AGAIN || MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE /Charles Leclerc/

Chapter 26

I'M BACK!!! 
AND I TRULY APOLOGIZE FOR THE LONG WAITING. 
I'm writing as much as I can, and I'll try to finish the story quickly since you've waited long enough! 

Hope you enjoy!

Celine

Now

I'm running, it's six in the morning and I'm running around Monaco. I never work out this early, or better I rarely work out at all, but since I didn't get any sleep last night, I just wanted to get out. Turns out not even Charles can be completely helpful in these situations, and therefore I ended up tossing and turning in the sheets, annoying even his sleep.

That's why I decided to go for a run. My legs are already hurting but I still miss one more mile to get to Fort Anthoine. That's my destination, if I'm lucky there will be the lady selling coffee.

Yesterday was a tough day, one of those days where everything seemed too heavy, like the weight of the truth I've been carrying is slowly suffocating me. I've been postponing it for so long, avoiding the inevitable, but I know it's only a matter of time before I have to tell Charles the truth. This thought kept me up all night and I had to escape his scent surrounding me.

When I reach the top, indeed the nice lady is there, looking a little older than I remembered. I stop for a moment trying to catch my breath, hands on my knees. Now I remember why I never work out: it's so tiring. When I walk up to her she immediately recognises me, her eyes lighting up.
"Oh Celine! How nice to see you again!"

"Hello Martha, I was hoping to find you there." My smile is honest, I really was, especially because I will be needing one of his coffee today, maybe even two.

"I've never changed spot, I'd never give it up." I love how pure and joyful she's always been, and even if some years have passed I'm happy to see this has not changed.

"I really missed your coffee! You know, I've been in..."

"New York, oh I know, Charles told me. He comes here sometimes and talks about you a lot. That guy really loves you, you're so lucky." What? She's talking with a big smile, like she's proud of what we have, or better had.

"Martha, me and Charles are not together anymore." Now she's embarrassed, she's feeling like she crossed a line she shouldn't have.

"Oh dear, désolé, I didn't know. For how he talked about you I... I imagined you were doing long distance."

"It's okay, don't worry, if he didn't tell you you couldn't have known. Have a nice day, thank you Martha!" I'm upset, why would Charles talk about me with the coffee lady? We used to come up here once a week, taking time just for the two of us, hidden from everyone else. While I'm going back to that beautiful time, I sit on a bench, everything is still so quiet, and I'm just in time to see the sunrise.

Coffee warm in my hand and music in my ears, I close my eyes for a few moments trying to enjoy this quiet, but before I can open them again I feel someone tickling my hips, catching me off guard. They just scared the shit out of me, so much so that it made me spill the coffee on my hoodie.

"Oh fuck! What the hell!" I take off one of my airpods slowly turning around to see who just ruined my morning, and there it is: Charles with a wide smile plastered on his face, pinching his eyes closed, probably amused by my reaction.
Then the smile fades as soon as he sees the huge stain of coffee on my sweater and my angry expression.

"Oh shit Lin, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to... I promise!" He's genuinely sorry and I can't help but let out a little smile. Moreover I can't be mad at him after ruining his sleep last night, so I just shake my head shifting my attention to the dog wagging its tail behind him.