Mon Amour | 𝑪.𝑳

Part 36

The two of them ended up going back to Charles' apartment the minute he was free.

That was how Lyla found herself sat against the headboard of his head with her fingers travelling through his hair humming a tune quietly whilst he laid next to her with his head on her stomach.

There hadn't been many words exchanged between the two of them but Lyla seemed to know exactly what Charles needed and he was thankful for that.

Lyla had never been the type to make him talk about his problems if he didn't want to. She had always been the type to find him after a bad race or if she felt like he needed her and to just sit with him trying to offer some form of comfort. She wasn't like the other girls he had been around in the past who had come home after a bad race and tried to pressure him into talking about his emotions which would just make him more annoyed with himself because he didn't know how to put what he was feeling into words.

Lyla did have to get up at one point to run to the bathroom. She didn't want to but she had to.

Walking back into the room minutes later, she discovered the Monegasque sat on the end of the bed with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. Lyla frowned slightly before walking over to him and sitting down next to him, Charles' head automatically dropping onto her shoulder when he felt her presence next to him.

"I'm going to retire." He says quietly after a few moments.

"What?" Lyla was shocked, but she didn't show it, turning her head to face him as he sat up.

"I'm going to retire." He repeats, staring forwards. "At the end of the season."

"Because of one qualifying?" Lyla questions.

"No because I'm a failure that will never win the championship so why bother trying."

Her heart broke hearing him speak like that about himself. But Charles kept staring forwards, knowing that if he turned to look at Lyla he would break down and he didn't want to do that.

"What makes you think that, Charlie?" She asks softly.

"I can't even do well in my own home race." He laughs bitterly. "I can't make the car do what it should and I'm meant to be one of the 20 best drivers in the world."

"Your lying to yourself to give yourself a reason to retire."

"What if I'm not." He asks. "What if its the truth."

"Its not the truth and you know it."

"I'm starting P17 tomorrow, Delilah." He mutters, running his hand through his hair. "And lets be realistic here, I'm going to DNF with some sort of issue or because of an accident."

"Stop it." Lyla cuts him off before he could continue. "Stop talking down on yourself."

"Its not talking down on yourself when its the truth is it?"

Lyla just sighed and moved her body around before pulling Charles into a hug. He fought against her at first, trying to push her away and muttering continuously about how he was a failure and that she should just leave and go find someone else to be best friends with. But no matter how hard he pushed her or how hard he tried to pull himself away from her she stayed where she was. Not saying anything in response to his words because she knew he wanted her to because then he could use it as another reason for her to leave.

After five minutes of fighting he caved, a sob leaving his lips as Lyla tightened her grip and blinked away the tears that had formed through the entire time he'd been fighting her.