SHIRT, charles leclerc (REWRITING)

FIVE, out-on-track

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CHAPTER FIVE,
out-on-track

Juliette, accompanied by Amelia, Alex, George, and Lando on the plane, arrived in Bahrain on Wednesday night. Thursday was consumed by exhausting PR commitments, Friday was practice, and now came Saturday, qualifying.

It was clear that Juliette hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep. A mix of nerves, excitement, and anxiety kept her restless. But the main culprit? The room next door—Charles's room—was far from quiet.

He had a girl with him, and he wasn't even trying to be discreet about it.

By now, Juliette had grown accustomed to the flirtatious little shit. He was always a bit of a player, and while she often disapproved, she knew he thrived on that attention. Despite her disdain for that part of him, it was simply his nature.

Slipping into a pair of sweatpants and throwing on a hoodie, Juliette made her way down to the hotel lobby, where breakfast was being served. Spotting Alex Albon, she decided to join him.

"You look quite jolly this morning," he teased, a hint of sarcasm lacing his words. In reality, Juliette felt anything but cheerful. She committed herself on getting a solid nine hours of sleep each night, but last night had only granted her six, far too little for her liking.

"I couldn't sleep at all last night," she admitted, taking a sip of her espresso.

"Nerves?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. "I had trouble sleeping for the same reason."

"Nerves? Ha! I wish that was the main reason. Let's just say the walls in this hotel are paper-thin, and Charles was... occupied with a girl," she replied, her voice low.

Alex grimaced. "Oof, the night before a race? That's not the smartest move on his part. He's probably more worn out than you are."

"Who are you two talking about?" a familiar voice chimed in from behind Juliette.

Turning around, she found Charles Leclerc standing there, looking remarkably fresh and glowing. Sleep deprivation clearly hadn't touched him.

"Speaking of the devil," Alex muttered under his breath, picking at his food. Juliette kicked him under the table, eliciting a pained hiss from him.

"Nothing! No one!" she exclaimed, quickly trying to cover up their conversation. Charles raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched across his face. "Okay...," he replied, eyeing them both.

"Anyway, how are you two feeling? Today's the actual first day on track," Charles asked, shifting his attention as slid into the seat beside Alex.

"We think be we'll fine? With the two hours we spent at the sim yesterday, I think Alex and I are ready," Juliette added, her voice betraying a hint of exhaustion as it cracked slightly. She still didn't seem fully convinced in her abilities.

Charles leaned back in his chair, exuding a confidence that was infectious. "You both will do great. Just stay focused."

Juliette nodded, trying to shake off the lingering fatigue. "Right. Just another day at the office, nothing to worry about." Her attempt at nonchalance felt forced, even to her own ears.

"Come on, Juliette," Alex chimed in, sensing her apprehension. "Just know that there'll be four other rookies on track, including me, feeling the exact same way you're feeling. You're not alone, I feel nervous as well."