DNF - c.l [1]

08:00

"Right, you've got fan meetings at 10, then an interview with sky at 12, so make sure you give yourself enough time to change and get yourself sorted." Amanda, my PR manage says from beside me as we walk through the paddock towards my trailer.

we had landed in Monaco on Monday, giving us enough time to adjust to the jet lag from the states. having spent my week alone with Dee to busy with the FIA publications, I filled my time by visiting family I had not seen in years.

I had grown up in Monaco for the the first 10 years of my life, but moved to the UK to pursue my dream of racing. 

"And I need to be in the garage for what? 2PM?" I question Amanda as I climb the steps to my trailer. 

It was hot in Monaco today, and I had forgotten how the weather fluctuates in this country, having worn a Ferrari hoodie and black jeans, I was sweating buckets.

"1:30 if you have the time, Vasseur is having a last minute team meeting after last Sundays race." she says, stopping in the door way of my trailer while I rummaged around for a Ferrari t-shirt, begging to get out of this hoodie. 

"Okay, erm Amanda," I say, still rummaging through piles of boxes for a t-shirt, "Yes Madeline," she replies.

"Are there any spare t-shirt in here?" I ask her, turning to face her.

she looks up from her iPad, an annoyed expression on her face, "did you listen to anything I just said?" she asks, raising her arms, "Yes, they're in the trailer next-door," 

"Don't suppose you've got shorts too?" I smile at her sheepishly. She rolls her eyes and hands me a pair of black denim shorts from her bag.

"You're the best," I pat her on the shoulder, stepping back out into the heat and jogging down the steps to the trailer next to mine, "1:30 Madeline, don't be late!" she yells as I swing open the door to the trailer without another thought.

My vision fixes of a pile of boxes labelled 'team shirts' I lunge for them, ripping off the tape. the box was filled with crew member shirts, not driver shirts.

I look around the room again, looking frantically for anything, before my vision fixes on a singular t-shirt hanging up.

without thinking I rip it from it's hanger, beginning to take off my jumper and long sleeve body suit without another thought.

"Didn't know I ordered a stripper to my trailer," a voice fills the silent room and I almost scream.

Charles was stood in the door way, the door wide open for all of the paddock to see me in my underwear if they looked.

"Charles!" I yelp, grabbing my jumper in front of my body to stop him from looking at me anymore than he already had.

"Close the fucking door!" I yell, pointing at the door he had obviously and probably intently left open.

To my surprise he actually does, but with him on the wrong side of the door, inside the trailer.

"I didn't realise this was your trailer," I say, frantically trying to pull on the t-shirt and shorts again. He takes a seat on the couch, opening a bottle of water as he watches me get dressed, not trying to hide the fact he was watching.

"I mean it does say my name on the wall outside," he says shrugging, standing up he begins to undo his trousers.

"What are you doing?" I ask him, my eyes widening as his jeans drop to the floor and he pulls the hoodie he was wearing off, chucking it onto the table.

"Getting changed, just like you?" he questions me. 

He turns his back to me as he slips on a pair of black board shorts.

He turns back to face me as I'm zipping up my own shorts and points, "that's mine," he says. I don't look up and laugh, "If you want to wear my denim shorts, I'm sure the girls would love that," I chuckle, putting my shoes back on. 

"No Scott, the t-shirt," he says. I finally meet his eyes and my mouth makes an 'o' shape as I realise I had taken his t-shirt off the hanger.

Looking down I now also realise how much larger it was on me.

"Well, I didn't have one," I say, hoping he would let me wear it, being too hot for a jumper.

"Sounds like a personal problem." he says, taking steps towards me and grabbing the hem of the t-shirt to take it off me.

I try to swat his hands away, "hey stop, I'll go find you another one-"

"What the fuck."

We both stop where we were, my shirt half way up, exposing my bra and Charles shirtless, the door open wide again, but Charlotte stood in the door way.

A few people from the paddock look into see what was going on, pointing towards the door, they catch the attention of the cameras who in no doubt are zooming in, getting a great shot for the media.

"Charlotte," we both say in unison, Charles dropping his hold on the shirt and me taking a step back.

"You're kidding me right," she points between the two of us and I being to shake my head furiously, heat rushing to my cheeks in embarrassment.

"No Charlotte it's not what it looks like," I try to defend myself, not for Charles sake, but my own reputation. 

A small crowd is starting to form outside the door now, Charles, having somehow pulled a Ferrari t-shirt out his ass, he stands in front of Charlotte, blocking the outside world from seeing me as I grab my phone from the table and a hat.

"Charlotte, she was just changing, I wouldn't touch her if my life depended on it," Charles pleaded.

"Erm, I'm still here you know?" I offendedly say.

"Yeah we'll I guess your life did depend on it, because you were touching her," she storms down the stairs and off into the crowd of people.

"Thanks a lot," Charles says, slamming the door closed on me, probably running after Charlotte.

I stand staring at the closed door, listening to the commotion outside, the subtle sound of Charlotte yelling at Charles as Mia, Charles PR manager's voice comes into play, hissing at the pair of them this wasn't a good look for their reputations.

The door is opened again by Mia, forcefully telling me to sit on the couch with Charles following swiftly behind, his head hanging low between his shoulders, no Charlotte in sight.

"Right, you two," she says crossing her arms as Charles closes the door, leaning back against it with a fowl look on his face.

"The media will see this in a few hours with no doubt, so may as well play it to our advantage," she says, pinching the bridge of her nose as though she was stressed, like being around Charles wasn't enough.

I already knew what she was going to say.

Just like Lando has said back in the club in Bahrain, being in a PR relationship was forced onto a lot of the drivers and in no time it would happen to me, but I didn't expect it to be with my driver. 

"Please Mia, no," Charles says, also knowing what was about to be said, "well, no thanks to you guys, the PR team has decided it would be best if you guys dated for a while, just until the end of the season."