that august night - c.l.

51. What about your dreams?

"I am sorry for everything I have ever done to you. I hate that I can't take it away." - Charles whispered kissing her head a few times before she raised her eyes to look up at him.

"Promise me you won't ever do that." - Elena demanded and like he was so sure of it. "I promise you, you don't have to worry about that ever again." - He assured her the same second she let the words out of her mouth.

"Charles, if you do..."

"I swear on my father's grave."

Elena took a moment to analyze his eyes that begged her to pull him closer. Closer than anybody could get to another one. Close enough for their souls to meet and experience the best of each other because they are the ones that live on for evermore.

...

"Are you two okay now? - Amelia asked, interrupting the movie they started to hate watching. Both of them were bored and didn't even put effort in watching it. Amelia being worried for her friend ever since she arrived back when Charles appeared on their door.

"Yeah, I guess." - Elena shrugged as her friend furrowed her eyebrows at dry response. "You guess?"

"I don't know, Amy. I want to be. But I guess I have to try and be like nothing of this ever happened because I already sent an e mail, refusing to the the offer back in maim."

"You chose to stay here?" - Amelia couldn't believe her ears. She knew how important Elena's career is to her. And hearing this makes her question just how far is she willing to go for Charles?

"He didn't make me do it. I did it on my own. One of us had to sacrifice something. And I already have well paid job which I am happy with. He is yet to achieve his dream ever since he was a child."

"What about your dreams? To be the chief of police and make people feel safe, El?"

"They've been forced on me by my parents. My dreams don't matter now." - Elena refused to look her friend in eyes but chose to unconsciously watch the movie roll on in front of her. "Well, some of them." - She shrugged.

"You still dream of a family? Living far away from traffic and people? With your husband and children? You know he can't give you that either. His job revolves around traveling all the time."

"I know... but the thought of having a family with a person I experienced new things with makes me happy at least a little." - Elena forced her tears back, thinking of the life she could have if it wasn't for Charles. Maybe she would have found another man who could give her everything she wanted.

"A man you sacrificed a lot for? Speak about love." - Amelia scoffed. "Man, I want to find love like yours." - She added as Elena turned her head towards her friend. "And I hope you find even better." - Elena responded making her smile even more.

They shared few moments with each other. Remembering the good times and the bad ones, enjoying each other's company.

"So, is Charles going to come tonight? You live together right?" - Amelia asked as their focus was again on a movie they didn't bother watching in the first place. "He told me he'd give me as much time as I need. Whenever I call him, he'll walk through those doors." - Elena replied as her friend nodded.

"That means drinking with no one to see us?" - She stood up walking over to the kitchen counter in Elena's apartment. "When did you sneak that one in?" - Elena asked, rising her voice in excitement as she saw Amelia take out a bottle of tequila.

"No questions that need to be answered right now. The only concern is tomorrow morning which we will deal with, tomorrow morning." - She brought two glasses as well, as they drunk the night away.

"Good to see you back... how has the summer break been?" - Charles turned around after Max continued talking once they greeted each other. "It has been good, although some moments I wish never happened but I had fun, you?" - Charles stopped as Max cached up with him, walking through the paddock.

"Amazing, we had a lot of fun with Penelope. I saw the media last week... you and your ex? Where is Elena?" - Charles felt like this question was coming up but didn't want to bring it up himself. "Yeah, that's what I was talking about. She tried to convince me I was having her baby but I did the test and I was right, the baby isn't mine. But of course Elena got mad and I understand her completely."

"Shit, are you two okay now?" - Max asked as they both waved at the group of fans calling out their names from hospitality. "I guess so. She forgave me but of course she is keeping me on a safe distance. We are still together, still talk and everything but there is something odd in between that hasn't been there before and it feels weird. And I hope we can go back to being normal or something even better. She didn't come this weekend, she returned to her job and refused the offer back in Miami." - Charles explained as Max' eyebrows furrowed.

"Offer? She got an opportunity for a new job?" - He asked. "Yes, her dream was to work as a chief of police and she finally got the opportunity but all the way back in Miami. She chose to stay because she believed one of us had to give up something in exchange for us to work. And she told me she would never let me walk away from my dream as her parents made up her dream and I am full filing mine out of pure love." - Charles finished seeing Max' surprised face.

"Mate you know you can't lose her. She risked so much to stay with you. You have to be careful now." – Max advised as if Charles didn't know it already. "Yeah trust me I have been trying my bets for the past few months. I am head over heels for that girl. I planned on proposing to her when we were in Greece but then it all went down the hill." – Charles spoke earning a smirk from Max.

"Why don't you do it when you get back after the race?" – He asked as Charles shrugged. "I want that moment to be perfect. Like her. I want it to be the best moment of our lives. I want it to be special." – Charles explained, imagining failed proposal that never took place in Greece. And it was his fault.

"It doesn't have to be perfect. I mean if you have imagined it like that I can't say anything. But trust me, the privacy for the two of you is all you two need to make it special. Make 2the engagement party special and perfect." – Max advised once again and it got Charles thinking. Maybe Max is right, maybe they can think about perfect later and right now he can prove to her that what he intends on doing with her is serious. That he took her "last chance" more than serious.

"Thank you, Max. I might take the advice." – Charles smiled at his friend. Turning to Ferrari garage. "It is not an advice, just my opinion and the way I would do things if I was in your position." – They greeted each other before they went separate ways. Charles was left with his thoughts, rethinking everything but eventually deciding to listen to Max. He will propose to her as soon as he comes back. 

...

So sorry for not updating, had a lot of finals and they drained me out. By the way the next few chapters are written while I was drunk and edited while I was barely sober. Sorry for any mistakes ahead.