Gasoline - [Charles Leclerc]

0.2

Lecce's weather was everything Charles expected from the city that was located in the Southern part of Italy. It was warm, but not the humid warmth, it was a nice warmth that he liked during summer. It was only February, but he felt like he could be outside without needing a jacket. He just came from his flight from Nice to Bari Brindisi airport a backpack over his shoulder with the Essentials, since Edrice had informed him further over a text message that he didn't need a fully packed suitcase. He was holding his Phone in his hand in case he needed to call her, but as soon as he walked into the arrivals hall, he saw her standing with a his name on a piece of paper. A smile curled her plumb lips and he chuckled lightly. "Charles Leclerc? Are you Charles? I'm looking for a small, Monegasque driver...". Edrice teased when he neared her and Charles rolled his eyes. "I may be not that tall, but I'm still taller than you are, Ms. Khepri". He said and took the piece of paper with his name to throw it in the bin.

"That's quite an attitude you're having there with me". She pursed her lips together and rose her eyebrows at him, yet the playful hint was still audible in her voice and it caused Charles to grin. "What goes around, comes back around". He replied and she let out a breathy laugh now. "How was your flight?". Edrice asked while she walked a bit ahead of him to the car. "It was okay, the usual". Charles shrugged, he was flying a lot for Formula 1 of course. "Let me guess, an Audi?". His head cocked a bit sideways when he saw the lights flickering of a car she unlocked. "Well, aren't you a smart guy". She cooed and he laughed. "I assume you're sponsored by them?". He asked while he sat down in the passenger's seat of the Audi A5. "I'm the Audi ambassador of Caïro". Edrice explained when she locked her seatbelt after closing the door. "When I'm not filming, I fly out to a lot of congresses, conferences and everything else to reveal cars and have a short presentation about it". She turned the key in the output and started the engine.

"That way I know Lucas di Grassi and Nico Mueller". She smiled when she looked over at Charles. He nodded when he heard the names of familiar drivers who raced in other category's. "Audi's are elegant". Charles replied and she let out a chuckle. "For sure, they are great, and can offer so much more than you're seeing on the first eye." Edrice briefly adjusted her mirrors while driving out of the parking lot. "To get back to why you're her. Because it's quite early, you can rest a bit in your hotel room. Jomana and I have set out a plan and we'll reveal the challenge to you while filming already, so your surprised reaction or whatever reaction you give, will be real". She explained, one of her hands moving along while she spoke, the other loosely holding the leather steering wheel of the Audi. "I can act surprised and you can tell me now?". Charles tried, with another grin and it made her laugh.

"Absolutely not. You're an F1 driver, not an actor, so who says you can act surprised?". Edrice replied, sharp as ever and he gnawed at his bottom lip. "I've send the email with the information about your choice of car to the dealer that is willing to borrow us the cars for this episode". She continued and Charles remembered that he had to fill in a file. He choose any kind of car for him to use this week. In the end, every episode of their IGTV and YouTube series was meant to choose which new car performed the best. He had been thinking about it actually, he wanted his car to win of course. "Which one did you choose?". Charles curiously asked, leaning his elbow on the door. "I'm not going to tell you that either". Edrice sweetly smiled at him and his he chuckled, he could've guessed that. He briefly studied her, looking at her dark eyes that scanned the road that led them to Lecce. Her hair was braided this time, not hanging like a curtain down her shoulders, a few strands framing her face.

Her lips weren't red, but a nude, pinkish colour that looked just as beautiful on her as the other colours. "Do I have something on my face?". She asked, her tone more friendly than he expected and her eyes bored into his. His heart skipped a beat and he shook his head. "I was wondering how you could braid your hair like that, it looks difficult". A lie he blurted out while looking out of the window again. "Oh, it's not that hard". She replied with a smile, she had noticed him staring. Charles automatically started the conversation again with another subject and really liked talking to Edrice. They reached Lecce after half an hour and they went into the hotel they were staying at. Jomana was waiting for them at the entrance and she greeted Charles with a friendly smile, introducing herself and shaking his hand. "Can we make a picture together? So I can let my fans know I'm here and that I'm your guest for this week?". Charles asked and Edrice asked one of the crew to make the picture.