The unknown driver

chapter thirty

Charles POV

"It's a shame that our holidays are already over", she says leaning agaist the window
"They're not Amelia. We still have a week to spend at home", I say.
"I know but it still makes me sad to leave this place. I like it here." 
"Me too Amelia but we have to go back. I mean don't you want to meet my mother?"
"Of course I want to I'm just a little nervous."
"You don't have to be really. She's going to love you"
We smile at eachother but stop when she gets a message on her phone. She opens the message before looking at me critically.
"What's wrong?", I ask her.
She takes her time before turning around her phone so I can see it now too.
I look closer to see it's a picture of Charlotte and me.
"When was this?"
It was from two nights ago in a club. I bumped into her and she started talking to me again.
The picture shows us really close and it looks like we're having some kind of a moment.
"Amelia believe me. That's nothing. I bumped into her at the club two days ago. She started talking again and there *I point to the picture* she was telling me something but I couldn't hear her so I got a little closer. It means nothing"
"Well I belive you but why was she there?"
"I don't know. Maybe it was just a coincidence nothing more"
"Charles you don't even belive yourself what you just said. That's not a coincidence. We were in Ibiza and then she's randomly there too and at the same club?"
"I don't know but let's not argue about that. I know it's a little odd but we'll see. Now come over and give me a kiss."
She takes the seat next to me and gives me a kiss while sitting down. I put my arms around her and she leans onto my shoulder. 
After less than five minutes she's asleep.
I'm not. Firstly I don't like flying and secondly I have to think about Charlotte.
Not in that way but Amelia's right.
There are so many clubs and so many destinations for the holidays and we somehow meet her.
When we were still together she used to not like Ibiza. She never wanted to go to such places and have fun and suddenly I'm with Amelia she randomly appears again after not speaking to me for so long.
Maybe she's still not over the relationsship. When we were together at first we were so in love but time after time it got less because we never saw eachother. Perhabs that or I just wasn't in love with her that much. I don't know.
I think we broke up because our lifes just drifted apart.
I was never around and when I was we were arguing most of the time.

Amelias POV

"Is everything okay?", I ask him. Since we came home he hasn't even really said a word.
"Yes sure"
"Talk to me Charles"
"I don't know okay. I'm thinking about why Charlotte was at the exact same club as we were. I mean what does she even want? When we were together I never got the attention and after we broke up she wouldn't let me alone. It was really hard to get over what we had. And then when I finally found a good girl that I want to be with she starts coming into my life again. That's so not fair why would anyone do that?"
He sits down and puts his head into his hands.
I sit down next to him and gently place my right hand on his back.
"It's okay. Nobody said it would be easy okay, But don't let whatever she's trying to do get near you. You deserve to continue your life and be happy."
He puts his head in my lap and I stroke through his hair.
"Don't think about it okay? "
He nods and we continue to be like this for a few more minutes. I realize he's asleep and decide to wait for a little before waking him up to go to bed.
I think about Charles' words. Of course it hurts that he's still thinking about her but I have to accept that they were in a relationsship for two years before I even knew him. They spent a lot of time together and probably went trough a lot of things with him being a driver.
I totally accept that and all though that I'm the one laying in his bed all night.
I'm the one getting all the kisses.
I'm the one getting all his love.
So I'm not complaining.
I gently wake him up and we go to bed together.

Charles POV

"Come on Amelia I want to leave"
"I know I'm coming"
Amelia and I want to go snorkling today since she has never done that before. 
We get to my yacht and drive out a little. I stop at a place where you can see the ground and that's not so deep.
I give her the snorkling goggles and we jump into the water.
There are a lot of fish. Some blue ones, green ones, big and small ones, and even some nemos.
After some time we get tired and decide to get onto the boat again.
We lay down on the deck and tan a little. 
I love to be around her and her presence.
I can only hear my breath and the sound of the waves. Our bodies are swaying with the boat and the waves. Suddenly I feel her lips on mine.
I kiss her back and open my eyes. She's laying next to me smiling.
I return the smile. She gives me a small kiss and lays down again.
We spend the rest of the day snorkling for fishys once again and just enjoying each other. 
For dinner we cook some pasta together on the boat. 
It's already dark when we eat.
"How are we going to manage our relationsship on the track?"
I wasn't ready for this question and was hoping that she wouldn't ask me that. At least not until the last few days of summer break.
"What do you mean?"
"Like, our relationsship. We're still formula one drivers driving for different teams and rivals on the track."
"I don't know."
"Well I'm not going to go easy on you. But Christian wants to talk to me before the second half of the season starts. He said it's because of you"
"Yeah Mattia wants to talk to me too about that. He called me a few days ago."
We stay quiet for a little bit. The only sound are the waves hitting the cliffs and the beach.
"Promise me nothing's going to change"
"I promise Amelia"
She comes over and I give her a big hug.
We decide to not waste the rest of our prescious holidays thinking about this stuff and enjoy the moment.
It's already 11pm when we arrive at my appartment.
Amelia's now basically living here and Arthur's coming over too tomorrow since we're going to eat dinner with my mother in the evening.
We get into something comfy and get to bed.

Amelias POV

"Hey Arthur. How are you?", I say giving him a hug.
"Good and you? How was Ibiza?"
"It was awesome. Charles may've drunk to much but otherwise it was incredible."
"Hey I haven't drunk that much. Hey brother", says Charles who just came out of the bedroom to greet his brother"
"You have to tell me everything later but I think we'll soon have to leave for dinner right?"
I look at Charles confused.
"What dinner?"
Arthur's confused now too.
"The dinner mith mom is today right?", he asks.
"Yes it is.", he says looking to th ground.
"And when did you plan on telling me that Charles".
I'm a little mad right now.
"Well he told you now right?"
"I'm sorry I just didn't want you to be nervous all day because of this."
"Next time tell me earlier", I say and walk away.
It's a little overwhelming for me. It's the first time I'm going to see his mother. It makes me nervous. If he'd told me a little earlier I would've had time to prepare me mentally but I guess there's no time for that. It's already five.
"I'm sorry."
He sitts down next to me.
"It's okay I mean you did it out of good intentions right? But next time tell me so I can prepare myself a little mentally before that because now I'm hella nervous."
"I know I'm really sorry. Hug?", he says and holds his arms out.
I chuckle and give him a hug.
"We'll leave at seven alright?"
I nod and get up to go to the shower.

Charles POV

Amelia's meeting my mother for the first time.
"Wow it almost seems like you're more nervous than me Charles", her and Arthur laugh.
I laugh too and before I realise we have already arrived at the restaurant. Lorenzo's going to be there too.
I see my mother and we walk towards her.
I'm going for a hug but she walks past me giving Amelia a hug.
"Ciao, you must be Amelia. They've told me a lot about you. Pleasure to meet you my name's Pascale."
She embrasses her from the hug and Amelia says: "Pleasure's all mine. Nice to finally meet you."
Mom now greet's Arthur and then me.
While she's hugging me she whispers into my ear: "She's even prettier than on TV"
She winks at me and I laugh.
We decide to go inside and take a seat.
"So Amelia tell me about yourself", my mom says.
"Well my name's Amelia Thatcher, I'm twenty years old and have been drving since I'm five years old"
"Oh same age as Charles and Arthur then. And now tell me what's it like being the only female under nineteen boys"
"It's exausting sometimes but they're really good guys and very good friends."
"I saw you're a very good driver"
"Well I don't know", she says and blushes a little.
"You're still better than Charles"
"Haha very funny Arthur", I say.
"And your parents?"
Shit. Arthur and I exchange a look and give our mom a look shaking our heads.
"Oh I'm sorry if that's a misplaced question. I didn't mean to offend you"
"No, it's okay. I haven't talked to them for about four years now. They threw me out when I was sixteen"
We all stay quiet for a moment. You can feel the tension.
"So tell me about how you and my son met"
Thank god mom asked a question. 
"Well we actually met before the race here in Monaco."
"Really. I didn't know", Arthur says.
"Yeah I met him earlier that week in a café somewhere. And as I was walking inside he bumped into me and said 'watch where you're going' and was kind of rude to me. After he saw me at the quali later that week he couldn't even look me in the eyes."
"Charles. I didn'r race you to be like this"
"I know mom."
We all laugh again. 
The evening continues and we have a lot of fun. My mom and Amelia are getting along perfect.
When we arrive at home it's already past midnight.
"I enjoyed this evening. Your mom's really nice"
"Me too. See she loved you", I say.
"Yeah she already loves you more than me and Charles"
We laugh at what Arthur just said.
We're all really tired so we tell eachother good night before going to bed.