Gasoline - [Charles Leclerc]

2.4

Charles had dropped Edrice off on the airport in the evening two days later. They had gone out for dinner with Andrea before and they've had a good time. Andrea was glad the two had found each other again. He noticed how much of a hole it had left in Charles' routine when she was gone, but that was filled up again now. He had watched them saying goodbye while he remained seated in the car, she smiled up at him and he smiled down at her as if she was his whole world. Charles had kissed her firmly before she grabbed her small bag from the floor and swung it over her shoulder, waving at Charles and also sideways at Andrea in the car before turning around to walk into the departures hall of Nice airport. Charles returned to the car and sat down behind the wheel with a sigh. Andrea smiled slightly at his driver, leaning his elbow on the door of the car and later on his head on his hand. "Your mood is immediately lifted during the last couple days". Andrea mentioned and Charles hummed in response. "Obviously". He said with a lazy grin.

Charles turned the car onto the road after he lit his blinkers to indicate he was driving away and he locked his seatbelt meanwhile. It was only a twenty minute ride back to Monte Carlo anyway. "She's what I needed after Baku. But I was pissed off when she showed up at my door step though". He laughed. Edrice and Charles had talked it out already and everything was fine now, so he didn't want to talk too much about it. He wanted to leave the past the past and look forward to the future and especially a future with Edrice. "You're both mature enough to find a way to continue". Andrea replied in Italian and Charles nodded. "Of course". He said. "Love finds a way". He nudged Charles in his shoulder and the Monegasque driver laughed at the sillyness of his trainer. He shook his head and pushed the throttle to get home. He dropped Andrea off at his apartment complex just a street further than his was and they greeted each other, knowing Andrea would be at Charles' apartment the next morning again anyway. The weekend was in front of them and after that, they'd travel to Barcelona.

He had nice memories of Spain from earlier this year. The winter testing in Barcelona is where he got to know Edrice even better, where they had their first kiss and their first date. It was a nice place to be and he hoped he could leave with even better memories for himself and Ferrari. Charles parked his car in the underground parking lot, the lights of the car flickering when he locked it up. He gathered his jacket from the backseat and made his way up to his floor by the stairs. Charles unlocked his apartment and got inside, throwing his jacket on the coatrack and kicking his shoes off. He looked at the watch around his wrist and decided it would be better if he caught some sleep for tomorrow's training. Charles moved into his bedroom, chuckling softly as he saw how neat the sheets were tucked into the sides. Edrice had done that obviously, she was way more neat than he was and she was the one who made the bed and had done his laundry for him in the last few days. He had told her multiple times she didn't have to, but it didn't keep her from doing it anyway.

Charles got his Phone out of his jeans and threw it on the bed, stripping from his clothing to slip into some comfortable shorts and then under the duvet of the bed. He turned to his side to unlock the screen of his Phone and he opened some snapchats and other messages, quickly clicking on the chat of Edrice when he saw he had an unread message. Charles' lips curled upwards when she had send him 'I love you', in Arabic, something she had taught him last night. He replied in French with a heart emoji and then set his alarm. His Phone charged on his nightstand when he turned to his back, folding his hands behind his head. Charles sighed contently, yeah, life was good.

Edrice landed in London just before midnight. She bought a coffee at the Starbucks of terminal five before she went to the exit and found her car on the large parking lot. Jomana was flying back to London tomorrow, so she was right on time to confront her with the situation she had put her in. While she was waiting to board her flight earlier this night, she had called her family. They were quite good friends with Jomana's mother, so Edrice thought they should know as well. Edrice was cutting off their friendship and her family was shocked about what had happened. Of course they supported Edrice and she was immediately welcome if she needed or wanted to come home. She had also slightly told them that she had 'met a guy' and her mother had squealed with happiness to hear that Charles was making her daughter so happy. He was immediately welcome as well and they couldn't wait to meet him and show him the Egyptian culture. Edrice had shushed her mother before she could become too exited, but it made her smile and feel relieved that they accepted that she had a boyfriend.