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AFTER A COMPLICATED qualifying, it's finally race day. with max, lando and oscar taking the top three places respectively, charles finds himself starting in p9 after a problem with the brakes. as i was thinking previously, karma really is a bitch. i'm currently standing in the ferrari garage with kiara, despite multiple arguments i got into with charles about going to the mclaren garage instead, i eventually gave in, deciding to stay and support carlos instead who's starting p4.
the spaniard walks over to me with a smile on his face. 'good luck today.' i say as we hug, his much larger frame wrapping his arms around my waist as i stand on my tiptoes and wrap my own around his shoulders, pressing my lips to his cheek.
'thank you.' he says before charles walks over as well, hugging kiara and pressing his lips to her temple as carlos and i break up our hug and i merely press my lips in a thin line as i look at carlos.
'bitch.' i murmur so only carlos can hear as he stifles a laugh and charles looks at him confused.
'you alright, mate?' he says with a small smile as carlos nods.
'never better, amigo.' he replies as he hits charles' shoulder, earning a dry laugh from him as he tries to understand what's going on.
'5 minutes!'
'okay, we have to go.' carlos says to me as i nod. out of the corner of my eye, i see charles gives me one last look before turning and getting into his car. they both drive out one by one before all the cars line up on the grid for the formation lap.
'théadora.' kiara speaks up after an enjoyable moment of silence, making me look at her with a fake smile plastered on my face.
'yes?' i answer as i begin walking towards where the headphones are kept.
'uh– have you and charles ever.. you know..' she asks, trailing off as i look at her confused.
'had sex?' i finish off for her, my brows slightly raised as kiara nods. 'no.' i scoff.
'oh.' she speaks before pausing. 'because i remember at the party you were both getting quite cozy.'
i furrow my brows again. i don't think anyone saw us that night. 'what party?'
'the nightclub, in monaco.' she replies simply.
'i didn't even know you were there.' i mumble as kiara shrugs.
'i live there.' she adds. 'charles and i were dating for a few weeks then, and to be honest, i thought you two were together whilst he was with me.' she elaborates as i nod, feeling the cogs turning in my head.
'you thought charles and i were together and you didn't get mad at all?' i press, my curiosity peaking but i keep my facial expressions to a minimum.
'no, of course i was mad.' she says with an intoxicating smile. the cars were finally lined up on the starting grid as the lights begin to turn on.
'and you did nothing about it?' i continue, urging her to continue.
'i don't remember to be honest, i was drunk.' she chuckles nervously. the lights go out as the revving of engines is heard, kiara putting her headphones on as i remain lost in thought. the dots finally connect in my head as i turn around and leave the ferrari garage, jogging to the alpine garage.
'kika!' i call out, tapping my best friend repeatedly as she looks at me confused and takes her headphones off.
'théa, what are you doing here, did you not see the start?' kika asks as i shake my head. 'charles crashed out, his brakes just didn't work at all.' she explains as i look up at the screen to see a devastated ferrari in the gravel at the first corner. i shake the worried feeling in my gut before i turn my attention back to kika.
'okay, but listen, please.' i urge as kika furrows her brows and leaves the headphones on their stand.
'are you okay?' she asks as i shake my head.
'it was kiara. she uploaded the video of me drinking and made up the rumour that i have.. problems.' i explain in a whisper–yell as kika's eyes widen.
'that bitch. what are you gonna do about it?' she asks as i shrug, fighting the urge to rub my eyes to not ruin my mascara.
'i don't know. nothing probably.'
'nothing? are you serious? théa she basically ruined your life.'
'yeah, and i can't do anything about it. i can't go back in time and change it so there's literally nothing i could do about it.' i say with a shrug as kika looks at me with a compassionate look on her face.
'you could tell charles.' she shrugs with a small smile on her face.
i shake my head. 'no, there's no point. i don't wanna play homewrecker if he's happy.'
'fuck him being happy, he broke your heart.' kika speaks, earning a laugh from me as i shake my head.
'i'll talk to you after the race. pierre looks like he's doing well.' i say as kika pulls me in for a hug, pecking my temple as we say bye before i head out of the alpine garage and towards the ferrari one, seeing kiara stood outside charles' driver room, miserably knocking as she gets no response. honestly, i struggle to stifle a laugh as i walk past them without saying a word as i just go to the screens, putting headphones on and watching as carlos comes into the pits to change tires.
❤︎
A WIDE SMILE appears on my face as i look up at carlos stood in p2, a great result for the team despite only finishing with one car. with max in p1 and lando in p3, everyone stays quiet for the dutch and austrian national anthems before the drivers start spraying champagne. i end up getting targeted by all three of them at one point, drenching me in the sticky alcohol.
after the podium, the team and i head back to the ferrari garage where they take a team photo as i stand inside the garage, feeling a presence beside me. 'you should be there with them.' i murmur. without looking, i know it's charles and i feel his eyes burning the side of my face as he looks down at me.
'i messed up.' he shrugs as i scoff.
'i didn't know it was up to you whether your breaks would work or not.'
charles scoffs with a small smile before wiping it off his face. 'kiara told me what you said.'
'what did i say?' i mumble, confused as i look up at him, my brows furrowed as he doesn't look at me anymore.
'that you tried to get us to break up, that you threatened her.' he says as i feel my heart drop.
'what the hell? i didn't say that–' i try to defend before he cuts me off.
'listen, théa, i get that you're upset but just, don't pay attention to her or talk to her if it bothers you that much.' charles says as my jaw drops a little as i cross my arms, scoffing.
'you know what?' i question, looking up at him as he raises his brows. 'fuck you.' i spit before pushing past him and walking out of the garage and into carlos' driver room.
