I love you, always | Charles Leclerc ✔

7

It was the second time Julie was awoken by someone shaking her shoulder. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light in the room. It appeared to be the day. She also noticed that there was a plaid on her. When she finally took in her surroundings, she noticed that the person who had shaken her awake, was none other than her best friend, Charles Leclerc. She jumped in his arms which were already wide open, waiting for her.

As soon as she made contact with Charles, the tears started building up once again. She tried to prevent her tears from falling but she didn't succeed. Charles soon felt his shirt get wet which made him break away from the hug, holding her by her shoulders. He then put his hands on her cheeks, holding her face and wiping her tears with his thumbs. Julie looked into his eyes as Charles already looked at her with soften eyes.

« Il est dans un coma artificiel et il a un respirateur artificiel. L'infirmière a dit qu'il avait un trauma crânien et une lésion axonale diffuse... Putain Charles, je sais même pas ce que c'est ! »
"He's in an artificial coma and under an artificial respirator. The nurse said that he had a concussion and a diffuse axonal injury. Fuck Charles, I don't even know what that is !"

Charles didn't say anything as he was too, trying to process the information. For the rest of the day, Julie didn't say anything except what was necessary, she answered with gestures instead. She also stayed glued to Charles, instantly uncomfortable if wasn't touching him or him touching her. She needed his support more than ever.

A lot of people came to visit Jules that day : drivers such as Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton or Daniel Ricciardo ; people from the FIA or Jules's team. They all looked so worried for their fellow which warmed Julie's heart. The drivers all gave Julie their phone number, asking her to update them with Jules's condition and also if she ever needed anything.

Later that night, Julie, Charles and his brother Lorenzo all came back to the hotel, calling it a day. They would come back the next to see Jules. Lorenzo had offered Julie a warm hug, sharing their hurt together.

Julie and Charles were in Julie's room, on her balcony, talking as usual. They were both sitting on the ground, their legs hanging between the railing bars, her head on his shoulder with his resting on hers.

« Merci d'être là Cha, je ne sais pas ce que je ferais sans toi. »
"Thank you for being here Cha, I don't know what I'd do without you."

« T'as de la chance à ne pas avoir à y penser alors, je ne compte pas te quitter, jamais. Et puis c'est totalement normal, je sais que tu le ferais aussi pour moi et sans y réfléchir deux fois. Je regrette de ne pas avoir pu être là plus tôt. »
"You're lucky you don't have to think about it then, I'm not planning on leaving you, ever. And it's completely normal, I know you'd do the same for me without thinking twice. I regret I couldn't be here sooner."

« C'est normal Charles, tu ne pouvais pas ne pas faire ces deux courses. Ta carrière est très importante et pas seulement pour toi mais aussi pour moi. Je m'en serais tellement voulu si tu n'y étais pas allé juste à cause de moi. »
"It's fine Charles, you couldn't not do those 2 races. Your career is extremely important to you but to me too. I would have blamed myself so much if you didn't do them just because of me."

Charles frowned and grabbed Julie's face, pulling away from the hug. He looked right into her eyes.

« Je veux que tu saches que quoi qu'il arrive, je suis capable de tout laisser tomber pour toi. Si tu as besoin de moi, je serai là à toute heure de tous les jours. J'ai l'impression que tu ne te rends même pas compte d'à quel point tu es importante pour moi parfois. »
"I want you to know that whatever happens, I'm capable of dropping everything for you. If you need me, I'll be there at each hour of everyday. Sometimes I get the feeling that you're not aware of how much you matter to me."

Julie didn't know hos to respond to that, so she simply laid her head back on Charles's shoulder muttering a 'thanks' and she wrapped her arms around his body. They then both stayed sat there, not talking, just enjoying each other's company with Julie wrapped in Charles's embrace.

When they finally decided it was time to go to sleep, Charles got ready to head back to his room. He gave her a kiss on her forehead and went to the door.

« Bonne nuit Julie, à demain. »
"Good night Julie, see you tomorrow."

« ... Cha ? »
"... Cha ?"

« Oui ? »
"Yes ?"

« Reste s'il te plaît, je suis incapable de rester seule. »
"Please stay, I can't handle being alone right now."

Charles seemed to have frozen at Julie's request which made her doubt.

« Charles ? Oublie, si tu ne veux pas c'est pas grave. »
"Charles ? Forget it, if you don't want to it's fine."

Charles unfroze and got into bed with Julie.

« Qu'est-ce que je t'ai dit toute à l'heure ? Si tu as besoin de moi, je serai là. »
"What did I tell you earlier ? If you need me, I'll be there."

He put his arms around her, bringing her body closer to him. She nuzzled her head in his chest while he started caressing her hair, whispering sweet reassurances in her ears which made Julie's heart swell with affection for Charles. But this time, the feeling was different then before, it was stronger. And Julie knew that. But what she didn't know was that it would change everything in her relationship with her best friend.