On and Off the Track

N I N E T Y F O U R.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, gently waking me from a deep sleep. I shifted slightly, feeling Charles still beside me, his breathing slow and even. The night before had been one of the most memorable of our lives, celebrating his first F1 World Championship. Even now, in the quiet aftermath of it all, it still felt surreal. Charles stirred next to me, blinking his eyes open as he glanced over. His arm instinctively tightened around my waist, a lazy smile forming on his lips.
"Morning," he whispered, his voice still raspy from sleep.
"Morning, world champion," I teased, a playful glint in my eyes as I propped myself up on my elbow to look down at him. "How's it feel to wake up knowing you're officially the best?" He chuckled softly, shaking his head as if he still couldn't quite believe it.
"It feels... incredible. But mostly, it feels good to be here with you." He reached up, brushing a stray hair from my face. "I wouldn't want to wake up any other way." I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't stop smiling.
"Careful, your charm's starting to sound too smooth for someone who was drunk off champagne just hours ago." He grinned.
"What can I say? It's a talent." We lay in silence for a moment, enjoying the stillness of the morning. The season was over. The relentless travel, the pressure, the constant focus, it was all done. And Charles had done it. He was a world champion.
"I still can't believe it," I murmured after a while. "All those years of hard work, everything you've been through... it's all paid off." Charles nodded, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully.
"Yeah. I knew it would be tough, but it's better than I ever imagined." He turned his head to look at me, his gaze soft. "But you've been there through it all. I don't think I could've done this without you." I leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.
"You could've. But I'm glad I was here anyway."

We spent the rest of the day lounging in bed, scrolling through social media and reading the endless congratulations pouring in from fans, fellow drivers, and celebrities. I laughed when we stumbled upon a video of us from the night before, tipsy and grinning ear to ear, dancing in a blur of flashing lights. Charles shook his head in amusement.
"We're going to look back on that and cringe, aren't we?"
"Absolutely," I agreed with a laugh. "But for now, we'll just pretend it's charming." Eventually, hunger pulled us out of bed, and we ordered a late lunch to the room. The quietness of the hotel felt strange after the chaos of the paddock and the intensity of the race weekend. There were no interviews to rush off to, no strategy meetings to prepare for. It was just... peace. As we ate, I glanced over at Charles with a mischievous look.
"So... what now, world champion? What's the first thing on your agenda postseason?" Charles leaned back in his chair, folding his arms and smirking.
"Well, I was thinking maybe a long, long vacation. Somewhere sunny. Somewhere quiet. And definitely somewhere where no one can ask me a single question about racing." I grinned, leaning forward.
"That sounds like a dream. You've earned it." The rest of the day passed in a blissful blur of relaxation. We strolled around Abu Dhabi in the evening, grabbing a drink and taking in the sights now that the race weekend frenzy had passed. For once, we were able to enjoy the city as just Charles and Bronte, not driver and girlfriend, without the pressure of the championship looming over us. As the sun set, we returned to the hotel, and Charles checked his phone, scrolling through messages and notifications.
"Everyone's asking about round two of celebrations," he said, glancing over at me. "But honestly... I think I just want to be here. With you." I smiled softly.
"You're really turning down a party? You must be tired."
"Exhausted," he admitted with a chuckle. "But happy." We spent the evening quietly, just the two of us, talking about everything and nothing. I curled up beside him, my head resting on his chest as we watched a movie, though neither of us really paid attention to it. The weight of the season had lifted, and now, there was only calm.
"I'm proud of you," I whispered later, when we were both lying in bed again, the lights dimmed, and the world outside quiet. Charles turned his head slightly to look at me, his eyes soft in the low light.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "I'm proud of me too." I laughed softly at that, then kissed his cheek.
"You should be." As we drifted off to sleep, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. For once, there was no race to wake up for, no pressure to perform. Just the two of us, together, in our own little world.

The next few days passed in a haze of quiet contentment. We stayed in Abu Dhabi for a couple more days. We didn't make any grand plans, choosing instead to indulge in the luxury of free time, something neither of us had had in months. On the third morning after the race, I woke up to the sunlight creeping through the curtains and noticed that Charles had already slipped out of bed. I rolled over, lazily scrolling through my phone until he returned a couple of hours later, his hair damp from the shower. I looked up as he walked in and gave him a teasing smile.
"Already back to training, world champion?" Charles shrugged, grinning as he sat at the edge of the bed.
"Old habits die hard. You know how it is." I rolled my eyes playfully.
"You could take at least a week off. It's not like anyone's going to challenge you for the title now." He chuckled, leaning in to kiss my forehead.
"Maybe not. But I can't sit still for too long." Glancing at my phone, he raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at?" I flipped the screen toward him.
"Apparently, we're trending again. There's some fan video of us from the podium celebration." Charles took the phone from me, watching the clip of us celebrating, me in the crowd beaming up at him as he lifted the championship trophy. He smiled and handed the phone back.
"It was a good moment."
"One of many," I said, feeling the warmth of that memory. I set the phone aside and stretched out, finally letting the post-race relaxation settle into my bones. "So, what's the plan for today? No racing, no interviews... it feels weird." Charles lay back beside me, resting his arm behind his head.
"I was thinking maybe we could just take a walk by the water. Have lunch somewhere quiet. I kind of just want to stay out of the spotlight for a bit."
"That sounds perfect," I said, turning to face him. "But we should probably head back to Monaco soon, right? There's so much to catch up on."
"Yeah," he agreed, though there was a touch of reluctance in his voice. "I'll need to go back to Maranello for the team celebration at some point, but not just yet."

The rest of the day was easy and unhurried. We strolled by the beach, enjoyed a quiet lunch at a tucked-away café, and for the first time in what felt like forever, no one asked us for pictures or interviews. It was as if the world had paused for us, giving us the space to breathe after the whirlwind of the past year.

Later that night, we found ourselves back at the hotel, lounging on the balcony with the city lights twinkling in the distance. I curled up in a chair, wrapped in a blanket, watching Charles as he leaned against the railing, lost in thought.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked quietly. He glanced back at me, his face thoughtful but relaxed.
"Just... everything. The season. How it all came together. It's crazy to think about." I nodded.
"It feels like just yesterday we were in Monaco, watching you race there. And now... here we are."
"Yeah," he said softly. "It's been a wild ride. But it feels good, you know? To finally get here." I smiled, getting up and walking over to him. Leaning my head against his shoulder, I looked out at the city.
"You deserve it, Charles. You've worked so hard for this." He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer.
"I couldn't have done it without you," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. We stood there for a while, just watching the world below us, content in the quiet moment we'd managed to carve out. Eventually, I pulled back, feeling a mischievous twinkle in my eyes.
"So, world champion... What's next? A victory tour around Europe? A yacht in the Mediterranean?" Charles laughed, shaking his head.
"Maybe. Or maybe I just want to stay here with you and enjoy the fact that, for once, I don't have to think about the next race." Grinning, I took his hand and led him back inside.
"That sounds like the best plan you've had all year." We spent the rest of the night curled up together, talking about the future, about what was next now that the season was over. For the first time in months, we didn't have to worry about the next race or event. It was just the two of us, in our own little bubble, savouring the victory and the peace that came with it.