Starting Again (A Charles Leclerc Fic)

009 : anonymity

"How did we end up here?" George asked again, his voice laced with confusion. It was a question that had already been asked and answered several times throughout the day. Normally, Katrina would have found it annoying, but seeing the drivers' bewildered expressions as they realized they weren't in their own homes was actually pretty amusing.

"Everyone was completely drunk last night except for Charles and me," Katrina explained with a shrug. "There was a mix-up with the Leclercs. Charles was supposed to stay with his cousin, but he didn't know she'd be staying with me. As for the rest of you, we tried to get your apartment keys, but you were all passed out, so we decided to let you crash here instead of leaving you to sleep in the hallway. We used my car to get here instead of heading back to the harbor."

"Thanks for letting us stay," George said, sounding genuinely grateful. "We hope we didn't cause too much trouble."

"It's fine," Katrina reassured him with a smile. "I hope you all enjoyed your stay."

They exchanged social media handles and followed each other as they continued chatting.

"Can I ask why you don't follow anyone else?" Daniel asked curiously.

"This is a private account," Katrina replied. "I only follow people I know personally. I like to keep my timeline peaceful."

"Is it okay if we follow you?" he asked again.

"Sure, no problem," Katrina said, her tone a little more serious. "Just don't post pictures of me. I don't want the attention."

"That's... new," Daniel said, sounding more serious than usual, which caught her off guard.

"Why? What do you mean?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"It's just that most people we meet want to be featured on our socials, but you..." Daniel paused, glancing at her, "want nothing to do with it."

"I have my reasons," Katrina replied softly. "I like the peace and quiet that comes with anonymity."

Katrina felt a sense of relief when Daniel stopped asking questions. She was sure that if he'd asked just one more, she might have ended up revealing the real reason she moved to Monaco. One by one, the drivers followed her on social media. At first, it didn't seem like a big deal, but soon enough, it was clear that their fans had noticed. The F1 community buzzed with curiosity about the identity of the random account the drivers had started following. Fans began following her too, hoping for a glimpse into her private life.

It felt like fate was messing with her. She had come to Monaco to escape the spotlight, and yet here she was, becoming connected with some of the most high-profile celebrities in the tiny principality. Being associated with these people was a bit unnerving. It was only a matter of time before their fans started digging into her past, and once they did, they might uncover more than she was ready for.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A few months later, Katrina had settled into life in Monaco. She'd really enjoyed getting to know the drivers outside of the Formula 1 world. With the season nearing its end, they were spending less time in Monaco and more time at their team bases, but they still made an effort to spend time together whenever they were in town.

Max had been super patient with her, taking the time to help her understand the basics of Formula 1. He introduced her to the 2024 driver lineup and explained all the rules and terms. It was strange to think that a three-time world champion was the one helping her get into this world. His enthusiasm and love for the sport were clear every time he broke things down for her, something the F1 community jokingly called "Maxplaining."

Though every driver had their own personality, Katrina had formed a special bond with Charles and Max. She got along with Max especially well. They shared the same taste in food, music, and even video games. Sometimes, even during race weekends, he'd invite her to play Call of Duty at 2 a.m. It was nice to see this side of him, far removed from the intense competitor the Netflix series portrayed. Max was easygoing, fun, and just a genuinely cool person to hang out with.

Charles, on the other hand, was a talented musician. Sofia had told her he'd only started learning the piano during the pandemic, but he was already really good. Katrina knew people in the music industry who had been playing for years and still weren't at his level. She'd bonded with him over music, and while she couldn't play or compose herself, she'd been able to hear some of his compositions. They were impressive, and Katrina couldn't help but admire his skill.

One ordinary day at Casa Katrina, she spent the morning doing some cleaning and chores. By the afternoon, she was lounging on the couch, reading a novel when her phone buzzed with a new message.

Hi Katrina, do you want to hangout?