spirit | c.l.

12. all the tension

May 30, 2024 - Monaco

"Maman! Matteo is being annoying," Antoinette whined as she flew down the stairs, her brother running right behind her.

Julien scoffed as he tried to overtake her, "I can't help it if Celine is being stubborn!" He said, both siblings panting as they made it to their mother's office.

Their mother simply stared at them, unfazed by their childish antics. Antoinette and Julien might be 24, but they still act the same way they did when they were children, fighting over who chose what to eat for dinner.

"Qu'avez-vous fait pour perturber le beau silence dans cette maison?" (What did you do to disrupt the beautiful silence in this house?) She asked the two, her gaze focused on her fashion magazine.

"Celine won't let me borrow her Porsche! A girl I met the other day deserves to be driven around in a Porsche!" Julien exclaimed, hands in the air with desperation.

Antoinette stomped her foot on the ground, "And I'm arguing that he should've gotten a Porsche instead of a Volkswagen like he said he would. Mind you, he got the Volkswagen because of a girl that didn't even last him 3 months!"

Julien looked at her as if she had scandalized him. Before he could speak up, Evangeline spoke up, "Mon fils, use your father's Porsche. The last time you used your sister's car for a girl, the girl scratched it." She said, making Julien sigh in defeat.

"I knew I should've asked papa first." He whispered before Antoinette stuck her tongue out at him as he made his way out of the room. Her mother called out for her before she could follow him.

She motioned for her daughter to take a seat next to her. "How are you doing, ma fille?" She asked the brunette, who replied with a shrug.

"I think I should move out. I was thinking around Larvotto." Antoinette admitted to her. This may have seemed like an impulsive decision, but it was something that dwelled on her mind for months.

She loved the house. She grew up in it after all. But Antoinette enjoyed living alone (and now it would be hard to sneak Charles in, but she'd never say that out loud.)

"Your uncle in real estate mentioned a few places opening up there. Shall I make an appointment?" Her mother asked her. Antoinette nodded at that gratefully.

Evangeline moved her reading glasses up, letting them rest on top of her hair and away from her face, "What has happened between you and Charles?" 

"We've agreed to take it slow - I guess we're just friends, still." Antoinette replied, peeking over to the page of her mother's magazine, "That is a horrible ensemble." She commented in a low voice, Evangeline agreeing with her.

"Have you started training again? Ferrari's demands for the models are extreme." Her mother criticized, "I wouldn't have been able to take it."

Antoinette chuckled, "They asked me to open it, I just need to look good." She stated with a smile. She then bid her mother goodbye, telling her that she was gonna go on a jog around Monte Carlo.

*

The afternoon sun peeked through the flowy white curtains of the Monte Carlo flat. Anyone would've been energized if the light had graced them, however, Charles Leclerc was moving around for a different reason.

"Fred, I know... What else are they saying?" An upset Charles said as he paced his home, phone up to his ear, "Why? I've had girlfriends before this, why is she any different? We're not even official yet." 

The past few days, the Ferrari driver had to deal with various emails from his management and PR team. It made him furious. All their requests were to keep his friendship with Antoinette on the down-low. He just didn't get why.

He sighed into his phone as he ran a hand through his hair, "Fred, I do know her last name. Does it matter? Then I'm driving for Ferrari, and her father is an investor - isn't that the perfect story for the PR team, or something?" 

"And who do they want to hide it from?" Charles's eyes widened in shock, "I mean, I understand to an extent why I should keep it quiet from the public, but the drivers on the grid too? They're my friends, Fred. What if I don't comply? Oh..." 

Charles ended the phone call and sat on his couch, feeling a little hopeless. He'd wished that he and Antoinette could freely date as they pleased. The past couple of days, he had to remind himself that they were taking it slow.

He felt like a teenager whenever she texted him. Every notification from her made him giggle and cover his face. Just as Charles stood up, a knock was heard on his door. He was so busy with the whole situation that he forgot he invited a guest over.

Charles opened the door and greeted the Red Bull with a smile, welcoming Max into his apartment. "Hey, mate." The two smiled at each other. Charles offered the man a beer and the two settled in the living room, sitting across from each other.

"Sorry for not meeting up after Monaco. It's been quite a whirlwind," Max began, expressing regret as he took a sip from the can.

Charles nodded understandingly. "No worries. I've been swamped too, dealing with stuff from the race and other... things."

"Yeah, I heard about all the drama surrounding your friendship with Antoinette. Crazy, right?" Max remarked, shaking his head in disbelief.

Charles sighed, "Yeah, it's been a mess. I've been getting all sorts of advice from my team and management about keeping things low-key."

Max leaned forward, a concerned look on his face. "Are you okay with all of this, Charles? It's not easy dealing with this kind of attention."

"I'm trying to handle it, but it's complicated. I like Antoinette, but everything feels magnified because of who she is," Charles confessed, running a hand through his hair.

"I get it, mate. The media just loves to blow things out of proportion," Max sympathized, recalling his own experiences with the press, "By the way - I don't think I've said this enough. Incredible drive, mate. Considering whatever went through your mind and that engine failure, I would've cursed out everything and everyone."

The two drivers shared a laugh at that before the atmosphere became tense. "I don't think I'll ever get over that nightmare. I try not to think about it but it haunts me, Max. The looks on their faces were unimaginable. I almost had a meltdown before Antoinette gave me a talk." He admitted with little courage as he stared at the ground, hand squeezing the can of beer.

Max looked at him with a small frown before he reached over to pat his friend's back, "I can't say I know how you feel, mate. But after everything that you pulled off? Don't dwell on it. Easier said than done - I know. Give yourself some credit. Okay, Charlie?"

They delved into a detailed discussion about the Monaco race, dissecting each twist and turn of the event. Amidst their analysis, Max tried to lighten the mood with some lighthearted jokes, and Charles chuckled, grateful for the break from the intensity of recent events.

As their conversation wound down, Max stood up, clapping Charles on the back. "Hang in there, buddy. It'll all settle down eventually. Just focus on the races and take things as they come."

Charles nodded, appreciative of Max's support. "Thanks, Max. I'll try."

With a wave, Max left, leaving Charles with a lot to ponder and a renewed determination to navigate the complexities of his situation with Antoinette. Now, Charles was left to deal with the hard part - telling her.

***

A/N: just a short chapter because i wanted to publish something for you guys! i know i havent updated in a while :( i've been having major writer's block and i've been feeling super unmotivated as i'm dealing with things that's been happening in my life right now </3 hope you guys enjoyed!

♡ noelle