everything has changed ➺ charles leclerc

thirteen - angeli

– angeli

THE SUN PEEKS THROUGH the curtains in Charles' room, casting a warm glow on us as we lie there, wrapped in each other's arms. Last night was filled with laughter, crappy romcoms, and an endless supply of popcorn—a memory we'll keep between us.

I gaze up at Charles, his serene face relaxed in sleep. I playfully twirl the bracelets on his wrist, which rests gently across my waist. In his embrace, I feel safe and cocooned from the world. Slowly, he stirs, his eyes fluttering open as he meets my gaze.

"Good morning, Charlie," I greet him with a smile, shifting to give him space to stretch. He returns my smile, his voice still tinged with drowsiness.

"Good morning, Ange," he replies, his hand running through his tousled hair. He grabs his phone, sending a few texts before turning his attention back to me.

"Is your flight today?" I inquire, curious about his plans. He answers after a moment, his gaze fixed on the screen.

"It was supposed to be. Aren't you flying out with me?" he asks, redirecting the question my way.

"Well, I actually booked a flight for tomorrow around 5 in the afternoon," I respond, quickly checking my flight details on my phone to confirm. His eyebrows furrow at my response.

"Hey, up until last night, I didn't think you'd be comfortable with me flying out with you today!" I defend myself, a touch of defensiveness in my tone. He chuckles at my explanation.

"Okay, fine, I get it," he concedes with a playful roll of his eyes. "But whose fault is that, though?" he teases, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Hey, I already apologized!" I retort, playfully poking my finger into his chest. He bursts into laughter, pulling me into a tight hug. "I know, I know."

After a moment, he perks up with an idea. "Do you want to go shopping in Milan?" he proposes, catching me off guard. Did he really just suggest that?

"Isn't that a two-hour drive away? I thought your flight was today," I exclaim in surprise at his proposition, glancing at the time to realize it's only nine in the morning.

He chuckles softly. "My flight isn't until 11 tonight, and I'm flying out from the airport in Milan instead of Bologna," he explains casually.

"Well," I pause, considering the logistics. "How do you expect me to get back here? My flight tomorrow is departing from Bologna, and driving back here isn't feasible." I express my concerns, fully turning to face him.

"I mean, you could just come with me," he suggests, shrugging nonchalantly. My eyes widen at his proposal. "Charles!" I protest. "I don't have enough time to pack everything I need, go shopping in Milan, and then head straight to Austria from there! Besides, I've already paid for my plane ticket!" I rant, flopping down onto my back.

He chuckles, gently pulling me up to sit facing him. "Then don't worry about packing," he suggests with simplicity, and I'm taken aback by his words. "Since we're going shopping in Milan anyway, you can buy everything you need there," he adds, dismissing any concerns. It seems he believes I have an unlimited budget.

"Charles, I can't afford that," I whine again, a hint of desperation in my voice. "Remember, I'm unemployed."

"I'll take care of everything," he smiles widely. "Come on, Ange. I know it's been ages since you've had a proper shopping trip, and I know how much you love shopping." He continues, attempting to convince me to embrace his plan.

"Charles, I can't ask you to do that," I reply shamefully. "You've already let me stay at your apartment, covered all the expenses since we started traveling together, and now you want to pay for my shopping and plane ticket? It's embarrassing, Charlie."