invisible string | c. leclerc

thirteen

XIII. Best Friend's Support

SILVERSTONE: July 2023

TWITTER:

➥@fan009: OMYGOD THALIE JUST ARRIVED AT THE PADDOCK!

    ➥@fan18: and now we know the sudden change lmao

    ➥@fan100: that and Daniel yelled out her name by the media pen

    ➥@fan17: that caught his attention real quick

➥@fan000: she's back!

➥@fan178: and Charles will get scolded by Sylvia again lmao

FP2 Post Race: Nathalie Noelle, after months of not being able to attend races, she was there now. All of the excitement of not being able to watch live was rising up.

So, despite wanting to keep it low, to just support her best friend but she was so excited she pulled out the gift that Octavia made for her. It would be part of her surprise.

Only Kiara and Pierre knew, okay maybe Lando found out but just them. So, when she arrived she was quickly noticed by the press and the fans. It was no longer a secret that the model had arrived.

Luckily for the sake of the surprise, the Ferraris were already at the media pen by then.

Nathalie walked across the paddock, smiling at the cameras and the fans but not letting anyone stop her from her goal. To show herself to her best friend. So, when she finally was reaching the media pen, it was Kiara who saw her first.

The Alpine driver waved her over and with the whole excitement of being on the track again, seeing a race in real life, being with her best friend again.

The moment she neared Kiara, she had passed the media pen completely and her bright Ferrari jacket, some of the reporters called out to her. But that wasn't what caught Charles' attention. What caught his attention was the voice of Daniel yelling her name.

"NATHALIE! NATHALIE!" Everyone heard it making them turn their heads to see the Redbull driver skipping towards the model who was stunned.

But as Daniel was pestering the girl with Clara rushing to him. "Charles?" Angel asked. The Monegasque hummed and teared his gaze away from his best friend.

She was there. Standing and watching as Clara was scolding Daniel about being too loud and causing a scene. Thalie was trying her best not to laugh.

"It seems we have lost you Charles." Angel asked again with a laugh. The driver sighed, "Sorry, can you excuse me for a bit..." he trailed and rushed out of the media pen and toward the commotion.

He knew his cheeks must have been as red as his overalls. Although, he didn't have to reach them when Nathalie's eyes met his.

The bright and familiar smile appearing on her face. The same smile that keeps him feeling warm and happy. It made him stop. Stop walking, breathing, everything.

Nathalie walked to him, excusing herself from the commotion. She now stood in front of him, still smiling but with her head tilted.

"Cha..." she whispered and tapped his forehead. He blinked and suddenly all of the noise of the paddock, all of the movement, were back.

"Thalie. You're here." He said breathlessly. She smiled wider at him and nodded, "Of course I did. I'm sorry I haven't been, but I am here now."

And for the first time, Charles felt real comfort in that. He felt that even if he heard it thousands of times before from her, it felt different.

He can't really pin point what different it is but it is different. And he didn't know how to take that. But he didn't care, he grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the chaos.

Charles led her away, from prying eyes. He wanted it to be just them. Just Thalie and Cha. And despite the lack of places to hide, he had one place of solace.

"Your driver's room. What are we doing here?" Thalie asked. Charles smiled, "I missed you Thals. Can't I have you for me for a while. No Pierre, no Kiara, or loud Daniel. Just me and you."

She raised an eyebrow at him, but she smiled and nodded, "Of course Cha. We can be just Thalie and Cha. Like old times."