Falling | Charles Leclerc

24.

"Charles, great race!" My race engineer says as I lift off my helmet and remove my balaclava. I finished 3rd, behind Max and Carlos. "Is Daniel okay?" My race engineer nods his head. Lance hit Daniel from behind and sent him spinning into the barriers in the last lap. Thankfully they didn't red flag the race and let us finish since most of us were finished anyway.

"Yeah he was out and moving around. RB said he's fine but he's getting looked at just in case in the medical centre"  my race engineer says. I just nod my head, my eyes darting around for Summer. I can't see her. I know she was at the track before the race, she came with me. I left her in the garage. She was seated next to one of the pit crew. I grab my helmet and go get weighed.

"Great race mate" I say as I extend my hand out to Max. "Carlos really had me worried on the last few laps"

"Should have let me overtake mate" Carlos chimes in, joining the conversation. "I couldn't see Summer. Where is she?" He asks as we make our way to the cool room.

"Honestly, I don't know. She was in the pits before the race started. She might just still be there. Her legs haven't been too great this week"

"Sex related?" Max says with a laugh "nah mate, she just. It was weird. On Thursday she couldn't even walk. Friday I left her in the hotel because she could only walk a few steps before she fell. I don't even know how I managed to get her here today."

"She might just be sitting down still in the pits, I'm sure everything is fine".

Everything was not fine.

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Halfway through the race my parents called to let me know that Henry had passed and they would like it if I would return home to help them prepare everything. And even though I knew it was coming, it was still a shock to my system, granted I spoke to him just last night. He sounded fine, he was happy, he sounded full of energy. He was staying up and watching qualifying and was saying how happy her was that Hamilton was to start in the top 5.  He was over the moon.

"Can.. can someone let me into Charles drivers room" I say through my tears, panicking. I try and look around for someone that would hear me, but everyone was so busy watching Charles race. I get up off my seat and slowly make my way to the back of the pit, and slide my back down the wall, falling to the floor, letting the tears take over me.

"Woah, hey Summer, what's wrong?" I feel a hand get placed on my knee and I look up. It's Lando.

"Lando" I say through the tears. He sits down next to me and lets me lean on his shoulder and sob on his shirt Leaving wet patches all over his bright orange shirt. He had car issues on the first lap, so he didn't finish the race. "Come on, we can't leave you out here where everyone will see you. I'll take you back to my drivers room"

"I left my stick in the garage" I say through my sobs. "It's okay, I'll get it" he says as he stands up holding his hand out for me to take. I slowly stand up and lose my footing as my head is spinning and hurting from crying. I lean into him and just become weightless. "Woah Summer" he says as he grabs me to stop me from hitting the floor. "I'm going to carry you okay?" I don't even have the chance to respond before I feel him lift me off the ground and I bury my head into his chest hoping that no one captures this moment.

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"She's asleep on the lounge, she didn't tell me what was wrong. I found her crying outside your garage" Lando says softly to me. He messaged me to tell me where Summer was after the podium.

"Thank you for looking after her for me"

"It's what friends do. Also you may see a few photos of me carrying her. But mate, she pretty much passed out on me" he says shaking his head. "Lando, mate, it's fine. I rather have photos of her in your arms than her on the floor crying, or in the back of an ambulance"

"Take as much time as you need" he says as he hands me Summers phone from his pocket "she left it on the floor, I just forgot to give it back"

"Thank you" I say taking it from his hands. I slowly open the door to see Summer asleep on Landos drivers room lounge. Her face red, cheeks and eyes puffy.

"Lando" I say quietly noticing that he was still behind me "how long has she been asleep for?" He just shrugs "I don't know, maybe 45 minutes, give or take" I nod entering the room, Lando softly closes the door behind me. I walk over to the sleeping girl and kneel infront of her face, hearing small snores coming from her.

"Summer" I say quietly as I brush a strand of hair from her face. She doesn't move. "Summer, love" I say a little louder and she lets out a small sob. "Hey, hey, what happened love?" I say as she opens her eyes and starts to cry immediately. She sits up slowly and I sit next to her, quickly bringing her into my embrace. She sobs violently on my chest as I rub circles on her back.

"He died Charles. Henry's dead"