Racing Hearts : VOLUME 2

Chapter 19: Déjà Vu

The final race of the season was fast approaching, but Charles couldn't shake the growing pit of anxiety gnawing at him. Everywhere he looked, there were rumors—whispers that Mark wouldn't be returning next year. He hadn't dared to ask Mark directly, and it was driving him to the edge. Carlos was already leaving to join Williams, and now it felt like he was about to lose Mark too. His friend, his closest ally, and... maybe something more.

Arthur and Lorenzo sat with him, trying to calm him down, but it wasn't working. The room was filled with tension as Charles' thoughts spiraled.

"You don't get it!" Charles snapped, pacing in frustration. "You don't know how much he means to me! This is all happening again, like last year... but this time it's real! He might actually leave!"

Arthur looked up, confused. "What do you mean, 'like last year'? Mark's not confirmed to leave yet, right?"

Lorenzo nodded in agreement. "It's all just rumors, Charles. Red bull hasn't made an official announcement."

But Charles shook his head, his voice filled with frustration. "That's what you said last year when I thought I was losing him too, and look how that turned out! Last year, I wanted to tell him... I needed to, but I couldn't, and I thought I'd never see him again."

Arthur blinked, surprised by Charles' sudden outburst. "Wait... you really care about him that much? Like—"

Before Arthur could finish, Charles cut him off. "You don't get it! I LOVE HIM, OKAY?! I CAN'T LOSE HIM, NOT AGAIN!" His voice broke as the words slipped out, louder than he had ever intended.

A stunned silence filled the room. Charles stared ahead, his heart racing. He hadn't even realized the weight of those words until now. Arthur and Lorenzo exchanged shocked glances.

"Wait... you love him?" Arthur asked, his voice quiet but filled with disbelief. "Charles, are you serious?"

Lorenzo's eyes widened. "We're talking about Mark here, right?"

Charles slumped back onto the couch, burying his face in his hands. "I... I don't know, okay? I didn't even mean to say that. I'm just... I'm scared of losing him."

Later that evening, Charles found himself absentmindedly scrolling through Instagram, trying to take his mind off things. But then something stopped him cold. A post from F1's official account caught his eye. His heart raced as he opened it:

Charles blinked in disbelief, his heart skipping a beat. Mark was staying?! He stared at his phone, trying to process the information. Was this real? Could it actually be happening?

Before he could think any further, his phone buzzed. It was Mark.

Charles hesitated for a moment before answering. "Mark?" His voice trembled, unsure of what to say.

"Hey, bunny boy," Mark's teasing voice came through the line. "Miss me?"

Charles blinked, still in shock. "I... are you really staying with Ferrari next season? I just saw the post, and I thought—"

Mark laughed, the sound light and playful. "Yep! Just signed the contract. Looks like you're stuck with me for another season, mate."

Relief flooded through Charles, a weight lifting off his chest. "Wait... seriously? You're not leaving?"

"Nope," Mark teased again. "Red Bull's in my rearview now. It's just you and me at Ferrari."

Charles laughed, a wave of happiness washing over him. "I thought you were leaving. I was... I was losing my mind thinking about it."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," Mark reassured him. "We're teammates again. Get ready for another season together."

Charles smiled, relief and excitement mixing inside him. But as much as he was thrilled that Mark was staying, a part of him couldn't shake the deeper feelings he'd just confessed. He wasn't ready to confront them yet, but knowing Mark wasn't leaving gave him some time to figure it all out.

For now, all that mattered was that Mark was staying. That was enough.

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