Burning Heart // CL16

Sixty Four

16th August 2024, Monaco
Alessia's POV

"Come on pleaseeeeeee?" Charles begs as he sits next to me, a smile on his face but frustration in his eyes as he tried to keep his cool.

"Feel free! But why do I have to go," I ask, screwing my face up as his falls flat and unimpressed.

"You don't have to go... I would like you to go..." Charles says, restating what I already knew but was trying to stubbornly ignore, emphasising that it was an ask and not an order.

"Don't look at me like that," I tell him as I look away, refocusing on the view as I tried to enjoy the fact that we had agreed to be in one place for the next four weeks. The only real break in the F1 calendar. It had been a very real whirlwind but a kind of incredible one, Ruby and I had been to every race on the calendar apart from Saudi and it was working for us. Charles had won three of them and was currently third in the championship, having a really good season all things considered as he battled primarily with Mercedes, Red Bull having run into serious reliability issues this year to the surprise of many as they were comfortably third, behind Ferrari by 70 points and behind Mercedes by 110.

However, this didn't stop Charles from reminding me every week that they could make a resurgence at any time and when their car worked... it was unstoppable. Only George and Lewis were ahead of him in the championship, Lewis leading and Charles was taking it as a personal responsibility to try and make sure that he didn't win. And although Lewis was ahead, there was only 44 points in it and so if Ferrari's next upgrades were as good as everyone hoped they were - there was a good chance of a comeback for Charles.

It would be hard though, Toto's pre-summer comments made it clear that Mercedes was ready to prioritise Lewis if the choice needed to be made. Fortunately though, for the first time in what felt like forever - Ferrari had agreed the same for Charles. Carlos had been hesitant and if he wasn't a great godfather I would maybe be annoyed at him for that but he was behind Max in the championship and so had conceded and agreed to help the week before summer began.

Right now though, Charles and I were stuck debating my attendance at one of his few sponsor responsibilities that were scheduled over the summer. This one was Riva Yacht and I was starting to run out of valid reasons as to why not to do this one. I'd avoided a couple of these invitations with the reason of babysitting Ruby but this one... the invite was extended to Ruby as well if I agreed. Charles was trying to reassure me that I could and should come with him, being that he'd been trying to get the both of us on his yacht for the last few months, which was very true.

"What are you guys arguing about now?" Kiraz asks as she swans onto the balcony where we are currently sat, Ruby having her mid afternoon nap in her room leaving time for Charles and I to talk and relax. Or argue. I sit up straight in surprise at seeing her as I look at Charles who similarly seems confused as to her presence but shrugs it off quickly, seeing an opportunity where I see an issue.

"Where the fuck did you come from?" I mutter to myself as she swans in and sits next to me when neither of us immediately answer her question or invite her to do so.

"The Riva thing," Charles says eagerly as Kiraz moves so her legs are draping over mine in the sun as she eats some of the fruit salad that is currently on the table between Charles and I - having a late lunch in the sun as I sit in a purple linen shirt and shorts matching co-ord outfit.

"Ooooh... why not?" Kiraz asks as she looks at me unaware - eating more of our food as my eyes narrow at her.

"Do you not have like your own house?" I ask her, wondering aloud why she is here again having been here almost daily and while it's normally welcome - I'm aware I'm about to be heavily outnumbered if I'm not careful.