Alone In A Crowded Room (A Lestappen Story)

I'm Trying

Charles didn't have enough water again. He was on the lowest step on the podium again. He wasn't good enough again. Charles knew P3 was good for most drivers but he wasn't most driver. He was Charles Leclerc, Prince of Ferrari, Sun of Maranello, Il Predestinato, Prince of Monza. He was supposed to be better. He was supposed to be the one who held the first place trophy and listened to his anthem instead of watching his rival do it. It hurt Charles to no end but Max was right. Good but never enough.

At the afterparty Charles didn't drink as much. He was honestly way too depressed to deal with the hangover so he sipped on a beer as he watched the others. He occasionally would talk to someone next to him, go on the dance floor or smile and pretend to have a good time for a camera but he didn't enjoy it. It was hard to party when he felt like an open wound. His teammate, however, got wasted. While Charles went back home by three, he only got the text from Lando that Carlos was back at five. Carlos had lost his Ferrari seat and, by the looks of it, he wasn't going to be kept by Red bull with Checo performing as he was so he had a lot of sorrows to drink away.

The next day Carlos missed the flight. Charles didn't think much of it since he texted he was on the next flight and he'd been a bit hungover and sick but during the tests - that was when everyone got concerned. Carlos was rushed to the hospital but no one would say for what and it was only after Lando called his dad that they found out Carlos had appendicitis.

Charles didn't know how to process the news. Carlos was in surgery - he was worried. Carlos wouldn't be racing this week - he was sad and concerned for his position which made him feel selfish and like an asshole but he was also worried? There were too many emotions and Charles just went to sleep on them. When he woke up in the morning it was to a knock on the door which opened to Carlos' replacement, a kid named Bearman.

"Hi," Oliver said, shyly, "Sorry for waking you but Andrea says that he wants you down in thirty minutes.

"It's okay," Charles nodded, sleepily smiling at the nervous boy, "You're Oliver, right?"

"Yes, but everyone calls me Ollie," He laughed nervously.

"I'll see you down, Ollie." Charles smiled.

Over the weekend Ollie became Charles' distraction. He showed the kid everything Seb had shown him and even managed to get Seb to send him a good luck text before qualifying. Ollie practically jumped on Charles when he got the text and Charles couldn't help but smile at that.

Unfortunately, just because you're distracted doesn't mean the world won't continue. Charles would be starting P3 the next day and after the photos and everything was done Verstappen leaned in to talk to him, "Getting comfortable in second row, I see." He drawled and walked off leaving Charles at a loss.

The next day Charles was at the paddock earlier than any driver. He spent most of his day meeting his fans - that was why they loved him : he loved them back.

When time came for Charles to start the race he wished Ollie good luck before slipping his helmet on and feeling the world around him slow down.

It was lights out and away he went, faster than a bullet. He didn't think. He just drove. He didn't feel. He. Just. Drove.

He passed a Red bull and around the last laps, tired and out of water again it finally disappeared from his mirrors. He crossed the finish line second. Below Verstappen.

When he took off his hans device and helmet he walked shakily to his team. He took the bottle Andrea was offering him and he drank but it wasn't enough. It was just water. He needed more. He was dizzy.

"Do you have an energy drink?" He panted but Andrea shook his head. He tried to calm the spinning in his head but he felt dizzy. He was so dizzy.

In the cooldown room he almost blacked out with dizziness. Verstappen said something but he didn't respond. He couldn't hear it. It was as if he was underwater which was ironic since this was caused by lack of water for too long. He barely remembered the podium celebration. He just staggered to his driver's room and tried not to pass out as his heart beat too fast.

Charles wasn't an idiot. He knew why it was happening. He was severely dehydrated and had lost a lot of salts but he couldn't think enough to fix it. It was only when he was almost passed out that someone entered his driver's room. He didn't remember it well but he was being taken somewhere. He woke up in the hospital.