down bad | c. leclerc

TWENTY

"good morning sunshine." a sweet, feminine voice said softly, waking charles up.

"kens?" he asked, squinting his eyes to see charlotte looking at him with sadness on her face.

"oh charles." she said softly, her eyes getting glossy, as she walked out of the drivers room in monaco.

"wait, char!" he said, sitting up quickly and rushing out to catch the brunette woman.

when he got to the kitchen, he saw her standing there with her bags and wiping away tears.

"charlotte wait!" he said urgently and thewoman turned to him with a sad smile.

"oh charles, next time you call me, please let it be for us to actually get back together. i'm not just someone you can call when you want me to be someone else. we had a great few years together and i still hold so much love for you, but i'm not a stand in for the woman you want. so man up, and text the poor girl." she told the driver who just sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"i'm so sorry char." he just mumbled.

the woman gave him a small smile in return, "have a great life charles."

and with that, she walked out of his home without a second thought.

charles just sighed and sat down at his counter, his mind taking him back to the night he took kennedy home from the club.

"god." he whispered to himself as he put his head in his hands.

all he wanted to do was sit in bed all day, but he knew he had to meet with his trainer and he also had a stream to do tonight.

sighing, he got up and put on some training clothes, getting ready before heading out to meet with his trainer.

it had become the new usual to push himself to the max during training, and today was no different.

so, when he got back, he was surprised by a certain redbull driver standing in his kitchen.

"done with charlotte?" he asked as charles stepping into the home.

charles just shook his head, "i really need to start locking my doors."

max laughed, "i would find a way in. anyways, hamiltons getting married." he said, sliding his phone across the countertop to show charles the article.

the ferrari driver skimmed through it before handing the phone back, "good for him."

"charles, you should text her. she probably misses you." max said with a sigh.

"why don't you text her? she is supposed to be your girlfriend after all." charles shot back, making max roll his eyes.

"see, something funny about that is, i didn't make things awkward between us and then completely ignore her. so yes, even though i like her, i'm not the one she wants, or wanted i guess." max explained.

charles just sighed, wanting to believe he was right, but also remembering the recent articles about her.

"she's already out with a new boy and his friends. she doesn't need me ruining that for her." charles told max.

with that, max slammed his fists down on the counter, "jesus charles! it wouldn't last between them! she doesn't look at him the way she looks at you!"

the brunette boy just shook his head, "i can't. i want to so badly, but i don't want to hurt her or myself anymore than i already have."

"fine! but, just so you know, i'm texting her and if you aren't going to at least try a relationship with her than i am." max decided, making charles heart stop.

instead of screaming at his friend, he just shook his head, "fine. i'm not going to stop you."

with that max just threw his hands in the air and walked out of the house.

charles just ran his head through his sweaty hair and went to his room, hopping in the shower and trying to wash off all memories of the day.

when he got out, he just sat on his bed and pulled up kennedy's contact, staring at it.

he couldn't, right?

meanwhile, back in london, josie and kennedy were at brunch.

"now that is a rock!" kennedy laughed as josie held out the ring.

the brunette just sighed dreamily, "i know, god i'm so excited to marry him."

kennedy just smiled at her friend, happy that she was happy.

as the two ate their food, kennedy's phone lit up.

"is it the cute barista?" josie asked, looking over to the screen.

kennedy just looked up in confusion, "no, it's leclerc. he said to tell you congratulations." kennedy said quietly, her voice mimicing her expression.

josie just grinned, "he's trying to get back in your life! text him back!" she exclaimed and kennedy shook her head, closing her phone.

"nope, i have peter now. leclerc is nothing but a distant memory to me." she said with a shrug and josie rolled her eyes.

"sure, let's just forget all the hours you spent sobbing over him and how your heart literally broke." she suggested and kennedy nodded.

"thank you!"

josie laughed, knowing kennedy wanted to change the subject, "so i was talking to your dad."

"yeah, he told me, that's a little strange to me, but go on."

"well, he wants to come see a race, so i suggested he come to abu dhabi." josie said with a shrug and kennedy shook her head.

"jesus christ jo! why?"

the brunette laughed, "he wants to congratulate lewis and i, and turns out he loves formula one! so, maybe you can come too." she suggested with a small smile.

kennedy shook her head, "i cannot believe you! but, let me coordinate with my dad and we'll see."

both girls smiled at each other and finished their brunch.

as the two walked home, kennedy couldn't get the ferrari driver out of her head.

which, to her, was not a good sign.