Religiously ° Charles Leclerc

eight

"Sweetheart what is going on?" came the confused voice of Val's father. "and why ask me to make sure that Pascale, Lorenzo, and Arthur were around when you say whatever it is that you're going to say."

"I am about to reveal that Papà... patience."

She makes the most dramatic surprised face that she can make, which causes Charles to throw his head back laughing at the moment that Val raises the camera to where they can see the two of them.

This caused the four on the other side of the Facetime call to look surprised as they hadn't expected to see that sight. Charles shook his head, looking at Val with a look of complete adoration, "The surprised face was a bit much mon ange."

Val laughed looking at him, "Yes it was the surprised face that rendered them speechless amore mio."

He poked her cheek, "Okay, cheeky." Then he rested his chin on her shoulder again, a lazy grin on his face. But they could tell that the man was brighter and happier than the last time they saw him.

Val looked at the camera, as her father spoke, "So that was you, darling? that's why you didn't seem bothered when I brought it up?"

"Exactly Papà, we decided that we would tell you together so I was basically sweating bullets trying to not just blurt it out when you were asking questions about it... also I was in the Ferrari garage today, I guess you weren't really paying attention to the garage cameras, they were on me several times during the race today."

Val's father laughed, realizing that they indeed hadn't really paid attention to the garage cameras and focusing more on the actual race.

Pascale looked between the two with a smile on her face she had always hoped they would end up working things out, "so Charles, Valentina when did this happen?"

"last night maman." the Monégasque driver answered.

Val smiled, switching to French as well, "We spoke briefly on Friday before free practice 2 started."

Charles nodded, "we did I was surprised to see her in the paddock, and had to make sure she was actually there."

Arthur smirked at the two, "How did you end up back in the paddock Val?"

"I am also curious about that, Val..." the girl's father questioned.

The girl chuckles, "well papà is the only one there who will know who I'm talking about when I say this but Malina who has been my best friend for the last couple of years was invited by McLaren to watch the race from their garage and she told them before even asking me that I would be her plus one and so I could not get out of it so I agreed to go to the race with her... though looking back I'm glad that I did."

Val's father nods, "the girl can be quite persuasive, to say the least."

Arthur smirked teasingly at the two, "of all the times for there not to be an F2 race, and I miss this happening?"

Val just laughed with a shrug. They spent the next few minutes answering questions and talking to their families there before the had to go, so they said their goodbyes and hung up the call.

Charles kissed her on the lips. "I'm glad to get that out there mon amour."

"Me too Charlie." they gathered everything, and headed towards the door, "all right so if you will drop me off at my place, to get ready for tonight I've invited Lina to come out with us, I think her Lando would be a good match."

He chuckled, "all right then mon amour, do you want me to pick you up? and they do seem to get along rather well."

"Thank you, I think Lina and I are going to get an Uber so that we can drink and not worry about driving home, and I've noticed that as well which is why I want to try and get them together."

He nodded in agreement that it would be a good idea as they reached his car.

As promised he drove her back to her shared apartment with Lina, they shared a kiss before Val got out of the car and headed into her apartment building.

She walked through the door and Lina called out "Val?"

"It's me Lina, now let's get ready for tonight while I tell you the story that I promised you."

"all right, Val, I'll grab my stuff and we'll get ready in your room." and a few minutes later Lina walked into Val's room with her stuff so they could get ready for the night, and as soon as they started getting ready Val told her everything, from how she and Charles met up to the day that they broke up, spared no details Lina was told the entire story.

By the time they were ready to go, Val finished her story and Lina had just looked at her "woah, that was some story, but hearing it I can understand why you pretended to hate F1 or anything that had to do with motorsports."

"I was so worried about running into him and how weird and awkward things would be between us if that happened, but turns out it wasn't even weird or awkward at all when I did run into him on Friday."

"Yeah god, how did I not put that together right then when you walked back into the garage wearing his fucking hat, it literally had his name and number on it and I still did not put that shit together."

Val laughed, "Well to be fair, I was being vague about it to you."

Lina shook her head, "Yeah but still, it was looking me right in the face and I should have put it together but anyway, now you owe me details from last night, you promised you'd tell me later and lover boy isn't here so spill."

Val shook her head with a snort but complied and told Lina all the details that she wanted, about the previous night.

Lina just grinned at her "I am so happy for you Val, you deserve this babes and I'm glad that you're happy."

Val smiled at her best friend, "honestly Lina, there was never going to be anyone else, I just didn't fully realize that until Charlie and I started talking again, I was not getting over him no matter how hard I tried."

Lina nodded, "honestly girl I don't blame you... the man is fine as hell, no denying that..."

Val laughed, "you have a point Lina, he is pretty easy on the eyes."

"you're so lucky girl... like find me a man that looks at me the way he looks at you... it's almost like you were never apart."

Val smiled, "everyone always mentioned the way he looks at me."

"You can't blame them, I mean it's been two years, Val and he still looks at you like that? That's some like soulmate shit or something."

Val smiled at her, blushing slightly. "I don't know, it honestly feels like everything is right in the world again now that we're okay and back together."

Lina grinned, "definitely some soulmate type shit... but I'm happy for you Val, really you deserve this, girl plus your man isn't going to be able to keep his hands off you in that outfit you look hot."

Val laughed as they got the rest of their stuff together and called their Uber to head to the club they were going to.