Midnight, The Stars & You

9.

a/n: thank you guys so much for 1k! I'm still new to the F1 world, but I hope you guys are enjoying the story nonetheless! looking forward to the Monaco race in this book and in real life 🙌🏻

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Summer 2010
France

Ginny was exhausted and she wasn't exactly sure why. She had slept the entire flight over to Monaco. Timothée had even tried to wake her when the flight attendants came round with their favorite Biscoff cookies, but she didn't even budge. And when the plane landed, she kept her head glued to the window, rattling all over the place- but still fast asleep.

In the car ride over to the banquet center, she almost drifted off but was startled by an uncomfortable cramp in her stomach. Even with the excitement of dressing up like a royal princess for the KF3 ceremony, Ginny felt like she wanted to roll into bed and cry until her eyes were dry. The only thing remotely giving her any pleasure was her dress. It was a beautiful lavender fabric that layered in the front like sheer and there were metallic butterflies latched into the crevices.

Ginny had begged for a nice outfit to wear when she heard about their family's invitation to Charles and Pierre's end-of-season party. She wanted to impress the latter. But while Ginny watched her surroundings out the window, getting closer to their destination, she wanted to turn around and go to a hotel bed for rest and comfort.

"Are you sick?" Timothée rested his hand against her forehead. She tried to slap it away but he already had pulled back, probably expecting that response. He glanced into the rearview mirror in hopes of catching Nicole's eye. "Mom? Is Ginny sick?"

"I'm just tired." Ginny groaned, feeling more irritated than usual. Maybe it was the pending doom that came along with Pierre, but even then she usually prevailed, especially with Charles by her side. This felt different.

Nicole turned around in the passenger seat, leaning over the middle console to touch her forehead. She probably needed to feel for herself. Timothée watched with worried eyes. Their mom furrowed her eyebrows and sat back with a frown. "Doesn't seem like you have a fever."

"How much water have you had to drink?" Marc asked from the driver's seat. He was winding through the steep streets of Monaco with both hands on the wheel. The rental car was fancy and made Ginny feel like a celebrity, though no one seemed to double take. "She's probably only had soda."

Ginny rolled her usually soft-brown eyes, but they were more of a dark chocolate with the mood she was in. She pressed herself closer to the window with a sigh. "I've had plenty of water."

"If Coke is water." Timothée mumbled under his breath with a snicker.

Ginny hit his side with her free elbow. "Mind your business you snitch!"

"Ginny!" Nicole exclaimed, looking into the rearview mirror with a grimace. "Don't hit your brother!"

The youngest Chalamet let out a loud and forced laugh that sounded more like a burst of sarcasm. "Oh but all the other times he hits me you're suddenly blind!?"

"You're in a real pissy mood, Ginny." Timothée rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Have you forgotten all the times I did get in trouble for just being a brother to you?"

"I guess I have, because you're mom's favorite and she wouldn't dare talk bad about the only successful actor in the family. Wouldn't want to hurt your feelings... the only one following in her footsteps." Ginny was practically foaming at the mouth. She wasn't sure where all the rage was coming from, but she couldn't help but want to rip the whole world apart. The cramps were getting stronger, but she tried not to look like she had to throw up.