Red | Charles Leclerc

Chapter 19

Bowness was busy, as usual, but not as packed as it normally is. Charles parked the car and
I hopped out and took a big breath. Home.

"So, what are we doing here?" Charles stood next to me.

These past few weeks had zoomed by and we had arrived in the UK a few days before the British Grand Prix. I had begged Charles to ask Fred if he could take a couple of days off and visit the place where I grew up and, more importantly, meet my dad.

"Feeding the ducks," I smiled at Charles' puzzled face. "Come on."

I walked across the road to the stall that was selling duck food and bought one for me and Charles.

"Don't you just use bread?" He asked, looking down at the bag in his hand.

"No, bread is bad for them," I wandered down to the waters edge and looked out across Lake Windermere. The sky was perfectly clear and a light summer breeze drifted across the sapphire water.

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by hungry ducks, geese, swans and pigeons, all pecking at my jeans. The taller swans tried to reach into my arms and steal the duck food. I turned around to see Charles stood a little further back watching me a laughing.

"Can you come and help me? I'm being ambushed," I yelled back at him.

"No can do, cabbage," he sat down on the bench. "You wanted to feed the ducks."

I glared at him but my attention was immediately turned back to the swan who was know pecking furiously at my arm. Eventually, after a pigeon landed on my shoulder, I gave up and shook the bag on the floor and let the birds fight over it.

"Honestly, if swans weren't owned by the King, I would've ringed that ones neck by now," I turned and joined Charles on the bench.

"That was fun to watch," he laughed. "I've got another bag if you want another go."

"Hide it, they can sense food from a mile away."

He put his arm around my shoulder. "You never said how beautiful this place was."

I shrugged. "It is beautiful."

I listened to the lapping of the waves on the pebble shore, and tried to ignore the sound of squabbling geese and quaking ducks so I could fully focus on Charles breathing.

"My mum's restaurant was down there,"
I pointed along the road, where a boat shop now stood. "That's why I don't talk about it very much."

"It's ok you don't have to," he strong arm hugged me from the side.

I felt safe next to him. She wasn't going to reach me.

"I'm glad she's gone now, I'm glad you never had to deal with her," I said, I felt his body stiffen slightly, but I ignored it.

"Y/n?"

"Yes."

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Charles looked at me dead in the eye. "No games this time."

My heart pounded in my chest. I was ready for this. I needed this.

"Of course I will," I beamed from ear to ear, his lips met mine almost instantly.

"I love you, y/n y/l/n," he said. "Honestly and truthfully."

"I love you Charles Leclerc," I smiled. "Promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Don't break my heart."