Eyes Don't Lie | Charles Leclerc

Part 29 | Are We Too Young For This?

March 6th, 2023

My my mind was still spinning from what had happened in the paddock. Carlos had practically dragged me out when I locked eyes with Max and Emma, holding hands like they hadn't just torn my world apart. As soon as I saw Max's smirk, followed by that spiteful wink, I could feel the familiar pressure building in my chest, my throat tightening as my vision blurred. 

I barely registered Carlos' voice at first. "Come on, mate, we're getting out of here." 

His hand gripped my arm, steering me toward the exit, but I could hardly breathe. The crowd of fans faded into the background as my thoughts raced, the memory of Emma and me flooding my mind. And then, Max....Of all fucking people, it had to be him. Was this the guy she was talking about last year?

 A million scenarios ran through my head. Were they doing this too get into my head? Was Max trying to distract me? Did Emma love him over me all along? I didn't care because she moved on, I would never forgive her for what she said and did to me... I cared because she knew how I felt about Max.

Carlos must've known the signs of my oncoming attack. He's seen this before, the way my hands started shaking, how I couldn't seem to catch my breath. He kept his arm around my shoulder, shielding me from the crowd as best as he could, as we hurried out of the paddock. 

"I'm texting Pierre," Carlos whispered under his breath, his phone already in hand. "He'll meet us back at the hotel."

I couldn't even argue. I couldn't think. Everything felt too loud, too overwhelming. I barely made it into the car before my legs gave out, and Carlos had to help me sit down. I hated this feeling, losing control like this, but at the same time, I couldn't fight it. 

Back at the hotel, Pierre was waiting by the entrance, a look of concern crossing his face as soon as he saw me. 

"Hey, hey, we're going to be alright, man," he said softly, taking my bag from Carlos and giving me a firm pat on the back. I didn't have the energy to speak, just nodding as we walked inside. The rest of the night was a blur. 

The three of us ended up in my hotel room, Carlos and Pierre doing everything they could to keep my mind off what had happened. We played some FIFA, and even joked around a little and ordered in some dinner. Every now and then, I could feel their eyes on me, watching for any sign that I might spiral again. 

But as the hours passed, I started to relax, just a little. Pierre leaned back on the couch, tossing me the controller after winning another game. 

"Alright, Charles, your turn," he said with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood. I tried to force a smile, taking the controller. 

"You're going down, Gasly." It wasn't much, but for the first time in hours, I felt like I could breathe again.

Carlos leaned back on the couch, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as the FIFA game ended. He tossed the controller aside and nudged me with his elbow. "So, Charles...have you told Pierre about Aria?" 

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks immediately. Carlos never missed a chance to tease me. Pierre, who was lounging on the other side of the room, perked up at the mention of her name. 

"Who's Aria?" he asked, turning his head in my direction with a curious look on his face. 

"Is she why you've been acting all weird?" he asked. Carlos laughed, clearly enjoying the situation. 

"Come on, Charles, don't keep me waiting. Spill it."

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to find the right words. 

"It's...complicated," I muttered, feeling their eyes on me now. "I met her a few months ago, and we've been talking, spending time together when we can. But we're not...I mean, we're friends... sort of." 

Carlos raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Friends don't just kiss each other." 

Pierre jumped in his seat, "you guys kissed?!?! Why is this the first I'm hearing of this?"

I blushed harder, knowing I wasn't going to get out of this without explaining more. 

Pierre leaned forward, clearly more invested now. "So, how did you meet her?" 

I sighed, leaning back into the couch. "I sort of...um..woke up in her apartment after I got drunk on New Year's Eve. But we had met before at an APM event in Monaco a while back...I don't know, she's easy to talk to, and being around her feels like..." I trailed off, struggling to put into words how being with Aria felt different from anything I'd known. 

"Like what?" Pierre asked, his grin widening. 

"Like I can actually be myself," I admitted. "She doesn't care about all the racing stuff, you know? She just...gets me. And it's easy with her, but at the same time, I don't know what we are. There's this uncertainty." 

Pierre raised an eyebrow. "Uncertainty?" 

"Yeah." I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of my thoughts. "I know what I want. I know that I want her in my life, and it's more than just friends. But I'm not sure if she feels the same, or if I'm even ready. After last season, I've been trying to work on myself, and I don't want to pull her into something if I'm not in the right place." 

Carlos leaned in, his teasing tone softening. "Mate, I told you on the plane...you don't have to have it all figured out right now. But if you feel this strongly about her, you should tell her. What's the worst that could happen?" 

Pierre grinned, giving me a nudge. "Sounds like you're in deeper than you thought, man. What a way of meeting someone huh?" 

I laughed softly, though my mind was already drifting back to Aria. It was true, I couldn't stop thinking about her. And no matter how nervous I felt about the uncertainty, I knew one thing for sure, I didn't want to lose her.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

I woke up the next morning, feeling the weight of yesterday still lingering in my chest. Today was a new day, the first race weekend of the season, and I had to pull myself together for Free Practice 1. I couldn't afford to let my emotions spill into my performance, not now. Not after everything. 

As I got dressed, pulling on the familiar red Ferrari polo, I tried to keep my mind busy. I texted Aria a few messages when I woke up, just simple stuff, asking how she was, telling her I'd be thinking of her during practice. But when I checked my phone again, nothing. No response. 

It was late in Monaco, so maybe she'd fallen asleep early. I shook it off. It wasn't a big deal. She'd text me back when she could. I grabbed my bag, making sure I had everything I needed for the day. I took a deep breath and headed toward the door. 

Focus, Charles. You've done this a thousand times. Show them you can do this...

In the elevator, I stared at my reflection in the shiny metal doors. My face looked calm, but I could still feel the tension in my chest, the weight of everything trying to claw its way to the surface. I couldn't let it. Not today. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady my breathing, focusing on the feeling of the car beneath me, the track under the tires. 

As the doors slid open, I stepped out, preparing to meet Carlos and Andrea in the lobby. But as I rounded the corner, my heart nearly stopped. Standing there, talking  like she had walked out of a dream, was Aria. She was standing next to Carlos, the two of them animatedly chatting.

I blinked, unsure if I was imagining it. She wasn't supposed to be here. She shouldn't be here... Monaco was a whole continent away. But there she was, her suitcase by her side, eyes locking with mine, a million unsaid words left between us. 

"Aria?" I said as my eyebrows furrowed, my fist unconsciously clenched by my sides.

The word slipped out of my mouth, barely a whisper. Everything else around me blurred. My mind raced, and I couldn't breathe as I stared at her, standing there in Bahrain. What was she doing here?? 

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

Author's Note: 🙊 ❤️