HAPPINESS | LN4
11 | T H E C A L L
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Lando Norris
Jeddah is beautiful as usual.
I'm lying on my side in the very comfortable bed of the five-star hotel that we have been assigned for this weekend. From here, I can see through the large window how the sun slowly disappears at the end of the sea, tinting the sky in shades of gold, pink and orange while the palm trees on the promenade sway in the warm afternoon breeze.
But not everything can be perfect.
Despite the beauty of this costal city, my experience here, this year so far, has been anything but perfect.
Basically crap
The team and I had a normal start to the race weekend, with normal results in the first two free practice sessions for Oscar and myself, nothing to complain to be honest, everything was going according to our plan, the simulators were pointing out that everything would go smoothly, but since this morning, since I put a feet in the cockpit, everything went downhill.
During FP3 I started to notice that the car was a bit unstable in the fast corners, I panicked. The rear seemed to lose grip, which, at the end, led us to retire the car earlier than we wanted with only a few laps done in the session. The mechanics worked on that feeling and finally I managed to get a P11 in qualifying, but still I can't help but feel disappointed. It could have been a lot worse, but it was way too far from my and the team's expectations.
So the only thing I'm looking forward to, is for this nightmare of a weekend to pass as quickly as possible.
KNOCK KNOCK!
A knock outside the room makes me turn my head in the direction of the door. Who in their right mind calls at this hour?
"Lando it's me!" A male voice I recognise all too well is heard muffled behind the door so I get up and approach it. Opening it, I'm meet face to face with the most contagious smile in the paddock.
"Daniel, what are you doing here?" I let my body lean my shoulder against the door frame and at the same time scratch my eye from the sleepiness and tiredness of the day that is beginning to consume me.
"Isn't it obvious?" Daniel keeps looking at me with his Dani-smile.
"No, it's" I interrupt myself to look at the watch that's still on my wrist "22:26pm and tomorrow we have a race" I let him know the obvious.
"Oh, come on! The night is young and a bit of pre-race relaxing never hurt anyone" he says enthusiastically looking at me "Besides, when was the last time we enjoyed a good chat between us before the big day?"
"Daniel, I'm not in the mo-" I start to say, but Daniel won't let me finish.
"Tsh! Tsh!" He interrupts me, shaking his head as he speaks. I open my mouth to speak again and tell him all the reasons why I don't feel like it but before that Daniel interrupts me again "Come on, it won't be long" Daniel declares putting on his best sad puppy dog face, as it doesn't come out very well I let out a small chuckle under my breath which Daniel takes as a yes.
"See you in 10 minutes in my room!" he says pointing a finger at me making sure I'm not going to get away and starts walking down the corridor towards the lift.
"I'll bring the Scrabble" I joke, my suggestion quickly followed by a laugh from Daniel.
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I walk down the huge corridor of the hotel towards the room number that is illuminated on my phone that Daniel has sent me, followed by a nice message "Move your ass"
Every step I take echoes on the polished floor of the hotel, and as I pass through the doors of the other rooms I can hear snatches of the conversations taking place inside. Each room being like a whole separate world.
And so, as I walk down the corridor, I remind myself again that it's okay if I've had a bad weekend or a bad race or qualification.
The people closest to me know how tough I am on myself.
Especially since the last shitty season.
Obviously every driver is hard on himself but in my case, I tend to take my self-criticism to a high level.
Most weekends I watch the other drivers who haven't had a good week face their bad result with an incredible determination and with a good attitude in front of the cameras and in the interviews. But I don't know why, I'm not capable of that.
It really amazes me how sometimes I can find some of them gathered in the paddock after a bad afternoon and still smiling and laughing.
But then there's me, after a bad weekend I'm stuck with the memory for several days. In interviews I try to put on a good face but I always end up saying something that makes them see through me, also many times last season I stayed up late for hours and hours going through the data analysing every corner, braking and straight trying to find my mistakes. Although I know we all make mistakes and that life is full of ups and downs, I find it hard to forgive myself for falling short of my own expectations.
It is as if I am trapped in an eternal race, competing not only against others, but also against myself.
I guess that's why Daniel showed up on my doorstep. To try to cheer me up.
Once I arrive to the room I raise my hand into a fist and knock a few times in a little sequence we have between us.
What? You never know when it might be a crazy fan who's got your room number.
"Finally you're here!" Daniel exclaims, opening the door with a touch of feigned impatience, his smile still present but with a hint of friendly mockery. Daniel steps aside so that I can pass through.
Daniel's room is very similar to mine only this one is full of people and happiness.
"NO LA HA PITADO! NO LA HA PITADO!" I hear someone say something in Spanish, I glance over to where the noise is coming from and see Carlos excitedly leaning slightly forward on the sofa, next to him I see a confused Charles and next to him I see Valentina just as excited as the Spaniard.
"Como no la ha pitado...?" Charles tries to say in his poor Spanish between the two of them.
"TENDRÍA QUE HABERLA PITADO!" Valentina jumps up pointing indignantly with her arms towards the television, I approach them from behind the sofa to see what they are arguing about and it all starts to make sense.
"Please Lando help me" Charles begs in English as he turns to me with a desperate expression "They've been shouting at each other in Spanish for over half an hour and I don't understand anything" he pleads, frustrated at not understanding anything.
Of course, they are watching a football match, and to vary, a classic, Madrid against Barcelona. If Carlos' obsession with Madrid is unhealthy, Valentina's obsession with Barça is much worse.
"What's up tío, we didn't hear you come in" Carlos comments as he turns to me, Valentina also turning and resting an arm on the back of the sofa followed by a chuckle at the situation before greeting me as well.
"Normal with the noise you two are making..." I mock at them.
"IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!" Valentina exclaims again pointing desperately at the television with her hand. Carlos and Charles can't contain their laughter at Valentina's desperation and laugh at her despair. She gives them an annoyed look in return.
I roll my eyes sarcastically, leaving the Spaniards to their game, and head towards the mini kitchen where George and Alex are.
"Lando!" George exclaims excitedly as he sees me approaching towards them "I didn't thought you were coming mate" he adds followed by a smile.
"Here I am" I raise my eyebrows in a wry gesture, as I curl my lips into a sarcastic smile to which Alex responds with a slight chuckle.
And so we spent a long time chatting and not worrying before tomorrow. The three of us ended up engaged in a conversation saying that we hadn't been to a go-karting for a long time and that we should go soon, for the sake of old memories. Then when the match finished Carlos, Charles and Valentina came over and it started to become a much more animated conversation, with laughter here and laughter there.
At one point, I see Daniel out of the corner of my eye with a frown lifting up the sofa cushions, as if looking for something, and then rummaging through his front and back pockets.
"By any chance have you guys seen my phone?" Daniel lifts his head in our direction and then looks around again.
Now that he mentions it, I remember seeing it on a little trip I made to the terrace to take a photo of the view.
" I remember seeing it on the terrace"
"Either I'm blind or you're lying to me" Daniel says, letting out a tired sigh "I've already looked like three times" he continues, waving his arm in the air in frustration.
"Leave it, I'll go" I get up from the chair I'm sitting in, walking past Daniel and patting him on the shoulder before heading out onto the terrace.
Once outside, I go to where I think I saw the phone earlier -in an armchair on the side of the balcony- and when I put my hand on the armchair, it starts to vibrate.
I furrow my eyebrows in confusion and search through the cushions that make up the armchair until my hand finds the vibrating phone.
I pull it out and come face to face with the screen, which is illuminated with a picture of a blonde girl stretched out on the grass, eyes closed, smiling and a hand in the air making the peace sign, and at the top of the screen, accompanied by the shooting star emoji, I can read Addy, while the mobile continues to vibrate.
I wonder what to do, clearly, the most logical and reasonable thing to do would be to give the mobile to Daniel and let him answer it, she's calling him for a reason, but I don't know why my common sense isn't working and before I take a step to bring the phone to Daniel I pick it up and hold it to my ear.
I panic, why did I do that? The only thing I can think of is to try to sound as uncomfortable as possible.
"Hello?" I blurt out, running a hand through my hair and turning towards the balcony. Okay I'm definitely not making this any less awkward.
I don't hear a response on the other end, just rapid, hectic breathing.
"Adeline?" I ask starting to worry, I thought I'd find the lively girl I met a few weeks ago on the other side but there's no sign of her, maybe I shouldn't have answered the call.
"Lando, is Daniel there?" I hear for the first time Adeline's agitated voice, I would love to concentrate more on the fact that she knew right away that it's me but the little sob she lets out next doesn't allow me to.
"Y-yes" I stammer shaking my head falling on what a bad idea it has been to answer "Are you ok?" I ask her starting to walk back to the room, what a stupid question, well done Lando, a medal for the stupidest question of the year.
"Mhh" Adeline mumbles an affirmation with her lips closed as best she can, but I hear her let out another sob. I feel a sense of frustration and it hurts that I don't know why she had to call her best friend on the other side of the world crying.
As I walk back into the room I quickly look around for Daniel. Valentina looks in my direction and furrows her eyebrows when she sees my drastic change of expression, she tilts her head and asks me with a gesture the same question I asked a few seconds ago to the poor girl who is about to have a panic attack on the other side of the world. I simply nod my head.
As I see Daniel looking in the bedroom wardrobe I walk over to him and tap him on the shoulder.
"Did you find my phone?" He asks as soon as he turns around, I shake my head up and down in affirmation and his face reflects relief as he wipes a hand across his forehead.
"Daniel?" Adeline asks again on the other end of the phone, her voice just as agitated but somehow hopeful.
"I'll put it through, just breathe" I affirm her, and remind poor Adeline. At that, Daniel furrows his eyebrows as he realises I have his phone glued to my ear.
"Who is it?" he mumbles almost inaudibly for me to hear.
"Adeline" I reply, covering the microphone of his phone and handing it to him, as he picks it up Daniel immediately holds it to his ear, a hint of concern passing over his face.
"Addy are you okay?" he asks as soon as he puts the phone to his ear, worried. Daniel is quiet for a few seconds, listening attentively, his gaze flicking nervously to whatever Adeline is saying to him at the moment.
"Sh, sh, calm down, I don't understand you Addy" Daniel tries to reassure her, by now everyone is looking at Daniel who has started to sway from side to side with worry.
In less than a minute Daniel goes to the terrace, I guess for more privacy, and we all follow him with our gazes until he closes the balcony door behind him.
"What's going on?" Charles is the first to speak. I try to answer him, but the truth is, I don't know either.
"I have no idea" I admit honestly, letting out a sigh of bewilderment, leaning back against the small table.
"I think I know what it is..." Valentina mumbles, not quite sure as she turns her phone around to let us see whatever is on her screen.
Shit
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@famousnews_
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FAMOUSNEWS_: Just a few minutes ago, we found out that one of the most recognised record labels in Los Angeles and around the world is moving its headquarters to London.
Hit Records has just announced this via their social media and the questions have not taken long to appear.
As we know, one of the most influential people in the company is Adeline O'Connor. What will happen to her? Will she decide to move to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean or will she change her discography?
Stay tuned for more news!
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OMGGG THANK YOU FOR THE 24k READS 🥳🎉
and as you can read, i'm not dead 🤭
i'm so so sorry i haven't posted in almost a month. i've been quite busy and haven't been able to get much time to write :(
this chapter isn't like new, because it's more like another point of view but i hope you enjoyed it anyway.
although to make up for it you have the introduction of my new story SPEED which you can go check out 🫶🏻 (i'll starts writing it soon 😉)
PS: i wanted to do my own version of Charles and Carlos' "no lo ha pitado" video and include my favourite trio of rookies ❤️
AND INCREDIBLE AUSTRALIAN GP FOR CARLOS OMGFHF