Rᴀᴄɪɴɢ Pᴜʙʟɪᴄɪᴛʏ | english

Chapter 15

Laughing, I spun round in circles with Bonnie. We were dancing in the living room to a Spanish song that was playing on the radio and we were having a lot of fun. Mum was in the kitchen making dinner and Dad had made himself comfortable in his chair reading the newspaper.

"Why didn't you take me with you to Miami, Ellie. I would have loved to have been there"' Bonnie laughed as she spun round. "I really would have loved to but you know I don't want to drag you guys out in public too much," I laughed, moving my hips.

"Oh, that's a shame, but when are you going to introduce us to Lando?," she continued to ask me and I stopped, startled. "I'd like to know that too, you really had a lot of fun in Miami?," Dad laughed and looked up from his newspaper. "Sometime Dad, sometime," I said quickly and thought about it. After the scary news came out on Saturday, there was another commotion around us both on Sunday. A post appeared on Insta where they really criticised me, but a few fans from Miami defended me.

Mainly because it was exactly these fans I had spoken to after Lando's victory. "Still, have you got any new information? Will you be at the next Grand Prix? Just so we're prepared to see you in the media again?" Mum asked me and I sighed. "You know that most people only spread lies, Mum," I sighed.

"Nevertheless. You know how I feel about it," she said and I sighed. "Lando invited me to the Monaco Grand Prix again," I said and sat down on the sofa. "To Monaco?," Dad asked and I nodded. "You were raving about this city the other day, but why Lando and not Clari?," came from Mum.

"Clari has a lot on her plate with Mercedes marketing and Lando asked me on the flight back from Miami to London if I wanted to go," I said. "Where you had the hangover?" Bonnie asked with a laugh and I could only smile. "Don't remind me, I predicted this would happen," I said and Mum came into the living room.

"When are you flying?," she asked me afterwards. "I'm flying to Nice on the twenty-first," I said and Dad looked at me in confusion. "Monaco isn't until the twenty-sixth, is it?," he asked and I nodded. "I know, but the boys invited me to come earlier. Charles is organising another yacht party and I'm supposed to be there," I said and he nodded.

It had been a long time since I had been here. It had been three years since I entered this café. Back then I had been here every weekend. I stepped inside and immediately looked at the wall of pictures that the café had. That was what made it so special. Every special moment had been captured and immortalised here on this canvas.

Mine too, back then we used to perform here with my friends and played here every Saturday, only cover songs but people loved it. I didn't have to search for long. I found the picture quite quickly, it was when we were on stage and there was an Abba evening. I was in the costume at the front of the mic with a guitar in my hand, next to Jade who was playing the bass and Kate who was holding the electric guitar. Behind me was Ezra on the drums and James on the keyboard.

That had been our group back then and now it was torn apart. I didn't even know if they were still in contact with each other. Sighing, I walked further into the café and looked around. Everything was still the same, but something was different.

It was Friday but it was still quiet. Usually it was always busy, especially on the terrace. "Can I help you with something?," an older voice asked me and I turned round. I would recognise this man anywhere. It was Archie, the owner of this beauty. "Um, yes, I actually wanted to order a coffee from you," I stammered and he nodded. "Gabriella will you make me a coffee please?," the old man asked his wife and she nodded.

"There's hardly anything going on here?," I faltered and the man sighed. "Unfortunately not for two years. We don't know why, but we just assume that they're missing the live music," he sighed and we went to the counter where the woman handed me my coffee. "How is the live music missing?," I asked her in shock.