TURN OF FATE, cl16

35.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.
MONACO.

"Hey." Dariyah turned around and smiled in relief. "You're here."

"Well, I couldn't resist not meeting my gorgeous girlfriend." Charles wrapped an arm around her waist, making her blush a little. "Aren't you a charmer?"

"For you? Always." Charles pulled her into a soft kiss.

"I'm too sober for this shit." Lavina commented, gulping three shots of vodka after. Most of the grid had come to the club for either celebrating their win or drowning in their sadness. Max and Lando were celebrating while Charles and Carlos came here to mope but also happy for their friends victories.

Sneha rolled her eyes at her friend and dragged her away from the couple, to give them their space. She dragged her to the dance floor where the boys and Rishi were already dancing.

Charles and Dariyah ignored her comment, smiling in each others presence. "Are you alright being here? We can go back to my house if you want." Charles suggested, not wanting her girlfriend to be uncomfortable in a club so packed.

"It's fine, Char. Really. I'll be fine. You should have fun like the others. Don't let me stop you." Dariyah smiled at her gorgeous boyfriend.

"Nonsense. If you're sober, I'm going to be sober as well." Charles smiled and slid smoothly beside his love. "In fact I'm thinking of quitting alcohol."

Dariyah scoffed in disbelief, "You? Quitting alcohol? Please. Your whole world revolves around alcohol."

"You're making me sound like an alcohol addict." Charles pouted. "My life doesn't revolve around alcohol."

"Really?" Dariyah turned around to face him clearly, turning on her lawyer mode. "One, the first thing you do when you French turn 18 is drink. Two, you celebrate with champagne each time you win a podium. Three, you drink even when you don't win a podium, to drown yourself in sorrow. Do you want me to go on? We can have this conversation all night long."

"Okay! I get the point." Charles chuckled at the stoic face of his love. "Besides I'm not French, I'm Monegasque."

"What's the difference?" Dariyah lifted her left brow in confusion, "You guys are just more rich and have no taxes, but you're still French."

Charles had his mouth open in shock, not having a comeback for her point. "You manage to impress me each and everyday, Brownies."

"So, I've been told." Dariyah gave him a smirk, sipping her pineapple juice in victory.

"So..." Dsriyah started, fiddling with her thumbs.

"So?" Charles turned his eyes at her after losing himself in his thoughts for a while.

"How are you? After today?" Dariyah nervously looked at him, scared she's flipped him off.

"I'm..." Charles thought of his answer for a moment. "I'm fine. I mean, I'm obviously not happy with the fact I DNF'ed but there was nothing that could've been done. It's just this Monaco curse that's driving me a bit dizzy. But I'm fine, I'm really fine." He was infact not fine. Charles was never the type to open up and Dariyah knew that at that moment.