Faded Love

6

"She's not really his girlfriend anymore," Carlos said in an effort to make the girl in front of him want to drop the subject, but this intrigued her even more.

"What do you mean not his girlfriend anymore?" Emilie asked, leaning closer to him.

"Well, they are- were the Formula 1 it couple. They were everything to everyone. Especially to each other. They had known each other long before they started dating. Charles does- would do anything for her. He loves her more than anything, more than himself," Carlos explained. "She did too, but one day... she wanted nothing to do with him. It was as if her brain was wiped clean from him. They went from lovers to strangers."

"What about Charles? Does he still love her?"

"Dearly, you have no idea, nena," Carlos smiled sadly.

"What's her name?"

"I'll let you find that out yourself. Excuse me," Carlos said, standing up and heading to the back of the plane.

Emilie looked out the window plane, watching as Monaco came into sight. She didn't understand why she was so intrigued with Charles and his  "ex-girlfriend." She felt a deep connection with him, but why? Why did she feel a gut-wrenching sensation in the pit of her heart? In the pit of her soul? Did she know his ex-girlfriend? Regardless if she knew or not, she wanted to find out.

~

Landing in Monaco, Carlos drove Emilie to her flat. Bringing her luggage up and helping her unpack. After they finished unpacking and had made their way into her kitchen he asked her, "What do you want to do?"

"Charles mentioned he was from Monaco. Does he live here?"

"Charles, as in Charles Leclerc?"

"Yes, I don't know any other Charles. Why do you keep reassuring it's him when I ask you about him?" Emilie questioned as she went to serve herself a cup of water.

"No reason- let me get that for you," Carlos said, grabbing the cup from her and leading her to sit on the couch before heading back into her kitchen to serve her water. "But yes, he does live here in Monaco. Why?"

"Can we go visit him?" Emilie asked, taking the cup of water from Carlos' hand.

"Seriously?!" Scrunching her eyebrows together and titling her head at his response Carlos quickly covered it with a dry cough. "I mean- Yeah, let me give him a call. He should be home."

Heading into Emilie's bedroom Carlos quickly dialed the Monegasque. "Hello?" Charles answered.

"Mate, please tell me you are home," Carlos asked him hurriedly.

"Hello Carlos, I'm doing very well, thank you for asking. How are you?" Charles' attitude piercing through his ear.

"Mate, we don't have time for formalities!" Carlos stressed, pacing back and forth in Emilie's bedroom. "She wants to go to your house. She wants to see you, mate!"

"Seriously?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING BRING HER HERE?!"

Rolling his eyes Carlos quickly made his way back into the kitchen with Emilie. "Charles says he's home. Do you want to head over there right now?"

Nodding her head, Emilie quickly grabbed her purse and started to walk out her flat. "Tell him we will be there in five."

"What?" Charles asked through Carlos' phone which was now beside Carlos' hip as he stood in shock with her response.

Stopping in her tracks, Emilie slowly turned to Carlos. Looking confused and in slightly distress. "Is that how long it will take?"

"Give or take," Carlos responded slowly, looking at her eyes, trying to read her thoughts.

"Stop looking at me like that and lead the way. You know how to get there right?" she giggled as she made her way out the door.

On the other line, Charles clinged on to his phone for dear life. Did she just remember something about him? Was he slowly making his way back into her memories? Memories that he surely knew had once been filled with him and only him.

"Mate?" Carlos said slowly, making his way out of her flat.

"Yes?"

"We'll be there in five."

"Stop looking at me like that, Carlitos," Emilie's laugh was heard through Charles' phone.

"See you soon," Charles said sadly before he hung up, slowly dropping his phone to his side. Hearing her laugh brought an infinite amount of memories. He used to be the only person to make her laugh effortlessly. But now it seemed as if his teammate was making her effortlessly laugh with just a simple look. Looking out his window, he could see the streets of Monaco. Streets that lead to her flat. Streets that they had walked through countless amounts of times. Streets that held memories only he remembered.