Keep the rain [CL16]

Chapter 12 - Charles's P.O.V.

Friday night.
The whole place was filled with people.
Important people.

Sponsors, the F.I.A., team principals and former drivers.
Still the only person I could look at was Athena.
Her necklace hung snuggly on her neck, and I wished I could replace it with my hands later tonight.
But I couldn't.

The red dress made her look like an angel of death, one from my own personal hell.
That's what I felt like I was in.
Hell.

I saw her standing across the room, talking to important people on Ace's arm, smiling and laughing. Being her charming self.
And all I could do was watch from a safe distance.

I couldn't walk up to her, touch her and talk to her.
I destroyed that privilege and the only one I could blame was myself.
I regretted my words the second she slammed the door shut behind her.
I didn't know why I said those things in the first place.

I wanted to text her and apologise.
Time after time my finger hovered over her contact to call her.
But I never did.

I didn't think I should solve this problem over the phone.
I needed to speak to her.
Right now.

I set my empty champagne glass down on a high table and made my way through the crowd.
I didn't come far though as some guy from Ray-Ban grabbed my arm.
They sponsored us, in return for some photoshoots with their glasses on.
„Charles! What a season!" he greeted me.

I shook his hand, only briefly looking at the man, then looking back at Athena.
I didn't know him and I didn't bother pretending I did.
„Sad that it didn't work out in the end. But I can feel it. The next season is yours." He still held my hand.
„Thank you. May you excuse me, there's someone I need to talk to." I pulled my hand from his grasp and didn't wait another second to walk away.

I didn't care if I was rude.
I needed to talk to Athena as long as she was sober.

„Fucking hell." I groaned as another hand pulled on my shoulder.
I was ready to punch whoever held me back.

I turned around and saw Pierre was the one I was going to beat up. Next to him his girl of the month. Kika or something.
„What?" I snapped.

„Where do you think you're going?" he asked me.
„None of your business."
He followed my gaze to Athena.

„Oh, no. We're not doing that."
„I'll do whatever I want." I snarled.
Before I knew it, he called Lewis over. He was just walking past us but stoped to figure out why Pierre called him.

„He wants go talk to Athena."
„The hell you are." Lewis barked.
„What? Why?" I asked.
Did she talk to him about what happened?

„She doesn't want to talk to you dude."
She did.

I rubbed my face.
„I just want to apologise." I explained.
„Well, you should've done that like a week ago. But now, do that another time and not on a gala with thousands of important people around."
Lewis made a good point.

It wasn't really the smartest thing to apologise to her in a public setting, but every atom in my body pulled me closer to her.
Every skin cell wanted to feel her touch again.
I looked at Athena.

She just finished saying something; I was too far away to hear what.
But whatever it was it made everyone around her laugh.

Her lips were pulled into a huge smile, her shoulders shaking with her laughter.
She's beautiful.

„Okay then." Change of plans. „I'm getting drunk and I'm your responsibility.

I shoved Pierre's shoulder.