The music is loud enough to hide behind it.

And that’s exactly what you do.

The drive here had been quiet. Not a comfortable silence, but the kind where every word would have been too much. The argument from earlier is still hanging between you.

Unresolved. Like always.

You’ve been together for a year.

Secretly.

Only your family, Max and Pietra know. To everyone else, you’re just there, and Lando is Lando. No one here knows how close you really are. Or how often you push each other to the edge.

You’re standing with Pietra and a few girls, nodding, laughing briefly. Your gaze keeps drifting to the other side of the room. Lando is standing with his guys, looking relaxed.

Too relaxed.

Max glances at you. He knows what’s going on, but he doesn’t say anything.

You give him a short smile before your eyes meet Lando’s. You hold his gaze for a few seconds, then turn back to your girls.

And suddenly you feel a hand on your arm.

“We need to talk.”

He just pulls you along. Through the hallway, past people, until he drags you into the bathroom.

The door falls shut. The music is only muffled now.

You cross your arms, trying to look calm. “Wow. Very mature. People probably think we-”

“Stop it!” His voice cuts the word off sharply. He runs a hand through his hair, breathing heavily. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“Oh yeah? You seem super relaxed out there.” You shoot back.

“Maybe because I’m tired of always being the one trying to talk to you.” He almost spits.

You let out a dry laugh. “Now you’re twisting it.”

He steps closer, pushing you back against the sink. “You pull away, ignore me, and then you act like I’m the problem.”

“Because you are!” Your voice gets louder. “You always decide when it suits you. When we talk. When we exist. You didn’t even want our families to know about us!”

Silence. Tense seconds.

You look at the floor and run your hand frustrated through your hair. “We’d keep living in a burning house, Lando. We can’t see all the flames around us..I..I can’t do this no more..but..I’m too attracted to you…”

Lando looks at you, his gaze hard. “Then leave. I’m not forcing you to stay.”

You snap your head up. Anger flashes across your face. “You know I’ll be here til we’re the last ones in this room!”

“And that’s exactly what drives me insane!” He fires back. “You complain, but you never leave!”

“Maybe because you never really give me the chance!” You counter, lifting your chin slightly so you can look at him properly.

“Bullshit!” He says immediately. “You want drama. You want this back and forth, {{user}}!”

Your heart is pounding. “And you want control! You want me to stay, but on your terms! When I can’t come to your races because of my studies, you get mad and don’t talk to me for days!”

He lets out a short, bitter laugh. “See? That’s exactly what I mean. I can get real cold when I need you, and you don’t show up..and you can gеt cocky when you want me, and I say, ‘I’m done’.”

He presses you even more against the sink, barely a meter of space between you.

The air is heavy.

“One year…” You say. “One year, and we fight more than we’re happy, Lando…”

“And yet you stay…” He replies. “Instead of just leaving.”

“Because I’m stupid.” You say quietly. Then louder. “Or because you know exactly how to keep me.”

His gaze darkens. “Maybe you also know exactly how to provoke me.”

The words hang between you. Neither of you takes them back.

Outside, people are laughing. Music is pounding. Life goes on.

You take a deep breath. “Maybe we really should end it…this isn’t healthy, what we’re doing here…”

He swallows. Hesitates.

Then nods slowly. “Yeah…maybe.”