DNF - c.l [1]

14:00

"There's the birthday girl," Lewis calls out, opening his arm out for me to sit next to him by the fire pit.

I lean into him, thankful he was warm as the night air made the hair on my arms stand up, it was that cold.

"Hey, you okay?" Lewis shakes my shoulder gently as I zone out from the conversation around me.

"You ever feel like you're getting somewhere with someone then suddenly they pull away?" I question him, taking a glass of champagne from the waiter and drinking half of it straight away.

"Yeah, seems like you need something a bit stronger," he chuckles, passing me his glass. I swig it back without asking what it was, the stale taste of whiskey hitting the back of my throat.

I place the glass down on the table in front of us.

"Sometimes you just have to walk away, when it gets like that, it's better for both parties," he says softly, giving me a kind smile and squeezing my shoulder.

"I saw the picture of the car Pierre got you, it looks amazing," Lily, Alex's girlfriend says from across the pit, taking my mind off the previous situation. 

"Honestly, I was so shocked, I still don't know if I can accept it as a gift," I chuckle, taking another glass of champagne from the waiter.

"Don't be silly, it's a present, and it's all yours," Pierre says, taking a seat on the arm of the sofa, putting him arm around shoulders again. 

I rest the back of my head into his armpit, letting him wrap himself around me.

"You look beautiful by the way, in case no one told you," he whispers into my ear and I blush, pushing him playfully.

"Alright you two, enough of that," Lando says, "Madeline I want you to meet the smooth operator," he motions to the man following him.

I stand from the couch, taking his hand and shaking it, "Madeline Scott," I say with a smile, "so you're the girl who replaced me," he grins, he was beautiful, picture perfect face with the perfect head of hair.

"It's temporary," I hear from behind me.

Charles was rounding my end of the couch, sitting down on the arm chair closest to Pierre and i.

"Well let's hope this injury doesn't take too long to heal, for my sake," he motions to the arm cast and I give him a tight smile, sitting back down, but on Pierre's lap now, watching Charles as I do so.

His jaw tightens as he watches, his eyes low as he looks me up and down.

Charlotte makes an appearance again, running her hand across the back of Charles shoulders, sitting down on his lap the same way I did with Pierre, I watch her, just like Charles watched me.

We don't break eye contact.

"How's the Ferrari garage treating you Madeline?" Carlos says, "oh just wonderful," I plaster on a fake smile, not looking away from Charles.

"I've been watching you race every weekend, I'm glad you got the chance to race in F1, you definitely deserve it," he says and I finally look away from Charles to look at Carlos with a genuine smile this time.

"Don't get used to it," Charles chimes in, ruining the mood once again.

"Come on mate, no need to be like that," Pierre defends for me.

Charles swirls the ice around in his glass, taking one last sip, finishing off the glass before slamming it down on the table a little too loudly, grasping the attention of the other drivers and a few aimless bystanders attention.

"You can stop pretending to like her now Pierre, it obvious she's in to you," Charles say, putting his hand on charlottes waist as he leans back into the seat, "I must say though, the porche was a nice touch, but a bet is a bet."

He begins to rummage around in his trouser pockets, as I look at Pierre, "what is he on about," I ask, looking up at him, his face now pale as a sheet of paper.

"Charles, not now," Pierre pleads, sitting up slightly, dropping his arm from my leg, moving me onto the seat beside him.

"No, no, I am a man of my word, what did we agree? 100 euros?" he slaps down two 50 euro notes on the table.

I look between the two of them, shocked.

"Madeline come on," Lewis tries to pull me away and up off the couch as Pierre and Charles stare at each other in silent.

"No, what the fuck is this?" I beckon at the money between the two of them, looking at Pierre for answers.

"Oh he didn't tell you?" Charles laughs, running a hand through his hair, "well Pierre had this great idea, the first one to get you into bed wins, and I guess he won," he shrugs, taking another glass of whiskey from the waiter as they pass by.

The alcohol inside me was bubbling, as the rage in my chest was about to start swinging.

"Are you fucking kidding me? I didn't sleep with him," I point back at Pierre who now had his head in his hands.

"Madeline, leave it," Lewis tugs on my arm again, "come on Mads," Lando now says from beside me.

"That's right, listen to your dogs Scott," 

I grab the nearest glass to me and launch it at his head, only missing because he swerves out the way, "you pshyco bitch," he sneers at me, now standing too, walking towards me quickly.

"I think that's enough," George says, standing in-between the two of us, as if Charles was going to grab me.

My fists stay clenched by my sides, waiting for the chance to punch him, the same way I did to Max. 

"You're a piece of shit," I spit at him lowly, loud enough for only him and George in between us to hear, he laughs, his eyes cold of any remorse he once had.

"Happy fucking birthday Scott," he says, raising a glass, turning on his heel and sitting back down with Charlotte, taking another sip from his drink.

I allow Lewis to pull me away from the fire pit, "Madeline, please let me explain," Pierre comes running after us.

"Don't fucking bother," I sneer at him, shoving the porche keys into his chest, "keep your fancy car, and the money." I could feel the tears starting to swell in my eyes as Lewis places his hand on my back gently, guiding me into the elevator.

"You can stay at mine if you like? Dee should be there in the morning, she's supposed to be dropping some documents off for me to sign." Lewis says kindly as I look away, a few tears dropping from my eyes.

I wipe them away quickly before turning to face him, "that would be nice, thank you Lewis," I say smiling as we exit into the garage.

He opens the door to the AMG for me, picking up the train of my dress and placing it in the footwell beside me.

"Best birthday ever," I say sarcastically as he turns the car on. 

"Technically," he starts, looking at the clock on the dash, the time reading 1:48 AM, "not your birthday anymore, so it was a good birthday," he says cheerily, trying to lighten the mood.

We exit the underground garage onto the streets of Monaco again. I watch the street lights flash in and out of the car as we weave in and out of the streets and to Lewis's apartment.