invisible string | c. leclerc

twenty-seven

XVII. Streets of Monaco

MONACO: August 2023

TWITTER:

@kikiRAH: and I miss my best friend so you better talk about it @lightningmcharles @thals

     ➥@chili: you aren't the only one done with these two

     ➥@thals: we are not that bad

     ➥@ateange: I love you thals but you guys did not have to go through the distance if you just talked about it

     ➥@thals: and here I thought we were best friends

     ➥@maxvers: no. that's Charles

Charles Leclerc did not believe Pierre at first, not wanting to get his heart broken if his best friend was not there. It took Pierre turning his head for him to realize that she was in fact there.

Nathalie Clement was just across the street, checking her phone while looking around, as if waiting for someone. Although she did not expect to catch him. Staring at her like she was an angel fallen from heaven.

Suddenly panic overtook her. All the overthinking that Charles did not feel the same dropped on her and she realized that she had to get away. She will not bear another moment of her best friend rejecting her (despite not really rejecting her, the nights of overthinking have made her come to the conclusion that the silence and distance that Charles had given her was a sign of rejection.)

So, she did what she knew she could do at that moment, walk away. Pierre pushed Charles, "Go get her idiot!" he yelled. This prompted Charles to get up from his seat and rush after his best friend, "Thalie!"

He ran after him but Thalie did not stop walking away, this pushed Charles to walk faster. "Thalie will you stop running away." He said the moment he caught her arm.

"Please let me go Charles." She whispered, not daring to look at him. And that pained him. For the first time in years of knowing each other, Thalie could not look at him. It was as if she would physically break if she did.

"Where are you going? Did you not see me?" he asked desperately. She sighed, "I did see you and I'm going somewhere, anywhere..." she muttered.

"You're running away from me..." he concluded and she couldn't help but nod. She could just imagine the pain that appeared on his face. She didn't want to see it, she didn't want to face it.

"I asked you to stop running away though."

"I know I heard you."

"Then why aren't you stopping?" he asked. He pulled on her arm, successfully making her face him. But she kept her head low, still not looking at him.

"I did stop. I stopped walking and I'm here now." She simply answered. Charles didn't know if he should laugh at her answer or be frustrated. Nonetheless he did not focus on that now.

"Thalie-"

"Please stop Charles. Just stop." She cut him off finally looking at him. Her chest heaving, Charles walked up to her but she moved backward, away from him. Ouch.

"Can't you see I'm confused. I actually tried you know, I waited until you would at least tell me if you like or me not but what do I get in return? Silence, nothing. Do you know how fucking horrible I feel? I feel like I forced myself on you Charles. That's what it felt like."

Charles was shocked, when he ran after her, he did not realize how bad it was for her. She looked like she was about to cry and that broke him even more. The confusion and hurt in her face made it harder for him.

"Thalie..."

"Do you know how confused I am because of all of this? You made me want to go back in time and stop past me from asking you out on that dinner. You make me want to regret ruining our friendship. Because I would much rather have you as a best friend than risk it all out and have you reject me." She continued, the tears finally falling.

The Ferrari driver walked to her, but this time she didn't walk backwards. She let Charles come closer to her, wiping the tears away from her face. All he wanted to do was hug her, pull her away from the streets of their hometown and bring her home.

Grabbing her hand with his, he caressed the back of her palm with his thumb. "Breathe Cherie. Don't forget to breathe."

Thalie followed his instructions. Breathing with him as she continued to stare into his eyes. The same familiar green eyes, the same ones that always made her calm down. It was working but that still give her peace, she was still confused.

But she didn't have any more words to say. And Charles knew that, "Are you done?" he asked. She let out a sigh and pulled her hand away from him, but she did nod. And he took that opportunity to say what was on his mind.

"Okay, good. My turn."

Thalie looked at him confused, her eyebrows furrowed but let him speak. It was his time to finally say something. She did not know what to expect, all she wanted was for it to be somewhere along the lines that he felt the same way and that he was being an idiot.

"I'm sorry if I made you confused and frustrated. I was an idiot." He said with a chuckle, he was still staring at her. She did not looked impress, although inside she was shocked that she called what he was going to say.

"I'm sorry Thals, I'm not good with words and I know you know that I never will be, so will you allow me to show you instead?" he asked hopefully.

Nathalie Clement did not know what to expect when she agreed on his request. She did not expect for him to get closer, to pull her towards his chest, placing her head on where his heart was.

Charles Leclerc made sure that she can hear his heartbeat, make sure it was audible and clear. "Do you hear that?" he asked softly. And she listened, to every beat of his heart.

"I'm sorry it took so long, that it took me so many tries and that I took my time in realizing, but Thalie, I like you."

There it was. He said it, alongside the beats of his heart.

"No bumps, no blips. No lies and hiding. I like you, Nathalie. For so long."