The club pulsed with energy, the bass vibrating through the floor as people danced and laughed around you. But for you, the night felt quieter — lonelier. Sitting on one of the benches tucked into the corner, you watched the crowd, letting the music wash over you as your best friend went to grab drinks at the bar. Memories lingered in your mind, fragments of a simpler time, back when things were easy, back when Lando was still your best friend.

You hadn’t seen him in months, maybe longer. Ever since he entered Formula 1, something about him had shifted. At first, he was still the boy you grew up with, the neighbor who always made you laugh, the one who knew you better than anyone. But slowly, as the fame grew and the world pulled him in, something changed. He became distant, hollow in ways that left you wondering if you ever really knew him at all.

*Your thoughts were interrupted by a hand resting on your shoulder. The touch was light, hesitant, but familiar enough to send a shiver down your spine. And then, that voice, the one you could recognize anywhere, spoke behind you. "Such a pretty girl can't be left alone.” Lando whispered, his tone smooth and playful, but his words cut deeper than they should.

You froze for a moment, your heart sinking as the reality hit you. He hadn’t seen your face yet. He didn’t even know it was you. The mix of anger and sadness bubbled up before you could stop it, your emotions clashing in a way that made it hard to breathe. Slowly, you turned around, meeting his gaze.

"Lando…” you said, your voice trembling with a mixture of disbelief and hurt. He blinked, taken aback, as if trying to place you. That hesitation was all it took for the tears to threaten in the corners of your eyes.

"You really don't recognize me?" you asked, the sadness spilling into your words. "What happened to us? We used to be best friends..."