Reflections-C.L

Nothing more, nothing less

Bahrain GP
Thursday 17th March 2022
7:00 a.m

Lydia woke up that day full of excitement. It was officially the start of the season. Finally the moment everyone waited for. The season might had stopped just a few months ago but now a new season started and everyone couldn't be more curious about what was the new season to bring.

Especially Lydia. Today was the first day that Lydia was going back to the paddock as a Ferrari driver. The first female Ferrari driver.

And of course today was the day she was going to see him again, after being apart for almost one month. Last time they were together they were in her apartment back in Greece cuddling in her couch under her red blanket as they watched a movie on the TV while eating pizza. That's how they spent their last night together.

Today she was going to see him again, but this time it was going to be differently. This time they wouldn't meet as..., but as teammates, colleagues.

Everyone will be able to see them, they had to be extremely careful. Fans were smart and of course you can't forget about reporters and the rumors and gossips they could come up with. They had to talk before they met in the paddock today.

With that last thought in her mind she got up, opening the blinds of her hotel room. She got ready, doing her skincare, putting light make up on and straightening her hair. She got out of the bathroom getting her pajamas off and wearing a pair of blue jeans and her ferrari t-shirt with the number 66 and her name in the back. After putting her watch on, her silver hoops and her rings she wore her white snickers.

Then she sat on the bed getting her phone in her hand. As she pushed the call button she put her phone in her ear waiting for him to pick up. Picking her head up she looked herself in the mirror, anxiety growing more inside her.

"Good morning" she suddenly heard his voice from the other side of the phone, distracting her from her thoughts, making her look away, putting her head down.
"Good morning. Can we talk?"
"Now?"
"Are you with someone?"
"Yes" With who?
"It's important"
"Okay. Give me a minute" And as the overthinker she is Lydia's mind was filled with thoughts questioning with who he was, within seconds. She was jealous, but she couldn't admit that, even to herself.
"Okay. What's wrong?Is everything alright?"
"Almost"
"Did something happen?. Are you okay?"
"Now I just wanted to talk about us. I mean, people are going to be around us this time. We don't want to grow any suspicions"
"Yeah. Okay"
"You understand what I mean?"
"Totally. We are on the same page Lydia"
"I just don't want to grow any suspicions. You know, I don't want any rumor or any gossip going around"
"I agree with you 100%. We are just friends"
"Hmm"
"Okay I have to go. Take care"
"Goodbye" Lydia said before closing the call. Just friends?

Charles's Driver room
12:57 p.m

Charles had just finished a press conference and now was in his driver room with his trainer, Andrea. They were planning their next training sessions as both of them waited for lunch time.

Charles grabbed his phone checking his schedule for the day. After the press conference he was supposed to have lunch and then they had to film some content for social media.

She was supposed to be with him when they filled the content. Last time they talked was this morning when she had called him to make sure that they talked about how they'll treat each other in front of others. The girl sounded worried about people making up rumors so Charles assured her that he was going to be careful and that in front of everyone they were just friends.

He didn't want to deal with any possible rumors either. He liked the brunette girl, had fun with her and enjoyed her company. What they had was something really special to him, but he didn't want to rush things so he hadn't asked her what exactly they had, although he wanted to.

As he kept talking with Andrea suddenly he heard a knock on the door.
"Come in" he said as the door of his driver room opened reviling the familiar view of the girl he always had in mind since that night a few months ago.
"Sorry to interrupt but Charles can I talk to you for a minute" she said looking at him.
"Yes of course" he replied back, getting out of the room, leaving the door open.
"So what's up?" he spoke first, standing now in front of her.
"Nothing. They just told me to give you this." she said handing him a paper.
"It's the scenario for a YouTube video we have to film after lunch" she continued.
"Okay" he said smiling at her. But she didn't smile back. Strange.
"Is everything alright?" he asked her thinking that she seemed a bit off.
"Everything's perfect" she replied back, turning around to leave.
He grabbed her arm stopping her. She looked at his hand on her arm and then at him.
"What are you doing? People are watching" she said pulling her arm back.
"Are you sure everything's alright?"he asked her.
"100%. Now if you excuse me I have things to do" she said turning around and leaving.

As Charles got back inside his room, closing the door behind him, he thought about the girl's behavior. She was different. Something felt really off. But maybe something work related happened and she wasn't in the mood. Maybe she was just stressed about people seeing them and she wanted to make sure that they didn't attract any attention.

"So" Andrea spoke distracting him from his thoughts.
"So what?" he asked back.
"So what's going on between you two?"
"What?" Charles asked him a little bit stunned from his trainer's question.
"Oh come on. I saw how you looked at each other. Something is going on between you two. I know you too well" he replied.
"Nothing is going on" I don't want any rumors or gossips going around. "We are just friends"
"Whatever you say. We should probably head to lunch now."

Friday 18th March 2022
10:17a.m,Paddock

Today was the first free practice and Lydia couldn't be more excited. She wanted to see how her team's car performed compared to the other team's cars. She was so much more than ready. Both enthusiasm and anxiety filling her body.

As she arrived at the location, Lydia parked the car and got out of it, her cousin on the passenger seat doing the same. Everyone brought friends and family with them so as Daphne was still working she decides to invite her two cousins. Cass, that was one year younger than Lydia couldn't make it because of university but her brother Lucas, who was four years older than Lydia was more than excited when Lydia asked them to accompany her in the Grand Prix. So now he was walking beside her as they entered the paddock, chatting.

"Lydia I wanted to ask you something" her cousin said.
"Should I be worried?"
"No of course not" he assured her.
"Okay then. Go ahead"
"So what's been going on between you and that French guy that you were filming the YouTube video yesterday?. I can't remember his name." Oh shit
"Who?Charles?"
"Yes, that guy"
"First of all he is from Monaco. Second of all we are teammates." she replied back trying to play it cool.
"Are you sure? Because I saw the way he looked at you"
"And?"
"I don't know it looked that you had a connection with each other. You sure that you are not nothing more?" he asked her with a smirk on his face.
We are just friends."Trust me. We are just friends. Nothing more, nothing less"
"If you say so" Lukas said back not wanting to make feel uncomfortable. Lukas knew how Lydia was about relationships so he didn't want to push her.

11:06 a.m, Charles's Hotel

Charles was sitting with Pierre in the lobby sitting at a table. Pierre was drinking coffee and Charles had a juice. They went there to catch a break and chat a little before the race weekend officially started. Right now Charles was checking his schedule for today as Pierre scrolled through twitter watching all the gossip and memes.

Suddenly Pierre stopped as he looked at the headline of a tweet someone had posted 30 minutes ago, widening his eyes, almost choking at his coffee.
"Charles" Pierre said looking at his best friend.
"What?" Charles said as he got his head up looking at him.
"Have you seen this?" Pierre said handing his phone to his best friend so he could see the tweet.
Taking the phone in his hand Charles looked at the screen. Seeing the headline his whole facial expression changed. He felt like he got a heart attack. His body stiffened, he clenched his teeth and his eyes shined as he read the words on the screen of the phone.

"Love is in the air.F1 driver Lydia Hatzi spotted with unknown man walking down the paddock today. Would that possibly be a new F1 couple?"