>

send me ur location

IMMEDIATELY

who is this

queens i will kill u

not a way to get my

location, mister !

dont be difficult

okay okayyyy

now was that so hard

yes

expert level

lemme know when ur done

snorkelling or whatever and

we'll come meet u

An hour later, after Lola and Cara had almost killed a fish while fighting in the middle of the sea, the three girls are waiting on the dock of a marina Lando had directed them towards around twenty-five minutes ago.

"Are you nervous?"

"No," Queenie replies quickly—too quickly. She notices her mistake almost immediately, regardless of the smug smirks on her best friends' faces, and so she rolls her eyes and changes her answer. "OK, maybe a little."

Lola wraps an arm over her friend's shoulder, pulling her close enough for Queenie's head to feel squished in the crook of Lola's neck. Lola coo's as if the brunette is a newborn baby. "Aw, little baby Queenie is shy."

"Get off of me."

"Never."

"Lola, I can't breathe."

"That's just the nerves," Lola defends, squeezing Queenie tighter. She flashes Cara a wicked grin as the blonde laughs from beside the squabbling pair. "You said it yourself."

"No," Queenie grunts. "I'm suffocating."

"I'm comforting you."

"You're annoying me."

"Guys." Cara sighs, trying to catch the pair's attention and stop their banter.

"Cara, tell her to stop denying my love."

"Cara, tell her to stop trying to murder me."

"Guys—"

"I'm not trying to murder you, don't be so dramatic."

"I could sue you," Queenie continues. "I could represent myself and then sue you."

"Stop whining, Queenie," Lola tuts. "No-one can understand you anyway, you're all muffled."

"I wonder why!" Queenie quips sarcastically as she finally breaks free from Lola's death grip of an embrace.

"Do you two need some time to finish whatever this is or can we actually get a 'hello'?"

At the sound of a male's voice, Queenie and Lola freeze like deer caught in headlights. Cara, who had noticed the group walk towards them while her friends were busy strangling each other, hides her face in the palm of her hand, cringing at what the three must look like to such high-class people.

Queenie turns around cautiously, as if too much movement would attract danger—a fact she'd learned from watching Jurassic Park as a kid. "Lando Norris," She laughs nervously. "Hello."

Lando grins. "Hey, Queens."

"Hey." Queenie repeats, a shy smile on her lips.

"Get a grip." Cara mumbles, earning an elbow to the stomach from the brunette girl.

Lando's eyes move to the girls behind Queenie and nods at them in a quick greeting, still smiling. "Cara and Lola, right?" He asks, just to make sure he knows which name belongs to which face. He throws a quick thumb over his shoulder at his friends and rails off their names in introduction. "This is Max, Oli—my brother, Sav—his girlfriend, Tom, Connor, Jennie—Connor's girlfriend, Alicia and Martin."

Queenie, Cara and Lola wave and smile in response and the thought of how they must look reminds Queenie of that scene in Madagascar with the penguins.

Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.

"Do you want help with your bags?" Max asks. The boat the gang are renting is a little further down the dock, not far enough to exhaust the girls if they carry their own luggage but not close enough for it to seem silly that they recruit some help.

Lola smiles. "Sure, thank you."

Max and Tom step forward to grab Lola and Cara's suitcases while Lando takes the opportunity to carry Queenie's. He lets the group walk ahead, purposely walking slower so that Queenie gets the message to hang back slightly and match his pace.

"Jesus, Queens, what did you pack?" Lando heaves out an exhale, pretending to struggle with Queenie's suitcase. "The whole of England?"

"No, only your ego would fit unfortunately." Queenie fires back, biting her lip to stop her grin from being so wide.

Lando clutches a hand to his chest, feigning offence as he drops her suitcase at her feet. "You're funny," He mocks. "Let's hope your humour can carry your suitcase the rest of the way."

"I'm sorry," Queenie giggles, reaching for Lando's arm when he dramatically tries to walk away from her. "Please help me."

Lando chuckles, grabbing the girl's suitcase again and continuing their short walk back to the boat. "So, you had no idea you were coming to Croatia?" He teases.

Queenie rolls her eyes. "I didn't want it to seem like we were following you."

"And yet, you've somehow managed to invite yourself to stay with us on the boat."

"Hey!" Queenie whines in defence. "You insisted we meet up with you and bring all of our stuff. This is your doing."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Lando smirks, stepping aside so that Queenie could climb onto the boat before him.

"I hate you." She says as she walks past.

Lando laughs. "I'm sure."

Queenie follows the noise down the stairs in the boat to locate which bedroom she and the girls are stealing for a few nights. Lando trails closely behind, throwing her suitcase onto one of the beds so that Queenie could unpack however she likes.

"You're not staying in Lando's room?" Cara asks with a smirk. The question is genuine but the smirk passes it off as teasing in case Lando takes her comment the wrong way. Cara's smart; she knows not to make anyone uncomfortable. Well, anyone other than her best friends.

Queenie laughs sarcastically. "Funny."

Cara is still chuckling to herself when she leaves the bedroom, deciding to unpack tonight rather than miss any sun or bonding time with the rest of the group upstairs.

Lando moves to sit on the opposite bed to where he had placed Queenie's suitcase. His eyes meet Queenie's and he smiles softly, gesturing for her to leave her spot in the doorway. "Come here."

Queenie moves, placing her hand in Lando's outstretched palm and yelping when the twenty-one-year-old pulls her quickly towards him. She ends up standing between his legs, his head against her chest and his arms around her waist as he hugs her tightly.

"I missed you."

Butterflies.

"You saw me a few weeks ago."

"Is it a crime to miss my friend?"

Friend. Bye-bye butterflies.

"I didn't say that." Queenie says, enjoying the long-lasting hug from her friend.

Lando moves his head so that he can see Queenie's face but leaves his arms wrapped around her waist. "Are you not going to say it back?"

"It back."

"You're a piece of work, Queens."

Queenie chuckles. "You've told me that before."

"Well?"

"I missed you too."

Lando grins and Queenie feels her heart stop for a second. That grin. That stupid lazy smile.

She'd do anything for more glimpses of that grin.

this has got to be one of my

favourite chapters i have ever

written oh my god