that august night - c.l.

14. Not a single chance

Elena walked through the paddock, her hands nervously playing with her purse around her shoulder. She didn't know anyone here and it was quite embarrassing for her. Elena knew how she used to walk through police station and she would greet everyone, but right now it felt a bit more awkward than before.

"Hey, are you that police officer that stopped the robber last week?" - She heard quite recognizable voice from beside her as she was passing Red Bull garage. Elena turned around and it turned out to be Max Verstappen himself. "Yeah I am, and you must be the famous championship leader, Max Verstappen. That's quite a thing to be remembered about though." - Elena joked as she stopped once she noticed he wanted to start a conversation.

"Well you saved someone's life and stopped the guy that knocked me off." - Elena stopped at his words remembering how the assaulter she caught also knocked off someone once he turned around to look at her. And now she connected the dots. "Oh, it was you? I didn't know I just saw that he pushed someone." - She explained with a smile on her face.

"Well I would like to get to know you. You seem like a friendly cop so I wouldn't mind being around you. Do you mind being around a champion?" - Elena didn't know if it was just her or he was truly trying to flirt. But she wouldn't accept anything anyway. "I am already around one future champion, sorry. But hanging out would be nice I think." - He was confused at first but dropped it off moments after. "Well then, I hope I see you at Jimmy'z club after the race." - He winked walking away with a smile on his face as she stood there for a moment before moving down towards the famous Ferrari garage.

When she walked in it was pretty early for anyone to be at garage, everyone was basically getting ready and she assumed Charles was doing the same. Elena remembered how to get between driver's rooms in this building and she didn't mind trying to find it as she had nothing better to do anyway. "Hey, I haven't seen you here before?" - An unrecognizable woman's voice interrupted her as she turned around.

She saw dark haired beautiful girl in front of her, nervously pulling on her purse as Elena was doing herself. "Oh yeah, I am kind of new. It's my second race ever attending." - Elena explained as the girl seemed interested in the conversation. And before they continued they both introduced themselves, walking through the building in a direction Elena didn't know.

"So? What brings you here?" - Elena asked as now they were sitting in Ferrari hospitality, drinking ice tea, having a conversation both of them needed.

"Oh um... I am here to support Carlos Sainz... he is my, um... friend." - Elena nodded at her unsure words not wanting to push her further but Isa returned the question. "Oh well, same. I am here to support Charles... as a friend." - Isa nodded and took a sip of her ice tea before they returned to the conversation.

Elena noticed how Isa's eyes drifted off to something or someone behind her. Isa's posture fixed and she smiled at none other than Carlos Sainz, who came from behind Elena and sat next to Isa, who gave him warning look. "Hello, you are that cop from the previous race?" - Carlos asked as he moved on from his greetings with Isa. Elena nodded and Isa looked at her weirdly. "You are the cop? The one who stopped the assaulter?" - Elena nodded at Isa's surprised voice as they kept on asking her about her career.

Soon after, they were joined by none other than Charles Leclerc himself. He sat next to Elena. He wanted so badly to wrap his arm around her shoulder but stopped once she gave him warning look not to do anything in public. They were soon enough in deep conversation talking on all sides.

Elena could notice how Carlos looked at Isa and even if Isa said they were friends, she didn't believe Carlos wanted to be just friends with her. The way he removed a lash he noticed under her eyes, the way he got close and the way Elena could see their knees touching under the table as they were sitting comfortably far away from it, kind of gave them away. It didn't seem like Carlos wanted friend's title. And maybe Isa was like that as well.

But neither was Isa blind. She saw the way Charles and Elena looked at each other ever since Charles sat at their table. She noticed how he would move his eyes from Elena's lips to her eyes and every now and then like that. The way his smile grew wider when she was explaining a story from her career.

"I am going to try and find bathroom, I'll get back as soon as possible." - Elena excused herself standing up but before she could walk away, Charles stopped her. "I'll show it to you, come on." - He stood up and walked beside her as both Isa and Carlos observed the pair. "You don't think they are just friends, do you?" - Carlos asked and it was followed by Isa's immediate response. "Not a single chance."

...

"I am pretty sure this has your name on it and it does not say bathroom." - Elena entered the room anyway as he closed it behind them. He sat on the chair resting his head backwards while his eyes were closed. "I can't look at you in that dress for too long, angel, it is the exact distraction you were talking about. You could've at least helped me with less distractions." - Elena chuckled at his words walking in front of him.

"Well I think your rival noticed it too." - She shrugged before his eyes suddenly opened at her words. "What? Who? When?" - He started asking as she smiled at him. "The champion, he calls himself. Max said how he would have loved if we hung out sometimes..." - Elena explained as she saw Charles' eye reflecting a bit of anger. "He said that to you? When? What did you say?"

"Right before I came in the Ferrari garage, and yeah I told him how I would have loved to spend some time with him. Especially with our clothes off on the bedroom floor and him inside of me." - Elena teased as Charles' head fell back again. "Elena what are you doing to me?" - He hasn't said her name in a tone like this in a long time and hearing it, just made her smile to herself.

Elena walked behind him and dragged her fingers over his chest, up to the shoulders, standing behind him. Her hands started doing circular motions over his neck and shoulder massaging his body in some parts. "I am helping you get rid of the distractions..." - She whispered over his head. "You are not really helping with your hands all over me." - He breathed out as she removed them, earning confused glance from him. "Then I won't do it." - She shrugged as he groaned a little before he stood up from the chair.

"I will use your bathroom." - She walked over and closed the doors behind her. Later on, Elena found Isa and they were seated in the garage as drivers were supposed to out on the track for the first free practice session of the week. Minutes later, both Ferrari pilots passed by them, greeting the women who were seated close to their cars as they went separate ways.

"Isa, can I tell you something?" – Elena asked not taking her eyes off of Carlos' car as it went out on the streets of Monaco. "Yeah, sure." – She responded giving her full attention. "I think Carlos has a crush on you. I've seen the way he looks and talks to you." – Elena stated giving Isa questionable look. "You know, Charles has been acting the same way towards you while we were together at the hospitality." – Isa went off from the topic which made Elena even more suspicious about her and Carlos.

"Are you and Charles together?"

"Are you and Carlos dating?"

They asked in union as they later on laughed at interaction. "Charles and I recently started dating. We wanted to keep things quiet for a bit of time just to give ourselves a time to make a steady relationship." – Elena explained as Isa nodded at her words. "Yeah, same with me and Carlos. But now that somebody knows, it's kind of easier." – She smiled as Elena returned the gesture as they continued on watching first practice. Elena felt like this could be a good start to a strong friendship as through talks, they realized they have a lot of things in common. Starting from the fact that both of their boyfriends drive for Ferrari.