Under the helmet | Charles Leclerc

~Chapter 5~

"I forgive you, lets make a second first impression, when are you free?" I ask him, whilst my mind tells me we should slap him for what he did, but my heart sees something in him, worth forgiving.

"I am free after the race on Sunday? I have interviews and the sprint obviously tomorrow." He offers seeming slightly happier at my decision to forgive him.

"After the race is it." I nod at him and hold Charles' hand, which still lingers on my waist, indicating I want to leave.

Charles waves him off, and I just turn around and walk away.

"Thank you." I say to Charles.

"Anything for you mon cherie." He says, another nickname which makes my stomach feel like butterflies. I quickly look at the floor, in case I start blushing and we walk back to the ferrari garage, preparing for the qualifying.

When we arrive at my changing room he kisses my hand and wishes me good luck, as I wish him good luck too. I quickly open the door and close it as he turns away. I slump down as I shut the door, hiding the blushing and butterflies in my stomach. What was this? It is confusing me, he can't like me I'm his teammate. No, I can't like him. I think to myself and then getting into my fireproofs and race suit. I quickly get out and into the garage and next to my car with my race number printed on it. I slide into the car getting ready to be released from the garage.

"Radio check"

"Loud and clear Albert." I respond.

A few seconds after I respond to Albert I am allowed to leave the garage and my foot gently hits the accelerator and I leave the garage into the pit lane for my first qualifying. I take the first lap easy as I get a feel for the car and the difference between this car and the f2 cars. All I hear is my breathing and the cars engine roaring as I take the turns and speed down the straights, everything goes so fast. On the second lap I try to make it fast and Albert gives me the thumbs up to give it my all. Not very many other cars were out at this point so I gave it my all going into the turns and speeding down the straights trying my best to stick to the racing lines around the track.

"That's P3, P3 Maeve, good job, you can try get better the next lap, as we'd advise or you can come in, as your close to Hamilton's time who is in P2."

"I'll stay out Albert" I respond, the fact that I could go faster was all the motivation I needed to push myself.

"Copy"

I push the car to it's limits the next lap really trying to make up a quicker lap time and going faster down the straights and perfecting the turning, accelerating and braking points of every corner I approach. I cross the finish line and I hear the best words:

"That's P1, congratulations Maeve!" Albert sounds overjoyed over the radio.

"Woohoo! Let's go!" I slow the car for the next lap as I just need to pull into the pit lanes.

"Fred is very happy with your pole position, and Viola is going nuts here. Charles also sends his congratulations."

"Thank you all, and how is Charles doing?" I ask Albert.

"He's where you were, P3."

"Tell him I say congratulations to him. Thank you all again." I say to Albert, the one person I speak to throughout the races.

I pull into the pitlane and park up in the garage quickly getting out of the car and hugging the team members. I walk over to Albert and ask to speak to Charles who is trying to get a better lap time.

"Your not going to beat me Leclerc." I say over the radio.

"Mae! Congratulations, first race and pole position, Fred didn't make a mistake picking you."