【 Chasing the stars ➺ Charles LeClerc】

༺FOUR༻

»»———-༺♥༻———-««

The quiet knock on my door woke me up from my sleep. Opening it, I found Lewis standing there, a picture of concern. He asked me why I had left the paddock before the qualifying round, his eyes searching mine for the truth. I evaded his question with a white lie, hoping he wouldn't probe further.

Instead of joining the others in their raucous celebration outside, Lewis chose to stay with me. His presence was a soothing balm to my frayed nerves.

As the night grew deeper, Lewis began to talk about the day's events. He discussed the qualifying standings, mentioning Charles's podium, George's ninth position, and his own fifth-place finish. Despite the lingering bitterness, a part of me felt genuinely happy for Charles. I yearned to reach out, to send him a congratulatory text. But I held back, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing he still mattered and that I still deep down cared.

Eventually, Lewis bid me goodnight, leaving the sanctuary of my hotel room for his own. I found myself alone, sinking into the comfort of my bed, hoping sleep would claim me. But it remained elusive, my thoughts twisting and turning, mirroring my restless movements.

Compelled by my restless energy, I decided the hotel gym was my best bet to clear my mind. My fitness level had been slipping lately, and I was due for a good workout.

Swiftly, I changed into my workout gear and made my way to the gym. As expected, it was deserted at this ungodly hour. I started my regimen with a run on the treadmill, the steady rhythm of my feet grounding me in the quiet solitude.

Twenty minutes into my run, I hopped off the treadmill, reaching for my water bottle. The sudden sound of the gym door opening startled me, a rare occurrence at this hour. My eyes found Charles standing there, looking as surprised as I probably did.

"Can't sleep?" He ventured, stepping further into the room.

I quickly averted my gaze to my phone, avoiding his eyes. "Nope, you neither?" I managed to respond, striving for casual indifference.

"Mind if I join?" Charles asked tentatively, gesturing to the treadmill beside me.

"Go ahead," I responded, my voice barely above a whisper. He climbed on, so did I and the room filled with the steady rhythm of our footsteps.

The silence was palpable, hanging heavy between us. After a while, I finally spoke, "shouldn't you be out and party with the others?"

He quickly glanced at me before responding "I didn't feel like it"

"That's unlike you" I honestly said, before taking a swing of my water bottle.

Charles shrugged, "I guess people change."

We fell back into silence, the only sound being the rhythmic hum of our treadmills. It was a strange night, filled with awkward silences and unfinished sentences.

༺♥༻

The shrill tone of my phone jolted me awake. I grumbled and reached for it, noticing Eliana's name on the screen. Shaking off the sleep, I sat upright and swiped to answer.

"Hello," I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep.

"Hey Mims, Kika and I are heading to the paddock in about an hour. The boys are already there. Want to come?" Eliana's voice echoed as I padded towards the bathroom.

"Sounds good," I replied, reaching for my toothbrush to start my morning routine.

"Awesome, meet us at the reception in an hour," she instructed before we exchanged quick farewells and ended the call.