SINCE YESTERDAY'S RACE, MALAIKA has been doing extensive research on formula 1. it hasn't even been a day and she could now name all the drivers, even some older ones, and could tell you which team is doing well and which teams need to "change their fucking car" in christian horner's words. she didn't want lando to think she was completely clueless, so she had jasmine come out of her room and show her some other important moments she found on youtube. at this rate, malaika would become formula 1 obsessed in the next week. 

last night, logan had asked if they could hang out today, just the two of them. while malaika missed her friend dearly, she didn't understand why he didn't want jasmine or jacob along, especially considering logan's massive and obvious crush on jasmine. after about ten minutes of convincing, malaika finally agreed to meet up with him for a couple of hours. 

"that grilled cheese was the best thing i've eaten in a while." logan sighed as he drove the two back toward malaika's apartment. "where did you find that place?"

"i don't even know. i just found it one day as i was driving to the beach. hey, oh my god, i should have vlogged this! i miss having you in my vlogs."

"aw, i miss being in them." logan smiled at his friend. "i'm here for a couple more days, though. we could always vlog later."

"do you want to stay at mine for bit? i just have to edit yesterday's vlog, but maybe we could watch a movie or something?"

"oh, uh..." logan tried to think of a good excuse. he couldn't tell malaika that the reason he couldn't stay was because lando norris was waiting for her. that would ruin the surprise. 

"logan? you there?" malaika chuckled nervously. "don't space out while you're driving, idiot."

"right, sorry." logan let out a dry laugh. "i actually have something planned with jas tonight. i'm sorry." he lied. malaika nodded, trying not to feel disappointed. she put on a smile. 

"of course you do." she shook her head. "that's okay. we'll do something tomorrow, then."

"hey, wasn't lando supposed to be meeting you today?" logan changed the subject. malaika's eyes widened. to be honest, she kind of forgot that the british racing driver had postponed his flight just to meet her. she checked her phone really quickly, trying not to get upset over the fact that he hadn't texted her since their conversation last night.

"he was." malaika frowned. "i completely forgot about that. man, i was kinda hoping he'd text me what he wanted to do."

"mal." logan gave her a look as he parked the car in front of her apartment building. "since when are you the type to wait for a guy to make the first move? you are the boldest person i know."

"that was before i found out that lando norris is flirtier than i am." malaika groaned. she looked up at the building and her eyebrows furrowed. "hey, why are our lights off? is jas not home?"

"let's go check." logan said, quickly getting out of the car. malaika followed him, hesitantly. she needed to figure out why he was acting so weird. following him inside the building, malaika practically chased logan toward her apartment. he was walking way too fast just to drop her off. 

"slow down, holy shit." malaika was nearly running at this point. she caught up to logan at her front door, grabbing him by the shirt. "there is no rush. stop." she demanded him. logan sighed and nodded. 

"right. i'm just so excited." he blurt out, his eyes widening as malaika looked at him, confused. 

"excited for what? to see jas?"

"yes!" he said. "i'm so excited to see jasmine."

"i heard my name." jasmine opened the door to the apartment. malaika tried not to gasp when she saw the inside. 

"holy lord." she gasped, walking inside. the lights of her living room was off, with just the small lamp in the corner giving light. on the coffee table sat a bunch of malaika's favorite snacks plus a large bowl of popcorn and 6-pack of pure leaf extra sweet teas. on the couch was none other than lando norris, his grinning face looking up at malaika as he sat comfortably next to a bundle of blankets and pillows.

"you gonna say something?" lando asked her, getting up from the couch and approaching her. malaika blinked, trying to process what was happening. 

"did you really postpone your flight to have a movie night with me?" malaika asked him. "how'd you know i love movies?"

"you have great friends." lando said, motioning toward logan and jasmine. "while logan took you out, jasmine let me in and we set all this up. now, they're about to go on a date of their own."

"not a date!" jasmine called out from the door. "but we really should get going."

"have fun, guys!" logan grinned at his friends. "we'll leave you guys alone now."

"so," malaika started once her friends had left. "you really did all this for a girl you've never even met?"

"i wouldn't say we've never met. i waved at you at the race yesterday."

"that doesn't count. we've never actually spoken. you don't know me and i barely know you."

"i've stalked your instagram." lando admitted. "and i have logan to tell me what i need to know."

"you and logan aren't friends." 

"oscar's his friend, so it's close enough. now will you actually sit and watch this movie with me or did i do all this for nothing?" lando raised his eyebrows at the girl, who couldn't help but smile and blush faintly. 

"fine." she said. "let me just go change into something more comfortable. no movie night should be spent in jeans."

"even if it's a date with lando norris?" lando asked her. malaika squinted at him. 

"oh, so this is a date? in that case, let me go change into my sexiest dress just to lay on my couch and watch 'high school musical 3.'" she said, sarcastically. lando couldn't help but laugh. 

"just hurry back." he waved her off. malaika went into her room to change, leaving lando alone in the living room for a moment. this was enough time for him to actually think about what he was doing. he rescheduled a flight and spent hours to set up a movie night date for a girl he had barely met just the day before. he wasn't sure why, but he felt some sort of connection to the girl. they've barely spoken, but lando's taken a liking to her quicker than he would have liked. 

"alright, i'm back." malaika came out from her bedroom wearing a pair of light pink sweatpants and a dark blue hoodie. her hair was in a braid and lando noticed she was now wearing a bit more makeup than she was five minutes ago. 

"are you wearing lip gloss?" he asked amusedly. malaika licked her lips quickly. 

"what? no, of course not. my lips are just...naturally glossy?" she tried. lando tried not to laugh as he led her to the couch. 

"so, i hear this is one of your favorite movies?" he asked, sitting down in front of the coffee table as malaika took a seat next to him. 

"it's the one with the best songs for sure." she nodded, taking the remote from lando to press 'play.'

"you're gonna be singing along to every one, aren't you?" lando asked her, eyeing the expression on malaika's face. she grinned at him. 

"you know me so well!" 

maha speaks :)

i have no idea how long this fic will be but !!!! 

i'm aiming for at least 20-25 chapters? more or less