POV: You Love Charles Leclerc

12. Hate

516 words
Inspired by 'When You're Gone' by Shawn Mendes
Listen to the song while reading (specifically the chorus- 0:38) 😁 I don't know why but this song reminds me of Charles

You loved Charles Leclerc. He loved you. His fans did not, though. Well, most of them did, a few hundred of them did not. Ever since you announced you were dating 3 months ago, you had been overwhelmed with hate. Death threats every week if not everyday. You had to stop looking but you couldn't.
One day you found yourself gravitating towards Instagram, the worst of them all. You were just sitting in yours and Charles' room on the bed while he was out food shopping. You couldn't say why but you started to look at the comments under all of the posts of Charles and you, reading each hate comment, one by one. You hadn't noticed but after 5 minutes, you had tears streaming down your face. Every word tipped you further and further off the edge before you were curled up in a ball on the bed pulling at your hair and crying your eyes out. Why did you have to be like this?
You didn't notice Charles enter the room until he placed a warm hand on your shaking body. You looked up, tears staining your face and eyes red. Charles' heart broke for you as he saw you in this state, broken and hurt.
"Ma cherie, what is wrong?" he asked you sympathetically.
"I- I-" you began but every time you thought about it you would go back into breakdown mode.
"It's okay, you're safe. Why don't we calm you down and then we can talk about it." Charles suggested, reaching to get a box of tissues from your bedside table. He dabbed your tears away gently and hugged you tightly, rocking you slightly. He stroked your hair softly as he held you, still shaking. "Shhhh, baby. It's okay, you're okay. You're here with me, it's just me and you. I've got you." He said quietly.
Once you had calmed down, you told Charles about all of the hate you had been getting since you had announced your relationship. "And I don't think I can take it anymore Charles. I love you but I can't go on like this. It's breaking me." You cried into his shoulder.
"Ma cherie, you're not going anywhere. I hate the thought of losing you, I'm the happiest I've ever been with you. I need you." He pleaded you, "we'll get through this, I'll tell them to stop but don't go looking anymore, okay? Stay away from social media for a while. I can't afford to lose you." You wanted to agree with him but you thought back to the comments, these 'fans' were pulling you away. You were slipping away from the love of your life. "They want to split us up, babe." He grabbed your hand, gently squeezing it. "We can't give in to them, we'll be strong together, just hold on. I love you too much to let you just let you go like that."
"Same, I love you so much, Charles. Thank you." You sniffled.
"I don't want to think about what life would be like without you now, ma cherie."
"Me neither."