Four years later || CL16

8

And Kalani had left a thought swirling in Charles' mind to which he hoped would be forgotten.

Realistically, Charles Leclerc spotting a seemingly lost boy on race day who got too excited with his access to the paddock, he would've ignored him. However this young boy who didn't seem any different from another loose-curly brunette haired child, made Charles think twice.

Spotting him immediately coming out of his team's hospitality after having a tense meeting with his team principal and strategists after more than a few tough races. His gaze immediately softened as he made eye contact with the mysterious little boy, who he figured could not be any older than four years old.

Telling his team he'll be in the garage in a moment and ignoring all of the people begging for a photo as he reached the little boy, as he almost felt his heart in his throat as he got closer and saw the facial features and the personality traits that clearly reflected on his appearance.

His stomach did a back flip, Charles felt the tipping urge his body had to hyperventilate. He recognised this child as he tried to search his brain as to why but he made the mistake of not searching his heart.

"Hey" Charles started off, actually thinking 'how the fuck do you talk to a lost child?'.

Noah seemed nervous even though Charles had crouched down to his level to try to make Noah feel more comfortable.

He wanted his Mum.

"Hi" Noah responded quietly, questioning the man in front of him as he searched his eyes whilst Charles seemed to be doing the same.

Charles' heart picked up its quickening pace as he started to breathe heavier, trying to concentrate on the seemingly simple situation in front of him.

"Um... where are your parents?" Charles eerily asked as he searched Noah's eyes.

Noah nervously shrugged starting to feel his separation anxiety from his Mum.

"I don't know, I lost my Mama" Noah copied Charles as he searched Charles' eyes, as Charles spotted Noah's pupils growing bigger as they looked at each other, feeling the recognition.
He felt like he was looking in a mirror.

Charles let out a breath, "What about your daddy?"

Noah looked at him dumbfounded he seemed puzzled by Charles' words, "I... I don't have one of those"

Anxious hands fiddled at the hem of Charles' top.
His heart sunk at the little boy, did his Father die? Or did he leave him?

The more they looked at each other the more Charles mind spiralled.

The more they looked at each other the more Charles' saw the similarities between the two of them.

The more they looked at each other the more Charles heart beated faster, the more his breath quickened. The paddock became quiet as he felt himself seeing Noah's green coloured eyes, reminded Charles of the promise of springtime, thinking they were beautiful as he saw his own eyes in Noah's.

The more he looked the more he realised, he thought he was mistaken last night.

More or less he convinced himself he was mistaken.

Her phone lighting it up checking the time as Charles slightly followed what she was doing catching a glimpse of the time on her phone.

However he actually caught a glimpse of her background, a photo which radiated happiness and purity, making Charles' heart soften, the photo being Kalani hugging Noah tightly in what seemed to be her own restaurant.