Neighbours, Friends, Lovers

5. is it broken?

꧁ Charlotte's Pov ꧂

Charles was right.
My knee isn't broken but it has some micro-fractures, so after almost three hours waiting they checked me out.
They medicated my scratches that fortunately aren't too deep and they wrapped up my knee in a navy colour tutor that keeps the knee the most stable possible but it consents to walk without any problem.

It's a strange feeling having that thing around my knee and when I stand up and get my one crutch. I want to cry to how exasperated, I am right now.
It's not the only fact that I don't know how to walk using a crutch but it's also the fact that I've waited almost the entire morning in a ER, I don't have my phone with me and I'm the most bad luck attacker in this world.

I walk out thanking the blonde nurse that was so sweet that at some point I asked myself if he was flirting with me but then I remembered how did I look and of course there is no human being that could find me attractive in these conditions.
When I slow walk myself to the exit I hear two voices call my name in such a sync.

I look at my left where there is the waiting room and then I get surprised by seeing a no more sweaty version of Charles in his casual clothes and my little sister Valentine with a really worried face expression stands up from the most uncomfortable chairs and runs up to me.
She hugs me like she didn't saw me in thousand years.

"Oh God, is it broken?" she asks panting and placing her hands on my shoulders once she steps away from the hug.

I hesitate on answering her since I'm too busy staring who's standing right back her shoulders.

He's wearing a simple white shirt with light blue wrapped jeans and white airforces at his feet.
His skin isn't sparkly and sweaty anymore but his face has the always glow and a light on his stare.
his eyebrows are bit raised and his eyes are filled of concern like my sister's.
But the real question is, what is he doing here?

"No, just micro fractures." I say giving her a quick look at her and place my eyes on Charles right after like trying to reassure him.
"What are you doing here? Didn't you had a gym session to hit?" I ask smiling trying to change a bi t his mood since his eyes  screams guilt.
"Don't worry about it, I went to the gym but when I called your sister  she told me that you didn't came back." he explains.
"The next time you don't bring your phone with you I'm going to push you down a cliff." Valentine says giving me another tight hug.
"Do I get the chance to pick the cliff at least?" I ask soaking and I see Charles thing to hide an amused simile.

Finally I got to make him smile.

"Ha ha ha, so funny. Thank God that isn't broken but most importantly that you wasn't alone." V says looking over her shoulder and smile at Charles.
"Yeah, been so lucky to have Charles with me." I confess looking straight at him and he shows me a little smile and he comes closer for a half hug since I'm handing the crutch with one hand.

I hug him back placing my hand right on the middle of his back feeling the nice and tonic muscles while my senses get blessed by the smell of his cologne that is stronger that this morning.

"I will give you a ride." he says once he steps back slowly sliding his hand away from my back.
"Don't worry, V can give me a ride." i tell him looking at my left were my sister is already shaking her head.
"No, I came with the scooter so it's better you come with Charles." she says.

I look at him and he with a quick move of his head invites me to leave the ER.
I follow them cursing at the crutch under my breathe and following them on the way out.
"Alright see you at home then." my sister says sliding up her jacket zip and put her helmet on.
"Alright, don't drive fast." I tell her and she rolls her eyes.
"How many times I have to tell you that this goes just till 60? I think you should worry about someone else's speed limits." v says giving a sneaky look at Charles making his eyebrows rise.
"Hey I am the safest driver ever when it comes to city roads." he says defending himself.

He unlocks the car for us and he gets to my door and open it for me as a really gentleman.

"Thanks." I say looking up at him.
"Be careful to not hit your knee." he says staring at me while I slowly sit-down.
"Thanks." I say once I'm sit, before he got to close the carder.

I look at him putting his seatbelt on and turn on the engine.

I don't know where to start but I don't want to sit in an awkward silence.
"So, how it went the gym session?" I ask him and first I see his eyebrows furrow and the they rise.
"Oh good good, Andrea kicked my ass." he say giggling and I do it too.
"Are you excited for Bahrain?" I ask him curious about the start of the season.
"Super excited." he says with his stare glued to the streets "I really can't wait, I miss my car and seeing the car and the test we made... even Mattia has high hopes for this season.
"Is the car that competitive?" I ask rising my eyebrows remembering how Redbull and Mercedes were irreproachable.
"Yes but we will see during the season because though the season every team does their upgrades." he explains running his fingers through his hair.
"Let's hope this is Ferrari's year." I say and a smile takes places on his lips.
"Your year more specifically." I say smiling and he gives me a quick look with a bigger smile on his lips letting his dimples make their appearance.
"Thanks Char, let's hope." he says.

We keep it quiet for a bit but then when we're at a traffic light we see some people take their phone and film Charle and of course after few seconds of ignoring them Charles look at his left and waves at them and smile.
"How you handle all this." I say pretty shocked about the many cameras pointed to him.
The traffic light turns green and the people filming starts to run to get more filming.
He waves again before speeding up.
"Now, I don't even get bothered by that. At the end of the day we get to race because of them. If we got no fans we get no viewers to follow our faces and then our sport will not exist." he explains and it makes sens.
"Expecally ours that needs a lot of money and sponsors. Even if it doesn't comes naturally, that isn't my case because I love dedicate my time to fans, you have to look like you're cool with all this no privacy thing because F1 is made of cares, money and sponsors that are brought by people that belive in you and that are fan of you and your 'brand'." he explains.
"Yeah of course but you still a human and I don't believe that there isn't a day we're you're in a bad mood and you don't want to get photographed or just you don't want to talk to people." I say and he bites his lower lip nervously.
"Yeah, of course I have that kinda of day but it's kinda rare. When I get up in that kinda of mood I just don't go out and spend a day of relax at home but if it's like a race week I try to encourage myself and remember how I got there." he explains.

"And if it's a day like this in Monaco?" I ask curious.
He smiles.
"I just try to do the things that I need to get going and try to not get caught by some traffic lights." he says giggling.
"But even your car isn't a good way to get ignored by people." I say since he has everything personalised so when you see a matte black Ferrari with a line made of red and white you know who is it.
"Yeah, you're right." he says giggling.

We get home and he parks his car in his garage.
He helps me to get out since every time I try to get up I fall into the seat.
He helps me to do the stairs holding me like he did this morning standing on my left since on the other side I'm holding my crutch and helping me with it.

We get to our both boor entrances.
"Thank you Charles, really if it wasn't for you, I would be on my way back to home on one foot since this morning." I say stepping forward going for a half hug he seems to understand it so he opens up both of his arms and then collide our chests and wrapping our arms around each other's bodies.

I can feel his well trained muscles under my touch, smell his strong but so attractive cologne still so fresh on his skin and his hair tickling  my neck.
His hand runs up and down slowly like to comfort me and he gives me a little squeeze before releasing the grip.
"Always. See you tomorrow at the party then?" He asks with a gentle smile on his lips.
I not  and then press the bell while he opens his own door.

🫧

A/N: hello people!
hope y'all ready for the next
one because it's going to be a
great one!😌
-V