Apex | Charles Leclerc

Chapter 13

Surprise update! I haven't had the time to proof read this so look our for some typos ☺️

Enjoy!

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January 25, 2028 - Monaco

I used to hate being surrounded by silence. It was a constant reminder that I was alone with no one to share a simple conversation with. Three years ago, I developed a habit of always having my headphones over my ears, listening to a playlist filled with music that would occupy me for hours. I mostly used it when I was at home since I couldn't bare the empty space.

Now though, I value the silence around me. It took a long way for me to get here and back then, I still found myself itching to listen to some music or turn on the television to have a low noise in the background. Even when I began seeing Charles, silence was still something I dreaded to experience.

Gabby wordlessly passed me a can of beer before moving to start the engine. She had stopped the boat a good distance from the port, leaving me be as I sat by the front and she stood behind the wheel.

"What's on your mind?" She asked when she sat beside me, opening a can of beer of her own. We were both wearing sunglasses over our eyes to fight the heat and brightness of the sun.

"A lot." I breathed out and she smiled at me, head leaning on my shoulder. "I don't know where I'll start when I tell him."

"Maybe start with his attitude so that he'd feel a bit of remorse."

"It's no different to how he is now, so I'm not sure if that'll do anything." I commented and she agreed with a nod.

"How do you think he'll react?" She asked, a look of apprehension on her face.

I set down my beer and lied down, closing my eyes because even with the sunglasses, the glare of the sun was still too much. "Regret." I answered, my voice filled with more worry than pain. I could already imagine the look on his face. He'r remember every little thing he did wrong ever since we got into this mess and he'd feel guilty for acting that way towards me.

I don't want him to feel guilty. I never held it against him, knowing that he had no idea what I've been through. I only hoped that he would be patient enough for me to muster up as much strength as I could. It's a characteristic of his that I always hated. He tended to feel quilty and blame himself for things he had no control of, eapecially in racing. I can't even count the amount of times a race has kept him down for days, specifically the ones where it wasn't even his fault.

Gabby and I spent the rest of the day in the water. She brought her camera with her and took some photos, some of which I'd surely see in her portfolio after a few months. The food she brought was more than enough for the two of us but I didn't have an appetite to eat as much as her. I ignored the look she gave me after seeing my plate only half full compared to hers but she didn't bring it up either.

When it was time to go back, I settled myself with Gabby by the wheel as we went back to the port. "We need to stop by the store before heading back." She raised an eyebrow at me in question. "We're not staying in Monaco. It's a good thing it's Friday because I need us to be free from any interruptions."

"Am I right in guessing that this weekend would involve a lot of alcohol?" She asked, remembering how I used to cope before. The memory made me cringe but I knew I would never drink excessively like that again.

"Not that much but I have a feeling he'd be consuming more than me. Plus a bit of ice cream for myself." I replied and she smirked, shaking her head at me.