Slow Dancing In The Dark

What is important?
What was important?
What were, seen from today, important events in my life?
Asked to describe ten of the most important events in my life, which ones do I choose?
This is Lando's story.

Notes:

Hello my dear readers and welcome back to another one of my shenanigans.
This series is based on Mats Staub's longterm project Ten Important Events In My Life, written from a driver's perspective. None of the different chapters are related to allow different shippings and outcomes of each story. The story titles are song names.
The rules are simple, I am using the "visible" ones only:
1. Write down your first name and the year you were born.
2. Write down all the places where you have lived, in chronological order. Indicate which one(s) you are currently living in.
3. Write down all the jobs you have been paid for, in chronological order. Indicate which one(s) you are currently doing.
4. Decide on ten really important events in your life.
5. Describe each event as briefly as you can. You don’t need to provide comments or explanations. Use the present tense and the first person singular (I…) only.
6. Place the events in chronological order. Date them by month and year.
And now, enjoy :)

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Lando *1999

Bristol
London
Tokyo
London

Waiter
Shop assistant
Model
Singer

SEPTEMBER 2011:
Carlos asks me to join our school band. He teaches me how to play the guitar and when I sing in front of him for the first time, he seems impressed.

JANUARY 2012:
My parents split up. I don't think that it's that big of a problem, but I have never been so wrong before.

AUGUST 2017:
My mom kisses my cheek before she finally leaves me alone in my dorm. It feels weird to attend university. My roommate is kind but I miss Carlos and our band.

DECEMBER 2021:
I move to Tokyo to get away from everything that hurts me. Carlos hugs me at the airport and it's the only second I ever doubt my decision. I barely speak the language and can't read the signs when I arrive. I laugh at my own stupidity, standing in the middle of a crowded square.

JULY 2022:
I fall in love for the first time. With a guy. George is amazing and he knows what he is doing. He gets the chance to kiss me when I'm drunk one night but doesn't. I am still thankful for that experience, although I barely remember it.

JUNE 2025:
Alex enters the bar, he is drenched from the rain outside. I lend him my jacket. He stays to watch my performance. He is the first person since Carlos whose compliment feels important to me.

NOVEMBER 2025:
Alex leaves to go back to London. I pack all my stuff, buy a plane ticket at the airport and follow him. He just smiles when I sit down next to him and it is enough.

MAI 2028:
Carlos gets married. I am happy for him and anxious about being his best man. I sing at the party and make his mother cry.

MARCH 2031:
We are in New York City and the buzzing city makes me miss Tokyo. Besides that, it's the best honeymoon I could have ever asked for.

JANUARY 2035:
It's a stormy night when my dad dies. Alex dances with me in the lowlight of our living room. I send Julia back to bed, she's too young to understand. It feels weirdly freeing.

Notes:

I wrote this whole thing at school while my classmates played chess so if this doesn't make sense, let me blame it on them.
I kind of like the idea of Lando being a musician, sue me.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it :)

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