IL PREDESTINATO | Charles Leclerc |

Prologue

December 12th, 2021, Abu Dhabi

Charles was sitting on his garage, getting ready for the last race of the season. The end had finally come. He wasn't fighting for the championship, but he still felt anxious and tired. 2021 had been a messy year. He wanted it to be finally over.

He was sitting on his bench at the back of the garage when his gaze fell on the big flat screen that was placed on the wall. The one where the mechanics watched the race.

And suddenly everything went quiet. He couldn't hear the noises that the mechanics were making while preparing his car. He could only hear his heart beating loydly in his ears. Charles felt his breath being knocked out of his chest. What he had just seen couldn't be true.

She couldn't be here.

August 5th 2021, Rubiera Italy

Charles had woken up early that day. He didn't want to sleep anymore. He got out of his bed and made a quick breakfast to enjoy at his garden.

The summer break started just a few days ago and it was going pretty well for him so far. He had 3 free weeks from Formula 1. Usually, he'd spent his time with his family and his girlfriend, visiting a beautiful exotic island or spent some time on his boat somewhere near the French soil.

But this summer he wanted some alone time, he needed it with everything that was happening this year. Ferrari wasn't performing this season. Charles was trying his best, but they wouldn't get any wins this season, he knew it now.

He and Charlotte were also having problems with their relationship. They were constantly fighting since March, for stupid things really. Things they were supposed to have gotten over after so many years of being together.

So once the break started, Charles asked from Charlotte some alone time. He wanted to think his next moves. Charlotte of course accepted because she wanted her space herself. She wasn't delusional. They were not fine, and she knew it.

So Rubiera it was.

He rented a house just outside from the town where he'd be out of the public eye, in a beautiful place and still close to Maranello in case the team needed him in the factory.

The sun was fully up when he finished with his breakfast. He couldn't help but go back upstairs again, to the room he had his piano. He wanted to play. It was this feeling he got while he played. Playing was taking all of his stress away. Once his hands touched the keys, he forgot everything and everyone around him.

It was just him and his music.

He chose the first song that came to his mind. (song above) One that was stuck in his head since he first heard it and couldn't wait to finally play it. It was a wonderful piece. His fingers touched the keys softly as he hummed the melody.

Once he was finished, Charles moved his gaze from the piano, feeling calm and content. Just as he looked up his gaze fell to the window and there, he noticed a girl, a beautiful one.

Charles stopped moving, he froze as his gaze locked with hers and he took a minute to appreciate her appearance. She had light brown hair with some blonde strands. Skin white and red plumpy lips. He couldn't really see the colour of her eyes, but he was still mesmerized by her look.

The corners of his lips curled up as he noticed her cheeks blushing. He had just caught her looking at him through the window, she was embarassed. The girl quickly turned around and walked away from the window. A chuckle escaped his lips as he looked down at the keys once more and he only knew one thing at that moment.

This wouldn't be the last time he'd see her. He had to know her.

"Charles." Carlos tried to win his teammates' attention once more, but it was pointless. He'd been calling his name for the past minute, but Charles wasn't listening. He was looking, no, he was staring at the TV.

The Spaniard turned to look at what had Charles so mesmerized, making him look at the screen like his life depended on it. It was showing the situation inside the Mercedes garage. And there was a girl standing beside Toto Wolf.

But that wasn't just a girl. It was Christina Hart, he knew her. Everybody knew her. She was a very successful young Hollywood actress, only at the age of 21. And she was beautiful. Porcelain white skin, hazel eyes, full rose lips.

The corners of Carlos' lips curled a little as he turned to look at Charles once again. The Monegasque couldn't pull his eyes off the screen until the cameraman decided to finally show someone else. And even then, Charles looked to be still thinking about her.

The look, the expression he was wearing, was what gave it away to Carlos. Charles was hit by the Cupid. There was so much emotion in his eyes, but it couldn't be for her, could it? Charles had never met her.

But could she be the one to finally pull him out of his player faze? After his break up with Charlotte, Charles was going around, getting out with other girls, and many other girls. Another weekend, another girl.

Maybe it was time. Maybe Carlos had to talk to Lewis

"Earth calling Charles," Carlos smirked at him, making him finally snap out of his thoughts. "What was that?" Charles asked, raising his eyebrows in question.

"Forget it. Good luck with the race, be safe. " Carlos chuckled before he turned around to head to his garage since they were asked to get in the cars. "Yeah, you too,"

"Merde," Charles sighed, looking at the screen for once more, but the view disappointed him.

It had been months since the last time he saw her. He couldn't deny that he missed her. Those three weeks he spent with her were the happiest he remembered himself to be recently. But it was just three weeks.

It meant nothing. That night meant nothing

She had made it pretty clear that she didn't want to have anything to do with him after their shared time in that Italian town by leaving him. She didn't even wait for him to wake up.

Rubiera was a fever dream, and whatever happened there stayed there.

But a part of him wished it didn't have to. A apart of him wished she missed him too. Because deep down he knew. He knew that she was the one for him.

He thought that when he met Charlotte too. But this was different. His relatioship with Charlotte started when he signed for Ferrari, he was happy back then. But later he was putten through hell, and while being in there he met her.

And hell never seemed so sweet to him.

"I want you" Christina breathed out. "What?" Charles stopped whatever he was doing to look into her eyes. "I want you, Charles Leclerc" she repeated herself, making a smile form on Charles' lips. "I want you too, Miss Hart" he said placing his hand on her cheek before pulling her close to kiss her again.

"Stop it, Charles. She left you" he told himself, shaking his head. He couldn't afford this now. He couldn't be thinking about her when he was about to race. "But it's been so long,"

"Sors la de tes pensées putain de merde"

("Get her out of your mind for fuck sake")