Love, Eternal

Paddock

Nola woke up the next morning when her alarm went off. She went to reach and turn it off and arms pulled her back stopping her from moving. Nola wriggled unsure of her surroundings, she managed to turn off the alarm before turning her head and seeing Pierre behind her. He was spooning her again, they were making a habit of this. Nola smiled and snuggled back down. His arms were bare, Nola ran her finger up and down his arm lightly, tracing along from his hand to his elbow and back again. He should be in his hotel room, not hers. He had a race today, he said not a late night and yet here he was. Nola didn't mind too much, she liked being in his arms.
"Good morning" Pierre whispered. His lips pressed against Nola's shoulder, her cardigan was off and she was just in her tank top and bottoms. Nola smiled at the touch. She rolled in his arms to face him and realised he was just wearing his bottoms, no T shirt in sight. Nola stared at his chest and stomach, his toned muscular chest and stomach. She found herself getting flustered rather quickly, she buried her head into his neck and ran her finger along his collarbone and down his chest to his stomach. Pierre's hand grabbed Nola's quickly, stopping her from going any further. He put Nola's hand back up to his collarbone and kissed the top of her head before settling back down into his pillow.
"Sorry" Nola mumbled, she was unsure about the fast action from here, it confused her. But Pierre was just trying to be respectful.
"It's not you, it's just what will happen" he whispered back, his sleepy morning voice was just as heavenly to Nola. Everything he did was heavenly to her. Then she realised what he meant, oh, not a good idea right now.
"Oh sorry" Nola mumbled, she felt herself blush at the thought
"I wouldn't say no, but not the right time. You can keep doing that though" he said gesturing to where Nola's hand was going along his chest now. She pressed herself against him, his arms got tighter keeping Nola, keeping her in place. He didn't want her to move, he wanted to keep her with him.
"I need to get ready. I've got breakfast with Charles soon, if he knew you were here I would be dead. You would be dead" Nola said to him as she pulled her head away and looked up at him. His eyes were closed and he smiled
"5 minutes" he kissed Nola's forehead which made her smile
"It's race day. You need to get back and get ready" Nola said to him
"The sooner the race is over, the sooner we have to leave, and then sooner I can't see you" he mumbled
"You'll see me again, secret trailer meets remember?" Nola said, looking up at him, he smiled and opened his eyes and looked down towards her
"Okay okay, I'm up. As long as you promise" he said. Nola smiled and nodded.

Eventually Pierre left and Nola got up and had a shower and quickly got dressed. Race day, she was excited. She got dressed and did her hair and makeup, not forgetting the sunglasses. The Australian sun was no joke! Just as she was ready there was a knock on her door. She opened it up and Charles was standing there.
"Nola" he greeted
"Charles" She said back as she shut her door behind her
"No Charlotte?" She asked, noticing Charlotte was not with Charles
"She's not quite feeling well, she'll come to the track later if she feels better" he said
"Ah is she okay?"
"Yeah just a headache and feeling sick" he said. You could tell there was concern in his voice, "let's go eat and then get going" he said. The siblings walked down the hallway, and made their way down to the lobby and to where the restaurant was in the hotel. Nola sat down at a table near the window with Charles as they ordered their food.

"Oh dear" Charles said, looking out the window. Nola followed his gaze and saw loads of fans and plenty of paparazzi, and where they were sitting was a prime location for pictures.
"Nevermind" Nola said shrugging, Charles laughed as our drinks were bought over. It was clear to Charles that she had gotten used to the idea of cameras everywhere, it didn't stop him from worrying about her. They could be brutal.

After breakfast they left the restaurant to be greeted by said paparazzi. Charles signed a few things for fans, flashes going off everywhere. Nola got to his car and he opened the door for her as usual before going round to his side of the car and getting in.
"You always do that" Nola said to him, gesturing to the door
"I don't want to leave you fending for yourself out there. This is part of my job and my life, not yours. I asked for this, you didn't" he said as he started the engine and they drove slowly out of the hotel car park, trying not to run anyone over
"Technically no. But my name is Nola Leclerc. Comes with the name, being your sister, and travelling with you" Nola said to him, she wasn't phased anymore. It did come with being Charles' sister, especially being with him, wherever he went they followed
"You're a lot tougher these days, more smiley, happier, calmer"
"Maybe it's all the racing and being with you" Nola said to him, he glanced in his sisters direction
"Or maybe it's someone else" Charles said, Nola couldn't hide the smirk from her face knowing exactly what he meant.
"Don't go there" She said laughing
"I won't I won't. You can tell me in your own time. But I'm glad you're more positive, I've missed you like this" he said smiling. It was true, Nola had become more reserved, hiding away from the world and people, being quite closed off. It was only Charles that really noticed. But she definitely felt better about things in general. She didn't carry guilt, or regret. It's like she forgave herself, and Pierre was a lot to do with that. He knew his sister well, and knew she wasn't completely back, maybe this was her new normal, he wished for her to be truly happy, how she was.
"Charles, can I ask you something?" A thought popped into Nola's head and she wanted to ask Charles
"Yeah?"
"How much did you know about when we were younger with Anthoine and Pierre?" She asked him
"What do you mean?"
"A lot of what I worried about and was scared of was moving on and feeling guilt of being happy again. Particularly if it has anything to do with Pierre, obviously he is.." I gulped, "was Pierre's friend as well" Nola asked, not giving too much away because she wanted to see what Charles knew or could say. Not that she didn't believe Pierre, she did, but to get a different perspective.
"Well I didn't know you and Anthoine were even dating or in love until you told me after he passed. But I knew they both adored you, liked you. They were always respectful, knowing you were my sister" he said
"So you knew and you didn't say anything?" Nola asked. Charles nodded, he felt a little guilty because he never wanted to upset Nola. Nola was confused that Charles knew they liked her and didn't say a word. "Do you think it would be the worst thing to get close to Pierre, because of Anthoine"
"Anthoine wasn't that person, you know that. He would never hate, dislike or question anything like that. As long as you were happy, that's all he cared about. The guilt, you don't need to worry about that. I know 1000% that if he was here today and this situation between you and Pierre was happening, he would be the biggest supporter of his two friends" he said. Nola smiled and clutched at the cross she had around her neck, the one she never took off.
"Let's just have a great day, race well and bring home a trophy!" Nola said to him more excited now. Charles had definitely clarified things
"Let's hope so!!" He said, he pulled into the track and parked his car. Charles and Nola got out and walked towards the paddock gates, scanning their passes. Netflix were filming, and had a camera right on the siblings as they walked in. Paparazzi could be brutal sometimes, as could social media. The guys doing the Netflix series were a lot more respectful and were nice to Nola before and continued today, as the siblings chatted away about the race. Nola walked to the Ferrari trailer with Charles, a lot of fans already in the paddock, many asking for pictures with Nola as well as Charles which was so bizarre to her but she appreciated it.
"Maybe you should create more content on your Instagram" Charles said as he walked through the glass doors of the red building with his sister. She had an eye for being creative and without a job, maybe this was a great idea for her while she travelled with him
"For what reason?"
"To use your time, do things will you're here with me and I'm driving or doing stuff. You're talented, you know that. And as you keep saying, you're Nola Leclerc" Charles said as he walked upstairs, she raised her eyebrows and laughed
"You come out with some weird stuff Charles, you know that" Nola said to him. He laughed.
"Well you're certainly going up in the world, and with Netflix, if you get put in the new series who knows what could happen" he said, Nola laughed and went into his drivers room as Nola went and sat on the terrace in the sun waiting for him.