Eyes Don't Lie | Charles Leclerc

Part 5 | Hurry Up and Save Me

January 1, 2023
Aria POV

"Charles wait... you le-"

It was too late as I heard the door shut behind him. He forgot his notepad that I had found in the back pocket of his jeans last night. I had placed it on my coffee table, as it looked important and I wanted to give it to him when he woke up.

The events from yesterday to today seemed almost unreal. How did I find Charles Leclerc nearly passed out in a bush? I practically welcomed a stranger into my home. There was something about him I couldn't ignore. The way his eyes looks so sad, yet still so full of hope. The way his smile met his eyes and his dimples appeared when he was happy. 

My eyes glanced over at the little book, curiosity getting the best of me. I knew it felt wrong to look at it, like an invasion of privacy, but maybe it would help me understand Charles a bit better. He seemed so...lost. I carefully walked towards the notepad and silently prayed for forgiveness before opening to the first page. 

From what I could tell it seemed like he wrote down notes for each race, as the first page was dated to Bahrain 2022. Things seemed normal until an entry for Spain 2022. I saw the chaotic writing, calling himself names, curses in English and French. I wasn't entirely sure what a DNF was, but it didn't sound good.

I kept flipping but my heart truly shattered on the Monaco 2022 entry. He had written "failure" over and over again down the page. I briefly remember reading an article after that race about how Ferrari had cost Charles first place at his home race. At the bottom of that entry he wrote in all capitals 'WILL NEVER WIN THE WDC.'

After a few pages I couldn't take it anymore. The scribbles were becoming maddening as the races progressed in his notepad, the way he talked so negatively about himself, I needed to help him. I flipped ahead to the last page. There was no entry for the last race of the season, which from the little info I knew about F1, was in Abu Dhabi. The last page simply stated 'Ferrari????' 

Maybe it was fate that made me find him in the bushes, maybe the universe was telling me to save him. I'd give him some space for a few days to get himself settled. It seemed he had a revelation in my apartment after his panic attack, which is why he rushed out. I was determined to reach out to him and offer my support.

𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

Later that day, while running some errands, I popped into a stationary store to pick something up. I looked for the exact notepad Charles had left behind and purchased a blank one. I had decided that I would create a 2023 version of the notepad for Charles, a more positive one. I wanted him to see the happy things in his life, rather than focusing on the negative ones.

I knew what it was like to give into the negative thoughts that out mind tried to convince us of. Charles needed to see he was more than just the race results, that he was doing his best and sometimes thats enough.

Once back at my apartment, I cracked the notepad open, contemplating what the first page should say. I didn't want to overstep, but I wanted him to know he had a friend in me now and I wanted to show him the good about himself.

Monaco, 2023 
Today is the first new day of the year, the first day of my new self. 
I will persevere. I will accomplish my goals. I will ask for help. 
I am surrounded by support. I am loved. I am a good race driver.
I am Charles Leclerc. I can do anything.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

Author's Note: Ouuuu an Aria chapter. Wonder what she'll do with Charles notepad. We're going to speed up into the next few chapters! 👀 ❤️