XX. Not Her
MEXICO: November 2023
TWITTER:
➥@fan89: AHHH NOAH CALLS HER MOCHI
➥@fan19: AND SHE CALLS HIM NOODLE
➥@fan100: mia's new collection has me on a chokehold
➥@noahclay: I mean isn't it for everyone haha
➥@ameliamia: thanks so much noodle 🥹
➥@fan109: wait so seb knows noah and are that close?
➥@fan19: I think mich said in a live that seb knew of noah before and it was him who introduced the two
➥@fan00: noah has the uncle seb approval!
➥@fan00: and the older sister approval!
"Alright! I got your hand picture noahfan01-" "Stop selling my hands!" Noah said and swatted her away. She laughed and kicked him slightly.
The two were live again. Noah had tried his very hardest to make Mia be happy everyday after what happened. The girl did not hide her sadness from him. She didn't have to, Noah knew already.
He made his mission to not let Mia be sad. She did not deserve that. But he did not blame Lando. They were both being stupid. He wanted to shove the both of them in a room and just have them talk but he knew he can't.
Noah wouldn't be able to get to Lando. But he knew who can. So, he contacted someone he hoped will help him. It was against Seb's wishes but he knew and believed they were good for each other.
So, as they were celebrating Mia's new collection, he waited for the update from a certain pair of drivers.
He was reading the messages while Mia swayed next to her. "A song?" Mia asked which caught Noah's attention. "What kind of song?" Noah asked.
Spamming was ensued, a duet was being requested. Noah nudged Mia who hummed, she hugged her knees and nodded, "I mean, its not like it would be the first time we duet." She joked.
He rolled his eyes playfully but nodded, "What song should we sing?" he asked. They were trying to see which would work but then Noah heard Mia hum.
He smiled when he realized what tune it was. So he decided to sing.
I know it might be crazy
But did you hear the story?
Mia smiled at him and leaned her head on his shoulder and joined him in the song.
I think I heard it vaguely
A girl and a zombie
Oh tell me more boy
Sounds like a fantasy
Noah decided on swaying the both of them as she giggled while singing. The two had just watched the movie when it got pulled out from the hat of movies that was at Seb's house.
Well now you're getting fearless
No, I'm just rooting for us
If different was a super power
We'd be flawless
Mia looked up and Noah looked down. He smiled at her as they continued to sing, she smiled back at him.
So, let them talk if they wanna
Let them talk if they're gonna
We're gonna do what we wanna
Let them talk, let them talk
If they wanna, if they wanna
Noah chuckle and pinched her nose making her push him slightly. Completely forgetting about the live. That was until Noah's phone notified him that a text arrived.
He smiled at the live and nodded, "I think we need to go." He said. Mia yawned and nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder again. He chuckled and grabbed the phone, "We'll see you guys soon! Bye!"
Mia waved and then they were gone.
Post Race: Lando was sitting at one of the orange chairs in the McLaren hospitality. He had just said goodbye to Kate. She had to go back home for work.
Now that Kate was gone, it seems like Lando was pulled back into reality. Like all of the sadness with Mia not being there came back.
Now that Kate was not there to have his attention, he was sad again. He was snuggled in the chair, he noticed that Carlos and Daniel walked in the hospitality. He did not sit up though, he just watched them.
The two older drivers spotted him and went to sit with him. They didn't really say anything at first, but then Daniel decided to ruin the silence.
"How are you Lando?" the Australian asked. Carlos huffed, "Really? It's not like we haven't been with him the whole weekend." He said knowingly.
Daniel shrugged, "Well it's not like we've seen our friend Lando, we've seen driver Lando." He elaborated. For Carlos, it seemed that this explanation made sense. Lando had been going back and forth from being driver Lando to silent Lando.
Kate was there for every race recently, she distracted him but every time she leaves, Lando would become quiet. He kept to himself, scrolling through his phone and that worried his friends.
Oscar had tried multiple times but he could not get through him so the former teammates of the Brit decided to make it a try.
Lando sighed, "I'm okay mates really." He said as he unlocked his phone, glancing at the wallpaper. It was Carlos who noticed, it was still Mia. It was the singer balancing on a wooden fence as she held the leash of Flo's horse. It was back when the two went to visit his sister after a competition. Lando took that photo.
Carlos remembered it clearly, his best mate could not stop talking about how Flo and Mia loved each other. That's when a question popped in his head, "How's Kate?"
The Brit glanced at him, "Good. She's great, she has this smile, so perfect and bright. She adores the environment, she gets along with dad well." He said. Carlos nudged Daniel who sighed.
The Australian decided to ask about the obvious, "And Mia? We haven't seen her around." He said. Lando couldn't help but let out a sad sigh, he was smiling though. A sad one, "She's growing. She's living life, smiling, singing, performing her heart out. She's the same. She's still Mia and I am so damn proud of her. She's reaching her dreams..."
Carlos frowned, "But?" he asked. He knew there was a but and he was right. "But she's growing without me."
Daniel pursed his lips, he didn't want to interrupt the Brit. For what he knew, this was the most he has been talking about Mia for weeks now.
"She's growing there and I'm here. She's with Noah..."
"Is that bad?" Carlos asked. Lando shook his head, "No. She deserves everything she has. I just always imagined I would be there for her."
"You always imagined that you would be in Noah's shoes." Daniel concluded. Lando smiled sadly and looked at them, his eyes filling with tears. He nodded, "Yeah. But here we are."
"But you have Kate." Carlos stated the obvious. Lando sighed, "I know. But she isn't Mia."
The two older drivers shared a look. The trio sat there watching the people pass by. It was Lando who spoke again, "I am genuinely proud and happy for her. I just miss her is all. Is that a mistake?"
"No Lando. Missing her isn't a mistake." Daniel answered him. The Brit looked at them again, "Then why does it feel like it is?"
Carlos sighed, he knew he had to tell him now. Lando was the type of person that didn't see things clearly at first. That was purpose of them, his friends. To help him see.
It was Mia originally but she wasn't there. So, he took it upon himself to say it, "Because you have Kate."
Lando looked at him confused, "What's Kate got to do with this?" he asked. Carlos hummed and sent him the most serious look that he could, "There's a reason why Mia is distancing herself and one of them is Kate."
The Brit was about to answer but Daniel spoke first, "She wants to respect Kate because its been a while since you liked someone right?" Lando nodded so the Australian continued, "There. She doesn't want to overstep."
"But she's my best friend."
"And you are her best friend. That's why she's doing it. Because she doesn't want to hurt anyone, especially someone you like."