AGAIN || MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE /Charles Leclerc/

Chapter 17

Celine

Before

"So, did you celebrate?" Kelly offers me another vodka lemon while I nod enthusiastically to her question. I really enjoy spending time with her and her boyfriend Max, he's a Formula One driver as well. Charles introduced us in Bahrain after the first race of the season and we've been in contact ever since we spent the night out partying for Max's victory. It's been a bit more than six months ago. Max and I grew really close, in a friendly way of course, and right now is the closest friend I have after Daniel.

Tonight we're all out, well not really all of us. It's my fourth drink and I start feeling the alcohol kicking in, after all I'm celebrating my last win of the week. Me and Daniel made it again, bringing home another trophy and a lot of money, and now that the tournament it's over I can finally spend some time with the group.

"We didn't really celebrate yet, Danny's already racing tonight, second phase is on... I think he'll organize something cool tomorrow at his place." I feel bad for leaving him alone tonight, we race as a team and I should have been there. The only thing comforting me is that Heidi is there too, and I know for sure something is going on between them.

"Charles?" I drink down the remain of my cocktail taking a bit of time to answer. Everyone knows Charles does not approve at all this thing me and Daniel are involved in. Even if it's literally his job he thinks it's more dangerous and it being illegal doesn't help the cause. The only thing worrying me however, is someone finding out Daniel is in it too, because if it comes out in the media his career would be over. Maybe it is even more dangerous, but the chills I get from driving my Mercedes like that in Monaco streets are priceless.

"You know what he thinks..." The girls are staring at me, trying to understand if his absence bothers me. I don't know what exactly, but he had something going on tonight, the reason why we had already celebrated last night and it was alright like this.

"Yeah, but does he hate it that much not to come to dinner tonight?" I shrug my shoulders, if he didn't want to come I would have never dragged him but I'm sure he really had another place to be at. Lando and Pierre with Kika are here as well, he would have never missed a party with them.

"He was busy." But my voice is covered by Lando's, who, after spending the last twenty minutes on his phone, is finally back with us.

"What is he doing at the race? Heidi just posted a video on her close friends, it's him, I'm sure about it!" He throws his phone at me, opened on Heidi's private profile, and it is indeed Charles on her video. I furrow my eyebrows and take out my phone to send him a quick test.

Where are you?

Why didn't he tell me he would have gone? He's always telling me how irresponsible of us it is to take part, how he hates that place and how everytime he comes it's just to be sure I'm alright. I'd understand if he was there supporting Daniel but since it's obvious he can't stand him lately, I can find no explanation to why my boyfriend is there tonight.

"Are you okay Lin?" Is Max asking me now, I can't have the night ruined for this: Charles is a grown up he can do whatever he wants to.

"Okay, what were we saying?" I grab another drink, promising myself it's gonna be the last one, anyway I know Max won't let me drink anything else. And the mood is back to how it was ten minutes ago: happy, no worries, nothing at all but easiness. We spend a good half an hour talking about how me and Daniel got into illegal racing, which is a very simple story. Two spoiled teens living in Monaco in their twenties, with way too much money and a new found passion for motors on my side. When I met him eight years ago I knew nothing about cars or the Formula One world, even until a few months ago my knowledge of legal racing stopped with Renoult, his team. I didn't even know what the winner or other drivers looked like and that's because me and Daniel would always ditch the paddock as soon as the race was over.