The Mediterranean breeze carried the smell of salt and sunscreen as Sienna stepped out of the taxi, smoothing down the cream linen dress she’d spent far too long deciding on that afternoon. The beach club was already alive.
Music drifted through the open space, conversations blended together with laughter, glasses clinked somewhere near the bar, and the golden sunset painted everything in warm shades of orange and pink. She smiled to herself. This was exactly why she’d fallen in love with Monaco.
A year ago she never would’ve imagined living here. London had always been home, but after getting accepted into university and deciding to study fashion abroad, moving had felt like the biggest and scariest decision she’d ever made.
Now?, She couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
She barely had time to turn before someone threw their arms around her.
“Lucas,” she laughed, hugging her cousin back. “You nearly knocked me over.”
“I was aiming for dramatic.”
He pulled back, looking her up and down.
“You actually made an effort.”
“I always make an effort.”
“You literally turned up to brunch last week wearing one of my hoodies.”
“You’ve been here for ten seconds and you’re already stealing things.”
He laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they walked further inside.
“As if I’d miss your birthday.”
“ I had important things to do “
“You were filming yourself making coffee.”
Lucas laughed again. “I’ve missed you.”
Her smile softened. “I’ve missed you too.”
Between university, content creation, and Lucas working nearly every weekend, they hadn’t seen each other in almost a month.
“So,” she asked as they walked past groups of chatting guests, “who’s here?”
“A few people from work, some friends from school, my neighbours…” He pointed around the beach club while naming faces she recognised. “…and some friends are bringing other friends.”
“So… I know half the people here.”
He squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll get you a drink. Stay here for a second.” Before she could answer, he’d disappeared into the crowd.
“Typical,” she muttered. She wandered over to the edge of the terrace overlooking the sea. The water sparkled beneath the setting sun, yachts drifted lazily in the distance, and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks was just loud enough to drown out the music for a moment.
“You look like you’re questioning all your life choices.” Sienna turned. A brunette she’d met through Lucas a few times smiled at her.
Camille handed her a glass. “I stole this from your cousin.”
“Fashion students always say that.”
Camille laughed. “and being a influencer ?”
“I don’t know. It’s weird.”
Sienna shrugged. “I started posting because it was fun.”
“Now thousands of strangers ask where my trousers are from every time I leave my apartment.”
Camille burst out laughing.
“And if I don’t answer within five minutes they start assuming I’m gatekeeping.”
“I don’t even feel like one.”
“You have over a hundred thousand followers.”
“I know, but that still feels insane.”
Before Camille could answer, Lucas returned balancing three drinks.
He handed her another drink. “Happy now?”
“You two argue like siblings,” Camille said.
“We practically are,” Lucas replied.
“Well it’s not as if I’ve known him since the day I was born.”
“And she’s been annoying me ever since.”
“I tolerate you, there is a difference! ”
Lucas opened his mouth to reply when someone behind him called his name. He turned around.
Sienna followed his gaze. A small group was making their way across the terrace, laughing amongst themselves. She didn’t recognise any of them. Lucas sighed dramatically.
“I suppose I should go be a good host.”
He smiled before walking over to greet them. Sienna took another sip of her drink, absentmindedly watching the waves. She had no idea that, somewhere behind her, someone had just arrived and in less than five minutes, she’d meet the person who would quietly become one of the biggest parts of her life.
Lucas greeted the group with a grin, pulling one of the guys into a quick hug before exchanging handshakes with the others. “You actually made it.”
“I said I would,” one of them laughed. “Barely,” another added. “He’s been complaining about traffic for twenty minutes.”
“…….It was Monaco’s fault ”
“You lot are unbelievable.”
Standing slightly behind the group, one hand tucked into the pocket of his beige trousers, Lando watched the exchange with an amused smile. “You’ve got old already,” he teased.
Lucas looked over. “Says the one who’s five minutes late.”
“I prefer fashionably late.”
“You’ve never been fashionable.”
Lando gasped dramatically. “I’d like to leave.”
A few laughs broke out before Lucas shook his head.
“Come on. Drinks are over there.”
As everyone began walking further into the party, Lando’s attention drifted around the beach club. Music, the ocean, people dancing barefoot in the sand and…. a girl standing by the terrace railing caught his eye. She wasn’t doing anything extraordinary, she wasn’t trying to get anyone’s attention. She was simply leaning against the wooden railing with a drink in one hand, talking to a brunette beside her. Every few seconds she’d laugh, brushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear before looking back towards the sea. It was… effortless.
“You coming?” one of the guys asked.
His eyes lingered for another second before following the group.
“You’ve been staring at the water for ten minutes.”
Camille raised an eyebrow. “You definitely have.”
“I like the view.” Sienna laughed. “I was just thinking.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know… how weird life is.”
“ months ago I was still living in London.”
“I’m studying what I’ve always wanted.”
“I somehow convinced over one hundred thousand people that my outfits are interesting.”
Camille smiled. “You worked for that.”
“It’s still feels surreal”
Before Sienna could answer, Lucas appeared again.
“You’ve said that three times tonight.”
He looked between the two girls. “Mind if I steal her?”
Camille smiled. “Go ahead, I’ll go find something to eat.”
As soon as she’d disappeared into the crowd, Sienna looked back at her cousin.
“What are you smiling about?”
“I want you to meet a few people.”
“You’ve said that before.”
“The last time you said someone was nice, they spilled an espresso all over my white trainers.”
He laughed before gently taking her wrist.
She let him lead her through the crowd, as they approached the group, snippets of conversation became clearer.
“…I’m telling you, it wasn’t my fault.”
“You weren’t even there.”
Sienna smiled to herself.
They sounded like they’d known each other forever.
Lucas stopped beside them.
Everyone looked over. “I’ve got someone I want you all to meet.” Almost instinctively, Sienna tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“This is my cousin, Sienna.”
A chorus of “Hi,” and “Nice to meet you,” followed. She smiled politely at each of them, trying to remember names she’d inevitably forget five minutes later. “And this one ,” Lucas continued, turning slightly, “is Lando.” The curly-haired guy she’d noticed only briefly before offered her an easy smile.
For a second, neither of them said anything. Then he glanced at the nearly empty glass in her hand.
She looked down. “I honestly couldn’t tell you.”
He frowned playfully. “You’ve been drinking it.”
He laughed. “So you’ve just been sipping it without actually tasting it?”
She smiled despite herself. “What about yours?”
He looked at his own drink. “Same problem.”
“So neither of us knows what we’re drinking.”
Lucas watched the interaction for a moment before someone called his name from across the terrace. “For God’s sake…” he muttered. Sienna laughed.
He pointed at both of them. “You two behave.”
Lando nodded solemnly. “I make no promises.”
Lucas snorted before walking away. Silence settled between them for a brief second. Not awkward. Just… new. Lando looked towards the sea.
“My cousin drags me out whenever he can.”
“You look like someone who secretly enjoys this.” She looked around at the music, the people dancing in the sand, the sky slowly turning pink.
He shrugged. “I don’t mind parties.”
“That sounds very convincing.”
She laughed softly. “So what do you actually do when you’re not being dragged to birthday parties?” The question was so casual that for the first time that evening, Lando hesitated. He could’ve answered the way people expected. Could’ve said exactly who he was.Instead…
“I’m lucky enough to have a job that I really enjoy and pays good .”
She nodded. “What kind of job?”
He smiled to himself. “I’ll tell you eventually.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Keeping secrets already?”
“It’s more fun that way.”
“Or maybe you’re secretly unemployed.”
She grinned, completely unaware that everyone else in Monaco would’ve recognised him within seconds. For the first time all week…Lando felt like he was just another guy at a birthday party.
The music had picked up as the evening slipped into night. Someone had convinced half the guests to dance barefoot in the sand, a few people had gathered around the bar, and Lucas had somehow ended up wearing a ridiculous birthday sash that Sienna was almost certain he hadn’t arrived with.
“I need photographic evidence of this,” she murmured.
Lando followed her gaze before laughing.
“Oh, that’s never coming off him.”
“I’m sending it to my aunt.”
Sienna pulled her phone from her small shoulder bag and quickly snapped a picture from where they stood. A second later she looked at the screen, smiling to herself.
“You’ve just ruined his reputation.”
“Oh please! He ruined it himself.”
She slipped her phone away again.
“You know…” Lando began, “I thought fashion students were supposed to be nice.”
She nudged his arm lightly with hers.
“I’m only mean to people I like.”
“So I should feel honoured?”
For a moment they simply watched the waves roll against the shore. It wasn’t an awkward silence. It was comfortable.vThe kind where neither person felt the need to fill every second with words.
Lando glanced sideways. “So… London.”
Lando smiled a little at that .
Before she could reply, someone appeared beside Lando, clapping him on the shoulder.
The guy looked between them before smirking.“You’ve disappeared.”
“We’ve been looking for you.”
He nodded politely at Sienna. “Hi.”
Matteo looked back at Lando.
“We’re heading over there.”
He pointed towards a group closer to the beach.
Lando looked at Sienna for a split second before answering.
“I’ll come over in a bit.”
Matteo’s smile widened ever so slightly.
as he walked away, Sienna looked back at Lando.
He shrugged. “I suppose.”
“You’ve had about five people come looking for you.”
She smiled. “You seem very relaxed.”
He looked at her. “You do?”
“University.” She sighed dramatically.
“Everyone thinks studying fashion means we just sketch pretty dresses all day.”
“So what do you actually do?”
She started listing everything on her fingers.
“I didn’t know that was a thing.”
“Ah, worst one , I’ve heard of those.”
He laughed. “You really love complaining.”
She smiled before taking another sip of her drink.
“You still haven’t told me what you do.”
He looked almost guilty for a second.
“Is it classified information?”
He scratched the back of his neck.
“It’s… difficult to explain.”
“You’re definitely unemployed.”
He laughed. “I promise I’m not.”
“You sound like you’re making this up.”
He smiled to himself, If she knew. If she had even the slightest idea who he was…this conversation would’ve been completely different, instead, she was trying to figure out whether he had a real job.It was strangely nice. Across the terrace, Lucas noticed them again. He was standing beside Camille and another friend, drink in hand. Camille followed his line of sight before smiling.“They haven’t stopped talking.” Lucas looked at his watch. “It’s been almost three hours.”
“No way.” “I introduced them just after seven.”
Camille let out a quiet laugh. “I don’t think they’ve realised.” Lucas shook his head, smiling to himself.
“If you asked Sienna right now what his surname is…”
Camille glanced back at the pair.
“…She probably couldn’t tell you.”
Somewhere between laughing over a failed attempt at baking and debating whether pineapple belonged on pizza, neither of them realised how late it had become. A voice echoed from behind them. “There you are!” They both turned. Lucas was making his way across the sand with his hands in his pockets.
“I was beginning to think you’d both gone home.”
“We’ve been here the whole time,” Sienna said.
“For…” he checked his watch before looking back up with an amused smile.
She turned to Lando. “Has it actually been that long?” He looked genuinely surprised himself. “…I think it has.” Lucas folded his arms. “I’ve never seen either of you talk this much.”
“We were just talking,” Sienna replied. “I can see that.” He couldn’t help smiling. “Anyway, people are starting to leave.” Sienna looked back towards the beach club where guests were collecting bags and saying their goodbyes. “I should probably head home.”
The three of them walked back together. When they reached the entrance, Sienna hugged her cousin. “Happy birthday again.”
“Wouldn’t have missed it.”
Lucas smiled before turning to greet another guest who was leaving. That left Sienna and Lando standing beside each other. For the first time all evening, neither of them spoke immediately. “Well…” Sienna smiled. “I suppose this is goodbye.” “I suppose it is,” Lando replied. “It was really nice meeting you.” “You too.” She took a small step backwards towards the waiting taxis. “Good luck with… your mysterious job.” He laughed. “And good luck with university.”
She gave him one last smile before climbing into the taxi. Lando watched as it pulled away from the beach club, disappearing into the Monaco night. He stood there for another moment before Lucas wandered back over. “So?” Lando looked at him. “So?” Lucas smirked. “I haven’t seen you smile like that after meeting someone in a while.” Lando shook his head, trying (and failing) not to smile again.
Lucas laughed. “I didn’t even say anything.”
“You were about to.” “I definitely was.”
Lando glanced one last time towards the road where the taxi had disappeared.
“…What’s your cousin’s Instagram?”
And so… that’s how they met. 🥹
I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! This series won’t have one big plot, it’s simply a collection of moments from Lando and Sienna’s relationship, from the day they met to race weekends, firsts, holidays, arguments, social media, interviews, family moments, and everything in between. The chapters won’t always be in chronological order, but every chapter will include the date so it’s easy to follow the timeline. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Sienna and your first impressions of her and Lando together! As always, likes, comments, and reblogs mean the world to me and really motivate me to keep writing.
See you in the next chapter! 🤍
