i forget you aren't mine - lando norris - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

"it's been weird to miss you / hits me at the strangest times..."
it's been two weeks since the late-night conversation.
two weeks of carefully measured steps. small moments. tentative smiles sent through texts.
and it's been working.
for the most part.
but lando knows that they're still walking on a thin line — this balance between the chaos of his world and the quiet of what they're trying to rebuild.
he's not sure how long this will last, how long he can keep juggling everything. the races. the press. the sponsors. the interviews.
and her.
and them.
he checks the time, glancing over at his calendar.
it's an endless loop of back-to-back events, but in a few days, there's a break. a small window of time where he won't be traveling.
and for once, he's not thinking about the track. he's not thinking about the next race.
he's thinking about her.
thinking about what they could do if they had time. real time. without the pressure of schedules, time zones, or people demanding his attention.
he wants to see her.
wants to be with her.
in a way that feels real again.
the way they used to.
he picks up his phone, staring at her name in his messages.
it's funny how something so simple can make him feel this way.
just her name. just the thought of her.
his fingers hover over the screen, unsure how to start this.
he's been thinking about it for days, and now that the time has finally come, he's not sure what to say.
but then he starts typing:
so... I have a few days off in a couple of days. what would you say to seeing me?
his heart beats a little faster as he presses send.
it's a simple question, but it feels like more than that. like this is the moment where they could either take a step forward or fall back into the distance.
a few minutes later, her reply comes through.
it's short, but it's all he needs.
I'd love that. I miss you.
the words send a rush of warmth through him.
because it's real.
she misses him. she wants this too.
but then, almost immediately, a sense of doubt creeps in.
he's busy. too busy.
how can he make this work? how can they both make it work?
he stares at the message for a moment longer, trying to push the doubts away.
but the questions keep coming.
what if it's not enough?
what if he messes this up again?
what if the distance between them is just too much to overcome?
he shakes his head, pushing the thoughts aside.
he's not going to overthink this.
they've been through enough already.
he needs to focus on what matters. on her.
so he types again:
let's make it happen. I'll find a way.
he presses send, and this time, he feels certain.
he'll find a way.
the next few days are a whirlwind.
he's up early for interviews, then off to press conferences, then meetings with sponsors. the schedule doesn't stop, and the distance between them starts to feel like an invisible wall again.
but every time he checks his phone, there's a message from her.
small moments. funny memes. reminders that she's still there. still waiting for him.
and that makes it all worth it.
finally, the day comes.
the day he's been waiting for.
the day when he can stop pretending that his world is just about racing and start thinking about her — about them.
he finishes up his final meeting, packs up his things, and heads straight for the airport.
his heart is pounding as the plane takes off.
this is it.
this is the moment he's been waiting for.
a few hours later, he's standing in the airport terminal, scanning the crowd for her.
and then he sees her.
she's standing by the gate, looking around, her hair blowing slightly in the breeze.
and for a moment, lando just stands there, taking her in.
she's real. she's here. standing in front of him like a dream he thought he'd lost.
their eyes meet.
and then, without thinking, he's walking toward her.
her face lights up when she sees him.
and in that moment, everything feels right again.
"hey," she says softly, almost like she can't believe he's really here.
and then, without missing a beat, she's in his arms, her body pressing into his like she's been waiting for this moment just as much as he has.
"hi," he replies, his voice thick with emotion.
it feels like time slows down as they stand there, holding each other.
the world doesn't matter. the distance, the time zones, the schedules — none of it matters right now.
just the two of them.
just the feeling of finally being close again.
they pull back slightly, just enough to look at each other.
he smiles at her, and she smiles back.
"I missed you," she says, her voice soft but steady.
"me too," he replies, feeling the weight of the words more than he expected.
because it's true. he's missed her more than he's been willing to admit.
but now, they don't have to hide it anymore.
they spend the next few hours together, just being with each other.
no schedules. no interruptions. just them.
and for the first time in a long time, lando feels right.
he doesn't have to choose between his world and hers.
he doesn't have to choose between racing and love.
because they're both there, in the same space, and somehow, it's all fitting together.
the day passes in a blur of laughter, shared stories, and moments that feel like they've been missing for too long.
but even as they enjoy their time together, lando knows that the next challenge is ahead of them.
the next race.
the next time zone.
the next stretch of distance between them.
but for now, in this moment, they're together.
and that's all that matters.