POV: You Love Charles Leclerc

35. Home

546 words
Inspired by 'Home' by Machine Gun Kelly, X Ambassadors and Bebe Rhexa
Listen to the song while reading 😁

Racing was hard, no doubt about that. Not only physically, but mentally too. When you are so close to a goal, you change. You become a new person. You tried to stay yourself even under pressure but it is a subconscious thing so sometimes it can't be helped. And when you miss out on something you've worked extra hard for, it is the most heartbreaking thing. The disappointment, the feeling of being a let down becomes more intense when you believe it yourself. But the adrenaline and the fun you have while racing outweighs everything and the emotions are just side effects, racing is the number one.
Today had been one of those heartbreaking days, though. The F4 season had just come to a close and you had come 2nd in the championship. You had lost the lead by one tenth of a second, which also lost you the lead in the championship... by 1 point. You had been so close, yet so far and it was eating you up inside already. It had only been half an hour since you had left the car but you felt defeated and empty but at the same time so overcome by emotion that you didn't know what to do with yourself. You had never been this close and you really thought you had a chance.
You had just come back to your driver's room after refilling your water bottle when you heard a knock on the door. You had closed it for privacy, for you to be left to your thoughts for a bit but you opened it anyway. To your surprise, you saw Charles Leclerc standing on the other side of the door. He was your friend but it was sometimes hard to communicate as he spoke very little English so you didn't speak often. You wanted to, of course, he was lovely, but it was hard for both of you as you only spoke a little French. "Hey Y/N." He greeted you. He sounded disappointed himself through the thick accent.
"Hey Charles, what brought you over here?" His garage was at the other end of the paddock so he definitely meant to be there, he didn't just pop in on his way past.
"You." He said, "you are okay?"
"Yeah, thanks. I'll be okay. Just disappointed that's all."
"I understand." He sympathised. He was disappointed with himself too, he had come 4th in the championship and he was not pleased with it. It had been a hard season for you both so he understood where you were coming from."
"I think I just need to go home and reset. Come back stronger next season." You offered a smile through your sadness. Charles looked at you, confused. You supposed you said something he didn't quite understand.
"Home?" He asked. You nodded.
"A place where I can go to take this off my shoulders." He nodded in understanding.
"Someone take me home." He agreed with you, placing a hand on your shoulder to comfort you. You appreciated him being there, it helped to have someone who understood there to relate and show some comfort. You loved your family and friends- they always helped you through anything but they didn't understand like other drivers did. They never would.