There's Twice as Many Stars as Usual| L.S

1

I woke comfortably in the warmth of my friend's home, the smell of burning wood and pancakes filling my nose.   Stretching, I savored the cozy morning.

"Hey Charlie, you need to wake up, love," Mick's voice gently prodded me from sleep.

With a groan, I opened my eyes to see my best friend standing before the couch I was sleeping on, holding two plates of pancakes and some juice.

"Thank you," I murmured, reaching for my breakfast.

"You have a remote publishing meeting today. I couldn't let you miss it," he said, handing me my laptop.

"What would I do without you, Micky?" I smiled, opening my laptop to my rough draft and the Zoom call. I quickly finished my breakfast and waited in the Zoom call's waiting room.

Once my publisher joined, we discussed my draft and ways to improve it. I took notes, voiced my concerns, and finally ended the call. My second book was supposed to come out within the next year, but it didn't seem likely. With a sigh, I shut my computer and went to put my plate in the sink.

"Heyyyy, Charlieeee, I was wondering if you'd like to go on a little trip with me," Mick asked with a devilish grin.

"What will this trip entail?" I questioned. With Mick, it could be anything: a spontaneous trip to somewhere remote, somewhere nice, or just a getaway to Monaco or another country.

"Soooooo, you know how I'm a reserve driver for Merc-" he began, but I cut him off.

"Didn't I say not to bring up that stupid sport around me?" I said, annoyed.

"You know it's not stupid. C'mon, why do you have a vendetta against it?" he asked, looking me in the eyes.

"Okay, maybe it's not stupid, but I'll save you the details and decline once again," I said, feeling my heart pound as I thought about Logan. I couldn't stand being near him without breaking down or badgering him for answers, both horrible options. I wanted to save myself the embarrassment.

"Please, Charlie, just tell me. You've been keeping this a secret for years," Mick groaned.

"Fine. So, you know how I grew up in Florida?" I began, and he nodded. "Well, growing up, I had this best friend. We were inseparable, kind of like how we are. I would never spend a day away from him until he moved away to continue his racing career where there were better opportunities. He quickly climbed the ranks, and we grew apart. Well, not really. He started communicating less, and we ended up not talking. Now he's a rookie in Formula 1, and I can't stand being around him. Who knows what will happen?" I rambled on.

Mick snorted. "So, this whole hatred of F1 comes from Logan Sargeant?" he laughed out.

I nodded.

"So, I'm not saying you're an idiot, but you're an idiot," he said, snorting.

I shook my head and lightly punched his arm. "The offer still stands. I have an extra paddock pass for this weekend's race, and I promise you, you won't even see him. You'll be with me in Mercedes the whole time, and if you do see him, which I highly doubt, I'll be right by your side," he said.

"Okay, fine. I'll go," I nodded.

"Great! I'll tell the team you're coming with me," he smiled, hugging me

As Mick's hug enveloped me, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and dread. The thought of being so close to Logan again made my stomach churn, but Mick's reassuring presence gave me a sliver of hope. Maybe this trip wouldn't be as bad as I feared. Maybe, just maybe, it would give me the closure I desperately needed.

"When do we leave?" I asked as he let go of me.

"Tomorrow," he said flatly.

"TOMORROW?!" I exclaimed, my voice rising in pitch.

"Mick, that's not enough time to mentally prepare myself," I sighed.

"Hey, hey, don't worry. We leave on Tuesday to get there Tuesday night. Wednesday is a free day, so you can prepare yourself all you want. Then Thursday is media and a practice day, so you don't have to go if you don't want to," he said, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

I nodded, feeling a bit more at ease, and headed up to the guest room to pack my things.

As I was finishing up, Mick came in to tell me that the team would be happy to have me.

I nodded again and sat on the bed, feeling the weight of everything settling in.

"Hey, I promise you, he won't be able to get you down," Mick said, sitting next to me and holding me close.

We sat like that for about five minutes until we heard Corinna come home, the sound of the dogs padding up the stairs following her. We pulled apart as she entered the room.

Corinna entered with a warm smile, her eyes lighting up as she saw us. The dogs bounded in, tails wagging furiously, and jumped onto the bed, nudging us for attention.

"What's going on in here?" Corinna asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Just getting ready for a trip," Mick replied, giving her a quick rundown of our plans.

Corinna nodded thoughtfully, then turned to me. "You'll have a great time, Charlotte. It's going to be an adventure."

I forced a smile, hoping her words would prove true. "Thanks, Corinna. I hope so."

As she left the room with the dogs trailing behind her, Mick squeezed my hand. "Remember, I'll be right there with you."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "Okay, Mick. Let's do this."