Off the track- Arthur Leclerc

3

Friday 14th October 2022, 08:36am

London, United Kingdom

Lily smiled watching the small loading circle disappear and the circle around her profile picture turn purple. She turned his body to see Arthur still asleep, she runs her fingers through his hair gently

"Good morning" he groans nuzzling his face into her neck "Happy birthday pretty boy, how does it feel being 19?" she smiles wrapping her arms around his neck

"Not very much different, but glad to be a year older. Not that it changes anything. As-tu bien dormi?" did you sleep well? "Very well, our forth day in London, sadly tomorrow is our last"

"We're also going out to see your parents tomorrow, with Lando, and your other brother Oliver. Oh shit Elise too" he says sitting up onto his elbows "Oh please don't tell me you're afraid of Elise"

"She's intimidating!" he defended himself pulling her onto him "Yeah, she's been like that since a kid. Mum and Dad are afraid of her sometimes you know?" Lily laughs propping a leg either side of his waist

"Elise never talks about her parents, what about them?"

"Well I'm only telling you this story because Elise told me that if you ever day it's to be me to tell you. Not Ollie, not my parents, just me. It's also very private to her and she hates talking about it, so please never bring it up unless she does?"

"Of course chérie" he rubs small circles on her hip bones "It's a long story, but to shorten it. Elise didn't have the best childhood, her mother was absent from the first day, leaving it just to be her and her father. When Elise was four and starting school, that's when she met me and that's when the trouble at home really started

...she doesn't have any other family except her dad, and when Elise started going to school, he grew lonely and fell into a really bad state of depression, he started to physically abuse her. And it got so bad where she would come over everyday to my house after school and she would stay most nights. When she was 9 her Dad became sober for the first time in a while and realised what he was doing, everything went to court and full custody was granted to my parents. Legally she is a Norris, but biologically she is a Miller"

"Your family is amazing Liliana. I can see why Elise trust's you and Lando so much now"

"I'm sorry I turned your birthday conversation sour, we talked about telling you at some point but-" "No I understand, I would have loved for Elise to tell me but I understand a hard topic to talk about"

"You're just great aren't you, god really just added a bit of everything to your mixing bowl didn't he?" she leans down pressing a kiss to his lips "No, no. Don't go away. It's my birthday" he pulls her back down pulling her into a much deep kiss

"That's right, it is your birthday" she smirks taking off the shirt she borrowed from Arthur the night before

-

"This place is amazing, you came here everyday?"

"Everyday when I was home, we originally lived in Bristol. But my parents moved to London when we all moved out, well when Lando and Oliver moved out. Me and Elise were still there for a year before we moved."

"Well I love it here, we should come every time we visit London. I love it here. I would love to live here"

"You could never leave Monaco, you love it too much" she laughs drinking her hot chocolate "That's true, and you've got cream all over the your face" he smiles wiping the cream from her face

"Thank you" she leans over the table giving him a kiss

-

Today had been what Arthur described as the best birthday of his life. Last year was spent was his family and Lily, Elise and Ollie. It was the first birthday in a couple with Liliana.