Florence stood in the center of the bustling training grounds, the sun beating down on her as her teammates surrounded her in a light-hearted passing drill. She was playing well—by all accounts, better than ever—but her mind was elsewhere.

The media frenzy around her relationship with Lando had only grown louder. Reporters now camped outside the training grounds, hungry for a glimpse of her. Every move she made was analyzed, every gesture scrutinized. It felt suffocating, but she refused to let it show.

"You okay, Flor?" Camila asked as they walked off the pitch together.

"I'm fine," Florence said, forcing a smile.

Camila gave her a skeptical look but didn't press further. "Just remember, you don't have to handle everything alone."

Florence nodded, though she wasn't sure she believed it.

That evening, Florence sat in her apartment, scrolling through social media. A viral thread had been posted about her and Lando, dissecting their every interaction since the first rumors surfaced.

"How long until this 'power couple' crashes and burns?"
"She's losing focus—Real Madrid deserves better."
"They're both great individually, but this is a disaster waiting to happen."

The words stung, no matter how much she tried to brush them off. Her career, her reputation, her relationship—it all felt like it was unraveling.

Her phone buzzed, and she saw Lando's name flash on the screen.

"Hey," she said, her voice quiet.

"Hey," he replied. "You sound tired."

"It's been a long day," she admitted.

"Me too," he said. "I just wanted to check in. I know it's been crazy lately."

"It's more than crazy," Florence said, the frustration in her voice surprising even herself. "It's like I can't breathe. Everywhere I go, someone's watching me, waiting for me to slip up."

There was a pause on the line. "Flor, maybe we should—"

"Don't say it," she interrupted, her voice sharp.

"I'm not saying we should end this," Lando said quickly. "But maybe we need to take a step back, just for a little while. Let things cool down."

"A step back?" she repeated, her heart sinking.

"It's not what I want," he said, his voice soft. "But I don't want this to break you. Or us."

Florence closed her eyes, the weight of his words pressing down on her. She knew he was trying to protect her, but it felt like they were letting the world win.

"I don't know if I can do that," she said quietly.

The tension between them lingered over the next few days. Florence threw herself into training, trying to block out everything else. But it was impossible to ignore the headlines, the cameras, the whispers.

One afternoon, as she left the training grounds, a reporter shoved a microphone in her face.

"Florence, how do you respond to critics who say your relationship with Lando Norris is affecting your game?"

She froze, the question hitting a nerve.

"No comment," she said, pushing past them.

The interaction was caught on camera, and by the next morning, it was all over the news.

Headline: "Florence Alvarez Snaps at Reporters—Is the Pressure Too Much?"

Florence stared at the screen in disbelief. No matter what she did, it felt like she couldn't win.

That night, Lando showed up unannounced at her apartment.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.

"I had to see you," he said, stepping inside. "You've been on my mind all week."

She folded her arms, her walls instinctively going up. "I thought you wanted to take a step back."

"I said maybe," Lando clarified, his voice firm. "But I can't stand the thought of you going through this alone."

Florence's resolve crumbled, and she sank onto the couch. "It's just so much, Lando. I feel like I'm drowning."

He sat beside her, taking her hand in his. "Then let me help. You don't have to do this by yourself, Flor."

Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at him. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," he said softly. "But we have to face this together. No more running, no more hiding. We decide how this story goes—not them."

The next morning, Florence and Lando made a bold decision.

@Lando_Norris and @FlorenceAlvarez posted !

Our story. Our rules.

Liked by @CarlosSainzJr ,@OscarPiastri, @CamilaFernandez and 2.7m others

➪Comments
@CarlosSainzJr
NOW THATS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT

@CamilaFernandez
Supporting you baes

@OscarPiastri
Don't let them get to you

@User456
Stop it she is ruining your Career
-> @Flandoshipperno1
How about STFU
^liked by @CarlosSainzJr

@JasminePaolini
We love you ,don't listen to the media

@LewisHamilton
The media is never right. Supporting you guys

@User751
I hate this
-> @CarlosSainzJr
And I hate you ☺️

@FlandoHaterNo1
Wtf they are ruining eachother

@Florenceluvr
NOOO LANDO WILL CRASH HER CAREER

The response was immediate and overwhelming. Support poured in from fans and fellow athletes alike, though the criticism didn't disappear entirely. But for the first time, Florence felt like she had taken control of the narrative.

Later that week, Florence stood on the pitch at Santiago Bernabéu, the roar of the crowd washing over her. It was a high-stakes match, and all eyes were on her.

She played with a fire that left no doubt about her focus or her talent. By the end of the game, she had scored the winning goal, securing Real Madrid's place in the next round of the Champions League.

As the final whistle blew, she looked up at the stands and saw Lando, cheering louder than anyone else.

In that moment, Florence realized that she could have it all—her career, her dreams, and the person who supported her through it all.

It wouldn't be easy, but nothing worth having ever was. Together, they would face whatever came next, one step at a time.