The tale of two souls

P3

Background story of Elena and Charles

Me and Charles were the kind of friends who were always together. He was in f1 in 2018 and i was in f1 in 2019. Before that we followed each other on social media but never really talked to each other.

That changed when i became f2 champion. He sent me a message to ask if i already had secured a seat in f1, which at that moment I hadn't.

We talked on and off for a while, mostly about my next move in my career. When i got a call from McLaren. They had a seat open for me and that they heard a good recommendation from one of the driver's.

At that moment i really didn't know who gave me a good recommendation which if i look back at it was really stupid from me.

My first testing was difficult for me and I wasn't performing like i should of. Charles and Carlos were the first ones to come and talk to me.

Charles always had my back from that day on. In the beginning it was just wishing each other luck and before we knew it we were inseparable.

That's also the moment Max became one of my closest friends. We always had our own little group. Which was: me, Charles, Carlos, Max and Lando.

Everything was great he was the most amazing friend i could dream of. We shared our successes and our sadness. We went on multiple vacations together and even the press was talking about us like we were a couple.

In fact we never were, not even close. Yeah sure he was a good looking man and sure i was attracted to him but never and i mean never i would gone further with him. Our friendship meant the world to me.

Until Silverstone 2021, it was raining that day. I went to Charles driver's room just to wish him luck. He was really nervous and we had a great talk.

If i knew it back then it would be the last time we would ever be this close i would hug him a little tighter. Never have I imagined a life without Charles in it.

The moment arrived where we all had to jump into the car. Charles was right before me and he looked into his mirror giving me a thumbs up. I nodded at him.

And that was the last time we ever were friendly to each other ever again.

The race started and everything went well. Except for one little detail. I had some brake issue which led to me losing control over my car. I crashed into the barriers and bounced back on the track. Charles who was behind me at that moment crashed into me with the speed of 210 kph.

Everything went black for me at that moment. The race world went silent and everyone was praying for me at that moment. I was in a coma for about three months.

When i woke up i really didn't remember anything. The last thing I remembered was me talking to Charles about having a seat in f1. I didn't remember who he was and what his name was.

But at that moment I didn't remember anyone, I suffered from memory loss and i hated every part of it. The road to recovery was hard.

After my coma Lando was the first one to visit me and I didn't remember him. I see his face so clearly. He was shocked I didn't remember him but he never left my side.

He showed me some pictures of us together as team mates and some of the races. It took him three months.

After three months he came into my room at the hospital and i the memories came flooding back to me, i was crying like crazy and he was freaking out.

I told him our first conversation to show him I remembered him again and he cried with me. He was proud of me and how far i was coming.

At that point no one mentioned Charles to me. I hesitated but i took my phone and showed Lando a picture of me and Charles and asked him who he was.

It was a painful conversation knowing he used to be my best friend but didn't even came to visit me once. Until this day I don't have all my memory back on Charles.