Studying Love

Chapter 51: Faded

Charles' pov

"All I can say is that we're in a very happy place at the moment and do everything on our own pace." We close the interview "That was allright I think?" I look hopefull at Meg. "Well, everyone can see the love obviously, but I think that answer was the right one." We film something for Youtube and I head back to the hotel. When I walk into my room my phone rings. "Hello my beautiful fiancé." She giggles and blushes, acting a little shy. "Hello mi amor." "You look pretty, what are you going to do?" "I'm going to eat at your mums, just us two." "That's nice, will you give her a kiss from me?" She nods as she starts putting on a little bit of make up. "So, did you watch today?" "I did" I can see her surpressing her laugh. "Oh my god, what is it?" "Nothing." "Lillianna Gonzalez future Leclerc, spill your thoughts." She starts laughing. "It made me giggly, you tried to say something casual but your whole body language said something else." I sigh, shit. "Was I that obvious?"  "No, it was very cute. Three more weeks babe, than we'll tell the world." Three more weeks, I want to shout it from the roof. I want everbody to know that she's my girl, forever. But I respect her wishes and I understand that she wants to tell her friends and family in person. "I can't wait untill you get here tomorrow!" "Me too my love, I gotta go now, see you tomorrow." She blows me a kiss and hangs up. I fall on the bed and sigh. Three more weeks of playing dumb.

After qualifying I go to the hotel and wait for her to arrive. I hear knocking on my door. I jump up to open the door. I look her in the face, her contagious smile, her beautiful eyes. She looks exhausted tho. I pull her in and hug her thight. She leaves out a sigh. "Are you okay love?" "Yeah I was just feeling a bit off today, don't know why. But I feel a lot better with you now around me again." I kiss her nose which wrinkles up. We lay down on the bed and talk a bit about our week. We decide to get a drink down at the bar. Lilly stands up and I see her almost falling over. I rush to catch her. "Baby, are you allright?" "Yeah, just a little light in my head. I think I stood up too quickly. It's already better now." When we lay in bed later she's already fast asleep. I notice she's breathing very heavy. I softly take her wrist and find her heartrate. Why the fuck is it so high when she's sleeping? I don't want to worry her so I keep it to myself, but I am going to keep an eye out on that.

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Lilly's pov

I am exhausted I don't even know why. Charles' alarm goes and he kisses me softy, pulling me in for a little bit of snuggling. He asks if I join him now to go to track or come later. I decide to get a little bit extra sleep and see him before sprint race starts. He leaves and I go back to sleep. I wake up and look at my phone. 12:00. SHIT. I rush out of bed and take an uber to track. I'll eat something in Ferrari. I rush into the hospitality and look for Charles. He's in a meeting with his engineers which gives me a little time to get something to eat. I'm not really hungry so I only take a muffin. I take my laptop out and go work a little untill Charles gets back. He kisses my head. We chat for a bit before he needs to leave me. 

The next day I watch the race from the balcony with Carmen. Charles and George are really battling on track. "Damn, it will be a close one today." We talk a little during the race but are both too focused. Charles tries to overtake George but George somehow can't make the turn, making both of them spin. Carmen grabs my hand. The boys are okay and can finish the race but they both have to really fight to get back in the points. "Well, I think they'll both be a little disappointed. Let's go to the garages and give them a bit of extra love." I say bye to Carmen, I will see her in Hungary again. 

We go back home for the week. Charles joins me with a dive which is nice. It's so busy with working, flying out on friday, back on sunday, work again. The dive is a little more relaxing. Before I know it Charles leaves already to go to Hungary and I follow him again on Friday. Charles has ordered roomservice for me while I take the taxi. I'm starving. He ate already at the hospitality and everything is just for me. I asked him if I could have a hamburger with a lot of pickles. "Weird request, normally you pick them off of your burgers but okay, whatever you want love." I get to the hotel and can smell my burger waiting for me. Charles opens the door. "Hey mi amor." I quickly kiss him, drop my suitcase in front of him, run past him and take a huge bite of my burger. "Oh my god, this is so good." I try to say with my mouth filled. Charles still stands in the dooropening, looking at me. "What?" he starts laughing. "You have a little bit of sauce on your cheek" He walks up to me and softly wipes it away. He licks his finger. "Really good sauce." "Right?!" 

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Charles' pov

She's so funny without even realizing it. The way her small hands hold that huge burger, the awfully big bite she took out of it. Her little happy dance. "Hello love how was racing today? Yeah so sweet of you asking me that Lilly, it was great. I missed you so much, oh I missed you too." She stops chewing and looks questiongly at me. "Yeah whatever, I needed food. But after this, you will have my full attention." I snort a laugh at her.

She joins me all weekend. We have lunch together before the race. She's just stirring around on her plate. "Do you feel well?" I ask her concerned, last week she also didn't eat well. "Yeah, just not really hungry at the moment." "We can order another burger for you tonight, if you still want one since you ate them everyday." "Funny of you, ha ha. They are very delicious, you're just jealous you can't have them." "I don't even want them with that amount of pickles on them, I rather eat very very good Italian food in here." She sticks her tongue out to me. I finish my plate and look at the time. I need to go. "Do you promise to eat something during the race?" "I don't promise anything but I will try my best." I sigh and stand up. "Okay, that will do." I kiss her cheek when I really need to leave to get ready for the race. She'll go to the garage in a minute

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Lilly's pov

Arthur already is in the garage. "Hello there little brother in law." I kiss him on the cheek. "Hello there my brothers girlfriend." he nudges me jokingly. "I'm offended, am I nothing more than that?" He puts his arm around my shoulder and hands me headphones. "Charles had a little surprise for you." My name is written inside of the headphone, these are 100% my headphones! How thoughtfull of him. Charles walks past us to get to his car and gives me one last kiss. The race starts and the battle between him and Max already is on. They switch between p1 and p2 almost all race. "Come on Charles." I whisper to the screens. His tires are degrading more than expected and it will be a very close call before Max and his Red Bull will overtake him. They calculated that it could happen in the last lap. My heartrate is sky high. I hold Arthurs hand as the last lap starts. Max overtakes him in a corner but with DRS Charles get's back with him. They go almost wheel to wheel on the last bit and the last corner is in sight. Suddenly sounds fade away and everything becomes dark.

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Charles' pov

Another win! I'm ahead in the championship of Max, with a lot of spare room. This season is going great. I get our of the car and go to my team. Lilly isn't here? That's strange. Before I head up to the podium I ask to someone where she is. "She collapsed when you crossed the finish line." "Why did nobody tell me that earlier?!" I run to the garage. I see Lilly sitting in a corner, leaning against Arthur. "LILLY." Her eyes are open but she looks like noone is home. "Hey baby, great win. You... podium... now?" Her head falls back onto Arthurs chest. He pats on her cheeks. "Hey, Focus, Stay awake Lilly." "Are you having a panic attack? WHY ISN'T A MEDICAL TEAM HERE?" As I yell through the garage I see some coming in. They measure her heartrate and bloodpressure and ask how she's feeling. "Go to the podium, run, you're still going to make it." I look at Arthur and hesitate. "There's nothing you can do here now." I nod and go to the podium. After media I go straight back. They have moved her to a private room. Arthur stands in front of the door, he starts telling me she just fell down out of nowhere when I crossed the finish line. "Luckily I caught her, she could have really hurt herself with her fall." I hug him. "Thanks for being there."  I open the door slowly. "Hello love, you can smile more when you're up on the podium." She says as she stands up and kisses me. What the fuck?