The unknown driver

chapter thirty-six

Amelia POV

I get dismissed the next day. I'm still not very talkative and haven't spoken a word since yesterday.
Lando and Carlos take me back to the hotel. They've been looking after me since sunday night. 
"Go to sleep. I'll look after her", Lando says and Carlos goes to his room to rest. Both of them haven't left my side once.
He opens the door for me and takes me inside. He slightly pushes me towards the bed and lays me down before covering me with a big blanket. 
"Rest a little", he says and smiles at me.
I close my eyes and try to fall asleep.

I wake up to Lando talking to someone. 
"No she-, oh she just woke up I'll talk to you later. Bye", he says and hangs up the phone. He lays it on the table next to him before getting up and walking over to me.
"Do you need anything?"
I shake my head. 
"Do you want to do something?"
I shake my head again. 
I don't want to do anything. I actually want to be alone. But on the other side I don't want to be alone. 
I feel empty. And sad. Sad about my situation with Charles. I really love him. He's everything I have and now I've got nothing. 
Why did he just leave me alone there?
I don't get it.

Charles POV

I'm a wreck. I haven't slept in two days because of how miserable I feel. She'll never forget that. Neither will I. 
Why did I leave? I should've helped her but now it's to late. I want to be there for her but she doesn't want me around. If I was her I wouldn't want me around too. But the truth is: I can't do this without her. Life. I just can't. She made me happy again and made me feel happy after everything that happend. The last few months have been amazing and now everything's gone. 
She's gone and maybe forever.
I hear a knock at the door. I get up and open it to see Carlos there.
"Hey mate how are you?", he asks and comes inside.
I don't answer him.
"Just give her some time alright?"
"I know"
"But what if she doesn't forgive me? What if she'll never do? I can't live with the fact that she hates me", I say.
"She doesn't hate you. She's just very disappointed and she feels alone", Carlos says.
"But she's not she has you and Lando"
"Charles, we both know she would rather have you by her side but now she just needs time", Carlos tells me.
"I know but Carlos I need her too"
"I know"
We both continue to sit there in silence for the next few moments.
"We're flying back to Monaco tomorrow. She's going to stay at Lando's for a little since she doesn't have her own appartment."
"Can you tell him that he needs to update me about her wellbeing?"
"Of course I can"

One Month Later

Amelia POV

It's the 24th of december and I'm late for dinner with the others.
Since this night in Abu Dhabi I'm taking pills against my depression and everything and I've been feeling a lot better. Lando and Luisa really helped me with that. I even fully moved in with them. At first I hesitated but they practically begged me so I agreed.
I haven't talked to Charles after what happend. He calls me regularly but I never answer him. Lando and Luisa said I should talk to him again but I just need some more time.
I also met up with my parents. They said they want to be in my life again and everything and we agreed on meeting a few times per year. It's not much but it's a start.
I lock up the door and walk inside. 
"Hey I've got-", I start but stop as I see him. He looks just as surprised as I do.
He changed. He grew a little beard and he has big bags under his eyes. I start to feel a little sorry for him. Have I been to hard on him?
"You said she would arrive later", Charles says to Lando.
"Oh I'm sorry I must've confused the time", he says.
"I just go to my room then", I say and want to walk past them but I stop as he says: "Amelia wait"
I turn around and see that he has a little box in his hand.
"I just wanted to leave don't worry. But before I do so I have your present here", he says.
"My present"
"Yeah it's christmas"
"Oh I'm so sorry but I haven't got anything for you"
"Don't worry", he says and starts walking up to me. I feel my body tense.
"Merry christmas Amelia", he says and gives me a slight smile before walking out of the door.
I stand there a little shocked. After all this time not talking to him he still got me a present.
"You knew when I would be here. You did it on purpose", I say looking and Lando angry.
"No I didn't"
"Don't lie to me"
"I'm sorry. You two have been miserable without eachother okay? He's been a wreck without you and he can't stand not talking to you. Also he's alone tonight"
My face changes as he says the last thing. Why is he alone tonight? Isn't he going to spend christmas with his family?
"What he's alone?"
"Yes he's spending it alone this year"
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?", I say and start sprinting to the door. I open it and start running down the hallway towards the elevator.
"Where are you going Amelia?", Lando asks but I'm already gone.
I'm not going to let him spend christmas alone. 
I pray for the elevator to be faster and start running again and looking around as the door opens. About thirty meters in front of me I see him getting into his ferrari.
"Charles. Charles wait!"
He stops and sees me running towards him.
"Is it true that you're spending christmas alone?", I ask him.
"How did you-"
"Lando told me. Come inside. I'm not letting you go home now and be by yourself the whole evening. Come inside", I say and start walking towards the elevator again.
"Are you sure?", he asks still standing next to the open door of his car.
"I'm not joking. Now come on"
We enter the elevator and go back to Lando's appartment again. He's still standing outside of his appartment. As we come up the hallway he looks at us questioningly.
"I'm not letting him spend christmas alone", I say and enter. 

Charles POV

I take off my shoes and walk inside of Lando's appartment. Normally I would be here almost every day but since Amelia's moved in here I stopped coming over. As hard as it is I respect her decision and that she needs space. Even though I feel horrible. I'm not able to sleep without her by my side. I'm also not eating regularly anymore. The only thing I still do regularly is exercising. It's the only thing that gives me peace. 
"Dinner's ready", Luisa yells from the kitchen and I make my way to the kitchen.
On my way there I notice all the decoration. There's a christmas tree with presents laying under it standing in the living room and everywhere are christmas lights. I enter the kitchen and see everything's decorated there too. 
I sit down at one of the chairs at the table and wait for everyone to sit down too. Lando is first to join me and starts talking to me about all kinds of random stuff. But I'm not really listening to him. I'm more focused on Amelia. I wonder what she's thinking at the moment. Or more what she's feeling like. I mean she probably doesn't want me here and feels a little unwell because of that. On the other side I ask myself: if she feels like that, why would she wanted me to stay?
Luisa and Amelia put the food on the table and we start eating. We don't talk very much. Lando and Luisa try too but I don't feel really talkative today and I think neither does Amelia.
"Okay let's unwrap the presents", Lando says.
We walk over to the living room and sit around the tree.
"Me first", Lando says and hands us all a present. He got me a bandana. 
"Thanks mate", I say.
"I know how much you love your ugly bandanas", he says and laughs. He got Amelia a stuffed animal. It's a blue dinosaur. Her eyes light up with joy as she unwraps it.
We continue on with presents until only mine for Amelia is left. Lando and Luisa look at her as she starts opening the gift. She takes out the golden bracelet I got her. It has her name written on it. She once told me when we were shopping together that she wants one of these so I got her one.
"It's very beautiful. Thanks Charles", she says and smiles at me.
I smile back. 
She immediately puts it on and goes over to the mirror to see how it looks on her.
The rest of the night we watch a christmas movie and eat popcorn.
"Do you want to sleep over? It's already late", Luisa asks me.
"No it's okay. I've been here for long enough and besides Amelia probably doesn't want me here", I say and put on my shoes.
"She really misses you", she says.
"You just told be that because you feel bad for me", I say and turn around to leave.
"No I'm totally honest Charles. She misses being around you. She told me yesterday. She just needs some more time but she does want to be with you believe me. Please stay. It's late I don't want anything to happen to you"
I hesitate for a second before giving in. She prepares the couch for me as Amelia and Lando go to sleep.
"Good night Charles"
"Good night Luisa"
"Oh and don't give her up just yet Charles"
"I would never", I say and make myself comfortable.
Even if tonight was a little cringe I still want to be around her. No matter how awkward it gets. Her presence always makes me feel better.

Amelia POV

I wake up the next day and walk to the kitchen only to see Charles sleeping on the couch. He doesn't look like hes having a good dream though. 
In the kitchen I prepare myself a hot chocolate. I sit down and start sipping on it and go to instagram. Lando has posted a story with a picture of us all with these red santa hats. I see that a lot of people tagged me in posts so I click on a few of them. They all reposted the picture from Lando with a caption that says: "Are they back together again?" or "What even happend between them?" or " Chamelia is spending christmas together" and stuff like that.
I wish we'd be back together again but things are not as easy as they seem.
"Morning", Charles says as he enters the kitchen.
"Good morning. How did you sleep?"
He looks at me a little surprised by me talking to him and says: "Bad and you?"
"Why bad?"
"Oh nothing. Doesn't matter", he says and gives me a quick forced smile.
He sits down across from me and takes his phone out too
"Wow", he says and starts scrolling.
"Yeah a lot of people were happy to see us back together again", I say.
"Not only they are happy", he says.
"What do you mean?"
"Well I'm quite happy about it too.", he says and pauses before saying: "I miss you Amelia. I really miss you"
I take a few moments before answering: "I miss you too Charles"
"You don't have to forgive me okay? But if you would just give me a chance Amelia. Just one-"
"Yes"
He looks at me surprised and a slight smile appears on his face.
"Really?"
"Yes but I'm not forgiving you that easily. I still need some time but of course I'll give you a chance. Above all I still love you you know?", I say and look at him. I can't belive I just told him I still love him.
"I love you too Amelia", he says and smiles at me and I smile back at him.
We continue sitting there grinning like little children. 
A not forced on smile after such a long time feels good.