❥𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆

Chapter 11

Valerie POV

I was just getting out of the bathroom when I heard my phone buzzing on my bedside table.

Bro Calling

Carlos? What's up?

Good Morning! Have you
packed yet?

Packed? For what?

Are you planning on staying in
Monza forever?

What?

Our flight to Monaco is going in 3 hours.
Same airport as you came here with.

Okay.. Didn't know we would be flying today already. I thought I would see more of
Monza, actually.

You will see Monza more than one time
if Ferrari decides to keep you. Would
be a shame if the don't.

Okay alright. I'm will pack quickly.
Anything I should know of before
I enter this jet again?

....
Charles is kinda coming with us. He's
also flying to Monaco today to see his family.

Alright.

Call ends

I hung up before my brother could ask any questions. He would've expected for me to discuss Charles coming with. But actually I had nothing against it.
He's just Carlos' best friend that flies with him to the next GP.
At least that's what I told myself all the time.

I had a little headache. I guess that's what is left after drinking a bit too much. Then I noticed I couldn't remember coming back to the hotel last night.

How the hell did I get here?

The whole evening was all blurry in my memory.
Geez.

Monza's hot day was shining in my face as I reached the airport.
Some of the staff took my suitcase and brought it to the jet's trunk.
I entered the jet and looked around for a second. It was a different one than last time.
»Are you feeling better today?«, a familiar voice asked. When I faced him, I was speechless for a second.
Charles made himself comfortable in his seat. He wore a black suit with a Ferrari-pin attached to it.
He put his sunglasses away and looked at me.
»What?«, I replied to his question.
»I asked if you're feeling better.«
I sat down across him. Even though I could've chosen like three other possibilities to sit.
»What do you mean?«
»You weren't in that good condition when I brought you back to the hotel last night.«
My face got blank. I needed a moment to process what he just said.

»You brought me back?«
»As I said.«
I half covered my eyes with my hands and tried to avoid looking at him.
»Please don't say I did anything embarrassing.«
»Well-« He got interrupted by my brother entering.
»Hey guys!«, he greeted us and took a seat. He noticed that me and Charles were sitting across each other but he didn't say anything.

»Congratulations for your podium yesterday, by the way. P3 is pretty amazing!«, I said to Carlos and put my leg above the other.
»Thank you«, he replied, »if Charles would've crossed the finish line, I wouldn't have been up there.«

Charles and I exchanged looks and just overplayed the fact that I missed Carlos' podium because I first helped my ex with his panic attack and then went off because we kissed out of unexplainable reasons.

»You two are getting along, I see.«, Carlos said out of nowhere and looked at us.
Charles coughed.
»I wouldn't overdo it.«, I replied and checked my phone to exit this conversation.
Charles looked out of the window. I could feel his smirk all over his face.
I rolled my eyes and scrolled through my Instagram to search for ways to think about work.
When the plane started, I paused for a second and closed my eyes. My hands clawed onto the armrest and my legs were shaking a bit.

Charles' worried look burned on me while I straighten up and just continued doing my thing.
I tried to ignore him. Why does he care anyways?

Carlos fell asleep during the flight and Charles took some funny pictures of him.
They will so land on Instagram!

In the meantime, I noticed Charles checking me out. He observed me from head to feet.
»What you looking at, Leclerc?«
He didn't even try to hide it.
»I just noticed that you are very pretty today.«, he explained himself.
»Only today?«, I asked offended.
He smirked and lowered his eyes on his phone.

For a moment it felt like no time has passed. We were flirting - like we used to - and there were no problems at all.
None until you think of them, of course.
My mind just got in the way every time.
I just pictured him with this... girl again. Back then when I caught him kissing her.
In the paddock after he gave me a VIP pass to the race. I was so excited to see him driving.
Then our fight after he saw me with another guy I tried to make him jealous with.

This stupid fight

Then I looked back at him, sitting there all peaceful and handsome, like nothing happened at all.
But once again, this stupid evening in hotel room blurred trough my head and I couldn't seem to turn it off.
We were standing there, our eyes all read and puffy, our voices volumed up and our conversations turned in circles.

And I got angry again over what happened, how he tried to deny it and how he blamed me for everything. Because I allegedly cheated on him.
My headache got worse.
»Are you okay?« His voice was the last thing I wanted to hear in that moment.
»Yes.«, I answered coldly and took out my book I didn't get to finish last time.
He didn't seem to buy it and just continued to look at me curiously.
I ignored it and just hoped this god damn jet would land eventually.

»Guys, did I miss anything?« Carlos woke up right in time when the jet was starting to land. He straightened up and fixed his hair real quick.
Then he looked at us as he didn't get an answer.
»Guys?«
He saw us sitting there like kids that just argued over who gets the last piece of chocolate.
Charles stared out of the window with his arms crossed in front of his chest and I was reading a book not giving my brother attention at all.

»I see«, he said with a quiet voice, »trouble in paradise.«

When we left the jet and took our luggage, we split apart. »I'm gonna go to my mom's house. See you then.«, Charles said and headed to the airports exit.
»Are we gonna go to our house here?«, I asked my brother.
»I didn't plan on sleeping at this airport.«, my brother answered sarcastically.

I interrupted Carlos as he wanted to say something else.
»Don't ask anything on the way, I warn you.«