RED | Charles Leclerc

4

"What are you saying?" I shake my head in disbelief, my breaths uneven and shaky

"I don't know" Charles mumbles, bringing his fingers to his temples

"You've taken me in as your family and I'll never forget it"

"Of course... family" Charles absently nods, his head slowly turning his eyes searching for my own.

"Just remind Charlotte that we're almost family," My heart sinks. I despise referring to him as family "Pascale helped me escape my family back home, and I now live here and," I stammer, looking into his eyes painfully "and because of that it's hard for us to be apart... she'll get it" I sigh, the blood draining from my fingertips. Charles doesn't offer an answer directly, his eyes searching my own and attempting to grasp my hidden thoughts. Sat in silence, our breathing fills the silence and I pray that he can't hear my ragged breaths. Charles' lips twitch, his lips part but words never leave his mouth

"What is it, Charles?" I ask, attempting to prompt him to speak. Charles tries to speak again with parted lips and an inhale of breath but not the words I expect

"Yeah, let's just go and eat" Charles nods absently, swiftly swinging the car door open to step outside and leaving me in silence after a door slam. I want to kick in my seat in an outburst, punch the windows through my disdain but I refrain myself

"I fucked it" I whisper before following Charles out of the car

I trail behind Charles, who is now wearing sunglasses and a cap. He walks over to a table for two in the outdoor seating area

"This good?" He turns to me with obscured eyes

"Yeah" I nod, taking a seat before him, beginning to roll my fingers through the napkin as he speaks to the waiter. My thoughts begin to travel to different things he could've said, wanted to say. Why did he stop himself? His lack of an answer has begun to fill my head with doubts and I worry that my cover won't last for long

"I'm sorry Es, I didn't mean to bring the mood down like this" Charles' voice breaks my bubble of thoughts, I look up at him and smile gently

"It's alright, complicated things don't get solved easily" I sip at the glass of water I didn't realise had been poured, praying that Charles can't see the tremors in the water

"Charlotte is just making me doubt... us" Charles gestures to him and I using two fingers

"That's ridiculous-" I begin to say but he cuts me off

"I just think she's trying to get in between us to separate us so she doesn't have to worry about you anymore" Charles leans back into his chair and lets out a breath

"Yeah" I nod slowly, unsure of what to say to him. I don't want to lie to him but I don't want to confess my feelings for him. My eyes travel to the glass half empty  before me, hoping its tranquility would calm the uncertainty brewing within me

"Anyway, I brought you here for a rant and to hang..." Charles leans forward, his eyes reaching for my own "I don't want to bring the mood down anymore" his Monegasque accent lacing each word

"That's true, it feels more like a ranting session than chilling session though" I bring a small smile to my face and lift my eyes to finally meet his. A pang of guilt slumps within my chest as our eyes meet, his eyelashes decorating his vibrant eyes. Hiding the truth from him hurts but what will hurt more? A lie or the truth? The stark colours in his eyes reach out to me, its colour swirling to wrap around me in genuineness. A sigh wishes to escape my lips, my eyes threaten to close to shut everything away and disappear but I simply can't

"I have a lot on my chest... Sorry it may be too much on you"

"That's what I'm here for" I shake my head, prompting him to continue despite my pain

"Yeah," Charles sighs, unaware of my inner conflict "other than Charlotte driving me mad... Ferrari won't postpone the Armani photoshoot so..." His words fade away, his eyes coming to mine as can't find himself to finish

"No birthday celebration" I speak for him, my heart sinking even lower than before

"I'm so sorry, Es..." Charles' eyebrows slope in sympathy, his voice softening to soothe my aching heart "Trust me, I fought so hard for it but Giorgio wants what Giorgio wants" he shrugs in frustration, his hands coming up momentarily

"We can always celebrate the next day," A small smile forming onto my lips with a small voice to accompany it "it doesn't have to be on the same day"

"I know, it'll just be more special on the day..." He speaks, almost expecting the answer from me "It's just so stupid, these sponsors can get so selfish"

"It's special as long as you're around" I smile sweetly, the curves of my smile hugging my cheeks gently. He smiles back in response, his eyes softening into his smile

"I'll make it up to you, I promise" he offers verbal reassurance, his hand coming to meet his phone with his finger tapping to see his screen light up in response. His hands comes to envelope his phone, unlocking it to tap away at it idly. My eyes rest upon his idle actions, beginning to despise the fake front I had put up upon myself. What if I told him the truth? Would he resent me or dismiss my feelings and pretend that everything is normal? Can things really go back to normal once I confess? A growing urge tingles through my fingers to ball my curls into my fists and yank them from my roots.

Even through my growing internal conflict and pain, I hope that I was still able to ease him from his ongoing stresses. Even if I'm a contributing factor it and I'm not going to make it any easier on him.

***

So sorry this took forever to come out, I had a biggest creative block on this story and didn't know how to progress. I feel like this chapter still isn't great either but now it's out of the way, I can get back to writing again :)