Race & Rally // Charles Leclerc

28.00

I wake up the next morning feeling uncomfortable and unready to see Charles. I haven't felt this way in a long time. My only consolation is that Lewis is going to get here before him so I can talk to someone about the situation.

Soon enough, I hear the front door open and the sound of suitcase wheels hitting the floor.

"Aria?" calls out a familiar voice. A smile creeps onto my face as I race down the stairs.

"Lewis!" I beam, jumping into his arms. I suddenly realise how much I have missed having someone around ever since Arthur left.

"It's good to see you," he grins, letting me fall out of his embrace. "How was your weekend then?"

"Arthur kept me busy," I note, Lewis nodding in return.

There's a moment of silence as I wonder if I should bring up the subject of the articles I had seen last night. My expression must have changed, because Lewis seemed to notice.

"Everything ok Aria?" he asks, frowning at me.
I bite the inside of my cheek anxiously.

"Any chance that you know anything about those articles that have been put out about Charles and that girl?" I question hesitantly.

At first he looks as if he's trying to figure out what I'm talking about, and then a small chuckle leaves his mouth. "I was waiting for you to ask me about that."

My mouth opens slightly. "Am I that predictable?" I inquire with a tinge of embarrassment.

"No, no, it's not that. It's just, this is the first time something like this has happened to you guys. It happens quite often with us drivers, but I promise you it's nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?" I question, pressing into the topic, even though I know that Lewis would never lie to me.

"Yeah, there's a high possibility he was trying to divert from other rumours. Our PR teams get us to do it frequently," he mentions and I frown at his response.

"What could he be trying to cover?" I ask, realising how behind I've been with the media recently.

"Well, rumour has it, that someone new is joining Ferrari next year," Lewis smirks, a playful look evident in his eyes.

My eyes suddenly widen. "Does that mean you're joining?!" I gasp hopefully, my heart jumping at the thought of both Charles and Lewis being at Ferrari.

Lewis throws his head back with laughter. "I wish! No, not me I'm afraid. I'm honestly not sure who it is, but I think it's someone from Formula two."

I nod my head with slight disappointment. "Would've been nice to have my favourite people on the same team," I smile.

"I don't think I'm going anywhere anytime soon," adds Lewis. I give him a look of recognition before making my way to the kitchen.

"I think you deserve a good dinner. Does spaghetti bolognese sound good?" I question.

"Sounds good Aria," he grins at me.

Even though his words have comforted me, I still feel uneasy as the thoughts of the articles drift back into my mind.

-

Lewis and I spend the rest of the day curled up on the couch watching TV, while he tells me the rest of his gossip from the weekend.

Soon enough we hear wheels against the gravel of my drive. We both glance at each other knowing that it's Charles.

Despite what I had seen last night, I still feel my heart race with excitement at the thought of seeing him again.