I can't .

~8~

POV y/n:

"Come on, Lewis, just give me Charles' number. I need to ask him something."

"Is this about Carlos again?" Lewis asks, his voice laced with suspicion. I shake my head, but he knows me too well.

"Don't say I didn't warn you when he breaks your heart later," he adds, a note of concern in his tone.

I don't respond, instead, I watch as he sends Charles' number. I quickly type out a message to him, then tuck my phone into my pocket and join Lewis and George for an hour of exercise. When I finally grab my phone again after our workout, I see a message from Charles—he has time to talk tonight.

Back at the hotel, I rush to my room, feeling the pressure of time. It's later than I thought, and I was supposed to have dinner with my father. There's no time for a shower, so I settle on pulling out a simple black dress from my suitcase. I quickly style my hair into a tight bun, slip on black ballerinas, and add a bit of jewelry. I glance in the mirror for a quick check—everything seems fine. After touching up my makeup, I head to the lobby where I find my father already waiting, his expression tense.

"Sorry I'm late," I say as I approach him.

"Lewis told me you lost track of time at the gym."

"Yeah, that's about right. But I'm here now. Shall we go?" I link my arm with his, hoping to smooth over the awkwardness. Together, we walk toward the exit.

Just as we near the door, Carlos walks in. I try to catch his eye, but he doesn't look back, walking past us without a glance.

"I wouldn't worry too much about that boy, y/n," Toto says, as though reading my mind.

"Can we just not talk about Carlos tonight, Dad?" I ask, trying to shift the mood.

"That's a good plan. I don't like him anyway," he responds, his tone final, as if the topic is closed.

POV Carlos:

As I walk back into the hotel after a long day, I see Toto and y/n just as they're stepping out. I deliberately avoid looking at them as I pass by, but it takes every ounce of effort not to glance back. Frustrated, I press the elevator button repeatedly. The doors finally close, and as I step inside, I let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the day settling in.

When the elevator reaches my floor, I walk down the hallway toward my room, but just as I approach my door, I spot Charles coming out of his room at the end of the corridor.

"Hey mate!" he greets me, raising a hand.

I nod in acknowledgment.

"Everything okay? You look a bit down."

I pause, considering how to answer. "I'm fine, just a long day."

"How about a workout tomorrow morning? We could hit the gym together," he offers.

As much as I want to stay in bed tomorrow, I agree anyway. "Yeah, see you tomorrow."

He gives me a friendly pat on the back and heads toward the elevator. I watch him leave before turning to unlock my door.

Once inside, I collapse onto my bed, trying to unwind, but just as I'm about to drift off, a knock on my door jolts me awake.

"I'm coming, just a second!" I call out, annoyed at the interruption.

I open the door to find George standing there, looking hesitant.

"Can I talk to you?" he asks, his tone serious.

"Yeah, sure. Come on in," I reply, wondering what this is about. I'm still unsure whether Toto sent him.

We settle into the room, and after a long pause, George turns to face me.

"I know you saw that picture of y/n and Lewis. Everyone's seen it. But I wanted to make it clear—there's nothing between them. Lewis, yeah, he likes her, and anyone can see that. But y/n doesn't feel the same way. She doesn't want anything more from him."

His words ease some of the tension in my chest, though I still wish she'd show more effort.

"Thanks for coming to tell me, George," I say, feeling a little better but still unsure. "I've also seen that Lewis wants more from her."

George gives me a knowing look. "Give her a chance, Carlos. She's worth it. Trust me, she adores you."

We exchange a few more words, and after our conversation, a lot becomes clearer to me. I didn't expect this talk to help so much, but it's exactly what I needed.

POV y/n:

Even though my father promised we wouldn't talk about Carlos tonight, I can't escape the topic. He brings it up anyway, commenting on the moment he saw Carlos at Lewis's pit box. I let most of it slide, knowing he's had a few drinks.

"I'd rather see you with Lewis. He may be a little older, but I really like you two together."

We're waiting for the cab back to the hotel, where I have an appointment with Charles next.

"Dad, we agreed not to talk about Carlos tonight," I remind him, trying to steer the conversation. "And as for Lewis and me—nothing's ever going to happen. Lewis is sweet to me, just like George is, but I can't have a relationship with either of them. My work is too important for that."

It feels like he only hears what he wants to hear.

"I like that you take your work so seriously," he says, as if he didn't hear anything I just said. "Lewis should be happy you're helping him like this. You two should go on a date sometime."

I sigh, letting him keep talking. There's no point in arguing further.

Back at the hotel, he asks if I want to grab a drink with him. I quickly check the time, deciding I can squeeze in a drink before my meeting with Charles. Just as we're about to step into the elevator, Lewis comes running up.

"Hey, guys!"

"Hey, Lewis, come join us for a drink," my father invites, clearly eager to keep the night going.

I see Lewis glance at me, looking a bit uncomfortable but agreeing nonetheless.

As we head to my father's hotel room, I can't help but check the time, making it obvious that I'm feeling tired.

"Honey, if you're that tired, just go to bed," my father suggests, half-joking.

"I think I will," I reply quickly. "Good night, Dad. Good night, Lewis." I give my father a quick kiss on the cheek before excusing myself.

I hurry toward the stairs to get to the next floor faster. Luckily, Charles's room is close by, and I knock just as I'm almost there. He opens the door immediately, and I step inside.

"Hey," I say, walking over to the couch in the corner of the room. I sit down, the weight of the evening settling on me.