Faded Love

7

Opening his door, Charles watched Emilie lean on Carlos, laughing at something he had done or said. Carlos laughed along with her, grabbing onto her waist, in an effort to support her. A dry cough was heard as Charles shot a killing glare at Carlos for placing a hand on his girl.

"Hi, Charles," Emilie smiled, finally acknowledging him.

"Emilie, hi. How are you? Come in, please," Charles smiled, looking away from Carlos and opening in the door for them.

"Thank you," Emilie stepped into his home looking around. "I'm doing good. How are you?" she asked, turning back to look at him.

"I'm good. Could be better," he added, shooting another death glare at Carlos, who slowly stepped away from him. "What brings you around here?" Charles asked, leading them into his living room.

"I'm not sure," Emilie laughed nervously. Tilting his head Charles read her expression and thoughts perfectly. He had caught her attention. She wanted to ask him something, but he wasn't sure what.

"Is it anything I can help with?" Charles pushed.

"I think so?" she questioned, tilting her head. "You play piano?!" Emilie gasped, quickly making her way to his piano.

"Yeah," Charles chuckled.

"Can you play me something?" the girl begged.

Charles' heart skipped a beat. He missed her asking him to do something for him. He knew it had only been a few days since the accident but it felt like eternity. Nodding his head, he sat down and started playing a tune to familiar to both of them.

Finishing the song, Charles stayed still for a moment, letting out a deep sigh. "That was 'Strange' by Celeste,'" Emilie said softly. Looking up at her Charles simply nodded. "Did you play it because of your girlfriend?"

Charles' eyes opened in shock, he turned to look at Carlos who had quickly stood up from his seat on the couch. Charles slowly nodded, turning to look back at the girl who was looking at Charles' eyes, going from one to the other. Almost as if she was trying to read him.

"Do you only know how to nod?" she laughed.

Nodding slowly in disagreement Charles quickly coughed, "No- no I don't."

"I'm sorry if I crossed a line too quickly," she said, Leaving Charles in shock on the piano chair, she made her way back to the couch sitting next to Carlos who was still standing from the shock that him and his teammate shared. "It's just that Carlitos was telling me about your girlfriend and how you guys suddenly became strangers after loving and knowing each other for a long time."

Charles slowly made his way to sit in front of her, "Yeah, that's true. What else do you know?" he asked stealing a glance to look up at Carlos. He watched as Emilie tugged at Carlos' arm, bringing him down to sit next to her. Charles realized that to her he was still a stranger. To her, she was sitting on a stranger's couch. The only thing or person she knew her was Carlos.

"Nothing really. Carlitos just said that you two were Formula 1's it couple. Which I'm surprised I don't recall because I love everything having to do about love," she giggled, wrapping her right arm around Carlos' left arm. Charles studied the interaction with the two, a stabbing feeling overpowering his heart. "He said that you would do anything for her, and she would too."

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

"What was her name?" Emilie finally asked, leaning forward, wanting to know more about this mysterious heartbreaker.

Looking at her in defeat, Charles stole another glance at his teammate, his eyes crying for help, quite literally. Emilie leaned back slowly, realizing her question had made the Monegasque in front of her tear up. Nodding his head in denial, he stood up and walked away, wiping tears from his cheeks.

Looking at Charles in despair, Emilie sighed, "I'm so sorry." She quickly made her way to him and engulfed him in a hug.

Charles melted into her arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He sobbed in her hug, a hug he was too familiar with but a hug that was unfamiliar to her.

For Emilie this was the first hug she shared with Charles Leclerc. But to Charles, this was one of the countless hugs he had shared with Emilie Vettel.

~

Happy Easter <3

He is Risen!
Resucitó!