Break my heart and I swear I'm movin' on with your favorite athlete.
Part 4
We made our way toward the McLaren garage a little before the time Lando had told me to be there.
I felt weirdly nervous.
Not because I was scared of the garage itself, but because the whole thing suddenly felt a lot more real.
Yesterday, he'd casually told me to come by.
And now I was actually standing in the paddock, wearing my McLaren shirt, staring at the entrance to the garage.
We walked up to the entrance.
A security guard immediately stopped us.
“Passes?”
I froze.
I looked at Lucy.
Lucy looked at me.
I slowly reached into my bag, even though I already knew what I was going to find.
Nothing.
I pulled out my regular circuit ticket.
The guard glanced at it and shook his head.
“I'm sorry. This doesn't give you access here.”
“Oh.”
I nodded quickly.
“Okay.”
We stepped aside.
For a moment, neither of us said anything.
I looked through the glass toward the garage.
People were moving around everywhere. Mechanics, engineers, team members.
And somewhere in there was Lando.
“He said he'd let us in,” I muttered.
Lucy nodded.
“I know.”
“Maybe we're at the wrong entrance.”
We walked a few meters down.
Another security checkpoint.
Same problem.
No access.
We stepped away again.
I checked my phone.
Nothing.
“He probably forgot,” I said.
Lucy looked at me.
“He didn't forget.”
“You don't know that.”
“He literally asked you if you were still coming.”
“Maybe something happened.”
“Then call him.”
I immediately shook my head.
“No.”
Lucy stared at me.
“Why not?”
“Because I can't just call him.”
“Why?”
“Because…”
I struggled to come up with a good reason.
“Because he's working.”
“So?”
“So I don't want to bother him.”
Lucy crossed her arms.
“He invited you.”
“I know.”
“He told you to come.”
“I know.”
“He literally gave you his number.”
“I know, Lucy.”
“Then call him.”
I looked down at my phone.
His name was sitting right there.
Lando.
My thumb hovered over it for a second before I locked my phone again.
“No.”
Lucy sighed.
“You're ridiculous.”
“I'll just wait.”
“For what?”
“I don't know.”
She looked toward the garage.
“Y/N.”
“What?”
“You've been standing here for five minutes doing absolutely nothing.”
“I know.”
“And you're expecting him to magically know we're standing outside?”
“I don't know.”
Lucy took my phone from my hand.
“Hey!”
She held it above her head.
“Lucy, give it back.”
“Call him.”
“No.”
“Call.”
“No.”
She looked at me.
I looked at her.
Neither of us moved.
Finally, she lowered the phone slightly.
“Fine. I'll call him.”
My eyes widened.
“No!”
I grabbed for my phone.
She laughed and pulled it away.
“Why are you so scared?”
“Because it's embarrassing!”
“How is calling someone who invited you embarrassing?”
“Because he's Lando.”
Lucy stared at me.
“That is not an explanation.”
“It is to me.”
She sighed before finally handing my phone back.
I took it and looked at the screen again.
His name.
His number.
My stomach twisted slightly.
“Maybe we should just leave.”
Lucy looked genuinely offended.
“You are not leaving.”
“Why?”
“Because you came all the way here.”
I glanced back toward the garage.
“I don't want to look stupid.”
“You won't.”
“What if he forgot?”
“Then he'll tell you.”
“What if he's busy?”
“Then he'll call you back.”
“What if—”
“Y/N.”
I stopped.
Lucy softened.
“He invited you. You don't have to be embarrassed about calling him.”
I looked down at my phone again.
She was right.
I knew she was right.
Still, my thumb wouldn't move.
After another few seconds, I finally sighed.
“Okay.”
Lucy smiled.
“Okay?”
“I'll call him.”
“Good.”
I opened his contact.
Then stared at the call button.
I couldn't do it.
I locked my phone again.
“Actually, no.”
Lucy groaned.
“Y/N!”
“I can't.”
She laughed.
“You are hopeless.”
I smiled nervously.
“Maybe.”
And we stood there for another minute, completely clueless about what to do next, while the McLaren garage continued moving around behind the glass.
Then my phone suddenly buzzed in my hand.
I looked down.
A new message.
Lando: Where are you?
I stared at the message.
Where are you?
For a second, I didn't know what to do.
Lucy leaned over my shoulder.
“He texted.”
“I can see that.”
“Well?”
I looked toward the garage.
“We're outside.”
Lucy gave me a look.
“I think he knows that.”
I rolled my eyes and typed.
At the garage.
I hesitated before adding:
We can't get in.
I pressed send.
The message was seen almost immediately.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Lando: You don't have passes?
I frowned.
I typed back.
No.
A second later:
Lando: Stay there.
I looked at Lucy.
“He said stay there.”
She smiled.
“See? Problem solved.”
I nodded, but my stomach was still doing something weird.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're nervous.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
“I just don't want to make this a big deal.”
Lucy smiled.
“You didn't make it a big deal. He did.”
Before I could answer, the doors to the garage opened.
I looked up.
And there he was.
Lando walked toward us, still wearing his team kit, a radio clipped to his waist and his paddock pass hanging around his neck.
He looked like he was in the middle of a hundred things, but somehow he still looked completely relaxed.
When he saw us, he smiled.
“There you are.”
I laughed nervously.
“Sorry.”
He stopped in front of us.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“I don't know.”
He looked toward the security entrance.
“You tried to get in?”
“Yeah.”
“And they wouldn't let you?”
I shook my head.
“We don't have the right passes.”
He looked at me for a second.
“Right.”
Then he glanced toward Lucy.
“Did you at least tell them you were with me?”
Lucy smiled.
“We tried.”
I looked at her.
“We did not.”
“You were too busy panicking.”
“I wasn't panicking.”
Lando laughed.
“You were panicking?”
I looked at him.
“Maybe a little.”
He smiled.
“Why didn't you call me?”
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
Lucy immediately answered for me.
“She was too shy.”
“Lucy!”
Lando looked at me, amused.
“Too shy?”
I felt my face heat up.
“I didn't want to bother you.”
He shook his head.
“You wouldn't have.”
I looked down.
“Sorry.”
He smiled.
“Stop apologizing.”
I looked back at him.
“Okay.”
He stepped aside and nodded toward the garage.
“Come on.”
I glanced at the security guard.
“They're going to let us in?”
“They will now.”
He held up his pass and said something quietly to one of the team members.
A moment later, the security guard nodded.
Lando looked back at us.
“See?”
Lucy smiled.
“Problem solved.”
I laughed quietly.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
He started walking toward the garage, then looked over his shoulder.
“You coming?”
I exchanged a quick glance with Lucy.
She was already smiling.
“Yeah.”
I followed him.
As soon as we stepped through the entrance, everything changed.
The noise.
The movement.
The people.
The cars.
The smell of tires and fuel.
Everything felt so much more intense from inside.
I slowed down without meaning to.
Lando noticed.
“First time?”
I nodded.
“Yeah.”
He smiled.
“Then welcome to my office.”
I laughed.
“This is your office?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Seems stressful.”
“It is.”
He looked at me for a second.
“But you'll get used to it.”
I smiled.
“Maybe.”
I followed Lando deeper into the garage, trying to take in everything at once.
There were people everywhere.
Engineers talking to each other, mechanics moving around the car, screens filled with numbers and data I didn't understand. The whole place felt like controlled chaos.
I stopped for a second, looking around.
Lando noticed.
“Overwhelming?”
“A little.”
He smiled.
“Give it five minutes.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“Probably not.”
I laughed.
He pointed toward the car.
“That's ours.”
I looked at him.
“You say that like you built it.”
“I basically did.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Really?”
“No.”
I laughed.
“You're terrible.”
“I know.”
He walked a few steps closer to the car, and I followed.
Seeing it from this close was completely different from watching it on television.
I stared at it for a moment.
“It's actually insane.”
Lando nodded.
“Yeah.”
He seemed genuinely proud of it.
He started explaining a few things about the car, pointing out different parts and telling me what they were for. I tried to keep up, asking questions whenever something caught my attention.
At one point, I interrupted him.
“Wait. So if they change that—”
“Exactly.”
He smiled.
“You actually understand this.”
“I told you I watch.”
“I thought you were just saying that.”
I smiled.
“Maybe I know more than you thought.”
“I'll have to be careful.”
“Why?”
“You might start correcting me.”
I laughed.
“I wouldn't dare.”
“Good.”
For a moment, we just looked at each other.
Then someone called his name.
“Lando!”
He turned immediately.
“Coming.”
He looked back at me.
“I have to go for a minute.”
“Of course.”
He nodded toward Lucy.
“She'll show you around?”
Lucy smiled.
“I've got her.”
He started walking away before turning back.
“Oh, and don't touch anything.”
I laughed.
“I wasn't planning to.”
“Good.”
He disappeared toward the other side of the garage.
Lucy waited until he was out of earshot.
Then she looked at me.
“What?”
“You like him.”
I immediately shook my head.
“No.”
She smiled.
“I didn't even say anything.”
“You were going to.”
“I was.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I don't like him.”
“You're smiling.”
“I'm excited.”
“Sure.”
I looked back toward the car.
“I've wanted to see this for years.”
Lucy nodded.
“I know.”
She paused.
“But that's not what I meant.”
I looked at her.
“What did you mean?”
She shrugged.
“Nothing.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Lucy.”
She smiled.
“Nothing.”
Before I could argue, Lando returned.
“All good?”
“Yeah.”
He looked at Lucy.
“Keeping her out of trouble?”
“Trying.”
I laughed.
“I haven't done anything.”
“Yet,” Lucy added.
Lando smiled.
“Fair.”
He looked at me.
“You ready?”
“For what?”
He pointed toward the back of the garage.
“I'll show you the other side.”
I followed him.
As we walked, I realized I hadn't thought about Michael once.
Not since I woke up.
Not when I got the message from Lando.
Not when I walked into the garage.
Not even now.
And somehow, that realization made me smile.
A few minutes before the race, the garage had completely changed.
Everyone seemed to be moving at twice the speed, and the calm atmosphere from earlier was gone. Engineers were talking into their headsets, mechanics were making last-minute checks, and people were constantly walking past us.
Lucy and I were standing slightly out of the way, trying not to be in anyone's way.
I was looking at the car when Lando walked over.
He'd already put his helmet on, but his visor was still up. His expression was focused, though there was still that familiar little smile on his face when he looked at us.
“You two staying?”
I looked at him.
“Until the race?”
He nodded.
“If you want.”
I glanced at Lucy.
“We were going to watch from the grandstand.”
“Yeah, I know.”
He shifted his weight slightly.
“But you could stay here.”
There was something about the way he said it that made me smile.
“Are you asking us to stay?”
He gave me a small, almost shy smile.
“Maybe.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
He shrugged, trying to look casual.
“Better view.”
I laughed.
“Is that so?”
“Definitely.”
There was the tiniest hint of a smug smile on his face.
I crossed my arms.
“You just want us here because we're good luck.”
“Could be.”
“You're not even going to deny it?”
“No.”
I laughed.
Lucy looked between us.
“I think we should stay.”
Lando nodded, clearly pleased.
“Good.”
He glanced at me again.
“Stay there, okay?”
I smiled.
“Okay.”
He started to walk away, but then turned around.
“And don't disappear before the race.”
I laughed.
“I won't.”
He gave me one last smile before heading back toward the car.
Lucy waited until he was out of earshot.
Then she slowly turned toward me.
“He wanted you to stay.”
I tried not to smile.
“He asked both of us.”
“Sure.”
I shook my head.
“You're impossible.”
“Maybe.”
I looked back toward Lando.
He was already surrounded by his team again, focused on the race ahead.
But just before he put his helmet down, he glanced over one more time.
And smiled.
The lights went out.
For the first few seconds, I forgot how to breathe.
Everything happened so quickly.
The cars disappeared down the straight, and the entire garage seemed to move with them. Everyone was watching the screens, listening to the radios, barely blinking.
I found myself gripping the edge of the table in front of me.
“Come on,” I whispered.
Lucy glanced at me.
“You're nervous.”
“I'm not.”
“You're practically holding your breath.”
I ignored her.
The first laps passed in a blur.
Every time Lando came through, I watched the timing screen, trying to understand what was happening.
He was fighting for the lead.
The atmosphere inside the garage was completely different from anything I'd experienced before.
Every radio message made everyone react.
Every little change on the timing screen mattered.
And somehow, I was completely absorbed by it.
Lap after lap.
The gap changed.
Then changed again.
At one point, the garage went completely silent.
I looked at the screen.
“What's happening?”
Lucy shook her head.
“I don't know.”
I looked toward the engineers.
Nobody was smiling.
My stomach dropped.
Then the radio came through.
Lando's voice.
Calm.
Focused.
I couldn't understand everything he was saying, but I recognized his tone.
He was okay.
I exhaled.
“Jesus.”
Lucy laughed quietly.
“You care way too much.”
“He's leading.”
“I know.”
“He can't lose now.”
“You sound like you've been doing this for years.”
I didn't answer.
The race continued.
Ten laps to go.
Then five.
The whole garage seemed to hold its breath.
I barely noticed the crowd anymore.
All I could hear was the noise coming from the screens and the occasional voice from the team.
Three laps.
Two.
One.
The final lap.
I could hear my own heartbeat.
Lando crossed the line.
For half a second, there was silence.
Then the garage exploded.
Everyone around us jumped up.
People were hugging, shouting, clapping.
I screamed before I even realized I was doing it.
“He won!”
Lucy grabbed me and pulled me into a hug.
“He won!”
I laughed, barely able to believe it.
On the screen, Lando slowed down after crossing the finish line.
His radio came through.
His voice sounded different now.
Relieved.
Happy.
The team was celebrating around us, and I couldn't stop smiling.
I looked at the screen.
P1.
Lando Norris.
Winner.
I felt this strange rush of happiness in my chest.
Not because he was my favorite driver.
Not only because of that.
I had watched him work all weekend.
I'd seen the pressure.
The focus.
The nerves.
And now I'd watched him win from inside the garage.
It felt unreal.
Then someone beside me shouted,
“He's coming back!”
I turned toward the garage entrance.
People were already moving around, preparing for the celebrations.
And somewhere beyond the crowd, I knew Lando was coming back.
Lucy looked at me.
“You're smiling again.”
I laughed.
“I can't help it.”
She shook her head.
“I knew it.”
I looked toward the entrance.
And then I saw him.
He came into the garage still wearing his race suit, helmet under one arm, sweat running down his forehead.
He was grinning.
A huge, completely unrestrained smile.
His eyes moved through the crowd.
And then they found me.
For a moment, everything else seemed to disappear.
He smiled even wider.
And started walking toward me.
I barely had time to react before someone pulled Lando into another hug.
He laughed, still riding the adrenaline of the win, and for a while I lost sight of him in the crowd.
Everyone was celebrating.
I stayed with Lucy, smiling as I watched the team around us.
After a few minutes, Lucy leaned toward me.
“I think I'm going to get us some water.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
She disappeared into the crowd, leaving me standing near the back of the garage.
I was still looking at the screens when I heard footsteps behind me.
“Hey.”
I turned around.
Lando.
He'd somehow managed to get away from everyone.
His hair was damp, his race suit still half-zipped, and the smile on his face hadn't disappeared.
“Hey.”
He looked around.
“Come with me.”
I blinked.
“Where?”
“Somewhere quieter.”
I followed him out of the garage and down a small corridor, away from the noise and the people.
Eventually, he stopped near a quiet balcony overlooking part of the circuit.
The sound of the crowd was still there, but it was distant now.
For the first time since the race ended, it was quiet.
Lando leaned against the railing and exhaled.
“Finally.”
I smiled.
“You okay?”
He nodded.
“Yeah.”
He looked out toward the track.
“Just… processing.”
“You just won.”
“I know.”
He laughed softly.
“I actually won.”
I smiled.
“You were really good.”
He looked at me.
“Thanks.”
There was a pause.
Then he looked down at his hands before glancing back at me.
“You stayed.”
I smiled.
“You told me to.”
“I know.”
He laughed quietly.
“I just wanted you here.”
My heart skipped slightly.
“Oh.”
He looked almost embarrassed by his own honesty.
“I don't know why.”
I smiled.
“Maybe I'm good luck.”
He laughed.
“Maybe.”
He looked at me for another second.
Then his expression became more serious.
“Can I tell you something?”
I nodded.
“I've been trying not to make this weird.”
I smiled.
“You're doing okay.”
He laughed.
“Good.”
He looked away for a second.
“I know we've only known each other for a few days.”
“Yeah.”
“And I know this is probably fast.”
I waited.
“But I like talking to you.”
My smile faded into something softer.
“I like talking to you too.”
He nodded.
“I figured.”
A small smile returned to his face.
“And I think I'm attracted to you.”
I didn't know what to say.
He laughed nervously.
“Sorry. That was probably a terrible way to say it.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“It wasn't.”
He looked at me.
“I just wanted to be honest.”
I smiled.
“I appreciate that.”
There was a moment of silence.
Then he took a small breath.
“So…”
He looked almost shy again.
“Would you let me take you out sometime?”
I smiled.
“Like an actual date?”
“Yeah.”
He gave me that slightly smug smile I'd started to recognize.
“An actual date.”
I laughed softly.
“I think I'd like that.”
His smile grew.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded.
“Good.”
I looked out over the circuit.
“You know, this is probably the strangest Sunday I've ever had.”
He laughed.
“Same.”
I smiled.
And standing there with the sound of thousands of people celebrating somewhere beyond us, I realized that I wasn't thinking about the past at all.
For once, there was nothing behind me pulling at my attention.
There was only this moment.
And whatever came next.
