REMEMBER THE NAME

2019:29

"Good morning." Charles smiles down at Sophie as she squirms whilst waking up, admiring the way her face scrunches when she's struggling to open her eyes.

Bringing his duvet to sit just under her nose, she looks up to the smiling boy who appeared to be wide awake. "Good morning." She mumbles, before cosying her body up next to his for warmth, laying her head on his chest as he wraps his left arm over her shoulders, bringing her even closer which warms her heart.

After taking a few moments of them both just sitting in their embrace, enjoying the warmth as they look out the window to watch the sun rise over the water, reflecting off of the many yachts in the Monte Carlo bay - his apartment truly had a beautiful view, one which felt like it was taken straight from a fictional book scene.

"Are you ready for today?" Charles begins to comb through her hair, almost lulling her back to sleep.

"The big question is are you?" Sophie listens to his heart but doesn't hear it change it's rhythm, keeping to its steady beat.

"Yeah. I mean it's not like I'm meeting your parents for the first time." He steadily replies.

Sophie had originally been visiting Monaco to celebrate her stepbrother Benedict's birthday. There was going to be a dinner at the family home with Toto, Susie, Benedict, Rosa, Jack, and other members of the family from Toto and Benedict's mum side. But since she had been going strong with Charles, he had offered for her to stay with him whilst she was visiting which she happily agreed to.

The only complication that occurred was that she was going to be originally staying with her family, and when she told them that she wouldn't be staying with them for the week their interest suddenly picked up. Sure Sophie had loads of friends who lived in Monaco - most of her friends were the drivers who practically ran the city - but with family being the priority behind racing, she rarely missed the opportunity to stay with them.

That's when Toto sent Rosa on to the case. He was protective of his stepdaughter, being on the scene since was a young child had provided him with a paternal role over her which nobody could deny, but besides being protective of her he also knew her very very well, and knew that if she wanted something to be kept a secret then she wasn't going to tell anyone, which worried him.

So Rosa came in to the picture, finding out from her stepsister what her flight information was by sending a caring text to let her know when she got on to the plane and when she had landed safely, before using that information to search it up on flight radar. From there it was easy enough for her to keep up to date with the press hanging around Nice airport catching her getting in to the signature striped Ferrari 488 pista, owned by non other than Charles Leclerc.

That night whilst Sophie and Charles had been having dinner in her apartment she received a text out of the blue from her mum which almost made her choke on her dinner.

"What, Sophie, are you okay." Charles had jumped out of his seat to pat and rub her back as she collected herself.

"I'm fine." She breathed out, trying her best to calm her breathing and heart rate. "But we might not be." She looked up to him with fear, making him look down in confusion. "My mum has just said for you to join us for the birthday dinner."

Charles didn't see how this was a big deal until the realisation that she had never told her mum set in. "How did she find out." He took a seat back in his chair.

"I don't know." She put her head in her hand, gently rubbing it. "What should I do?" She looked to him for guidance.

"Reply to it?" He took a sip of water whilst shrugging his shoulders.