Here With Me - A Formula 1 Story

Falling Apart

I've been back in Parma for only about 8 hours and I am miserable. I miss Charles, but I've also gotten used to having more space...an actual bed and endless amounts of food. I've been spoiled the past month and it's painfully obvious now that I'm back in my 800 sq.ft apartment. It also doesn't help that I haven't heard from Charles yet. I imagine he's been done with his meeting for hours now, but I haven't gotten a phone call or a text back. I'm trying not to worry but I am. I'm about to text him again when I hear someone knock on my door. I furrow my brows wondering who it might be, perhaps a neighbor welcoming me back. When I check the peep hole I immediately break out into a huge smile and open the door excitedly.

"Charles?! What are you doing here?" I ask while laughing. He smiles but it's not his typical bright smile that I'm used to and I know something is not right.

"What's wrong?" I ask before he can answer my question and he grabs my hand and squeezes it.

"I'll tell you inside." He tells me and I nod, moving to the side so he can walk inside the apartment as I shut the door behind us.

I turn towards him and it's like deja vu as I walk towards where he's standing near my bed. He looks sad, and frustrated as he looks up from his shoes to my face as I approach and my stomach drops and my blood turns cold. My eyes turn glassy and my nose flares as I try to keep my emotions in check. Based on his expression and the fact that he's here, standing in front of me means something bad is about to happen. If he was here because he just missed me and wanted to see me, he wouldn't look the way he does right now.

"Just tell me why you're here, Charles." I whisper, as I stop a few steps away from him. He shuts his eyes for a moment, before opening them again and looking to me.

"My team is upset about the articles. They think that we should cool it with the relationship, not make it so public." He grits out and a tear sneaks out of my eye. I quickly wipe it away.

"Why the sudden change when they were fine with it only a couple of days ago?" I say slowly, trying to figure out if he means the whole relationship or just the articles that are currently being ran in the media. Does the public truly care about the drivers' personal lives? Charles cringes then and I furrow my brows in confusion, then I realize.

"They were never fine with us going public...that's why you didn't want me to post on social media." I say, closing my eyes in frustration for being so completely dumb.

"I didn't think it was going to be this bad, Lydia." He tells me and my eyes whip open and I shake my head at his naivety.

"So what does this mean? We're back to hiding? Or are they making you end things with me completely?" I growl out. Charles' jaw clenches and I know he's here to end things with me because his team is asking him to. I blink rapidly so my tears don't fall and look away from him as I shake my head. He starts walking towards me and I back away from him, not wanting him to touch me. He stops his approach and curses something in French.

"It was nice of you to come break up with me in person. Thank you, you can head back to Maranello now." I tell him as my gaze finds his once more. His eyes are glassy like mine, and I watch his jaw clench and his nose flare as he processes my words. He doesn't move to leave though, much to my annoyance. A tear falls down my cheek but this time I don't wipe it away, there's no use; more are sure to come.

"I'm not breaking up with you. We just need to take a break until this all dies down." He tells me as he lunges like he wants to walk to me again but decides it's better to just stay where he's at.

"Taking a break and breaking up are the same thing Charles!" I shout, turning away from him in frustration. I hear his footsteps a moment later and his arms are around me the next. He pulls me tightly towards him, my back to his front and I squeeze my eyes shut to try to keep my tears at bay but it's no use.