Eyes Don't Lie | Charles Leclerc

Part 25 | Enter The Lion's Den

February 23rd, 2023

As the voice echoed called out to me, my body stiffened, the once peaceful atmosphere of the evening turning heavy in an instant. Slowly, I turned around, heart sinking as my suspicions were confirmed. 

Max Verstappen. 

He was standing there, leaning casually against the restaurant wall, he flashed a grin that was somewhere between friendly and smug. The same expression I had seen after countless races last season, the look of a champion who had it all. The person I had battled relentlessly for the championship, only to come up short. 

"Charles, long time no see," Max said, pushing off the wall and taking a few steps toward us. His eyes flickered to Aria for a second, but then settled back on me. I forced a smile, though the knot of envy twisted deep in my gut. 

"Max," I greeted him, keeping my voice neutral. I hadn't spoken to him properly since the end of last season, and even now, I wasn't sure how I felt about him. There was no denying that I envied him. He had everything I had fought for...his second championship, the celebrations, the recognition. 

While I had stormed out of Abu Dhabi, Max had raised the trophy. Aria was quiet beside me, and I could feel her curious eyes on me, probably picking up on the tension. I tried to relax, to play it cool, but the weight of last season still lingered in the air between us. 

"How's it going?" Max asked casually, as if we were catching up after a regular race weekend. "Getting ready for the new season?" 

"Yeah," I replied, my voice tight. "I've been in Maranello, working with the team. You?" 

"Same, same," Max said, waving a hand dismissively. "Testing's coming up soon. But, you know, no rest for the defending champ." 

His words stung more than they should have, even though I knew he probably didn't mean it that way. Still, it was a reminder of everything I had lost, everything I had yet to prove. Aria shifted beside me, and I glanced at her, grateful for her presence in that moment. She smiled softly, a silent reassurance that brought me back from the edge. 

"Well, I'll let you get back to your evening," Max said, sensing the awkwardness but not pushing any further. He gave a weird wink to Aria, and looked at her up and down, then turned back to me. "See you in Bahrain, Charles. Should be another interesting season." 

..."and I hope to see more of your friend around too."

I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything more. Max gave a final wave before disappearing into the night, leaving me standing there, the tension still heavy in my chest. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding, feeling Aria's hand lightly brush against mine in support. 

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, her voice grounding me. 

I nodded, glancing down at her. "Yeah...it's just...complicated." 

"Max?" she guessed, her eyes searching mine. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah. We've battled for so long, and now...it's hard to process how I feel about him. I envy him, you know? He's got everything I wanted. I haven't really dealt with it yet." 

Aria reached for my hand and squeezed it gently. "You'll have your moment, Charles. I know it." 

Her words brought me some comfort, and I nodded again, trying to shake off the lingering feelings. We turned back toward the exit, stepping out into the cool Monaco evening. I felt lighter now, even with everything still swirling in my mind. As we walked away from the restaurant, I realized that no matter how complicated things were with Max or racing, being with Aria made everything seem a little more manageable.