Mastermind

The Netherlands, September 5th, 2022

"So you and Russell?" His voice cut through the silence that had enveloped us.

"What about it?"

"Well your boyfriend looked pretty comfortable with his ex tonight...how'd you feel about that?"

"Look Gasly I don't know what you're getting at but I'm fine. I'll be great once I get out of this car." Crossing my arms I attempted to turn away from him.

"I'm sorry. I just...it seems like you guys actually are good together and I don't want you getting hurt."

"Oh that's rich coming from you." I rolled my eyes but he kept speaking.

"I mean there are no pictures of you two hugging...or even kissing, in fact one might assume you two are just friends. Or possibly not even friends at all. Possibly, you and him came to a little arrangement before your new song came out and he was still hurting over Carmen."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"That you needed a way to get in good with the media and he wanted to get Carmen to notice him again.

"Stop-"

"That none of those smiles and walks through the paddock were real because somehow you always found your way back in front of my garage."

"Are you actually delusional! That's not true at all!"

"You're angry because you know I'm right. I saw you on Thursday before you're performance-"

"How'd you even know about that?"

"Charles told me."

"Of course he did."

"Well he is my best friend."

"Yeah you're best friend whom you never told about any of this?" I gestured between us.

"Oh so you admit there's an us."

"There is no us!"

"But you just said-"

"Gasly there is no us." I leaned back into my seat and silence surrounded us again. The street lights flew by as we drove and I thought about what a terrible idea this had been.

"You were amazing by the way," his voice softened and tears of anger stung my eyes.

"What?" My brain couldn't comprehend where this conversation had turned.

"I went...to Amsterdam and watched you." He was there? I couldn't explain the emotions that pulsed through my heart and brain. The breakfast that appeared at my door, the fact that he had been in the audience, I was speechless. "I heard that your brother and Russell couldn't go so I headed over after our meetings. The only seats left were nosebleeds but it was totally worth it. My mom was right, you truly have a gift." The mention of his mother ripped the hole in my heart wide open. But, if I am being honest with myself, the hole had been open for a while.

His voice echoed through the car as he sang...horribly with the radio. "Gasly stop, I cannot handle anymore of this!"

"Hey, you are the one that agreed to ride with me to get groceries." Rolling my eyes, the Frenchman continued with his song. Ocean waves were lapping against the shore as we drove into the city. In the sky, a setting sun set his silhouette alight. I raised a hand hoping to protect my eyes from the brightness, suddenly a hand was in front of me holding out sunglasses. "Take them Hamilton, they're my extras." Hesitantly, I took the frames from him and put them on. Finally, Pierre pulled into the market parking lot. He didn't expect me to go inside, just leaving the villa when it wasn't a private activity was risky enough. Pascale had the idea that we should all make dessert together so that's how we ended up in the car headed to the store. He must have known the recipe his mum wanted because it only took him five minutes to emerge from the store bags in hand.