interesting thing in my life."
"Show me," I urge him, putting my arms and his shoulders.
"Oh, I will." Daniel reaches under my legs and I clasp them around his waist.
He steps away from the water and pushes me against the glass door of the shower with great force.
Too much force.
I hear a crack of glass behind me and suddenly the door shatters behind us.
"Oh, fuck!" I shout and Daniel looks at me in panic.
He drops me to my feet in the far corner of the shower and we stare at the pile of broken glass in front of us.
"That didn't just happen, did it?" Daniel grins.
I stand frozen beside him and he looks over at me. "Are you hurt? Did you get cut by any shards?"
He lifts my arms above my head and inspects my legs.
Then I laugh out loud. "Damn, how do we explain this?"
Daniel sighs. "I'll take that. I'll call my insurance company and get a broom to clean up, please put some clothes on or you'll freeze."
I take a big step over the pile of broken glass and, shaking my head, gather up a shirt and shorts. Daniel also puts on shorts.
"You're really okay?" I sit on the sofa and he kneels in front of me.
I shake my head slowly. "Try exercising less, you musclehead."
Daniel chuckles. Then he kisses me on the forehead. "I'll be right back."
Sighing, I put my head back. Then I smirk. I wish I could tell this story to anyone, because it's just way too funny.
"Liv? Are you okay?" Suddenly Lando is standing in the doorway and my eyes widen.
"Lando, what are you doing here?" Surprised, I look at him.
"I wanted to take a nap, last night was clearly too short," he answers and enters the room. "What happened? I heard glass breaking?"
I bury my hands in my face. "Look at the shower, I'm just way too clumsy. But it's okay, I'm fine."
Lando opens the bathroom door and looks at me in shock. "You're not hurt? What did you do?"
"I tripped, as usual," I mumble.
Lando sits down next to me and I hope Daniel doesn't come down the stairs now.
But luck is not on my side.
"Liv, I told the insurance company I was alone in the shower and I broke the glass." Daniel comes into the room and looks at us.
I shake my head and press my lips together.
"Huh. Why would Danny tell his insurance company that it was him if you were in the shower, breaking the glass?" Lando's eyes shift back and forth between Daniel and me.
Then he looks at the bed, where it is clearly visible that two people are sleeping in there.
He narrows his eyes, before they grow incredibly wide and then he's on his feet."Oh—oh, hell no! Don't tell me that's what I think it is!"
Daniel stands in the doorway with a broom in his hand and looks at me for help.
"Lando—" I start a sentence.
"Oh fuck, so it's actually true? I'm worried you're fucking Michael when in reality it's my teammate? Olivia!" Lando pushes past Daniel, eyes twinkling with everything but happiness, and goes into his room.
"Puta madre," I mutter and follow him.
Daniel stays in our room.
As soon as we're alone, I try to get close to Lando, but he won't let me.
"Lando, it's not like you—"
"What's it like, Olivia? Tell me. Huh? I thought we didn't keep secrets from each other?" Lando pulls on sneakers and leaves the room.
"Jesus, Lando, I'd love to explain it to you." I rush after him.
He stays silent.
"I, we... Daniel and I are in a relationship!" I shout after him as he is on his way out of the yacht.
Lando stops, clenches his fist and turns to me.
"So we still tell each other everything, right?" He snorts angrily and runs down the gangplank from the ship.
"Shit," I mutter to myself and follow him.
That's when I see the others just coming back from town and I call out to Carlos in Spanish to follow Lando.
"Whatever you do, don't leave him alone!" I shout to my best friend.
He looks at me confused, but nods and then follows Lando, who has passed the group without a word.
The others enter the yacht and look at me very confused.
I grab my forehead and shake my head. Then I go wordlessly to my room and drop onto the bed.
Daniel has cleaned up the mess in the bathroom and apparently told the others to leave it alone for the moment, because he comes to me after a few minutes and takes me in his arms.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't know he was here," he whispers in my ear and I nod, sniffling.
"I know. He'll never forgive me, fuck. What do I do now?"
"When he calms down we can talk. Right now it wouldn't have made any sense to try anyway," Daniel sighs and brushes a tear-stained strand of hair from my face. "Please don't cry. I'm so, so sorry."
He looks at me desperately and I snuggle closer to him.
"Thank God Carlos is with him," I murmur softly. "Who knows what he'd do otherwise."
At one point I am lying alone in bed, staring at the ceiling, when Kelly enters the room.
"I can guess what happened," she mumbles and sits down on the edge of the bed.
I just sniffle. "How could I be so stupid as to think Daniel and I would remain a secret? On a holiday together?"
"Carlos texted Daniel, he and Lando are in a bar. Apparently the booze tastes too good there for Lando to want to stay sober." Kelly tilts her head and puts a hand on my leg.
"Do you think I should go there and talk to him? Now?" I ask her and straighten up.
"Well... Sooner or later you'll have to talk. And the sooner the better." She looks at me empathetically and I sigh.
"You're right."
Carlos and Lando have really chosen the smelliest bar on the whole island. Well, the danger of being recognised here is probably much lower, but holy fuck. I enter the stuffy room and look around. In one corner I recognise my brother and Carlos and see several empty beer bottles on the table. Well, this is going to be a dream.
I go over to them and sit down on a chair in silence. Lando stares at me but says nothing.
"Okay, I'll leave you two alone for a minute, but if you fight, I'll hit back. Get a grip." Carlos stands up and squeezes my shoulder encouragingly.
Lando looks at the floor and says nothing.
"Lando, I... I know there is nothing that can excuse my—our behaviour. But I want you to know that we did everything out of self-protection and also for your protection," I murmur and place my hands folded on the table.
"My protection? Sure." Lando clicks his tongue. "How long has this been going on with you guys?"
I shake my head. "Do you really want to know—"
"I certainly deserve to know, don't I?" He looks me straight in the eye and I see anger in them.
"Since... France. But we've only been together for a week.... like, as a real couple." I realise I'm blushing and close my eyes.
Lando laughs bitterly. "I don't believe it. I take you to my work for a weekend and already you're fucking my bloody teammate?"
"Whoa, whoa. Yeah, you could look at it that way, but.... Um. Yeah." I search for words.
"And now you want to explain to me that you and.... Daniel," he literally spits his name, "are in a relationship and I didn't notice? Oh God, is that why you were so miserable last week? Why am I such a bad brother?" Lando's eyes widen and I shake my head vigorously.
"Lando, you had so much to do with yourself and your own thoughts, I didn't want to add to your burden." I reach for his hand.
He looks down at the floor. "But what does that mean now? Are you staying with McLaren? How will that work out? Liv, you can't leave me. Promise me you won't leave me!" Panicked, his gaze searches for my reaction and I can see he is close to tears.
"I will never leave you. You are one of the most important people in my life, believe me." I look at him gently.
"Charlotte left, Carlos left, what assures me that you will stay with me?" He sniffles loudly.
"Lando, mi amor, Carlos is standing right outside the door and would do anything for you, just like I would. And Charlotte will be back soon too. We love you so much, don't forget that." I furrow my eyebrows.
He slumps down and I get up from my chair to sit next to him on the bench.
"Lando Norris. You're my favourite Brit and my favourite brother, but don't tell Oli."
Lando laughs softly. "I—it's not.... I'm happy for you. I think. It's just... Why didn't you tell me? And how did I not notice for so long? I feel bad."
"We didn't tell you because I was one hundred percent sure it was none of your business who I got into bed with. And when it became more than that, I thought I'm just getting lost in my feelings... And well. Suddenly I'm in a relationship or something?" I smile at him.
Lando mimics vomiting sounds. "So that means the shower really broke like I think it did?"
I press my lips together and peer into a corner.
"Jesus Christ. I don't want to hear any more, ew!"
"Are you mad at me?" I lean my head against his shoulder and he sighs.
"How could I be angry when my sister is happy? You are, aren't you?"
I nod. "I am now. I'm glad you know now. Even if I would have liked it to be a different situation."
"Me too," Lando growls and I grin.
Carlos enters the bar and exhales heavily in relief when he sees how close I sit leaning against Lando.
"Thank God that's over." He sits down opposite us and toasts us with a bottle.
When we get back to the yacht, Lando is halfway sober again and definitely in a better mood. Except for Daniel, everyone else seems to have left and I remember that we were supposed to meet for dinner.
"Oh, for fucks sake. I hope the others weren't waiting for us," I say, shaking my head.
"I'm sure Max reminded Kelly that he's on the verge of starvation." Carlos laughs and Lando nods.
"He texted me earlier that we can come over when we've sorted out whatever the problem is. Which brings me to question..." he stops and stops me from going on. "Who exactly knows about you and Danny and who doesn't?"
"On this yacht? Everyone except Max. Oh dear. Daniel has to tell him or there goes being Max's best man." I put my head back. "He can do that, I'm done with the world. The subject is over."
"And otherwise? McLaren?"
"Definitely not. And they won't know until the end of the year," I explain as we enter the yacht.
Daniel has apparently heard us and comes over from the terrace.
"We..." Lando stares at him, "need to talk."
"Oh gods, I don't have to intervene if there's a scuffle, do I?" I look at them both pleadingly.
"I'd like to see it, not gonna lie." Carlos snickers.
I give him a punch on the shoulder and pull him behind me up the stairs onto the small deck.
"Behave yourselves!" I shout to Daniel and Lando, who fortunately hug each other briefly, if a little awkwardly.
Carlos and I sit down on the sun loungers and look at each other in silence for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Fuck, what have those weeks been?" Carlos shakes his head in disbelief.
"Chaos. As usual with you guys," I reply and decide to sit down next to him.
I rest my head against his shoulder and breathe in and out deeply.
"Well, this year was the tip of the iceberg. But now I can tell you: Lando already suspected it anyway. That you and Daniel somehow have something going on. It was so exhausting to hide it." Carlos' shoulders shake under the deep laughter.
"How?" I ask.
"You two are so in love with each other, even a blind man with a cane can tell. And maybe the comments on last night's picture put him on to it," my best friend replies and I shudder.
"Don't worry, enough people have said that we're just all really good friends with each other. And Lando's sister - and I quote - would never start anything with his teammate."
"They didn't write that, oh God?!" I grab my forehead.
"I did a good job of distracting Lando, though." A grin appears on Carlos' face.
"You what?" I look at him with interest.
"A gentleman keeps silent and enjoys himself." He laughs.
"You're not a gentleman, what did you do? Do I even want to know?" I literally slam my hands over my head.
"We—uh. Well we made out. Last night. But we didn't really talk about it. I don't know," Carlos sighs.
"Poor kid, really. It's all way too much for him, isn't it? How are you doing?"
"I've never been better." Carlos grins from ear to ear and for the first time in a long time I believe him.
"Actually, I should be wondering, shouldn't I? That Lando... Well. You know, uh—" I struggle for words.
Carlos laughs out loud. "That he likes men? Maybe he's just into me. I'm incredibly sexy after all."
"You're such a diva, Carlos." I rest my head against his shoulder again and look out at the dark sea.
After fortunately no one was hurt on this boat and we actually still sat together and chatted, I lie in bed completely happy and let Daniel massage my shoulders.
"What an exciting day that was. Do you forgive me that I'm actually to blame for all this?" he asks.
"Apart from the fact that if it is anyone's fault then it's both our fault for waiting so long. I'm glad we don't have to hide from Lando anymore. Which brings me to the subject..." I turn on my back and look at Daniel. "You have to tell Max. It's bad enough that Kelly had to keep quiet for so long."
"Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing. I'll talk to him tomorrow," he replies.
Tomorrow. The day after tomorrow we fly to Monaco, where the next race will be. The calendar for this year was changed so many times because there were still entry requirements for certain countries due to the pandemic, so Monaco is now the first race after the break.
"Are you at all rested enough to get back into a Formula 1 car?" I ask Daniel.
He seems surprised by this question. "I've never been more energetic in my life. And I think a little half-Spanish, half-British girl plays a big part in that."
"Little?" I purse my lips.
"You're half of me, don't try to fight me." He grins.
"What if I try?" I slide onto Daniel's lap and press his chest into the mattress.
He puts his hands on my hips and grins at me knowingly. "Then I guess I surrender."
I lean forward to kiss him. "Good boy."