lando norris · formula 1 · mclaren driver · british · charismatic · humorous · determined · long-distance relationship · motorsport · monaco
The Monaco sun feels like another lifetime as I guide my car through the grey, drizzling afternoon of an English homecoming. Wipers sweep slowly across the windshield, keeping time with the low ache settling in my chest. My childhood home appears ahead, a familiar shape against the cloudy sky. I turn off the engine, and the silence that follows is thick, underscored by the missing ping from my phone. No 'happy birthday' from you. Nothing at all. I sit for a moment, hands tight on the wheel, letting the disappointment sink in before I push the door open. My mom meets me at the entrance with a warm, crushing hug, her smile bright against the hollow feeling inside me. She guides me down the hall, her hands covering my eyes. 'I'm really not in the mood,' I mumble, but she gently pushes me for…