Maybe in another life-formula 1

You made your choice

"ANGELO!!"

Angelus turned around slowly, thankful he couldn't see any cameras nearby. The crowd, the noise, the lingering scent of burning rubber—it was all overwhelming. He never got a good look anyway as a red blur approached him quickly, resolving into the familiar face of Charles.

"My god mate, it is you! I couldn't believe it when Alex told me he saw you," Charles said, his voice full of enthusiasm and disbelief.

"Charles... great race, mate. Sorry about the strategy," Angelus said, trying to sound unaffected and casual. In reality, Angelus was neither of those things. He wanted to run, hide, and go back in time and never have come.

Charles just looked at him, slowly taking in the boy—no, the man—that now stood in front of him. Angelus and Charles hadn't seen each other since that godforsaken day. The day Angelus's life stopped, and Charles's continued, as he took the lead in the championship only to go on and win it. The last time he saw him, both boys were just scrawny 18-year-olds with a dream to make it.

Now one of them stood in a Ferrari suit, the other in a button-up, hiding a limp and burns underneath pressed and ironed slacks.

The difference was stark, painful even.

"Great race, mate. That's the first thing you say to me? You disappeared, mate. I called so many times; we even tried to call your sister—nothing," Charles sighed, a hurt tone lacing his voice.

"Sorry, Charles. You know how it was," Angelus sighed. He knew Charles didn't know how it was, but what was there to say?

He watched Charles's face morph into an apologetic expression.

"Mate, no, don't apologize... we were just worried. Everyone was," Charles's tone tried to imply something that Angelus chose to ignore.

"Yeah, it was very difficult for me to talk. I needed time."

Charles laughed

"Mate, six years... why didn't you tell me you were coming? What are you doing here?"

"It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I got invited last minute," Angelus had no interest in explaining to Charles anything, especially when he himself wished to forget the whole ordeal—the reason why he was here.

Charles's gaze looked down at the VIP pass in Angelo's hand, questions swimming in his eyes.

"I can't believe it. You standing here."

"Yeah, mate, standing is the hardest part," Angelus laughed, trying to joke, only for it to fall flat.

"I don't—I don't mean like that," Charles stated.

"I know, Charles. I know. It's okay."

"You changed a lot, Angelo"

"So did you Mr. Ferrari driver" Angelus tried to smile.

Charles's eyes swam with what Angelus could only say was disappointment. It made him grimace slightly. Angelus was the happy kid, the bubbly mischievous one, loud... happy. He knew he had become a shell of that person over the years. And no amount of physio was able to fix that, unfortunately.

"Are you busy tonight?" Charles asked suddenly.

" I was going back to the hotel, early flight tomorrow."

" a couple of us are going to Jimmy's later today," Charles offered.

"I don't know, mate," he said. "No" is what he wanted to say.

"Come on, Angelo, you disappeared for six years... it would mean a lot to us." 

"I haven't been to a club in years, mate. I don't know, Charl," he tried to hint.