❥𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆

Chapter 45

Before I am starting this chapter, I wanted to say that exactly today, 4 months ago I wrote the first chap for this story!
-> 30.03.23
Even though I already did that, I just wanted to thank you, thank you for accompanying me on this journey and supporting me all the way.
I love you guys.
And now, enjoy the new chapter:) I know, it's a short one, I know. I need some time to figure the continuation out and how to write it.
Also enjoy the race soon, Charles on pole!!:D
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Narrator

When Charles entered the house, Valerie and her brother were already sitting at the dinner table, all set and obviously waiting for him to join.
Their cousin already left earlier.

Charles wasn't sure how he should feel after this conversation with his team principal. He didn't know him like that. He wasn't like that, actually.
Fred was a nice guy, supporting Charles since he got into Sauber.
But that wasn't the man he just talked to.

»You didn't have to wait for me,« Charles mentioned as he left his jacket and shoes at the wardrobe and headed to the kitchen.
His voice didn't show any signs of anger or frustration. But he didn't sound happy either.
It was ... balanced.

Valerie smiled at him, pointing at the chair next to her.
She could sense that the clarifying - as Charles explained it before he rushed off - didn't go as he had probably wished. She could see it on his face.
That was his dissatisfied expression.

Valerie had cooked pasta with chicken - Charles' favorite.
But that didn't seem to cheer him up today.

»So, what was this about?,« Carlos asked carefully as they began to eat.
It was his right to ask. He was also part of the team, of course.
And how should he have known what was going on?

Charles took a quick, panicking look at Valerie.
He wasn't sure if he should talk about it openly.
If he should at all.

His eyes met his teammate's again.
»Uhm... just some strategy stuff,« he stammered unsurely.

Carlos didn't seem to buy it, but had no intension to ask any further.

The following conversations were dry and short.
Charles poked more around on his plate than really eating.

Valerie got a little worried. She knew that something was wrong.
And she wanted to talk to him alone.

Later that evening

»Charles, mi amor. You know that you can talk to me, right?«
He put his phone aside as Valerie entered her bedroom. He had been sitting there for the past hour, trying to get his mind somewhere else.
But wherever he went - Instagram, Twitter,... - he got reminded of his career.
And his situation.

Between times, he wondered why he was making such a big deal about it.
But then he remembered the break up and it hit him all over again.

He didn't want to feel that all over again.
He just couldn't.
Bearing the pain once more... only thinking about it-

So no there she stood, her worried eyes scratching at him.

»Sure, why?«

She sat down besides him, making the edge of the mattress sink a little lower.
»So, spit it out, then.«
»What?«

»Charles,« Valerie took his hand. »I have known you for a while now. A long while. I see that something is troubling you.«
His gaze went up, resting in her assuring eyes.

»I'm not sure if you wanna know.«
He thought about what he said for a second.
It didn't matter if she wanted to know. She would meet this woman in the paddock, anyways.
So what was the point of hiding?

»This isn't about me. Tell me.«
Oh, how wrong you are, Charles thought.

»This surely is also about you, Val.«

»Huh?«

Charles began to draw slow circles with his thumb on the back of her hand.
Was he trying to calm down himself or Valerie? He didn't know. Maybe both.

»Fred, he- uhm...«
He stuttered, hesitated.

Valerie's head rose up to the door when she heard voices outside.
»Is that... your sister?«, Charles asked as their confused faces met.

»What is she doing here?«
Valerie looked at Charles.

»Not saying hello would be impolite,« Charles said and got up.
Valerie did the same, but she was still trying to peek behind his curtains, finding out what was wrong.
Their eyes met and they held their breaths for a second.

»We will talk about this later, I promise.« Charles put her face in his hands and brushed his lips gently against hers.

Valerie wasn't satisfied with the interruption of their important conversation, but she couldn't say anything about the kiss.

But still, Valerie wanted to know what was going on, badly.
It was important for her to talk about it. To trust each other.

When they got into the living room, Blanca was sitting on the couch with Carlos, chatting.

»Valerie!« she rushed up, hugging her little sister.
»Heyy,« she returned the embrace. »It's not that long since we last saw each other, what are you doing here?«

»Can't I just visit my favorite siblings?«, she replied when they pulled apart and brushed aggressively through Carlos' hair who was still sitting on the couch, turned to them.

They chuckled and chatted in Spanish which Charles couldn't quite understand.

Blanca also pulled him in a hug which he didn't expect at first.
But he accepted it.

Spending the evening with Valerie and her siblings, playing cards and eating some snacks, that was what he needed, actually.
It put his mind elsewhere.

He could stop thinking about his problem for a couple of hours.

But it would soon turn into a problem for Valerie, too.
She won't like it.
Hell, he didn't like it either.

But it wasn't on him to decide that.
She will know.
And he was scared to lose her again.