DNF - c.l [1]

17:00

I take my seat on the race wall, having argued back and fourth with FIA officials and Vasseur about letting me race, I had finally given in and accepted I wasn't going to be able to race this weekend, instead I would do my part and help from the pit wall.

"Radio check fucker," I say into Charles comms, as he went around for the formation lap.

Charles was starting at the back of the grid due to an engine failure during qualifying yesterday, so I noted to stay out of his way yesterday.

Friday night he took me to Burger King and almost shoved a burger down my throat.

"Can I just get a large fries and a coke please," I had called out to the working through the window, "and a double cheese burger please, no ketchup," he says.

He hands the lady his card much to my disagreement to pay for my own food, "I have money, I can pay," I say as we drive around to the next window. 

"So do I amor," he had said, he was being too nice to the point I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for him to snap back to his usual self.

He hands me the large fries and coke as well as the burger he ordered, "is this not yours?" I ask him as he pulls back onto the Main Street, "No, it's for you, eat up," he says, checking both ways before merging.

"How did you know I don't like ketchup?" I ask him, taking a bite as I watch him drive, "I noticed at your birthday dinner you were scraping the ketchup out," he says calmly, overtaking the Suzuki swift in front of us.

"Good afternoon Scott, I see being a driver didn't work out for you," he says back through his comms, "let's not piss me off or I'll start singing into your comms mid race," I say back laughing.

I watch through the fence as he lines up at the back.

The lights go out and all the cars race forward into turn one, Charles already 2 positions up.

"Alright Charles, you're currently P18, Yuki is 0.5 seconds ahead," I say to him, watching him fly round the map in front of me.

He overtakes Yuki with ease and I can hear the small man yelling already.

I notice on the map Lewis's car not moving anymore, looking back into the garage to get the live stream footage I see he's in the wall on turn 6 after being pushed off by Max.

"Safety car deployed, we are P15," I say, "why the safety car?" Charles asks me.

"Lewis is in the wall on turn 6, Max cut him off," I reply, watching the live stream as Lewis gets out the car, the crowd cheering around him.

"Serves him right," I hear Charles say quietly and I scoff, pressing the button to radio him back but Albert swats my hand away, shaking his head. 

I wave him off, continuing to watch the map, "Ocon is 3 seconds ahead of you now Charles," I say, pointing to Ocon on the map for Albert to see.

The race continues with Charles managing to get to P7 by lap 35.

"Prepare to pit this lap Charles, we're switching to softs," I instructed him.

I turn around, watching as he comes into the pit lane, the mechanics moving around the car as quickly as they can.

2.7 seconds reads on the clock for the pit stop time.

He begins to merge out back onto the track as Max is coming around the corner, before I can comms in to warn him Max is already cutting him off, his back tyre flying off the ground as his car flips. He skids along the ground upside down, the only thing stopping him from snapping his neck is the halo rim.

Everyone on the pit wall has stood up, looking down to the pit lane exit, including the other team garages, Marshalls running with fire extinguishers as the car bursts into flames.

I let out a loud gasp as I watch the scene unfold in front of me.

"Charles? are you okay? Charles?" I frantically speak into the comms, hoping he was okay. I get no reply.

I take off down the pit lane, following the Marshalls to the crash on turn one. They were pulling him out of the car as I got there.

"Miss, please stay back," one of them say to me as I push through them, desperate to make sure he's okay. 

I watch as he emerges from the flaming car, running away with a medic as Marshalls surround the car with fire extinguishers, trying their best to put it out.

"Charles!" I call out, he was still wearing his helmet so I couldn't tell if he had noticed me yet.

He runs right up to me, throwing his arms around me, making me almost lose my balance.

"Are you okay? are you hurt?" I frantically ask him, clutching onto the sides of his helmet, flicking up the visor I finally make eye contact with him. 

His eyes were glossed over as if he was close to crying, he burns his head into my shoulder, his arms wrapped around my waist as he pulls me into him.

"Madeline," he breaths out.

No one else mattered, he didn't care about the cameras or what anyone would say, he was finally being real with me, the real him.

"I'm right here," I say, instructing the medic's that he was okay and to leave us alone. I notice the camera's beginning to swarm around the safety fence, snapping pictures of us.

Looking behind Charles I see Max getting out his car that was also pretty beat up, one of his axel's bent directly up into the air. 

"Are you fucking blind," Max calls out to Charles, ripping his helmet off and throwing it onto the ground as he inches closer to us. 

I don't think Charles heard him with his helmet on as I push him behind me, standing in between them. 

"Fuck off Max," I cuss at him as he gets up into my face, glaring down at me.

I wasn't intimidated by him in the slightest, as he breathed heavily, looking past me at Charles. I turn my head to see he had now taken his helmet off and his eyes were dry, back to their usual cold and dark colour as he glared back at Max.

"Get out my way," he tries to shove me to get past to Charles but I stand firm, pushing his hands away from me.

Suddenly Charles is in front of me, gripping Max by his race suit and pining him against the tyre barrier, his face furious. 

"What the fuck did I say to you last time?" he yells, the cameras snapping images as he shakes his collar, "huh?" he pushes him for an answer but Max looks dumbfounded by the situation.

"Touch her again and I'll make sure you don't have hands to touch her," he says, pushing him back further onto the tyres before taking a step back. 

I watch, not knowing what to do as he begins to walk back towards me, thinking he'll tell me to follow him or drag me with him, but he doesn't. 

I suddenly get the same gut feeling I got at Charles apartment party in Monaco, feeling like I meant absolutely nothing to him, that everything he did and said to me was just a cruel joke.

He walks right past me, breathing heavily with sweat dropping down his forehead, leaving Max and I speechless as he begins the walk back to the pits. 

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AN: I am NOT uploading anymore tonight guys I have work in 6 hours and I haven't slept yet😭 but I wanted to say a real quick thank you for all the support and love on the book so far, I see every vote, follow and comment on here and TikTok, I promise you it does not go unnoticed!