Formula 1 One Shots [REQUESTS CLOSED]

Old Friend - Felipe Drugovich (1/3) ✔

Inspired by: It's Nice To Have A Friend; Taylor Swift

-

"Do you think there is life on other planets?" Rosa asked her best friend Felipe. They were sitting in the garden of the Drugovich family, a bright moon illuminating their faces. It was the middle of July, one of those cruel summer nights when the air is dry and the wind peacefully snoring tangled in branches.

They spend most of their free time there lying on the grass, running around pretending to be pirates or policemen, or staying in the treehouse Mr. Drugovich built for them. Rosa sometimes wishes that she could move here. They have a nice house, and Felipe's parents are always kind to her. Sometimes, when her parents are too scary, she runs away just across the street because she knows she can find a safe place there.

"I don't know," Felipe shrugged while looking at the pitch-dark sky, tiny stars flashed once in a while and brought a bit of excitement to both juveniles, "but I heard in school that there isn't."

"It is weird to think that people live only here...there are so many planets and galaxies. There must be something. Even a small asteroid...like the one the Little Prince has." Rosa dreamily gazed up, imagining a blonde boy sitting on the small chair right next to his beloved rose, watching an afterglow after the sun had set down. How she wished she could be like him.

"But that's not a real place," Felipe grunted, and Rosa looked back at him with a frown, "the man who wrote it made it up."

"How can you be so sure?" she asked, but Felipe didn't find the answer to her question, "If I could, I would go to another planet in a heartbeat. Well, you are about to do it, actually," Rosa's tone was bitter, she still hasn't overcome the fact that her best friend is going to leave her. In some way, she was envious of him. He had everything Rosa was yearning for: a beautiful house, a loving family, and something he is passionate about. Racing means everything to Felipe, it gives his life a purpose. Something Rosa is desperately trying to find, but it seems to be hidden very well.

"I'm leaving to Europe, not to a whole different planet, silly," Felipe nudged her shoulder with a laugh.

"But it will feel like it," Rosa whispered while looking down, "and then, with whom I will play video games, sleep in tents or build snowmen? Who will lend me gloves when I forget them at home?"

"I know," Felipe sighed. He will surely miss his sweet little Rosa, she is his best friend after all. But he really wants to keep racing and get to Formula 1 one day. It is breaking his heart to leave her here all alone. But he was sure they will keep in touch even if there will be thousands of miles between them, "but you also have other friends, Rosa. You won't be alone, I promise you that."

"But none of them is like you," Rosa sniffled, and she could feel the first little salty tears dripping down, "can't you take me with you?"

"I would love to, but I can't. Plus, your parents wouldn't allow that," Rosa kept silent, so Felipe decided to wrap his arms around her small shoulders, "but we'll still talk to each other...and write letters. I already know that I'll be living in Cornelia Street 16...maybe you can also visit me..."

"ROSA! COME HOME IMMEDIATELY!" They both flinched when they heard a stern voice of Jose Archer Cardoso, Rosa's father. Felipe has always been scared of him, he looks like a villain from a cartoon he and Rosa like to watch.

"I'M GOING!" Rosa shouted back. However, she didn't budge an inch, "do you know what?" she suddenly asked, her big eyes looking at him with great anticipation, "I will run away!"

"Wh-what?" Felipe yelped. He knew how hot-headed and impulsive she can be, yet he didn't expect this from her, "and where would you go?"

"I don't know...maybe to India?" Rosa shrugged, she clearly got the idea the second she said it.

"Do you think it's better in India than here?"

"Anywhere it's better than here," Rosa immediately answered, her eyes flickering all around, "this place just doesn't feel right to me...I will never be myself here...never able to express myself...to love who I want to love. It will only dig me deeper into the rabbit hole and let me suffocate. Staying here is like death by a thousand cuts. Maybe if I was a man..."

"ROSA, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

"You are leaving tomorrow morning, aren't you?" Rosa whispered and Felipe silently nodded his head, "I will make sure to give you my goodbyes. Goodnight, Drugo," she gave her friend a quick kiss on the cheek before standing up and running to her house. Felipe was watching her figure disappearing in the darkness that was surrounding the house of the Cardoso family. Felipe used to think that their house is haunted, and that's why Rosa's father is always angry. But I think he knows that's not the real reason why.

-

It was already daylight, and Rosa was standing outside Felipe's house together with her parents. She wanted to see Felipe for the last time to say her goodbyes. He said that they would still be in touch, but Rosa was scared that he would be too busy to remember some Rosa he used to be friends with.

"I have something for you," Rosa smiled mischievously and took out a yellow paper ring she made when she couldn't sleep last night, "so you won't forget I existed. I have mine too," she showed him her ring that she already had on her finger.

"That's so sweet of you," Felipe chuckled and put the ring on his finger too, "but I would never forget you, Rosa."

"You never know, Felipe. You will be a London boy now, you will make new friends, you will travel the world, you will be caught up with racing. And one day, you will meet your lover, fall in love with her and marry her. And I...I will be just a distant memory surrounded by haze."

"I promise you that I will never forget you, Rosa Cardoso. I will carry you in my heart till the day I die. And I will make sure to keep in touch with you as much as my schedule will allow me to. I promise you that. And I promise you that soon you'll get better...because after every rain comes a rainbow."

"I love you to the Sun and Neptune, Felipe. It's nice to have a friend like you," Rosa wrapped her best into a hug, knowing that this might be the last time she will hold him this tight, "I will miss you."

"I love you too, Rosa," he whispered into her ear before they broke apart. She was watching her friend getting into the car, her eyes filling with tears. He peeked out of the window and waved at her as the car passed them by. He was gone, he really was. When the car was nowhere to be seen, Rosa burst into tears, she already missed him terribly.

"You need to calm down, Rosa. It's really pathetic," her mother snorted upon her crying daughter. They have no idea how important Felipe was to her. He was her only hope. But she swallowed her pride and followed her parents into their house.