Mon Chéri

42

CL16:

Second for qualifying was better than not on podium but goddamn that red Ferrari. I'm going after championship number two and I need to start off with a bang. Ah be happy for your girlfriend. "So you never told her did you?" Max asked snapping me out of my thoughts. "I did. But we're just friends." I said. "Well damn. I thought that would've ended differently." He said a tone of sadness in his voice. "It's better that way man. It's all good." I said. I hated lying but we both weren't ready for the backlash we would get. "Alright. Well good luck today. I think we need it." He said. He had qualified fourth with Carlos separating us. "With Ferrari I think we do too." I said and he chuckled. "See you on the track." He said and i nodded. "See you." I replied and he walked off. "Oh hey Max, you need to beat her today man. I have a thousand dollars riding on you beating her." I said and he laughed. "I'll do my best. She's a hell of a driver." He said. "Trust me, I know." I said and he laughed again. He just nodded his head and kept walking. "Drivers formation lap in thirty minutes!" Someone yelled and i sighed. Let's do this.
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"Alright Charles, last car is pulling up now. Be ready." I heard. I clicked my button and the lights flashed up. "It's lights out and away we go here in Bahrain at the start of the 2025 Formula one season is under way." I pulled up next to Nova down the front straight and we went side by side all the way to turn one. Damn her and her trust in those brakes because she out-braked the hell out of me. "Patience. Just wait for a line." I heard and groaned. "Copy." I replied and focused. Carlos and Max we're going at it behind me and I was praying to god they wouldn't wreck each other.
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Lap twenty Max finally made it by Carlos after turn four with a crash almost. Jesus these two are nuts. Nova never once screwed up and was somehow pulling me by about a quarter of a second each lap. "Daniels has been called to box. Repeat, Daniels has been called to box." I clicked my button and drove as hard as I could. This was my chance to close that gap up. Only shit thing was I knew I would need to box very soon. I just made it past pit exit and Nova came out. "You're now half a deacon ahead of Daniels. Try to get ahead. You have to box soon." "Copy."
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Three laps later I had to go in for new tires. Unfortunately for me I couldn't get a big enough gap to keep her behind me after a pit stop so I was shoved back to second once again. "Three second to Daniels. Verstappen two seconds behind." "Copy." Well shit. Looks like she's gonna win this after all.
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I came around the last corner and saw the white flag. Last lap. "Alright go time. Give it all you've got." "Got it." I replied and drove the hell out of my car. Still no matter what I did I could not catch Nova. The lap went by and I saw the checkered flag. "P2 Charles. Good job. Max P3." "Thank you guys. Amazing job to Max." I replied. We drove around our cool down lap and i pulled around to the number 2 sign. I undid all of my straps and pulled myself out of the car. Damnit now I'm out a thousand bucks. Nova walked over to me and gave me a hug then pulled her visor up to look at me. "Pay up Charlie boy." She said with a smile and i laughed. "Oh mon dieu chérie. I will pay you at the hotel." I said and she laughed. "Merci mon amour." She replied and I raised a brow. "You're learning." I said and she nodded. "See you in the cooldown room." She said and ran off to the room. "She's in love with you." Max said walking up behind me. "Oh shut the fuck up. She just wanted to gloat that I owe her money." I said and he shook his head. "Whatever man." He said. I rolled my eyes and we went to the cooldown room.
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"As promised." I said and handed her a wad of cash. "Pleasure doing business with you." She said and i laughed. "You did really good today." I said and she smiled. "Thank you. You did too babe." She said and i smiled. "Thank you." I replied and sat down next to her on the bed. "I'm gonna go shower." She said. "May i join you?" I asked wiggling my eyebrows. "Yeah let me think, no." She said with a smile and got up. "Ah no fun." I said and she rolled her eyes. "Your time will come just be patient." She said and i smiled. "I'll wait however long you want." I replied and she smiled at me. "Thank you." She said and disappeared behind the bathroom door. I flicked on the TV and laid down. I grabbed my phone to check Instagram and saw Ferraris post for the weekend. I decided to go through the comments and one stood out to me. "Women in Motorsport should never be a thing. It's for men." This must be the shit she deals with daily. Now I get why she hates reporters, as some digging led me to finding out this guy was a reporter for Formula One.
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"Babe, when are we going to tell our friends?" She asked as she walked out of the bathroom. "I'm not sure. I'm sure we will know when it's time." I replied and she nodded. "Shower is all yours. I'll prolly be asleep before you get out so I'm sorry." She said. "Don't be sorry. Get some sleep." I said and walked over to where she was is the room. I kissed the top of her head and she smiled. She looked up at me and i placed a kiss on her lips and when I pulled away her lips were curled into a small smile. "Sleep. I'll be here in the morning." I said and she nodded. As I walked into the bathroom I saw her laying down and covering herself up with the blanket. My heart feels full with her. Like she's the missing puzzle piece.